New SAG PRODUCTION CENTER Makes Signing Faster and Easier

SAG Actors: Ever have a producer tell you he/she doesn't want to work with you because you're in the union?

Producers: Ever wanted to work with SAG talent, but are unsure or reluctant to have to go through the paperwork?

The information below from the Screen Actors Guild (SAG) (originally printed in the Spring 2011 edition of Screen Actor magazine) makes it easier for producers to become SAG signatories. Read below.


The Screen Actors Guild (SAG) has unveiled a way to ease the signatory process for several kinds of producers. The SAG Production Center, located at SAG.org/ProductionCenter, allows producers of new media, student, ultra low budget and industrial-educational projects to do the paperwork online to sign SAG, giving them access to the best acting talent in the industry.

"We are continually looking for ways to improve and facilitate the signing process," said SAG National Executive Director David White, "The Production Center helps keep producers organized and allow them to get their project cleared faster than ever."

More than 300 producers have used the application since it rolled out in April, and the response has been overwhelmingly positive.

Allison Allain was the first new media producer to sign via the site for her production My Mother Never.... She found that the online application was surprisingly fast and efficient. Allain has said that she has already recommended signing online to several fellow new media producers.

"All in all, it ended up being a much shorter process than expected, " she said. "It's very clear... it was really easy to follow for somebody who's never done it before."

David Wolfson, who produced the short film Nuts and Bolts, said signing through the site went smoothly.

"The upload, the download, the ability... to share files, that all has been extremely simple," Wolfson said. "I think this is going to make producers very happy."

No matter what kind of project, the Production Center offers something for everyone, whether it's step-by-step instructions on how to sign SAG, fillable forms, rate sheets, videos with advice from producers, information on casting incentives and a FAQ for each type of agreement. Producers also gain direct access to SAG's Actors to Locate database and Station 12 cast clearance.