New York Local Newsletter - Spring 2023

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SPRING 2023 LETTER FROM NY LOCAL PRESIDENT EZRA KNIGHT Dear New York Local Members, After nearly three years, we are slowly making our way back to the familiar. This printed newsletter, the first since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic that brought so much in our lives to a halt, represents a big step towards our union’s reemergence. The sense and touch of this paper, of something tactile, I feel is a welcome return after all the remote digital and electronic communication with our New York Local membership.

I’d like to take a moment to thank our member leaders and staff who worked so hard to find ways to get us back to work on sets safely. So much of the work we do that’s viewed on TV, film, cable or streaming platforms requires close physical proximity, and some of that work is incredibly intimate. This includes those who work in a newsroom or who may be out in the field covering live stories. These brave members PRESIDENT’S LETTER CONTINUES ON PAGE 2 >>

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INSIDE

Photofile: SAG AWARDS VIEWING PARTY BACK TO BASICS: RESIDUALS BROADCAST SPOTLIGHT: PRESTON & NAGY l REPORT-TO ZONE I AM A NEW YORK ACTOR: SHARON WASHINGTON SAG-AFTRA FOUNDATION REOPENS IN NEW YORK! LEGISLATIVE SUCCESSES l ENTERTAINMENT COMMUNITY FUND Photofile: LABOR DAY PARADE STAFF SPOTLIGHT: REBECCA DAMON l UPSTATE REVS UP MEMBERSHIP MEETING NOTICE

State Tax Incentives Drive Production Increases and Local Studio Development he Greater New York City region has been experiencing a boom of production and new studio development spurred by the renewal of the state’s television and film incentives.

It’s no secret that tax incentives lead to economic gains for the states that provide them. Film and TV productions send millions of dollars into local economies, not only for production employees but also for a seemingly endless number of vendors: caterers, florists and dry cleaners. Now, with the development of these studios, commercial real estate can be included in the long list of industries that are benefiting.

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<< BOOM FROM PAGE 1

In 2022, the New York State Tax Incentive was renewed through 2029, and this year, Gov. Kathy Hochul’s proposed budget would extend the production and post-production credits an additional five years, through 2034. These tax incentives have spurred increased production, along with a near-doubling of the square footage of studio space. In New York City, brand-new studios are in development in Queens and Brooklyn, Steiner Studios is expanding into Sunset Park, and Lionsgate is growing its existing space in Yonkers.

New studios are also popping up all over the state. Western New York is seeing growth as well, with two new studios reportedly under development in Buffalo, and the Hudson Valley is getting a soundstage in Fishkill, New York.

“SAG-AFTRA members have strongly supported these tax incentives for years,” said SAG-AFTRA New York Local President Ezra Knight. “They help keep and create good union jobs in the place we call home. More studio space has become vital, as productions flow to the Greater New York City area. We will continue to fight to make sure that the trend will continue. If they build it, the work will come.” l

SAG-AFTRA members have strongly supported these tax incentives for years. They help keep and create good union jobs in the place we call home.

— Ezra Knight

TRI-STATE OF PRODUCTION

SHATTERING RECORDS

Work in the industry has expanded around the tri-state area.

The passing of the Garden State Film and Digital Media Jobs Act in 2018 and the subsequent expansion of the program through 2034 has led to exciting developments across the Hudson River. The planning board of Bayonne, New Jersey, recently approved plans to build a major motion picture studio at the city’s southern tip. In nearby Newark, the New Jersey Performing Arts Center, Lions Gate Entertainment Corporation and Great Point Studios have plans to build production facilities and six large soundstages.

Data indicates that the number of live-action entertainment jobs worked by performers in the New York Local in 2022 set a record-breaking high.

Connecticut has benefited from its Digital Media & Motion Picture Tax Credit as well, with the launch of Jaigantic Studios, the first “mini-major” studio, in New Haven.

<< PRESIDENT’S LETTER FROM PAGE 1

became our essential workers, risking their lives to get us vital news during the lockdown and beyond. We’ve been reminded that we are united in our shared vulnerability and how much we give of ourselves in the work we do. I am grateful that SAG-AFTRA, Directors Guild of America, International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees (IATSE), International Brotherhood of Teamsters and the Hollywood Basic Crafts could collaborate and work together with the AMPTP to give us workplaces that felt safe when so much of the world did not.

