Issue link: https://digital.copcomm.com/i/1530033
76 SAG-AFTRA | Fall/Winter 2024 | sagaftra.org Paperwork? Paperwork! Don't let the scary prospect of filling out forms thwart your indie filmmaking dreams! Though the four filmmakers produced in different locations and used different agreements, they all found the signatory process to be very straightforward. Sroka describes his signatory rep as "terrific." He adds, "They kind of guided me through." Though there was paperwork that needed to be submitted, the signatory rep made everything less daunting. SAG-AFTRA advises low-budget producers to begin the signatory process four to six weeks before the first day of work — which means the first day of rehearsal, travel, a table read or the start of principal photography. Anytime you bring the cast together, that's when work — and the cast's compensation — begins. While applying early is recommended, depending on how far along you are in the process, you may not hear from SAG-AFTRA right away, as each project has specific needs and complexities. Please be patient! Your reps are hard at work behind the scenes. Depending on which agreement you end up using, you'll need to get a number of documents in order. Among the required pieces are: a script, a budget, company formation documents, the cast list, the applicable signed agreement, SAG-AFTRA Health Plan and SAG-Producers Pension Plan adherence letter, and a Day Out of Days report (a chart used by producers to tally the number of paid days for each cast member). To see what specific preproduction documents are required for different agreements, visit sagaftra.org/lowbudget. SPOTLIGHT ON SAGindie is a gateway for indie producers to work with SAG-AFTRA contracts and members. Its website, sagindie.org, is packed with resources, including: l Contract downloads. l SAGindie workshop details. l U.S. film production resources listed by state. l Movies & Music, a program to connect filmmakers with composers. Myhraliza Aala, center, self-produced Oh Myh Dating Hell using SAG-AFTRA's Micro-Budget Agreement. The series follows a fortysomething woman who navigates dating apps, overly involved Filipino parents and cultural mishaps in her attempts to find love. "There are lots of opportunities available in Portland, you just have to apply." — Myhraliza Aala EMMA CHITWOOD/AALA IS POSSIBLE PRODUCTIONS