Issue link: https://digital.copcomm.com/i/1054784
sagaftra.org | Fall 2018 | SAG-AFTRA 107 Chicago LOCAL CO-HOSTS AN EVENING WITH IMPROV ARTISTS T he San Francisco-Northern California Local kicked off the summer on July 2 with an informal discussion on the positive impact of SAG-AFTRA in the lives of professional Bay Area performers in the improv community. Held at the Bay Area Theater Sports Improv at Fort Mason, the panel of SAG-AFTRA members included actor, teacher and Bay Area Theater Sports Improv co-founder William Hall; actor, improv artist and "Pine-Sol Lady" Diane Amos; actor, comedian and improv artist Geoff Bolt; and actor and voiceover artist Joe Paulino, who is a San Francisco-Northern California Local Board member. These stalwarts of the local community of performers shared stories about their work behind the mic and on the stage. Afterwards, pre-members, new members and staff attended a mixer. They had the opportunity to get to know each other and discussed what SAG-AFTRA is doing to foster industry relations, increase work opportunities and improve working conditions for performers. GET OUT OF THE BOOTH C ommercial voiceover performers from across the Washington-Mid Atlantic Local came together Aug. 28 to participate in the Get Out of Your Booth event to learn more about the current trends in voiceover work in the advertising industry. After the presentation, members gathered for a reception to further discuss these trends as they pertain to local markets, member engagement opportunities and use of the new Regional Commercial Code to attract and turn local non-union producers into union producers. They also brainstormed ideas on how to harness the local membership's enthusiasm for the wages and working conditions process for the Commercials Contracts. Washington-Mid Atlantic San Francisco-NorCal CHICAGO VOICEOVER PERFORMERS GET DOWN TO BUSINESS O n Aug. 28, more than 30 Chicago Local voiceover performers gathered at the Kaufherr Resource Center to attend SAG-AFTRA's special webinar voiceover presentation Making Sense of the Ad Industry and What It Means for the Commercials Contracts. Hosted by SAG-AFTRA's Chief Economist David Viviano, the webinar focused on a data-driven presentation of voiceover contract earnings, advertising trends, the impact of technology and implications for SAG-AFTRA members nationwide. The event also promoted the Illinois Regional Commercials Code, upcoming webinars, and wages and working conditions meeting announcements. After the two-hour webinar, Chicago members took some time to unwind and enjoy a little food, a little wine and each other's company. Chicago's event was hosted by Vice President, Mid-Sized Locals Ilyssa Fradin, with Sean Hennessy and Gianna Consalvo from the Chicago Local's Commercial Department staff. For more SAG-AFTRA Local information, visit sagaftra.org