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INDUSTRY News
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OMPA launches Add-On Membership to embrace Actors When OMPA was formed 28 years ago, Oregon’s media production association advocated for the crews, locations, equipment, services and infrastructure that make Oregon an attractive place to produce. Since that time, our acting pool in Oregon has grown to such a level of professionalism that Oregon fields actors for all manner of television and film roles, not to mention the commercial and new media projects that Oregon regularly enjoys. In consultation with actors, agencies and performers’ unions, OMPA has created a means for actors to join the industry association either on their own, or as an “add-on” member on behalf of their union, talent agency or manager. What this means for actors is that they can now receive crew calls and other industry news and participate in the networking events and workshops that OMPA members enjoy. And for the first time, principal and supporting actors are listed on the industry’s professional directory, SourceOregon.com, which, like the 411 guide in Los Angeles, is considered the “industry’s Rolodex” for film and video production. As with the crew and other services listed in the directory, listings are vetted to include only experienced, professional actors as a showcase to the world of what Oregon has to offer. “Actors are a big part of what makes Oregon a great place to produce. You are smart, you are professional, and you deserve to be able to participate. We get that,
“ says Damon Jones, owner of Actors in Action, to the 300 in attendance at the association meeting at Indent Studios on September 17, 2010. Goals for adding actors to OMPA’s roster include producing actor-oriented events and mixers and to use OMPA’s increased membership numbers as leverage to pursue group health plans to cover the contractors who serve the industry. Actors who are not represented by an agency or a union can join OMPA at the Individual rate of $175. Represented actors need only pay $60 per year to join the association when their agent is an OMPA member. Both options include a listing in SourceOregon.com for those qualified, and while actors will not have an individual listing in the printed directory which is bound and published each year, they will receive a headshot in the online directory. To maintain a high level of professionalism in representing Oregon’s industry, all agent-affiliated actors will be listed publicly with their agent’s contact information, rather than the actor’s personal contact information. For more information on joining OMPA as an actor, a small or large business, or an industry freelancer visit www.ompa.org Special thanks to the presenters, Kathleen Lopez, Justin Habel and Damon Jones, and sponsors DTC Grip & Electric, Catering by Caprice, SAG, AFTRA, Oregon Film, Honest Tea, New Belgium Brewing, Peter Corvallis, and Indent Studios.
A large crowd of Actors soak up the limelight at Indent Studios. Photograph by Jeff Amram