As announced, I am happy to report that at the end of January, we were finally able to reopen the doors of all SAG-AFTRA offices nationwide, and also celebrate the SAG 2 l SAGAFTRA.ORG

2021

208,000

EDITORIAL STAFF

Bernadine Robbins N.Y. COMMUNICATIONS COMMITTEE

Liz Zazzi, Chair Jeff Spurgeon, Vice Chair Christine Bruno Nick Fondulis Joseph Melendez

QUESTIONS? COMMENTS? COMPLIMENTS? We’d like to hear from you!

Send your suggestions and comments to newyork@sagaftra.org

Please write NEWSLETTER in the subject of your email.

2022

215,000

Awards with an in-person viewing party for New York Local members. I was incredibly honored to celebrate with you all, as I attended the live ceremony for the very first time!

While the goal is to reclaim a sense of normalcy, this union is not the same organization it was when the doors closed in March 2020. The pandemic forced many changes upon us. Some were incredibly painful, like the sudden loss of work for so many of us. Others were wonderful opportunities for growth, like upgrading many of the union’s services to be accessible online and the expansion of educational opportunities to larger numbers of members through the President’s Task Force on Education, Outreach & Engagement, or PTEOE, video presentations.

New York • Spring 2023 Volume 12, Number 1A

In New York, we are finding our way toward a new rhythm and routine. Our city has always embodied the spirit of resilience, and as we restart, we aim to keep the things that work, adjust what can be tweaked, and rethink the things that no longer serve. Hence, this is a chance for true renewal. On behalf of the entire SAG-AFTRA New York Local Board, I thank you all in advance for your patience and understanding as we find our way. The doors have reopened, not to the past, but to the positive welcoming of the future.

Forward together,

Ezra Knight SAG-AFTRA New York Local President

Above, from left, N.Y. Local Board member Verania Kenton, N.Y. Local Host Committee Vice Chair Lori Hammel, NextGen Performers N.Y. Subcommittee member Stuart Green, N.Y. Local Host Committee member Leah Dowdy, N.Y. Local Board member and Host Committee Vice Chair Marc Baron, N.Y. Local Vice President Linda Powell, NextGen Performers N.Y. Subcommittee member David Bodenschatz, N.Y. Local Host Committee member Christina Bobrowsky, National and N.Y.Local Board member Jeff Spurgeon, N.Y. Host Committee member Mia Christo, and National and N.Y. Local Board member Joseph Melendez.

Celebrating the SAG Awards SAG-AFTRA New York Local members celebrated a year of incredible performances at the New York Local SAG Awards viewing party at the SVA Theatre in Manhattan on Feb. 26.

Check out the smiles, sass and slay our SAG-AFTRA members and their guests brought to the red carpet!

PHOTOS: MARGARITA CORPORAN

MORE COVERAGE OF NEW YORK LOCAL VIEWING PARTY AT FACEBOOK.COM/SAGAFTRANY.

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Back to the Basics: Residuals This article pertains only to residuals under the TV/Theatrical/New Media contracts. For Commercials residuals, please see the sidebar.

SAG-AFTRA members know that residuals payments can be critical in keeping them financially solvent between jobs. Composed of more than 55 team members, the Residuals Processing, Trust & Estates Department annually processes and distributes over 4.8 million residuals checks covering worldwide exhibitions of television, new media and theatrical motion pictures for performers and their beneficiaries. During the pandemic, these essential workers continued reporting to the office full time to ensure these payments were distributed.

Residuals are compensation paid to principal performers for use of a theatrical motion picture, television or new media program beyond initial compensation.

Residuals are not due at the initial release of a production in the market for which it was produced, but at times of distribution beyond the original market for which it was intended, or reruns beyond the production’s original broadcast date or initial exhibition window. You can track

Sign Up! Direct deposit of residuals is available nationwide to all members. Here’s how: Q Click the Residuals Portal

from the left menu of sagaftra.org/residuals-portal.

Q Click on the bottom right tab, Direct Deposit, then accept the terms and conditions. After accepting, you will need to click on the Direct Deposit tab again.

