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| re: Assume this is about $$ ? | |
| Posted by: ryhog 05:55 pm EDT 07/21/21 | |
| In reply to: Assume this is about $$ ? - DistantDrumming 05:44 pm EDT 07/21/21 | |
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| I am cynical but from a very different angle. I do not think there are many people who will "gladly pay dues [i.e., the initiation fee] to join Equity." It's not cheap, even with what is essentially a financing plan for the "investment." To me, it is window dressing a diversity/equality initiative. I'll happily be proven wrong. | |
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| re: Assume this is about $$ ? | |
| Last Edit: DistantDrumming 06:32 pm EDT 07/21/21 | |
| Posted by: DistantDrumming 06:31 pm EDT 07/21/21 | |
| In reply to: re: Assume this is about $$ ? - ryhog 05:55 pm EDT 07/21/21 | |
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| That's fair. I'm not so much thinking of the struggling actor who hasn't "made it" yet and for whom joining would be cost prohibitive, but more of the hobbyist actors. I know several in my medium sized town where community and "semi-professional" theatres far outnumber Equity houses. People who have regular day jobs / corporate careers who also spend a lot of their free time acting in community and semi-professional theatre productions, some of which they get modestly compensated for. For them, joining Equity may be desirable and attainable. But, perhaps that's too narrow a target to have a meaningful impact on what Equity is taking in. Just a thought. | |
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| re: Assume this is about $$ ? | |
| Posted by: KingSpeed 10:48 pm EDT 07/21/21 | |
| In reply to: re: Assume this is about $$ ? - DistantDrumming 06:31 pm EDT 07/21/21 | |
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| Why would it be desirable to give up the opportunity to continue work in community theater? The union limits what you can do. And you have to pay dues for this limitation. Why would a hobbyist actor want that? | |
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| re: Assume this is about $$ ? | |
| Last Edit: PlayWiz 07:41 pm EDT 07/21/21 | |
| Posted by: PlayWiz 07:40 pm EDT 07/21/21 | |
| In reply to: re: Assume this is about $$ ? - DistantDrumming 06:31 pm EDT 07/21/21 | |
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| If an actor joins Equity, they also have to give up looking for non-Equity work, which is no longer allowed at that point. They will be competing with people who have Broadway and regional credits, and if past is prelude, many don't work as much after joining Equity as they did in non-Equity. Plus the initiation fee is quite high, even with a few years to pay if off, and there are ongoing semi-annual dues too. I don't belong to social media, but I imagine it's being hotly debated by members on facebook, etc., especially since this was done by union committees or leadership without any kind of vote or input from the general membership. It's also for a limited amount of time (2 years as of now), so perhaps it is about needing money? | |
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