Issue link: https://digital.copcomm.com/i/48976
KNOW YOUR RIGHTS IN NEW MEDIA You've plugged in, cast your net wide and got your first new media job. Now what? First off, familiarize yourself with the terms below, negotiate up front and get the agreed-upon terms in writing before you sign your performer contract. Make sure you have reviewed your SAG employment contract and verified that all the proper spaces are correctly filled in, so that the contract clearly reflects the deal you have made with the producer. Keep in mind that being offered a non-union new media job is the perfect opportunity to turn it into a SAG-signatory production (see article on page 56 of the Fall/Winter 2010 issue of Screen Actor). LENGTH OF WORKDAY KEY NEGOTIABLE TERMS AND PRACTICES eight-hour workday and When negotiating for compensation, it's important to establish an agreed-upon length of your workday. BASE RATE Your base rate is the rate you are paid for each workday. CREDIT The New Media Agreement ensures that performers will be given credit if any other person on the production receives credit. However, what the credit looks like and where it's placed is subject to negotiation. So, if you want to ensure that you will receive credit and control the placement, size, or position, you'll want to make sure you negotiate for that up front. OVERTIME Overtime is work performed outside of the agreed-upon length of your workday. It is common practice to negotiate a higher rate for these overtime hours. For example, if you have agreed upon an 38 SCREEN ACTOR - Fall 2011 MINIMUM WAGE LAWS Local, state and federal minimum wage and/ or other labor laws may apply to your employment on a production. Though production goes 10 hours, the ninth and 10th hours are overtime hours and should be paid at the rate you agreed to beyond your base rate. DEFERRED PAYMENTS The hiring producer may offer a "deferred payment," meaning they agree to pay you a specified amount at some future time upon the occurrence of certain events and/or conditions. For example, producers and performers oſten agree to defer payment until the production receives a distribution deal. When negotiating deferred payments, it's important to set clear guidelines on the amount you are to be paid and what conditions trigger that payment. There are spaces in the SAG employment agreement that should be completed to clearly reflect the nature of your deferred deal. members to create up to seven resumes that can include headshots, video and voice clips, and casting directors can find talent through iActor by using customizable searches. Registering in the system paid off for Screen Actors Guild urges its producers to adhere to these laws, SAG does not monitor or enforce them pursuant to the terms of the SAG New Media Agreement. For more information on these laws, you should contact your local department of labor. WORKING CONDITIONS Given the average budget of a new media production, there may be certain working conditions for which you will want to negotiate. For example, travel, per diem and turn- around times are common terms that are negotiated. For more information on the New Media Contract, and to see sample contracts, visit SAG.org/ProductionCenter. If you feel your rights on a production signed to the SAG New Media Agreement have been or are being violated, contact us at (323) 549-6446 or newmedia@sag.org. In the event of an emergency aſter hours, please contact our 24-hour emergency hotline at (323) 954-1600. SAG.org actors such as Ali Dizikes in New York, who received a call from Ghazi Albuliwi, the director of the ultra low budget Peace Aſter Marriage. Aſter finding her in the iActor database, he invited her to audition for a principal role. She ended up playing Rachel in the film, about an Israeli woman who marries a Palestinian American. "Evolving technology platforms are changing the skill set that defines a professional actor," said SAG New Media Director Bob Jensen. "As we have seen with musicians and authors, artists are increasingly required to take creative approaches to cultivating their own audience, rather than waiting for a producer or publisher to offer them an opportunity. That trend is likely to grow in scope, meaning a versatile skill set and proficiency with technology will be stock- in-trade for tomorrow's performers. It's not only the ability to deliver a convincing performance, but also knowing how to communicate with your audience across media." Technology is also making a difference behind the scenes, with Screen Actors Guild using it to streamline a variety of processes, including improving the efficiency of residual check distribution, eliminating unnecessary paperwork through paperless dues billing and an online tool for tracking foreign royalties. The migration toward online is also affecting the process of choosing SAG Awards® honorees. The SAG Awards Committee has encouraged online submissions for nominations consideration and announced that next year the SAG Awards will be accepting submissions exclusively online. In addition, many studios are sending out screeners online to save the cost of pressing thousands of DVDs and to prevent content theſt. Once again, online voting for The Actor® recipients is encouraged and paper ballots are available only upon request. We will be emailing important SAG Awards information regarding screenings and voting. Those are more great reasons why we need your