OT: Sag Experimental Contracts

kunal wrote on 5/16/2005, 8:00 PM

Hi,

I am about to start production on my short in a week or so. My actress happens to be a SAG member. While reading up about SAG, I realized that I'd have to get her to sign a SAG experimental film contract. A standard release of talent contract wouldn't work.

Do any of you have experience with doing this before...? If you've worked with SAG cast before and have dealt with SAG contracts, I'd love to hear your experience. What are the cons of being under a SAG contract? Based on what I've heard from people, most don't bother about SAG contracts if their budget is below $10,000 (just like mine). My actress is fine with not signing the contract.

From sagindie, it appears that getting a contract could take anywhere from 3-4 weeks and this would delay my production significantly. At the same time, I don't want to do anything that might come back to bite me later.

I know this is one of those things that I should have thought about _way_ before, but I guess you learn as you go...

Thanks in advance for sharing your experiences,
Kunal.

Comments

GlennChan wrote on 5/16/2005, 8:20 PM
Hey kunal,
two helpful links may be:

SAG Experimental Film Agreement in plain English
http://www.ifp.org/experts/expert.php?id=10

rmack350 wrote on 5/16/2005, 10:31 PM
These are great articles.

Kunal, think of it this way. These contracts are extremely flexible and they get you started down a pretty minimal production road. If you can manage to meet some of these minimum requirements then you'll be fostering skills you're going to need later on anyway.

I would think that you'll be able to get this stuff done in less than six weeks but it'll take away from some other preproduction work to get it done. Maybe you can get someone to help? (That's another needed skill, BTW.)

Rob Mack
xristos wrote on 5/17/2005, 3:08 AM
Most of the time people neglect to look deeply enough into the consequences of their specific contracts...with the Experimental contract it is important to note that ANY actor can VETO the sale of your project...as you are doing a short I assume that you are not necessarily looking to sell it...festivals possibly???. BUT, if you have any designs on selling your film or doing any other film that you infact wish to sell, feature or short, I would not recommend using the experimental contract. You never truly own your own film. It is better to look at a higher contract, pay the actors and own your film...just because it is shot for a micro ammount doesn't mean you can't go for a higher contract and the rates are reasonable. SAG will also work with you...they are pretty helpful if you are on a deadline.

Good luck, hope it goes well for you.
Jay Gladwell wrote on 5/17/2005, 7:31 AM

Bottom line, if you and your actress ignore the SAG contract (which she has already signed) and SAG ever gets wind of it, both of you will be in serious trouble--it can, and will, come back and bite you later. I've dealt with this before, so I know where of I speak. My simple rule, if the budget doesn't allow for SAG, I will not cast SAG actors, regardless of what they tell me.


fwtep wrote on 5/17/2005, 7:56 AM
The actress can do your project whether it's SAG or not. Tell her to look into going "financial core." What that means is she's telling SAG (if they ever ask) that she needs to do the project because she needs the money. I had one or two SAG actors in my film (though I paid them a little bit more than the SAG contract I would have had required). I believe that in the history of SAG only two actors have ever been thrown out for doing non-union films, and both of those were repeat offenders and were very well known.

And keep this in mind: the president of SAG is Melissa Gilbert, who herself produced a non-SAG film!

Fred
kunal wrote on 5/17/2005, 10:27 AM

Thanks for all your responses!

I looked up 'financial core' and here are some links that I came up with:
http://www.pirromount.com/voight.html
http://www.mcalistertalent.com/ara/finlcore.htm

I also just talked with a SAG representative to figure out exactly what the experimental film contract entails.

I guess at this point I have two choices -- either to go with the exp. contract or go the 'financial-core' way. Obviously I prefer the second option because it does not limit my production (which is meant for film festivals only, at this point) to SAG rates/bindings if it does ever get picked up at fests. My talent is okay with going the financial-core way too -- so I believe that is what I probably will be doing; One final consultation with my entertainment lawyer and hopefully, this should be out of the way.

Kunal.
xristos wrote on 5/17/2005, 2:14 PM
Don't give up on SAG too quickly...like I say they will work with you to make it possible to make your movie. One thing people somtimes overlook is that if you go up a level from experimental contract to Limited exhibition, although you must pay the talent, it is only $100 per day...AND, you are only required to have ONE SAG ACTOR to be eligible...ie. you can cast your film with non-union actors and only pay the one SAG actor...not a bad deal or rate if you look at it. Your film is a short so I doubt you will need your actor for too many days and if you guarantee a minimum of 3 days work the rate drops to only $75...

Think about it...
craftech wrote on 5/18/2005, 5:41 AM
Call the SAG representative back and ask if you can get a SAG waiver like the ones the film schools get. That allows them to use SAG members in their student films.

John