Issue link: https://digital.copcomm.com/i/1506201
For Members T he SAG-AFTRA President's Task Force on Education, Outreach & Engagement's educational programming not only provides viewers with information to make navigating the business side of the entertainment industry easier, but also informs them of new career opportunities. The Sound Recordings 101 webinar on July 11, for instance, was the latest example of how performers, particularly those with vocal acumen — such as singers, announcers, actors, comedians, narrators and sound effects artists — can put their abilities to use for different industry gigs. SAG-AFTRA National Director, Music, Kristina Gorbacsov led the conversation with an opening presentation on the Sound Recordings Code, the longstanding collective bargaining agreement that covers signatory projects for music, audiobooks, sound recordings and other vocal performances. Among the topics discussed throughout the presentation were payment fees and scale rates, earned royalties, and pension and health contributions from employers. She also gave examples of common scenarios where vocal performances are used in other mediums, such as music videos and commercial advertising. In the Q&A session that followed, Gorbacsov answered frequently asked questions and outlined the SAG-AFTRA Music Department's responsibilities, resources and services to talent whose work may be covered under the code. "The Sound Recordings Code [has] changed so much, but its basis, which is coverage for all vocal performances, has stayed the same. That can mean singers, someone doing a read-along book for children, a Broadway cast album and more," said Gorbacsov. "We definitely encourage any performer who has been hired on a session to call us directly so that we can research and tell you if the work is going to be covered as a union session or not." To watch a full replay of the webinar, or to view other sessions, panels, workshops and interviews, visit sagaftra.org/videos. CONTRACT HIGH NOTES • $20 million in residual payments from signatory labels have been distributed to non-featured performers in 2023 alone for use of union-covered work through on-demand streaming services such as Spotify and Apple Music. • Nearly $2 million collected in new use fees (when a song is licensed from a union recording and used in a new medium, such as a film, tv show or commercial). SAG-AFTRA Webinar Highlights Work Opportunities for Vocal Talent Scan to watch the Sound Recordings 101 webinar here.