Issue link: https://digital.copcomm.com/i/23723
Fitzpatrick-Garcia is stationed in the New York office, which was the site of a New York International Latino Film Festival networking luncheon in July. Tere, the Guild screened a trailer of Miracle of Spanish Harlem, a SAG-signatory low budget film that utilized the Diversity in Casting Incentives. “Our participation in NYILFF catapults our organizing and outreach efforts,” said Fitzpatrick-Garcia. “By inviting the Miracle filmmakers and actors to speak and exhibit their trailer, we showcased emerging Latino talent and promoted our diversity incentives. “In doing so, we also inspired a whole new set of filmmakers, many of whom will become SAG-signatory for their future projects.” (For more about the Diversity in Casting Incentives, see page 59.) actors to others outside the state. “Te depth of talent in the Northwest is extraordinary,” Devlin reported. “We had grossly underestimated how many giſted actors we’d find there.” Soon the number of SAG-franchised talent agents in Oregon grew from zero to four. As the community conversation continued, the OMPA incorporated the feedback. Today, actors have a full stake in OMPA member activities, of which advocating for film incentive legislation is a huge part. To unveil this new member type, OMPA and SAG sponsored the “Oregon’s Got Talent” party and networking event in September that counted more than 300 people in attendance. “I’m proud to say it was an incredibly well attended event,” said SAG National Board Member Mary McDonald-Lewis. “Te message the OMPA took away, which was received loud and clear, was that actors are poised to take their place at the table; that we’re a resource as valuable as Oregon’s gorgeous locations, as appealing as its incentive program and as much contributors to the process as our highly skilled crew.” Te party was a symbolic celebration for actors, but local efforts—like those across the country—continue. LEVERAGING INDUSTRY RELATIONSHIPS Needless to say, nothing great was ever accomplished without a fair amount of teamwork, and the Guild quite frequently relies on a little help from its friends. In Portland, a longstanding problem was a lack of awareness among visiting filmmakers that SAG has a strong pool of acting talent there. In fact, it has only been recently that the Oregon Media Production Association (OMPA) has begun marketing local actors the way it has other production resources. Te process toward achieving greater job empowerment began with conversations between SAG and the local production community, which was already aware of its best kept secret. Famous producers such as Dean Devlin soon began to sing the praises of Oregon’s MAXIMIZING SAG HIRES With all the attention the Guild spends on turning non-union productions union, you might think SAG spends less time on ones that are already signed, but that’s not the case. One of the ways Screen Actors Guild increases work for members is by simply maximizing existing opportunities. “It’s an actor’s dream to walk into a room full of fellow actors and be singled out by a casting director who holds out her hand saying, ‘I want to meet you!’” said actor Becky Maltby, who attended a “meet and greet” in mid-July set up exclusively for SAG members interested in working on the film Battleship. Hawaii Branch Executive Brenda Ching invited casting director Judy Bouley to mingle with members in hopes of boosting SAG hires. “Bouley asked some with the right look for one of a handful of speaking roles to call the next day to set up an SAG.org Fall/Winter 2010 - SCREEN ACTOR 57 audition,” said Maltby. “She and assistant casting director Katie Doyle were very encouraging throughout the process, clearly making every effort to use as many union members as possible in the film, which had need for some 3,500 background actors throughout September and October.” Bouley herself expressed her appreciation to SAG for taking the initiative to host the event—the first time, she said, that a union has brought its talent directly to her. MEMBER NAME JOHN DOE MEMBER SINCE 2002 MEMBER NUMBER 0000000000 EXPIRES April 30, 2011 INCORPORATING INDUSTRY FEEDBACK As always, it is part of Screen Actors Guild’s ongoing mission to make the business of show business easier. Guild leaders and the Organizing Department are currently interviewing producers, casting directors, actors, agents and directors for suggestions on how to make signing a SAG contract even more appealing. Staff members recently collected useful feedback in the Detroit market regarding the Industrial Agreement and will continue to fan out in the three divisions to have more conversations about the contracts you work. In the meantime, if you or someone you know (union or non-union) has a suggestion for the Guild, feel free to send those thoughts to nayla.wren@sag.org. You may also phone the National Organizing Department at (323) 546-6592 or speak to your local business office directly.