Q Click on the Go to PaymentHub button. This will take you to the secure PaymentHub portal, where you can register for direct deposit and set up bank account routing.

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your residuals payments on our website by logging into your SAG-AFTRA account and selecting “Residuals Portal.”

Producers are obligated to send residuals payments to SAG-AFTRA according to a timetable based on where the content was originally released and where it was subsequently released.

QUARTERLY SCHEDULE After the initial payments, quarterly residuals payments are due 60 days following the end of each calendar quarter as follows:

Q1

JANUARY 1–MARCH 31 residuals due by May 31.

Q2

APRIL 1–JUNE 30 residuals due by Aug. 30.

Q3

JULY 1–SEPTEMBER 30 residuals due by Nov. 30.

Q4

OCTOBER 1–DECEMBER 31 residuals due by March 1.

Content made for television then released to: Network TV (ABC, CBS, Fox and NBC) — 30 days after each re-air date.

Syndication — Quarterly when the producer receives revenue, or if the production is made for syndication or airing in primetime on The CW, then four months after each re-air date.

Basic Cable — Quarterly when the producer receives revenue, or if the production is made for basic cable, then four months after each re-air date.

Foreign free TV — Due within six months of the first foreign telecast.

Other media markets [Pay TV, home video, SVOD (Streaming Video on Demand), digital download] — Quarterly when the producer receives revenue.

Content made for theatrical then released to: Network — 30 days after initial broadcast, then quarterly when revenue is received thereafter.

Free TV, non-network (syndication, basic cable) — Four months after initial broadcast, then quarterly when revenue is received.

Other media markets [Pay TV, home video, SVOD, digital download] – Four months after initial exhibition, then quarterly thereafter when revenue is received.

CLAIMS If you believe that enough time has passed that the producer should have sent a payment to SAG-AFTRA and you suspect you have a potential claim, contact the union, and we will provide guidance regarding if and when a claim may be filed.

You can make it easier for us to file a residuals claim on your behalf if you: Q Keep all your records (pay stubs, contracts, contractor reports, etc.).

Q Pay attention to when your production is released and contact SAG-AFTRA if you do not receive your residuals payment within six months of release to each new exhibition platform (home video, pay TV, basic cable, etc.).

Q When possible, watch the production when it is released and note details on the scenes you appeared in or can be heard in.

To begin the claims process, call the Residuals Department at (323) 549-6507 or email residualsmail@sagaftra.org.

Have a question about your residuals payment?

Call the Contact Center at (855) SAG-AFTRA/ (855) 724-2387. l

Commercials residuals are not processed by SAG-AFTRA, but are mailed directly from the payroll companies and will not be listed on the Residuals Tracker. If you have a question about commercials residuals, please contact the Commercials Department at (212) 827-1454, or by email at comm.coedinfo@sagaftra.org.

GRACIE AWARDS WINNERS

Cheri Preston & Christine Nagy In 2022, SAG-AFTRA National and New York Local Board member and Broadcast Steering Committee Co-Chair Cheri Preston and former National and Local Board member Christine Nagy received Gracie Awards for their union-covered work. Preston, who works at ABC News Radio, was named Outstanding News Anchor in the Radio - Nationally Syndicated Commercial category.

Nagy received her honor in the CoHost (Music/DJ/Personality) Large/ Major Radio - Local category for her work as co-host of Cubby and Christine in the Morning on iHeart Media’s WLTW. Bestowed by the Alliance for Women in Media, the Gracie Awards recognize exemplary programming created by women, for women and about women in all facets of media and entertainment. They also acknowledge the individuals who have made inspirational

contributions to the industry. Named after the late Gracie Allen, the awards acknowledge outstanding team leadership and individual achievement and focus on women who are making positive change and furthering the discussion of what a fulfilling career in media looks like.

“Congratulations to Cheri and Christine for their powerful and inspiring contributions,” said New York Local President Ezra Knight. “Their leadership in the newsroom, the studio and our very own SAG-AFTRA New York Local boardroom has helped better the lives and careers of broadcasters across all media.”

