How to Join Sag

Don't know how to join SAG?

Check out this quick overview of SAG eligibility rules to join SAG through screen work, other actors union or sag vouchers from extra work, then follow the steps outlined below to join SAG Actors Guild.

1) How do I Get SAG eligibility?

There's 3 ways to get SAG eligible:

1. Get an acting job in a SAG project.

   It can be any project (film, TV, commercial) as long as the producer has signed a SAG contract and has paid you for a principal or speaking part. Basically, that means you've been hired as an actor, not an extra.

   Most casting notices specify whether a project is SAG or not. If not, the film is probably non-union, but you can always ask. Some low-budget films and student films may have a special agreement with SAG actors guild where they can hire both union and non-union actors, in which case you may not be hired under a SAG contract and not obtain SAG eligibility from your role, so always check with SAG on a project's status if you're not sure.

   If you're wondering how to join SAG this way, keep in mind that it is hard sometimes for non-union actors to get SAG auditions, but not impossible. That's why it's so important to have a good acting headshot. Casting directors love to discover new talent and frequently call in newcomers for union auditions if an actor's picture catches their eye.

2. Get an acting job with one of the other actors unions affiliated with SAG

   These unions are Actor's Equity (the actors union for theater), AFTRA (the actor's union for some television and voice over work, as well as broadcasting), ACTRA, AGMA or AGVA. You must have been a member of that union for at least one year, have worked as a union member and have all your union fees and dues paid to join SAG.

   Example:

   AFTRA is an open membership union. You don't need experience as a professional actor to join, as long as you pay your initiation fees and dues. If you join AFTRA and work on an AFTRA show, even if it's just 3 days as an extra, you are eligible after one year to join Actor's Equity, the union for theatre actors. Joining Actors' Equity gives you access to required Equity open calls, so you have many opportunities to audition for union theater plays and get a principal role if you have talent and training. Once you have a principal role in an Equity play, you can join SAG after one year.

3. SAG vouchers

   If you haven't had any union acting work yet and are still wandering how to join SAG, there's one more option: SAG vouchers for extra work. How do you get SAG vouchers? Well, there's several possibilities.

   You could start by accepting work as a non-union actor on SAG projects and hope to be upgraded to SAG scale that way. For example, if a SAG background actor doesn't show up one day, you could be picked to replace them, or you could be singled out for a scene pick up where your presence is needed for the footage to match.

   Another way to get SAG vouchers is to have something unique that makes you in demand for special projects. For example, you're unusually tall and a movie calls for extras over 6'2", or you have an original 60s Cadillac that is needed for a period film (extras are often hired for their vehicles or unique wardrobe like police outfits), or you resemble the lead in a movie and are called upon to be their stand-in (to walk through their scene as the crew adjusts lighting and sound on the set).

   With so many SAG eligibility options, you may not be wondering how to join SAG anymore, but that doesn't mean you should. After all, getting to join SAG because you have a cool car doesn't really make one an actor, but it will limit the roles they can get to build an acting resume, so read the pros and cons of joining actors unions before you go through all this trouble.

Once you have gained SAG eligibility, you can remain a SAGe actor, or join SAG by going through the following steps:

• Mail or drop off to the SAG Actors Guild membership department original pay stubs from your Sag acting job along with your name, address, phone number and DOB. If you don't have original pay stubs, ask the payroll department of the production you worked for to submit directly to SAG proof of employment with your name, social security number, the name of the project and company you worked for, as well as the dates you worked and the amount you made. You should also provide a self-addressed stamped envelope to get your paperwork back.
• Once you receive a letter from the SAG actors Guild saying you're eligible, you can set up an appointment with your local branch.
• The last thing you need to know about how to join SAG is that it's expensive. You will have to come to your appointment with initiation fees of $2,277 (at the time of this writing), plus semi-annual SAG dues starting at $58. You won't be able to pay these by check, but you could g et a loan, so check with SAG if you need help. Foreign actors will also need to bring proof of resident alien status.

The name on your SAG card doesn't have to be your legal name. It should be your stage name or the name you use on your acting headshot, so decide before you join SAG.

And that's it! You get your SAG card. Congratulations! You just took a big step in your acting career. Have a party! And don't forget to put your union membership on your resume right away, as well as update your status with your acting agent and online casting profiles.

Now that you know how to join SAG, take a moment to consider the pros and cons of SAG membership and when is the best time for you to join SAG.

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