Child Actor Unions
Does a child actor need to be in a union to audition for a part?
No. If it's a SAG job - a Screen Actors Guild job - we see the SAG actors first, and we try to see as many SAG actors as possible. But depending on the age of the child - you're not born SAG, so we can always taftartly them or get them into the union on that kind of job if necessary. And if you're with a professional talent agent or a manager, that won't keep you from interviewing.
Does SAG have a separate union for child actors?
No. There's the Screen Actors Guild, they have adults and children. There's AFTRA, that has adults and children. Working in commercials, we usually work off the SAG commercial contract, the Screen Actor's Guild commercial contract. A lot of radio and television shows work under AFTRA. With print, there isn't any jurisdiction. If it's simply print, then it's a negotiated rate. There isn't a union that covers print. For movies and TV, it could either be SAG, it could be non-union, or it could be AFTRA.
What does 'Taft-Hartley' mean?
Taft-Hartley is a process. It's a form that a casting office fills out, which basically states the reason for hire, why we've had to hire outside the union bounds, and why this person was selected over a union professional. It gets you the first step into the union. It gets you the right to say that you have been approached through Taft-Hartley. And the rules change and it's best to check with the Screen Actor's Guild (SAG) office in your town if you have a SAG office. If you don't have a SAG office, find the one closest to you whether it be located in LA, Chicago or New York. Typically not until your second job, did they call you a must-join; because it's expensive to join. I mean it's a union payment, and then you're paying union dues and your initiation fee. I think it's around fifteen hundred dollars to join. You can do your first job, you don't have to pay then, and you'll still be paid. You'll still be treated with all the other regulations and covered by the union. Your second job is where it will look like now you're becoming a professional, then they'll say OK now you're a must-join. Now for us to cover you, you can take this job but you've got 30 days to pay your initiation fee.
