Screen Actors Guild Fact Sheet
Screen Actors Guild is the nation’s largest labor union representing working actors. Established in 1933, SAG has a rich history in the American labor movement, from standing up to studios to break long-term engagement contracts in the 1940s to fighting for artists’ rights amid the digital revolution sweeping the entertainment industry in the 21st century. With 20 branches nationwide, SAG represents more than 122,000 actors who work in film, television, industrials, commercials, video games, music videos and in all new media formats. The Guild exists to enhance actors’ working conditions, compensation and benefits and to be a powerful, unified voice on behalf of artists’ rights. SAG is a proud affiliate of the AFL-CIO. Headquartered in Los Angeles, you can visit SAG online at www.sag.org.
National President: Alan Rosenberg
National Executive Director & Chief Negotiator: Doug Allen
Membership: More than 120,000 actors who work in motion pictures, television, commercials, industrials, video games, Internet and all new media formats.
Established: June 30, 1933, Hollywood, CA
Offices: 22 Branches nationwide including Baltimore/Washington, Chicago, DC and Philadelphia among others
National Headquarters: Los Angeles, CA
Hollywood Division Office: Los Angeles, CA*
New York Division Office: New York, NY
Regional Branch Division Office: Dallas, TX
* The Hollywood Division offices are located in the headquarters building.
Membership: 126,630
Hollywood Division Membership: 71,426
New York Division Membership: 28,213
Regional Branch Division Membership: 26,991
Founded in 1985, the Screen Actors Guild Foundation is an educational, humanitarian and philanthropic 501(c)(3) non-profit organization.
The mission of the Screen Actors Guild Foundation is to enhance the lives of actors by investing in programs which help them in their professional endeavors. Our programs reflect the concerns and interests of SAG members as well as their desire to "give back" to their communities. The SAG Foundation is independent from SAG but offers substantive services to Guild members, free of charge. The Foundation relies solely on the support from grants, corporate sponsorships, bequests and individual contributions to maintain our programs and create new ones. Our mission is to assist, educate and inspire actors.
Rebecca Yee, National Director /Senior EEO Counsel
Adam Moore, Associate National Director
Affirmative Action & Diversity
Hollywood
Phone: (323) 549-6644
Fax: (323) 549-6647
E-mail: diversity@sag.org
Affirmative Action & Diversity
New York
Phone: (212) 827-1542
Fax: (212) 827-1439
E-mail: nydiversity@sag.org
After Hours
After hours complaint hotline: (800) 724-0767
Screen Actors Guild represents its members through:
(A) Negotiation and enforcement of collective bargaining agreements that establish equitable levels of compensation, benefits and working conditions for performers.
(B) The collection of compensation for exploitation of their recorded performances and protection against unauthorized use.
(C) The preservation and expansion of work opportunities.
National committees are formed to assist the National Board of Directors by developing policy recommendations and/or implementing programs for the benefit of performers. The efforts of various Guild committees have resulted in the following: contract modifications to meet new market needs in the film and television production industry; important initiatives to promote diversity; lobbying on behalf of critical legislative efforts, particular performer groups and other issues of interest; and streamlined communications via the new website, SAG TV and the redesigned Screen Actor magazine. Committee involvement permeates all levels of the Guild.
SAGIndie is a bridge between the hard working thespians of the world and the passionate filmmaking mavericks who buck the system. Since its formation in 1997, SAGIndie has been traveling to film festivals, trade shows and conventions spreading the word: Just because your film isn’t produced by a studio doesn’t mean you can’t use professional talent. In fact, input from indie producers continues to help SAG revise and improve its five low-budget agreements to make it even easier for filmmakers to use SAG actors, regardless of their budget. If you’re going to compete with the big boys you need all the help you can get. So go on, and take advantage of SAG’s vast pool of well-trained talent for your next project. They can always find their mark, pick up cues and in the end save you time and money.
SAGIndie is made possible by a grant from the Screen Actors Guild-Producers Industry Advancement & Cooperative Fund.
Website: www.sag.org
Publications: Screen Actor Magazine and Regional Branch and Division Newsletters across the country.
Contact:
Pamela Greenwalt,
Communications Executive Director
(323) 440-2892
The department serves the diverse membership by providing the following services:
- Talent development and employment opportunity programs such as panel discussions, career workshops, collaborative cold and staged readings with AFTRA, WGA and DGA, talent showcases with CBS, NBC and ABC Television, casting directors and agents outreach program;
- Enforcement and education of non-discrimination and diversity contract provisions with respect to issues connected to race/color, national origin, gender, marital status, sexual orientation, creed, religion, disability and age;
- Sexual harassment and discrimination complaint hotline and claims procedure for incidents of workplace harassment and discrimination of members;
- Diversity, Special Skills and Talent Bank (now part of your iActor profile), a database of actors, dancers, puppeteers, singers, stunt performers and voice-over professionals of all races/ethnicities, genders, ages, abilities/disabilities and language skills that is available and accessible for casting directors and producers to search for qualified talent;
- Diversity in Casting Incentives, access to minority directories and other benefits for productions that exemplify diverse hiring in casting;
- Casting Data Reports compile, track and analyze annual hiring trends and employment statistics of performers based on age, gender and race;
- Studies and reports such as the African-American Television Report; Still Missing: Latinos In and Out of Hollywood and The Employment of Performers with Disabilities in the Entertainment Industry;
- Affirmative action and support as speakers, coordinators, partners, advisors and/or sponsors in industry related events, activities and initiatives that promote diversity and equal employment in the industry;
- Committee liaison to Women’s, Senior Performers, Ethnic Employment Opportunities (EEO), Performers with Disabilities (PWD) and Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender (LGBT) Actors Committees and the President’s National Task Force for American Indians.
