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T Conference to Focus on Stuntwomen he Diamond in the RAW Foundation will be holding its fifth annual Action Icon Awards & Stuntwomen's Coordinating Conference Oct. 3-7. The event will feature a stunt coordinating seminar, performance capture session and stunt-rigging demonstration designed to educate stuntwomen on the latest industry techniques. The Action Icon Awards concludes this four-day event by honoring the industry's leading stuntwomen and female action stars. This year's special honorees include SAG-AFTRA members Joni Avery, Jennifer Badger, Kelly Hu and Sonia Jo McDancer. Proceeds from ticket sales of the event will benefit the Diamond in the RAW Foundation, a nonprofit devoted to transforming the lives of at-risk teenage girls. For more information and to register, please visit actioniconawards.com. The deadline is Oct. 25 at 5 p.m. PT. The outstanding stunt ensembles in film and television S for 2012 will be announced on Jan. 27 on the live SAG Awards ® Red Carpet Pre-show webcast on tnt.tv, tbs.com and People.com. For 2011, the Outstanding Action Performance by a Stunt Ensemble in a Motion Picture went to Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2, and the Outstanding Action Performance by a Stunt Ensemble in a Television Series was awarded to Game of Thrones. Click here for a list of the stunt ensemble honorees 30 SAG-AFTRA | Fall 2012 | SAGAFTRA.org HONORED AT SAG AWARDS STUNT PERFORMERS ® ubmissions are now being accepted for the 19th Annual Screen Actors Guild Awards. continueD FROM page 28 money coming in. On a union show, you get residuals," he said. SAG-AFTRA contracts also include a non-discrimination "If you're hurt, you still have your residuals base; you still have clause, which can help prevent embarrassing conflicts over who is doubling an actor. Grey's Anatomy actor and National Board member Jason George recounted one such incident. "I was on an independent film — it was a mountain climbing you go about finding stunt doubles for people of color," George added. "Had that been in place at that time, it would have eliminated friction between me and my producers, because they were great guys, I loved them, but it just wasn't on their radar that that might be offensive to me." film — and I walked into hair and makeup one morning and there was a Caucasian man getting made up to look like me … so he could go mountain climbing. I stopped and I looked and I said, 'I'm going to go back and we're going to take two on that because I didn't see that — it didn't happen.' "Now the contract actually has rules that help govern how Professionals SAG-AFTRA and stays in constant contact with the Locals. SAG-AFTRA's National Stunt & Safety Committee meets once a month to discuss issues of importance to the stunt community. In addition, the union has representation on the Industry- agreements are being enforced, responds to grievances Every day, the union works to ensure collective bargaining Wide Labor-Management Safety Committee, made up of studio officials and unions that represent cast and crew. It issues safety bulletins and guidelines on topics such as working in extreme weather, safe use of fire and smoke, and procedures on how to handle food on the set. These are safety issues that benefit all performers, whether they do stunts or not. "One of the key contributors to the continued success of the entertainment industry is the SAG-AFTRA stunt community, which routinely provides the unique skill and experience required to execute spectacular and dangerous stunt performances in a safe manner," said Glenn Hiraoka, national director, Stunt, Singers, Dancers & Safety. "The union continues to work strongly to improve the wages and safe working conditions of the stunt community." SAG-AFTRA Co-President Ken Howard, whose wife Linda Howard was a stunt performer, said that when he looks at the contributions stunt performers such as Hal Needham, Joel Kramer, and Jeannie and Tony Epper (see sidebar) have made to film, he feels there should be more public recognition. "I have been amazed that there hasn't been [a category] in the Academy Awards for the stunt community," he said. "It just surprises me there isn't some special acknowledgement every now and then."