Honorees were recognized at the Gracies Gala, held on May 24, 2022, at the Beverly Wilshire in Los Angeles, and at the Gracies Luncheon on June 22 at Cipriani in New York City. l

Preston Nagy

Knowing when you’re On the Clock or Off the Clock Do you know about the “Report-to Zone”? As an actor, you may have heard that the zone is 30 miles, but that rule applies specifically to principal performers only. For background performers, the Report-to Zone is an eight-mile area that radiates from Columbus Circle and affects the rules on transportation, payments and late-night safety.

If production is located within the eightmile zone, a performer is responsible for providing their own transportation to and from the location. The performer is officially “on the clock” when they arrive at the location at their call time. It does not matter if your commute to the location is five minutes or three hours: If the location is within the zone, you are not compensated for travel time.

However, if a production’s location is outside the zone, the producer must provide transportation to and from location

and pay the background performer for transport time. In those scenarios, the performer is on the clock when they arrive at the pickup location, which is designated by the producer and may be anywhere in Manhattan between South Ferry and

125th Street. Again, performers will not be compensated for the time it takes them to commute to the pickup location.

Once filming has wrapped for the day, CLOCK CONTINUES ON PAGE 10 >>

COMMERCIALS BACKGROUND ZONE FOR BACKGROUND PERFORMERS working under the Commercials Contract, officially referred to as extras, the rules are somewhat different. The zone is still eight miles, but extras who report to work within the zone receive an $8 stipend to cover their transportation costs. The stipend also applies when an extra reports to a pickup spot that will transport them to a shooting location outside the zone. The pickup area in Manhattan is smaller, with its borders represented by 23rd and 59th streets, and 1st and 11th avenues. As with TV/Theatrical, performers are on the clock when they report to the pickup location at the designated time. Any performers who opt not to report to the pickup location and report to the call location on set will have a different work time than the performers who reported to the pickup location.

Rules also differ regarding late-night drop-off. When production wraps after 10 p.m. — not 9:30 p.m. — the producer must provide transportation to one of the same three safety spots. However, an extra may request drop off at the safety spot that is most convenient for them. So, if three passengers are in the van and each wants to be dropped off at a different safety spot, the production is obligated to stop at all three.

For additional questions, please contact the Commercials Department.

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You’ve had a fascinating, if not unique, childhood. Tell us about it.

I was born in Queens General Hospital and [my family] moved to Manhattan when I was 3. My mother worked as a secretary and my father worked for the New York Public Library. We lived in the ‘custodial apartments’ inside the library, many flights above the circulating books. Mom was a skilled stenographer who worked at our local church and, for a period during World War II, for the Pentagon. Dad kept the library warm and its water hot by shoveling coal until the 24/7 work [hours] became too difficult physically.

I’d started [school] at P.S. 166, but the vice principal told my mother I should probably go somewhere that would challenge me more, so I took the test for The Dalton School. I was accepted and started the third grade on a scholarship. I was there until I graduated high school. As I got older, the scholarship was reduced, 6 l SAGAFTRA.ORG

TESS STEINKOLK PHOTOGRAPHY

haron Washington is an award-winning stage, film and television actor. She sat down with SAG-AFTRA National and New York Local Board member Liz Zazzi in March 2020 before New York City shut down due to COVID. The entertainment industry followed soon after with an industrywide pause across the country. As the printed New York Local newsletter returns, we hope you enjoy this glimpse into her fascinating career, with a follow-up on how she coped during COVID and what’s next for this talented performer. so I also received financial aid. In my teens, I also started going to parties. [I’d be somewhere and realize], ‘Oh, this party is in the Paramount Pictures screening room, or be taking elevators that opened up to somebody’s Park Avenue apartment. That’s when I became really aware of the ‘haves’ versus the ‘have-nots’ for the first time.

And college?

I went to Dartmouth because I got in, but also because it was just such a beautiful campus. It was like a picture postcard; so different from the streets of New York City.

Were you also on scholarship at Dartmouth?

I wish. There were some grants, but it was mostly student loans and work-study. Then I wanted to become an actor, so I added more debt on top of that because I went to drama school. It took me over a decade to pay off two loans, but acting was what I wanted to do.

I’d known it since I was a child in church pageants. Dalton had a robust arts program, a beautiful theater and many opportunities to perform musicals and classics.

