How to Get Seen at Equity Auditions as an EMC or Non-Equity Actor - Actor Aesthetic (2024)

FAQs

Can non Equity actors audition for Equity shows? ›

Members of Actor's Equity— the union for stage actors — can sign up for these auditions starting one week before they occur. Non-Equity actors are, in fact, more than welcome to attend Equity auditions.

To register for the program, you must first secure a qualifying position at an Equity theatre that offers the Equity Membership Candidate program. Complete the EMC Registration Form supplied by the theatre and return it to them with the non-refundable $200 registration fee, payable to Actors' Equity Association.

There are 3 ways to join Actors' Equity Association. Actors may join AEA by virtue of employment under an Equity contract, by virtue of prior membership in a performing arts sister union (SAG-AFTRA, AGMA, AGVA or GIAA) or through the Equity Membership Program.

Hi, Kevin! Yes, with a few exceptions, you must be a member of the stage actors' union, Actors' Equity Association (AEA) in order to audition for Broadway shows, tours and many higher paying regional theatres.

By performing at participating Equity regional and summer stock theatres, actors can collect points toward their membership. Each week worked at a qualifying Equity theater equals one EMC point or credit. Actors currently need 25 EMC points to join Equity.

Under SAG-AFTRA and Equity contracts, actors are guaranteed a set rate of pay for both rehearsal and performance. The rate changes over time as union contracts are renegotiated, and it's influenced by the details of the production.

Full membership

To join Equity as a full member, you need to demonstrate either that: You have earned £500 or more from professional work in the entertainment and performing arts industry. We can accept contracts, invoices, emails, letters, wage or payslip that confirms the following details: The dates you worked.

Equity Membership Candidate (EMC) Registration Form

Producer must sign and file form with Equity within one week of engagement. The EMC program is for actors and stage managers who intend to pursue a career in the professional theatre, and want to work toward eventual membership in Actors' Equity Association (AEA).

Equity's dues structure has two components: Basic dues: $176 annually, billed at $88 twice a year each May and November. Working dues: 2.5% of gross earnings under Equity contract, which are collected through weekly payroll deductions.

There are four key types of actors, which are defined as Personality Actors, who use their own personality to bring life to a character; Creative Actors, or actors who go against their own personality; Chameleon Actors, who can play a wide variety of unrelated roles; and Nonprofessional Actors who add realism to ...

How much do non Equity actors make? ›

Equity Vs Non Equity Salary

Non-union companies do not establish a mandatory minimum salary, but many strive to negotiate weekly stipends that are similar to the lowest tier for union actors. Thus, typical stipends range from ​$200 to $300​ a week.

Join Through a Sister Union

There's another way to get you Equity card: actors can buy in after a year's membership in one of Equity's sister unions, so long as they have at least one principal contract or three background contracts worked.

Its term is related to other competitive areas, such as the Triple Crown of horse racing. As of 2022, only 24 people — 15 women and 9 men — have achieved the Triple Crown. Helen Hayes became the first actor to do so with her Emmy Award on February 5, 1953.

An Equity card is proof of membership in the Actors' Equity Association of the United States or Equity in the United Kingdom.

Casting is a pre-production process that involves choosing actors to fill the roles in a particular TV show, movie, commercial, or play. Directors and producers will hire a casting director to oversee the casting process, which includes auditioning, screen tests, and callbacks.

How Much Does an Actor Make? Actors made a median salary of $43,760 in 2020. The best-paid 25 percent made $60,760 that year, while the lowest-paid 25 percent made $28,080.

How do struggling actors make money? ›

The entire home equity loan process takes anywhere from two weeks to two months. A few factors influence the timeline—some in and some out of your control: How well you're prepared. Your lender will want to see copies of your current mortgage statement, property tax bill, and proof of income.

The three elements of EMC are the interference source, the interference path and the interfered object [2]. According to the interference path, there are generally two types, namely conducted interference and radiated interference.

This is called the Basic Studio or Session Fee – the BSF. You are due payment for attending a recall before you are cast and when you are cast, you are paid for attending a wardrobe/ wig/costume fitting.

Electromagnetic Compatibility (EMC)

With most film projects, actors make a percentage of the film's profits in addition to their initial take-home pay, but in the case of Netflix films, which aren't syndicated or released theatrically, actors' salaries stay the same no matter how many times a film is streamed.

