How do you obtain an Equity Card?

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How do you obtain an Equity Card?

Posted: 6/21/12 at 9:47pm

Just wondering.

They all call me a troll. Ok, call me a troll. If I stand on my own, so be it.

How do you obtain an Equity Card?

Posted: 6/21/12 at 9:52pm

2 ways: you either work for theaters (summer stock, lort theaters) from which you earn equity points and eventually have enough points to get your equity card or 2 get hired by an equity professional job -- with the committment of a job, you get your card.

If we're not having fun, then why are we doing it? These are DISCUSSION boards, not mutual admiration boards. Discussion only occurs when we are willing to hear what others are thinking, regardless of whether it is alignment to our own thoughts.

How do you obtain an Equity Card?

Posted: 6/21/12 at 9:53pm

Cool, thanks!

They all call me a troll. Ok, call me a troll. If I stand on my own, so be it.

How do you obtain an Equity Card?

Posted: 6/21/12 at 10:55pm

Steal it.

How do you obtain an Equity Card?

Posted: 6/21/12 at 10:56pm

why doesn't equity operate like Aftra used to? you pay a membership entrance fee and then dues.

How do you obtain an Equity Card?

Posted: 6/21/12 at 11:00pm

^^^But for some people that is how you do it. I became eligible to "buy" my card and then I start paying dues.

"I think lying to children is really important, it sets them off on the right track" -Sherie Rene Scott-

How do you obtain an Equity Card?

Posted: 6/21/12 at 11:12pm

But you still had to earn the right to buy the card.

AFTRA (and other unions, like SSDC) you just walk in and pay your way into the union, like you're joining Costco or something.

"If this is going to be a Christian nation that doesn't help the poor, either we have to pretend that Jesus was just as selfish as we are, or we've got to acknowledge that He commanded us to love the poor and serve the needy without condition and then admit that we just don't want to do it." -Stephen Colbert

How do you obtain an Equity Card?

Posted: 6/21/12 at 11:26pm

Oh, ok. I know you can do that with the British Equity, or at least I think you can.

"I think lying to children is really important, it sets them off on the right track" -Sherie Rene Scott-

How do you obtain an Equity Card?

Posted: 6/21/12 at 11:46pm

kneepads.

#10

How do you obtain an Equity Card?

Posted: 6/22/12 at 12:00am

what union is "SSDC"?

#11

How do you obtain an Equity Card?

Posted: 6/22/12 at 12:44am

Stage Directors and Choreographers

"I think lying to children is really important, it sets them off on the right track" -Sherie Rene Scott-

#12

How do you obtain an Equity Card?

Posted: 6/22/12 at 12:57am

if you are male:

Be a boytoy to those with some power and just get in line w/ the likes of the ones that have a new boy toy in arm every other month or so

If you are female:

good luck.

#13

How do you obtain an Equity Card?

Posted: 6/22/12 at 1:35am

"why doesn't equity operate like Aftra used to? you pay a membership entrance fee and then dues."

Equity does operate like that, but as others have pointed out you can't just buy your card, you have to earn the right to join.

The initiation fee is currently $1100. Within six months of applying for membership you have to pay at least $400 of that. You have two years from the date of your application to pay the full $1100.

There is a $118 yearly dues split between two payments, one in May and one in November.

There are also working dues of 2.25% taken out of your salary each week. The producers are responsible for automatically deducting these dues and sending them to Equity.

#14

How do you obtain an Equity Card?

Posted: 6/22/12 at 2:15am

No i meant just being able to join by buying your way in, not "earning" the right to buy your way in.

#15

How do you obtain an Equity Card?

Posted: 6/22/12 at 2:33am

Because they want you to prove there is at least an iota of a chance of your possibly getting hired.

#16

How do you obtain an Equity Card?

Posted: 6/22/12 at 2:52am

It does seem silly. I know plenty of Non-Eq actors who are hella talented, but - especially in the current climate - are having a terrible time getting even seen at an Equity appointment. Seems like why not just let anyone who wants to join into the union. It's more money for the union?

#17

How do you obtain an Equity Card?

Posted: 6/22/12 at 3:14am

^ Ding Ding Ding, my point exactly.

#18

How do you obtain an Equity Card?

Posted: 6/22/12 at 3:33am

It is a very low percentage of Equity members who are working at any given time (I think it's something around 5%, definitely no higher than 10%). Why make it easier for people to join a union that has such a high unemployment rate amongst its members as it is? Do we really want/need to see that percentage fall even lower? For every talented non-Eq person out there who really does deserve their card (and yes, I agree with you Ripped that there are some out there who just need to find that one break) and is having a tough time getting it you know there are many more who would simply have mommy and daddy buy it for them as a graduation present who are nowhere near ready to be working members of the union.

Call me elitist, but I don't want to see Equity membership become the equivalent of "everybody gets a trophy (Equity card)" day.

I'll also add that Equity is hardly the only union that does not have a fully open membership process. Many other unions, especially ones representing tradesmen and craftsmen, have a method of working your way into full membership. I certainly wouldn't want to hire a union electrician to redo the wiring on my house if I knew he just "bought" his membership and didn't prove that he was qualified to actually be doing what he is doing.

#19

How do you obtain an Equity Card?

Posted: 6/22/12 at 4:22am

Well said!

#20

How do you obtain an Equity Card?

Posted: 6/22/12 at 4:23am

You just compared an actor to an electrician..... do you realize how stupid that comparison is?

#21

How do you obtain an Equity Card?

Posted: 6/22/12 at 8:01am

I'm with AEA AGMA SM on this.

In fact, I joined AEA back when it was a (gulp) $500 initial fee. "But that was many years ago. I doubt if anyone would know."

I worked in summer stock earning points/weeks, but I was signed to an Equity contract long before I hit my eligibility week. Still, i was part of an apprenticeship program when it happened.

"Jaws is the Citizen Kane of movies."

blocked: logan2, Diamonds3, Hamilton22

#22

How do you obtain an Equity Card?

Posted: 6/22/12 at 12:01pm

You can also move to Florida and get hired by Disney as a singer, dancer, or actor (not character performer).

#23

How do you obtain an Equity Card?

Posted: 6/22/12 at 1:03pm

Also the good thing about getting your card is that it opens you up to the other Union's by virture of the 4 A's program. So since I am getting my card this summer, I can get my SAG card next year,

"I think lying to children is really important, it sets them off on the right track" -Sherie Rene Scott-

#24

How do you obtain an Equity Card?

Posted: 6/22/12 at 1:14pm

Why are there several actors working in regional theatres that have enough equity points, but simply just don't join the union? Are there more non-equ jobs nowadays?

#25

How do you obtain an Equity Card?

Posted: 6/22/12 at 1:42pm

There is a point where Equity tells you you have to get your card. You can't be in any more union-driven shows (accruing weeks) as a non-union member without joining. I had a friend who works regionally who was just "forced" to join. He's happy about it ... sort of.

The biggest concern is (obviously) that there isn't enough Equity work in smaller markets to keep them working, and once you join, you can't do non-union shows anymore (without waivers, and they will only allow you so many of those).

It's a tricky situation.

"Jaws is the Citizen Kane of movies."

blocked: logan2, Diamonds3, Hamilton22

Updated On: 6/22/12 at 01:42 PM

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