I continued performing at Dartmouth, but my majors were International Government and African & African American Studies. I was interested in a career in the foreign service, but when I graduated and moved back to New York, I needed a job. Hoping to get the theater bug out of my system, I reached out to Dartmouth alum Barry Grove, who was managing director of Manhattan Theatre Club, and he offered me a nonacting summer job. There I met artistic director Lynne Meadow, and that’s how I heard about Yale Drama School. After three years in administration at the Manhattan Theatre Club, lots of private acting classes, working AFTRA background on the soaps, and, of course, the Actors’ Equity Association showcase circuit, I auditioned for and got into Yale.

Your journey is your journey and won’t look like anyone else’s.

What was that like?

I immersed myself. I wanted all the ‘tools’ [and] to arm myself with as much training as possible. I was part of the original company of August Wilson’s The Piano Lesson at Yale Repertory Theatre, which led to the Huntington Theatre Company in Boston and my Equity card. I worked with [members such as] Courtney B. Vance, Charles Dutton and Samuel L. Jackson.

What was your first gig after graduating?

I was cast in Coriolanus at the Public Theater. It was so exciting to perform Shakespeare when all the advice had been to seek more lucrative employment like a series or film work in L.A. When I was hired, I told [the Public’s founder and producer-director] Joe Papp I was fulfilling my dream from childhood: seeing free Shakespeare in the Park and marveling at the people who looked like me speaking in verse! Shortly after that, I got my first [television] guest star on A Man Called Hawk, [and that] gave me my SAG card.

Talk about some of your career experiences on set.

Over the years, I’ve noticed how a [film or TV] set reflects the personality of No. 1 on the call sheet: Whoever it is, they set the tone [for production]. I’ve been on sets where it’s a nightmare because the No. 1 is problematic, and the cast and crew are walking on eggshells.

Workdays are long and hard because all you want to do is do your scene and get out without causing any trouble. What a horrible way to work! I’ve also been on sets where the No. 1 makes you feel like a guest in their house. I’ve always said that if I were ever in that position, that’s the type of No. 1 I’d like to be.

Any advice while waiting for the phone to ring?

Stop comparing yourself to others! That way madness lies. I’ve gone to school and worked early in my career with many people who are now full-blown celebrity superstars — but we started out together pooling money to buy lunch. Are they more talented than

me? I don’t believe that, but their path was different — and not easier, just different. Your journey is your journey and won’t look like anyone else’s.

Many of our newer members are content creators. Can you talk about how you created Feeding the Dragon?

For years, every time I was asked about my childhood, people said it would make a great book: the little girl who lived in the library, the dad who shoveled coal into a fiery furnace; it sounded like a fairy tale.

I struggled with its written form, and then I began to walk around [my] apartment, doing monologues and dialogues. That’s how Feeding the Dragon became a play. It was great to flex different creative muscles in its development. I never dreamed anyone would produce it. And they did! This is from the final moments of the play: ‘So … here I am.

The little girl who lived in the library.

A teller of tales.

A holder of history.

A King’s daughter.

I am the story.’

Moments after our interview, New York City announced the closure of all non-essential businesses. We entered an unprecedented time.

At press time, Liz and Sharon spoke again.

So great catching up with you. Can you talk about your coping skills during COVID, and what’s next for you?

COVID was challenging for me, as it was for all of us. After living in Manhattan Plaza for over 20 years, my husband and I moved out of the city to the Hudson River Valley in November 2018. When COVID hit in 2020, not only were we new homeowners, but we were also isolated. It was difficult. I concentrated on self-care and finally getting [my] home studio up and running. The advice from the voiceover department at SAG-AFTRA and the union’s online tutorials were crucial in helping me navigate [everything], from equipment basics to contracts. My first on-camera gig post-lockdown was a series that I’d been recurring on. I was so grateful that the union had strict protocols in place that allowed us to get back on set in person and in community safely. We were all anxious about how this would work in this new world. Having the union there to address concerns made all the difference. As a former SAG-AFTRA National and New York Local Board member, I was happy to see our union put our members’ safety first, as we slowly and carefully returned to work. I’m glad the Return to Work Agreement continues to evolve to get us safely back to work.

Which is what it’s all about, isn’t it?

