Vital Paperwork Actors Need to Know About
We keep circling back to paperwork:
Why is it that a few times a year we do another email about paperwork? Because, honestly, we're surprised about the horror stories we keep hearing from actors about getting underpaid, paid incorrectly, or even worse, failing to know what/when/how they're supposed to get paid. Actors, you MUST be the CEO of your own business and educate yourselves as much as possible with respect to paperwork. It's not glamorous, but it is critical.
We cannot rely on either a)our agents, or b)production personnel to get things right one hundred percent of the time. Everyone is fighting the clock, pressure from a boss, and 101 other things to get accomplished.
The following information is for actors working on SAG-AFTRA sets, but the information applies for non-union sets in terms of looking out for your own best interests.
Every set, every time:
You MUST, MUST, MUST do the following on every single set you're ever on.
Contracts: On the first day of work, your contract must be ready in your trailer before you start work. You MUST be given time to read it, understand it, and remedy any problems. Read every page, including billing (or usage for commercials), read the social media information if included. Take pictures of every page. Hot tip: You MUST have a 24-hour contact number for your agent/agency. Why? Because think about your call times. They're usually outside normal business hours, right? Well, if there's a problem with your contract at 6am, how are you going to remedy it?
Exhibit G's: At the end of every day on set you'll be furnished with an Exhibit G. This is provided to all actors. Do not sign an incomplete Exhibit G. Make sure the information is correct (name, start time, out time, any meal penalties, etc.). If you work on multiple episodes (or commercial spots) on the same day, there should be an individual Exhibit G for each episode. In these Covid-19 times, Exhibit G's are often done electronically. Take a picture, whether hard copy or digital. If it's digital, have the PA send you a text/email with a photo of it.
SAG-AFTRA: After a job is over, don't hesitate to contact them ASAP if you think you have a legitimate reason to file a claim. You do NOT have to be a union member to get help from the union if you were working on a union project. Stay in regular contact with them. You must be the CEO here as you have a greater financial stake in getting paid than your agent (remember, 90% to you, 10% to your agent).
Remember, that everyone is trying to do their job as best as they can. No one is deliberately trying to short change us as actors. A PA is just doing what they are told. Paperwork can get lost or misread. If you can nip an issue in the bud when it's happening, that's the best solution. If you have to file a claim, be organized, and stay calm, patient, and professional.
If paperwork stresses you out, if wondering where you can and cannot be on set makes your palms sweat, or if you're ever pondered how you can make every day on set work to your advantage, you should jump into The Actor's On Set Survival And Thrival Guide Masterclass. Never again will you be nervous, worried, or doubtful about your time on set.
Happy acting!
Live. Life. Loud.
Alex & Alison
