How do you get an equity card?

Question

Hi there evreyone i want to start acting on T.V evreyone tells me i need to get equity what is the best way to get one?

Answer 1

Actually, for TV what you need is a SAG card. Actors' Equity is for stage actors.

Most studios have contracts with the Screen Actors Guild. It's a union: the actors agree not to work for non-SAG-affiliated studio, which forces the studios to agree fair compensation, eliminate exploitation, etc. (Actors are terribly prone to being exploited, because so many people are desperate to be actors. If you read the rules for SAG and Actors' Equity you can imagine what kinds of terrible things must have happened.)

Many actors aren't happy with their Equity cards. There are a lot of non-Equity theaters who can't hire you if you have your Equity card. If you have limited stage experience you can't be hired for big roles, and you can't gain experience at the non-equity houses. Many actors recommend waiting before joining Equity.

SAG cards, however, are pretty much mandatory. All of the major studios require them, which means that most agents require them.

Getting one can be tricky, because you have to work on several SAG projects, which you can't do without union membership! The usual route is to be an extra, which doesn't require a union card but will provide you a voucher. Or you can score a role without being in the union, which is allowed under the Taft-Hartley Act.

Answer 2

If you are in the UK, Equity is all you need.
It's a union, like any other so it is not any form of qualification.

It used to be allocated to those of us who had completed a certain number of engagements and the business then was only open to professionals.
Now anybody can appear on TV and that is why so many people ignore it.

If you want to act, go and study.
It has nothing to do with being in a union.

Answer 3

This Site Might Help You.

RE:
How do you get an equity card?
Hi there evreyone i want to start acting on T.V evreyone tells me i need to get equity what is the best way to get one?

Answer 4

Equity is the performers "Union".

You can find everything you need to know about "Equity" in the pasted link.

Good luck to you...

Answer 5

Not sure it is such a "closed shop" now.
If u get the Equity mag,write to the editor,or Variety mag. Good luck.

Answer 6

Honey, if you are in the USA, Equity is for theatre not television.