And finally, as a native New Yorker, I’m thrilled to be working with our local union brothers and sisters as co-writer on the New York, New York musical [now open on Broadway]. Come on and be a part of it. Union Strong! l SAG-AFTRA NY / SPRING 2023 l 7

DOMINIK BINDL/GETTY IMAGES

JASON MENDEZ/GETTY IMAGES

Left, Nicholas Hoult, Hong Chau, Judith Light, Anya Taylor-Joy and John Leguizamo of The Menu attend Conversations at the Robin Williams Center. Below, Filmmaker Guillermo del Toro attends an in-person Career Retrospective for The Business at the Robin Williams Center.

SAG-AFTRA FOUNDATION REOPENS! The SAG-AFTRA Foundation has reopened its offices and facilities in New York, resuming the majority of its in-person career-building programs. In addition, the Foundation continues to offer many of its classes, workshops and individual instruction sessions online in order to provide greater flexibility, accessibility and educational opportunities to all members.

Prior to March 2020, the majority of the Foundation’s programs were live in New York and Los Angeles; however, when faced with the industrywide shutdown, the Foundation swiftly transitioned all of its free in-person performers programs online, supporting members throughout the ups and downs of the pandemic.

“Since 1985, the Foundation has been a lifeline for our members; however, the economic and professional fallout of COVID had a monumental impact on our broad and diverse community,” said SAG-AFTRA Foundation President Courtney B. Vance. “Gratefully, throughout these challenging times, our Foundation was able to step up and meet the moment to help lift up our members.”

The SAG-AFTRA Foundation has granted more than $7.8 million in emergency assistance to more than 8,000 SAG-AFTRA members nationwide. The aid helped with basic living expenses such as rent, food and bills. In addition, the Foundation granted over $900,000 in higher educational scholarships to SAG-AFTRA members and their dependents.

The Foundation also produced more than 10,000 free remote educational opportunities. From recording remote self8 l SAGAFTRA.ORG

Since 1985, the Foundation has been a lifeline for our members; however, the economic and professional fallout of COVID had a monumental impact on our broad and diverse community. Gratefully, throughout these challenging times, our Foundation was able to step up and meet the moment to help lift up our members.

— Courtney B. Vance

tape auditions to teaching new software programs to helping thousands of members set up remote voiceover recording studios, the Foundation supported and trained more than 118,000 SAG-AFTRA participants through its wide array of online offerings, helping members develop new professional skills during an uncertain time.

In addition, the Foundation produced thousands of virtual Conversations at Home with acclaimed actors and casts, as well as online panels for The Business

featuring leading voices in the industry tackling major issues facing performers in these rapidly changing times. All Q&As and panels were recorded and posted at youtube.com/sagaftrafoundation.

In August 2022, the Foundation reopened the Robin Williams Center, located at 54th Street and 8th Avenue, in its first phase of a safe and measured reopening. Since then, New York members have enjoyed dozens of in-person Conversations and The Business programs.

On Jan. 30, the Foundation reopened its offices alongside the union. In addition, the Foundation’s in-person On-Camera Lab and classroom, located on the fifth floor of the SAG-AFTRA building at 1900 Broadway, has also reopened to provide free on-camera recording sessions. Also returning is the in-person Casting Access New York program for SAG-AFTRA members. This is part of the Foundation’s second phase of reopening.

The Foundation’s EIF Voiceover Lab is scheduled to reopen in the coming months to resume both in-person VO main booth and solo booth sessions, while continuing to offer virtual sessions and program offerings. The computer lab remains temporarily closed as the curriculum undergoes a restructuring and reimagining to better serve more members.

In order to take full advantage of all the free educational classes, programs and resources, both in-person and online, create your user account today at sagaftra.foundation and receive notifications to sign up for all of the Foundation’s free performers programs to help stimulate your growth and jumpstart new skills this year. l

Legislative Advocacy Sees Successes Over the last three years, union leaders and staff pursued the passage of legislation in New York state that benefits all of our members. Thanks to their hard work and the vocal support of our members, New York is more performer- and production-friendly than ever.

Here is a roundup of some of the new and updated laws and policies in place that help protect and empower SAG-AFTRA members.