At any point during Phase 2 you may choose to join Equity as long as you do not have non-Equity work lined up in the future. If you are joining Equity through the EMC Program, at least a $600 initial payment is due with your application, and you must have completed any non-union theatre work.

Which type of acting is best? ›

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Method Acting is one of the most well-known film acting techniques, perhaps because it is so controversial. It was developed by Lee Strasberg and had influences from Stanislavski, Robert Lewis, Stella Adler, and Sanford Meisner.

Making a living as an actor is not impossible—but it is very, very difficult. Acting is not a steady, salaried gig in which you'll know exactly how much money you have coming in each month. You'll need to take a very different approach to your finances than someone working a traditional 9-to-5 job.

The Screen Actors Guild (SAG) says union members get paid every Thursday for the work they did through the previous Saturday. There are some exceptions, such as for actors staying overnight on location. Pay is based on SAG minimum rates, though established actors may have the standing to ask for much more.

Actors (other than background actors) get paid again when a performance is rerun. In TV's past, those payments ended after a certain number of replays; now they can go on forever — making those “Law & Order” reruns an annuity for the actors. As for how much the performers are paid, it varies.

As an Equity member, you may not perform or stage manage without an Equity contract. That's rule number one on the back of your Equity card: Under no circ*mstances may you rehearse or perform in any company without a properly executed and signed Equity contract.

Child actors aren't required to join Equity until they reach 14. But SAG-AFTRA requires child actors to join after their second union project if they're at least 4 years old. A spokesperson for SAG-AFTRA said the union provides “comprehensive protections for young performers.”

What age is too late to become an actor? ›

There Is No Age Limit to Acting

The beautiful thing about acting is there is no age limit – you can begin acting at 14 in school, or at 64 after retirement – or anywhere in between. We even have students in their 70s and 80s that are learning the craft – so it's never too early or too late to begin acting.

For while both male and female actors peak between 30 and 39, and while the 40s remain fertile territory for all actors, there's a definite gender skewing towards older male actors and younger female actors. Almost 25% of female actors book most of their roles in their 20s, against 11.6% of male actors.

How do you become one of them? It's a notoriously tough profession, so what can you do to avoid being one of the 98%?

You don't necessarily need a degree to be successful as an actor; however taking classes or enrolling in school can help you learn the basics of acting and provide you the opportunity to practice. Build your resume by gaining experience through side projects like student films, independent films or theater productions.

There are many listed auditions for theatrical productions, student films, larger films, etc. An actor need not have representation in order to submit himself.

*Non-Equity: Will be seen only if an equity member doesn't show up for their appointment, if the team is running ahead of schedule, there are no equity alternates left on the alternate list and no EMCs left.

The case for your card, or not:

And it makes you eligible for auditions and calls you wouldn't otherwise be able to attend. Still, there are downsides. Having your Equity card means you can only work on Equity shows. AEA membership opens up doors, but it also closes others.

Actors cannot take a nonunion job unless the producer agrees to hire them on a union contract, also known as becoming a “SAG-AFTRA signatory.” The union actually encourages members to audition for nonunion jobs so that those actors can convince more producers to work on a SAG contract.

How do you get noticed for auditions? ›

Do I have be in actors equity? No, you do not have to be part of Actors Equity to be an extra. How often will I be called? This will depend on your availability and the requirements of the production companies.

To get a SAG card as an extra, all you need to do is perform as an extra (background actor) for three full days on set and make sure to ask for your SAG vouchers each day. Then, follow the instructions in the rest of this guide and you'll be able to join!

As you budget SAG payroll, it's important to note that the minimum daily rate applies to standard 8-hour work days, or 10-hour work days for most weekly players. (Check here for current SAG minimum rates.)

Your goal is to collect three vouchers, one for each day of work. Unlike with the Taft-Hartley rule, there is no time frame or limit to the number of background roles you can do in SAG-AFTRA productions before being required to join.

For example, on a film with a budget of at least $2 million, under the SAG-AFTRA theatrical contract, the minimum day rate is currently $1,056 per day. If your role requires at least five days of work, then the rate is $3,664 for the week. Background actors make $182 a day, and stand-ins make $214 a day.