Issue link: http://digital.copcomm.com/i/879767
26 SAG-AFTRA | Summer/Fall 2017 | SAGAFTRA.org that when a project comes along, he's ready because he constantly trains and exercises his acting "muscles" — and he recommends his fellow SAG-AFTRA members do the same. SAG-AFTRA actors are fortunate to have a wealth of low-cost and no-cost opportunities for training and education provided by the union and its partner organizations. Local web pages, emails and the SAG-AFTRA mobile app keep members informed about upcoming events and opportunities. One of the areas of richest opportunity is the programming available through local conservatories. Numerous locals run conservatories; see the following pages for a complete list. The largest of these is the Los Angeles Conservatory, which offers dozens of classes as part of its seasonal offerings. It also has its own newsletter with all the details. Find it on the Los Angeles Local page at sagaftra.org/la under the "LA Conservatory" tab. In addition to a wide range of educational resources, the Los Angeles Conservatory offers members the chance to get real-world experience by working with graduate lmmaking students at the American Film Institute. AFI is the alma mater of some accomplished directors (see sidebar, page 29) and it's a great place to meet tomorrow's top talent. Each year, the class of rst- year students create lms and cast them with conservatory members. Betsy Pollock, AFI's associate dean of production, said both students and actors benet from the program. "I get a lot of feedback from the actors saying how much they've enjoyed working with the students [and] the students really appreciate actors who are serious about their craft and who bring an understanding of the process," Pollock said. As some of the more seasoned people on the set, performers not only have the chance to help train future directors on how to best work with actors, but may also nd they have a level of creative freedom they're not used to. And since every actor gets a copy of the lm, they also get material for their reels. For members in the Big Apple, the New York Local's conservatory provides a panoply of ways to sharpen existing skills and learn new ones. "The SAG-AFTRA New York Conservatory is one of the best deals in town. Membership affords you access to classes, workshops and labs that help you boost your skills and build your condence in a positive environment. Come open and ready to grow," said New York Conservatory Chair Verania Kenton. Another useful resource is the SAG-AFTRA Foundation. Beyond its other philanthropic endeavors such as "When you do things, you get better at doing things." – Stephen Tobolowsky Ed u ca t i on a n d O p po rtu n it y A b ou n d fo r S A G -A F T R A M e m be rs A ctor Stephen Tobolowsky remembers going to a Texas Rangers baseball game with his brother Paul, when a pop y came their way. The stands were sparsely populated that day, and the brothers pretty much had the area to themselves. "The ball landed like 10 rows from me," Tobolowsky recalled. "There was nobody around us. Then there was a scurry from different parts of the stadium of people rushing for the ball. "Paul yells at me, Stephen, go get the y Go get the y' "I said, 'Y'know, I'm going to wait for one to come closer.' "And I'm sitting there [thinking] 'I'm gonna wait for something to come closer.' And I went, 'Stephen, you just learned an important lesson — it don't come closer' Tobolowsky — who famously played Ned Ryerson in Groundhog Day and has appeared in hundreds of other roles — recounts the story as an illustration of the importance of seizing opportunity. As an actor, he has a "philosophy of yes," the idea