New York State Film and TV Production and Post-Production Tax Credits: In May 2022, the program was extended by three years and now runs through 2029, helping to keep work in New York and attract new work to the area (see Get Ready for the Boom on page 1). As of this article, the proposed New York state budget would extend the production and post-production credits an additional five years through 2034 and raise the annual allocation from $420 million to $700 million.

COBRA Subsidy: Thanks to our efforts and the advocacy of our SAG-AFTRA New York Local members, the program was made more accessible and more affordable by raising the income cutoff from 200% of the federal poverty level to 400%. Out-ofpocket costs to members were successfully reduced by increasing the amount of the subsidy from 50% of the COBRA cost to 75% and expanding access to the program for 12

months of coverage over five years (see sidebar).

Right of Publicity: This law protects the images and voices of SAG-AFTRA members. Thanks to an update to the law, drafted by SAG-AFTRA, it now protects deceased performers from exploitation and allows their families to prohibit unwanted and unauthorized commercial exploitation. The law now also provides strict prohibitions against the publication and dissemination of digitally created, nonconsensual, sexually explicit material, sometimes known as “deepfakes,” without clear and written approval from the performer depicted.

COBRA SUBSIDY ELIBILITY

For those who are eligible, the revised COBRA subsidy would reduce costs to $246.25 per month.

To be eligible, you must: 1. Be a resident of New York state.

2. Meet the monthly income requirements (see below).

3. Not have other employer coverage or Medicare.

Those eligible for a 75% discount on their COBRA rate: Q An individual with a monthly income below $4,530.

Q A family of two with a monthly income below $6,103.

Q A family of three with a monthly income below $7,677.

Q A family of four with a monthly income below $9,250.

NEED HELP?

New York City Executive Order 21: Requires every city agency to have a liaison to the film office. This commitment to citywide coordination will support the creative industry’s $82 billion economic impact and the hundreds of thousands of jobs that come with it. This policy helps New York City continue to be one of the most production-friendly cities in the world. l

The Entertainment Community Fund provides FREE weekly health insurance webinars, as well as FREE one-on-one counseling sessions with a health benefits specialist.

Visit entertainmentcommunity.org for more information.

THE ENTERTAINMENT COMMUNITY FUND IS THERE WHEN YOU NEED IT IN SHOW BUSINESS, we take care of our own. To better reflect the diverse group of arts workers it serves, The Actors Fund has changed its name to Entertainment Community Fund! The Fund is a national human services organization that addresses the unique needs of people who work in performing arts and entertainment, with services focused on health and wellness, career and life, and housing. Since 1882, the Fund has sought to ensure stability, encourage resiliency and be a safety net for those who shape our country’s cultural vibrancy. They help address the specific needs of entertainment professionals with a unique understanding of the challenges involved, and with the knowledge of what it takes to thrive in an often unpredictable industry. Learn more about how they support a life in the arts at entertainmentcommunity.org.

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PHOTOS: MARGARITA CORPORAN

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Celebrating the NYC-CLC 2022 Labor Day Parade On Saturday, Sept. 10, members of SAG-AFTRA and the Hip-Hop Alliance marched up 5th Avenue at the 2022 New York City-Central Labor Council Labor Day Parade. It was a great opportunity for members to show their union pride. Scan the QR code for more photos from the parade >> 2

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1. Members of the SAG-AFTRA and Hip-Hop Alliance contingent cheer as they march up 5th Avenue. 2. From left, New York Local Board members Marc Baron and Janette Gautier; Vice President, Recording Artists/Singers Janice Pendarvis; N.Y. Local President Ezra Knight; N.Y. Local Vice President Linda Powell; and New York Local Board members Verania Kenton and Avis Boone.

3. Hip-Hop Alliance Founder Scot X. Esdaile, left, and Hip-Hop Alliance board member Grand Wizzard Theodore. 4. N.Y. Vice President Linda Powell, Sen. Majority Leader Chuck Schumer and N.Y. Local President Ezra Knight pose for a selfie.

<< CLOCK FROM PAGE 5

the producer must return the performer to the pickup spot, and once they are dropped off, they are off the clock. If the wrap time is after 9:30 p.m., the producer must provide transportation to either the original pickup spot or one of three

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additional “safety spots”: Grand Central Terminal, Penn Station or Port Authority.

