How do you obtain an Equity Card?
How do you obtain an Equity Card?
#1How do you obtain an Equity Card?
Posted: 6/21/12 at 9:47pmJust wondering.
They all call me a troll. Ok, call me a troll. If I stand on my own, so be it.
dramamama611
Broadway Legend Joined: 12/4/07
#2How do you obtain an Equity Card?
Posted: 6/21/12 at 9:52pm2 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.
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#2How do you obtain an Equity Card?
Posted: 6/21/12 at 9:53pmCool, thanks!
They all call me a troll. Ok, call me a troll. If I stand on my own, so be it.
SondheimFan5
Broadway Legend Joined: 6/20/10
PlayItAgain
Broadway Legend Joined: 11/8/11
#4How do you obtain an Equity Card?
Posted: 6/21/12 at 10:56pmwhy doesn't equity operate like Aftra used to? you pay a membership entrance fee and then dues.
#5How 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-
#6How 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
#7How do you obtain an Equity Card?
Posted: 6/21/12 at 11:26pmOh, 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-
sabrelady
Broadway Legend Joined: 5/16/03
PReeves2
Leading Actor Joined: 3/20/10
#10How do you obtain an Equity Card?
Posted: 6/22/12 at 12:44amStage Directors and Choreographers
"I think lying to children is really important, it sets them off on the right track" -Sherie Rene Scott-
Broadway Legend Joined: 12/31/69
#11How 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.
AEA AGMA SM
Broadway Legend Joined: 8/13/09
#12How 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.
PlayItAgain
Broadway Legend Joined: 11/8/11
#13How do you obtain an Equity Card?
Posted: 6/22/12 at 2:15amNo i meant just being able to join by buying your way in, not "earning" the right to buy your way in.
dramamama611
Broadway Legend Joined: 12/4/07
#14How do you obtain an Equity Card?
Posted: 6/22/12 at 2:33amBecause they want you to prove there is at least an iota of a chance of your possibly getting hired.
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.
RippedMan
Broadway Legend Joined: 8/14/05
#15How do you obtain an Equity Card?
Posted: 6/22/12 at 2:52amIt 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?
PlayItAgain
Broadway Legend Joined: 11/8/11
AEA AGMA SM
Broadway Legend Joined: 8/13/09
#17How 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.
PlayItAgain
Broadway Legend Joined: 11/8/11
#19How do you obtain an Equity Card?
Posted: 6/22/12 at 4:23amYou just compared an actor to an electrician..... do you realize how stupid that comparison is?
#20How 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."
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swmwithsharks
Swing Joined: 1/11/11
#21How do you obtain an Equity Card?
Posted: 6/22/12 at 12:01pmYou can also move to Florida and get hired by Disney as a singer, dancer, or actor (not character performer).
#22How do you obtain an Equity Card?
Posted: 6/22/12 at 1:03pmAlso 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-
JohnyBroadway
Broadway Legend Joined: 4/10/12
#23How do you obtain an Equity Card?
Posted: 6/22/12 at 1:14pmWhy 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?
#24How 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
blocked: logan2, Diamonds3, Hamilton22
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