Hundreds if not thousands of New Media roles in Canada are being lost to non-unionized actors, and even to Americans. Web series, the majority of whom operate at very low budgets, but some that even have complete funding in place and have up to a $500,000 budget, still choose to use non-union actors because there is no agreement for web series like their is for low budget independent film production (such as TIP). One Toronto-based production was reported to travel to Los Angeles in order to use union actors under the SAG-AFTRA New Media Agreement, which meant lost work for Canadian actors and Canadian crew (see http://www.welovesoaps.net/2012/09/clutch-addsjillian-clare-tom-konkle-and.html ).
We, as ACTRA members, are pleased to hear of the formation of a New Media Subcommittee. We urge them to act swiftly, and adopt the SAG-AFTRA New Media Agreement ( http://www.sagaftra.org/production-center/new-media/documents ). If it is good enough for our sister union, it is good enough for us. Help our members be part of this quickly growing industry and not get left behind, while losing roles to non-union casting and union actors abroad. By acting swiftly, we have a chance to convince the next round of IPF-funded web series to use union actors, creating a large number of paid opportunities for ACTRA members immediately.
By signing this petition, I confirm that I am a member of ACTRA and I want to work on New Media projects even if it means reduced pay scales, like the members of our sister union, SAG-AFTRA, do.