The producer is only required to drop passengers off at one of those safety spots and at the production’s discretion.

Performers riding in the van may request a safety spot, but the final determination is up to the production,

not the consensus of the passengers. At their discretion, the producer may stop at more than one safety spot, but everyone is considered off the clock once the van stops at the first drop-off point.

If you have further questions, please contact either our Entertainment TV or Theatrical Contract departments. l

ANGELA WEISS

Executive Director, New York Local, Labor Policy and International Affairs

Rebecca Damon Since October 2021, there has been a familiar face leading the staff at the New York Local: SAG-AFTRA New York Local Executive Director, Labor Policy & International Affairs Rebecca Damon, former union executive vice president and New York Local president.

Damon began her union service two decades ago as a member leader and activist.

“I first got involved because I saw places the union needed to grow,” said Damon about her early experience as a member volunteer. She later served on the board of the former Screen Actors Guild New York Division, eventually being elected to vice president. In that role, she was a founding member of both the SAG President’s Forum for One Union and the joint Group for One Union, helping lead the effort to unite SAG and AFTRA. As co-leader of the Operations Workgroup, Damon was a key architect of the merger.

A champion for workers’ rights, Damon was recognized as one of the most noteworthy figures on the front lines of the New York labor movement by City and State Labor Power 100. In 2022, she received a Leaders of Labor Award and, this year, was named by PoliticsNY and amNY as a Labor Power Player. Previous awards for her outstanding advocacy on behalf of SAG-AFTRA members and her longstanding dedication to and support of the labor movement include the New York LaborPress Leadership Award, the Irish Echo Connecting America Award, the SAG-AFTRA George Heller Memorial Award and the SAG-AFTRA New York Local’s Joseph C. Riley Award.

Reflecting on her new role, Damon said, “It has meant so much to have the support of our New York membership over the years. The accomplishments we have achieved together have laid the groundwork for our work ahead. I’m especially grateful for the faith the SAG-AFTRA New York Local Board has shown in me. I am honored to have this opportunity to advance and deepen the work during a time when it has never been more clear that the power of collective action is critical to creating a more just and equitable society.” l

MARCUS THOMSON JR.

UPSTATE REVS UP

SAG-AFTRA New York Local Executive Director Rebecca Damon as a member of the inaugural SAG-AFTRA National Board at the 2012 New York Local Holiday Open House at 360 Madison.

regions, and members in those areas have been actively engaged in showing their union support ever since. Led by Co-Chairs Louise Simon Schoene and Joe Wooley, the subcommittee has marched in Memorial Day parades and hosted coffee socials

and informational meetings, including a discussion with local upstate resident IN LATE 2018, the Member Outreach and SAG-AFTRA National Board member and Volunteer Efforts, or MOVE, New York Stephen McKinley Henderson about his long Committee established a subcommittee for and storied career. While the pandemic put the Western, Central and Upstate New York a pause on some of the subcommittee’s activities, WNY/ CNY members were back in action in September, marching alongside fellow unionists in the Buffalo Labor Day Parade. Union pride extends to every ZIP code in New York state!

Left, SAG-AFTRA members with Stephen McKinley Henderson center front; with parade banner, from left, Jon Cesar, Daniel Greer, Paulette D. Harris, Richard Satterwhite, Louise Simon Schoene, Jill Mack and A.J. Verel.

SAG-AFTRA NY / SPRING 2023 l 11

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REMINDER!

2023 SAG-AFTRA New York Local Membership Meeting

Hear updates from elected leaders and staff.

Monday, May 15 5-8 p.m.

DGA Theater, 110 West 57th St. (between 6th and 7th Avenues) This meeting is only open to paid-up SAG-AFTRA members in good standing. No guests allowed.

Parents/guardians of young performers under 18 years old are welcome. Please bring your membership card or digital card in the member app (paid thru April 30, 2023, or Oct. 31, 2023) for admittance.

If you require ADA, or other accommodations, please let us know by contacting (212) 944-1030 or newyork@sagaftra.org.

No pets or animals allowed, with the exception of animals in service. Food and drink are prohibited in the meeting space.

Additional details will be posted at sagaftra.org/ny as the date approaches.