Utah 2011:07

National Board Report

Anne Sward
Utah National Director

The April Plenary meeting in Los Angeles and our Regional Branch stand-alone in Orlando, Fla. were quite productive. David White’s report gave us a good sense and confidence that the administrational and bureaucratic burdens of the Guild are being met with online services for producers. It is a streamlining of antiquated processes. We had discussions with an energized approach toward organizing that helped define it and how we in the branches can move ahead. Our council is going to be working on a Utah organizing plan and we have the attention of national on this.

The “One Union” merger is moving further ahead, and both unions are conducting listening tours throughout the United States to get data and opinions of members. I attended one and voiced the Utah concerns. If you have questions or your own concerns please contact me or go online to get more info as it comes in.

The new Corporate/ Educational Contract has been ratified. We had an opportunity for change, but personally, I feel the branches missed the boat with this contract. I argued to the National Board in Los Angeles that this contract is like “beating a dead horse.” It won’t work in Utah. But don’t give up quite yet. Branches have been given a chance to submit for national approval an organizing tool, a waiver to the contract that would work in their markets and for their employers. So we need to collect data and I need help from you about Utah, specifically any information you might have access to, such as production budgets and what actors are making for the type of work they do. Please contact me if you can give any details.

If you know of Utah members who have not been getting their e-newsletter or other communications because they have not updated their current email addresses, please urge them to get it corrected. They can do this by going on to SAG's site, registering and updating their profile. Look for the login/registration tab in the upper right-hand corner of the home page. Or they can send an email to emailupdate@sag.org. Just include your professional name, SSN or SAG ID number, previous email address and the new email address. Of course, you can do this by mail as well. The SAG address is on your card. It is alarming how many members do not have good contact information listed with membership. This is our downfall and we have to keep our personal contact information updated.

We must start communicating and come together because changes are upon us. Don’t be left in the dark. I plead with you that we must come together to organize. This industry is ever-changing and we must keep up with the times and set standards that are fair and equitable for professional performers.

Don’t ever hesitate to contact Utah Executive Director Don Livesay or me if you want to participate in the changes we are mapping out. 

Utah Passes Film Incentive Legislation

Earlier this year, Gov. Gary R. Herbert signed House Bill 99, Motion Picture Incentives Amendments, into law. It will boost the motion picture tax incentive from 20 percent to up to 25 percent of the dollars left in the state in the form of a fully refundable post-performance tax credit or cash rebate. The Legislature approved an ongoing tax credit fund of $6.8 million for the Motion Picture Incentive Fund (MPIF).

“Our vision for the State of Utah is to be recognized as a premiere global business destination,” said Gov. Herbert. “The expanded motion picture incentive will enable us to position Utah and its talented motion picture and digital media work force to compete on a global basis for the film and digital media industries. These are important industries to our economy’s future.”

“The higher rebate will now make us more attractive to the studios and networks and more competitive with other states and countries,” said Marshall Moore, director of the Utah Film Commission.

"The Motion Picture Association of Utah is gratified by the passage of HB99,” said Don Schain, president of the Motion Picture Association of Utah. “This bill represents a major step forward in the continuing development of a fair and sustainable Motion Picture Incentive. It has long been the MPAU's position that our incentive works because it keeps our industry competitive while providing the State of Utah an attractive return on investment. In these difficult economic times, we are pleased that the Legislature recognized that film and television are part of the solution."

Since the MPIF was created in 2004, 65 film projects have received funding, creating 4,725 production jobs and 1,956 production days. The projects are responsible for leaving nearly $178 million in the state. Recent films that have received the incentive include all three High School Musical movies, the Oscar-nominated 127 Hours, and the upcoming Walt Disney Studios feature film John Carter of Mars.

More than 800 films and television movies have been shot in Utah. Formed in 1974, the Utah Film Commission is a part of the Governor's Office of Economic Development, and is a member of the Association of Film Commissioners International. For information about filming in Utah, visit film.utah.gov or contact the Utah Film Commission at (800) 453-8824 or (801) 538-8740.

Utah Incentives Take Center Stage at Filmmakers/Actors Forum

During the 2011 Sundance Film Festival, the Utah Branch held its Eighth Annual SAGIndie Utah Filmmakers/Actors Forum in Salt Lake City. Speakers included Academy Award-nominated actor James Cromwell, National Director of SAGIndie Darrien Michele Gipson, SAG National Director of New Media Mark Friedlander, local casting director Jeff Johnson, Utah filmmaker Adrian Lefler and Utah Film Commission Director Marshall Moore. Well over 100 film professionals attended from around the state. Mr. Moore spoke about the current status of the film industry in Utah and the proposed legislation (now known as HB-99S01) for film incentives and took questions from the audience.

About One Union

Members on the SAG Merger Task Force and the AFTRA New Union Committee met June 17–19 for the first formal face-to-face talks about forming a successor union representing performers, broadcast professionals and recording artists. The meetings were a great first step and will continue throughout the rest of the year.

The members created six work groups focusing on the areas of greatest concern to members, based on feedback from the joint coast-to-coast Presidents’ Forum Listening Tour: governance and structure; finance and dues; collective bargaining; pension, health and retirement; operations and staff; and member education outreach. Each work group is populated with members who represent all categories and both large and small markets, locals and branches across the nation. These work groups will meet over the coming months and create a set of recommendations for how the successor union should approach each area, which will become part of a merger agreement, national constitution and dues structure to be presented to each union’s national board in January.

It’s early in the process, but we are optimistic and believe that the work groups can create a plan for a successor union that will win support and positions our members for a stronger future. There is a lot of work ahead, and we are very mindful of continuing to provide the quality support our members value, while balancing members’ interests in moving this process forward as efficiently and successfully as possible.

All of the latest proposed merger information can be found on our website, and you can also keep abreast of any future One Union developments by following SAG on Facebook and Twitter, or by emailing us your questions to oneunion@sag.org.

SAG Joins Coalition to Fight Content Theft

Screen Actors Guild is teaming up with AFTRA, DGA, IATSE and major studios and networks to launch the Creative America initiative to discourage content theft and educate the public about its harmful effects. Creative America will provide a gathering place for members of the creative community to learn more about the impact of content theft on their jobs, their benefits and their ability to continue making a living in the entertainment industry.
 
Among its initial activities, Creative America will enable members of the entertainment community to demonstrate their support for the passage of important congressional legislation that will significantly impact the fight against content theft, including the PROTECT IP Act, legislation designed to combat foreign trafficking in stolen movies, TV shows and other forms of intellectual property.

Find out more at the SAG website or visit Creative America at www.creativeamerica.org to add your voice to those fighting to protect content and eliminate theft.