Issue link: https://digital.copcomm.com/i/39968
30 YEARS YOUNG, NASHVILLE BRANCH TAKES THE CAKE N ashville members celebrated the Branch's 30th anniversary at a mixer and membership meeting held at Watkins College of Art, Design & Film on June 13. The meeting included a request for any nominations from the floor for the 2011 Nashville Branch election, reports from Nashville Branch President Michael Montgomery and Executive Director Leslie Krensky, and a question-and- answer session. Local casting director Kim Petrosky was the special guest and provided an enlightening and informative primer on successful auditioning and answered questions from the members in attendance. Petrosky's numerous credits include casting on the newly released film The Help, as well as Country Strong, Elizabethtown, The Green Mile, Hannah Montana: The Movie, Patch Adams, The People vs. Larry Flynt, and the television show Tough Trade. The Nashville Branch was founded in 1981, headed by its first Branch President Bob Sanders and Executive Randall Himes. Tennessee has been the location for many major feature films before and since the Branch's founding, including Robert Altman's groundbreaking Nashville, Coal Miner's Daughter, The Firm, Hustle & Flow, Walk the Line and Water for Elephants. Nashville Branch President Michael Montgomery prepares to cut the cake at the Branch's 30th anniversary celebration. Outreach to Filmmakers Increases SAG Jobs in Chicago L The Detroit Branch held an ethnic employment opportunities meet-and- greet May 2 at Ginopolis' On the Grill in Farmington Hill, Michigan. The event provided a chance for members to discuss diversity issues, including tools to enhance visibility and opportunities for employment. Top, participants watch a recording of The Black Hollywood Experience: Our History…Our Future, a diversity event featuring a panel of accomplished African-American industry professionals that was held February 23 at SAG headquarters. Bottom, SAG members Brenda Buford and Tiren Jhames discuss EEO casting issues with casting director Kathy Mooney, right. aunched in February with Demystifying SAG Low Budget Agreements, the Chicago Branch is reaching out to area filmmakers with a series of seminars to correct the misconception that there is too much paperwork involved in signing one of SAG's contracts for independent filmmakers. Over the years, the Guild has been very successful in simplifying the process to hire union talent. More than two dozen filmmakers and Chicago Branch Council member Jay Disney on the set of The Last Hug. actors gathered in the Kaufherr Members Resource Center. Kathy Byrne, director of TV/ Theatrical Contracts, was joined on the panel by Chicago Branch Council member/ producer Mary Kay Cook and producer/Flashpoint Academy teacher Amy Rising. The panelists covered an overview of all of SAG's contracts. The event in June drew the same size crowd to learn about the Short Film and Ultra Low Budget agreements. The panel featured a representative from a payroll company and two filmmakers with experience using the Ultra Low Budget Agreement. The next seminars will cover the Student Film and New Media agreements. Also covered at the seminar is the new SAG Production Center, a first-of-its-kind tool that allows producers of certain types of productions to sign online. See all the details at SAG.org/ProductionCenter. This seminar series goes hand in hand with the Branch's outreach to student filmmakers at Columbia College, DePaul University, Northwestern University and other area schools. Raza Siddiqui, a Columbia College student, has already put the knowledge to work using the Short Film Agreement to produce and direct The Last Hug starring Chicago Branch Council member Jay Disney. Several other seminar attendees have projects in the works. SAG.org Summer 2011 - SCREEN ACTOR 37