SAG-AFTRA

Summer 2010

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ON LOCATION REGIONAL BRANCH DIVISION Incentives Safe for Boston-area Film Community Credits and the Rhode Island Film and TV Tax Credits. Tis past winter, due to the economic downturn, representatives of both states proposed overhauling the film and TV tax credit systems. Te Boston Branch is happy to report that due to a carefully coordinated effort with the Massachusetts Production Coalition, which included an exhaustive University of Massachusetts study of the economic benefits of the film incentive and a hearing at the Statehouse attended by hundreds of members of the film community, the Massachusetts legislature overwhelmingly supported the film incentive. Rhode Island’s tax incentive program also remains in place. Te show of support for film and television production in both states sent a strong message to filmmakers about the long-term security of the film incentives. All signs point to an upturn in production and jobs for our membership. T Film Festival Signs New Media Agreement SAG members Aphrodite Nikolovski and Theo Williamson in film festival new media film The Musings. incorporated the new media projects directly into the festival. A “soup to nuts” day-long presentation demonstrates how upstart producers can create professional projects for the Internet. Prior to the date of the festival, scripts are submitted and roles T are cast. Te festival day begins with a New Media Agreement signatory workshop, which is conducted by Detroit Branch Executive Director Marcia Fishman. Fishman emphasizes that a film is oſten as good as the acting, and that the New Media Agreement affords the opportunity for the use of professional actors who belong to Screen Actors Guild. Te project directors and actors also attend the workshop, and they can relate the experience of working with SAG from their own perspective. Immediately following the workshop, the actors and directors go to their respective sets and shoot the films. Workshop attendees are invited to watch the productions. Te filming also attracts public bystanders who ask about the productions and learn about SAG. Finally, the films are edited so that they can be watched on the Detroit Windsor Film Festival website. All in all, Screen Actors Guild and the New Media Agreement get effective publicity through the festival’s marketing, through the participation in the workshop and through the final project on the festival website. 32 SCREEN ACTOR - Summer 2010 SAG.org he Detroit Windsor International Film Festival became a signatory to the New Media Agreement in 2009 and has he Boston Branch has enjoyed a high volume of production since the inception of the Massachusetts Film and TV Tax NEW MEXICO BUSINESS OF ACTING CONFERENCE at the Hilton Garden Inn Albuquerque Uptown, the event featured an industry mixer, a full day of seminars, an evening “all-star” panel and a membership meeting, which concluded the activities. Seminars included “Working with SAG,” “Protecting T Yourself,” “Marketing Yourself” and “Te Casting Process.” Te casting sessions were presented by local casting directors Angelique Midthunder (Te Eye) and Marie Kohl (Crazy Heart), and gave performers a chance to talk directly to the source about getting — and nailing — an audition. Actors Steven Michael Quezada (Breaking Bad) and Lora Cunningham (Book of Eli) were joined by casting director Kathryn Brink (MacGruber). Tey wowed the crowd in the “Marketing Yourself” sessions, where audience members gleaned important information regarding headshots, agents, on-line casting services and promoting oneself as an actor. Te evening panel, “Straight Talk — What New Mexico Performers Need to Do to Raise Teir Level of Professionalism to Hollywood Standards,” sizzled with star power and the low-down on what the folks in power really think. Moderated by Dan Mayfield, an award-winning journalist at the Albuquerque Journal, the evening boasted a veritable who’s who of the New Mexico film industry. Panelists included producers Tony Mark (Te Hurt Locker) and Karen Moore (In Plain Sight); casting director Jo Edna Boldin (No Country for Old Men), director Tom Eberhardt (Captain Ron), UPM Alton Walpole (Book of Eli) and first A.D. Kaaren Ochoa (Appaloosa). Tough questions such as, “We see the same (New Mexico) actors in everything. When are you going to spread the wealth?” were answered with tough answers like, “We’re not a charity. We’re looking for the best.” Te Sunday membership meeting also featured the “New Mexico’s Busiest Actors Tell All” panel. Participants included local performers Chris Browning (Terminator Salvation), Chad Brummet (3:10 to Yuma), David House (Breaking Bad) and Lora Cunningham (Book of Eli). All brought their unique perspective to making it as a pro in New Mexico, and many members commented on how inspirational they found the session to be. A post-event anonymous survey of attendees revealed that members and pre-members alike found the conference to be an outstanding wealth of information. Every single respondent indicated they would recommend the conference to a friend, and 75 percent noted they would be using the goods and/or services of at least one exhibitor. Vendors included acting teachers, photographers and reel producers. Income from exhibitor fees made the conference financially possible. he first annual SAG New Mexico Business of Acting Conference was a resounding success. Held April 16-18

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