Can non-union actors do union work?

Absolutely! As casting director Paul Russell pointed out in a recent article for Backstage, it is a myth that non-union actors cannot be hired for union productions. In fact, it happens all the time. It is essentially how non-union actors make their way into the union – should they chose to do so.

What does it mean to be a non-union actor?

If a project is a non-union production, producers do not have to pay, feed, house, or give actors breaks. You are essentially a freelance, and there is no authority to contact if something goes wrong. That said, your agent, manager, can negotiate a contract to make sure those benefits are tied to your job.

Can non-union work on SAG film?

Can non-union actors and SAG-AFTRA members work in a production together? Yes, it’s just a matter of who gets covered by a SAG-AFTRA contract. Under the Student Film and Ultra Low Budget Agreements, only the professional performers in the cast are covered.

How much should I pay a non-union actor?

How Much Do Non Union Actor Jobs Pay per Hour?

	Annual Salary	Weekly Pay
Top Earners	$90,500	$1,740
75th Percentile	$69,500	$1,336
Average	$55,659	$1,070
25th Percentile	$32,500	$625

Do non-union actors get residuals?

Most often non-union projects do not pay residuals, as there is no regulated system in place to track someone down decades later (much less years) and compensate them. However, SAG-AFTRA performers hired under (or upgraded to) a principal performer whose performance remains in the final product require residual pay.

What is a non-union film mean?

A non-union crew is a crew where everything is 100\% negotiable. Schedule, overtime, turnaround, pay, payday, you name it. For most smaller producers, and even some larger producers, non-union is the only way to go.

How much do non-union actors get paid?

How Much Do Non Union Actor Jobs Pay per Hour?

	Annual Salary	Hourly Wage
Top Earners	$90,500	$44
75th Percentile	$69,500	$33
Average	$55,659	$27
25th Percentile	$32,500	$16