HOW DO I
BECOME A MEMBER OF ACTRA?
There are three ways that a performer can become a member
of ACTRA.
1. Apprentice Membership:
A
Performer can join ACTRA as an Apprentice after being
contracted for a speaking or stunt role in an ACTRA-signatory
film, TV
series, or movie-of-the-week, or alternatively a
speaking or silent on-camera role in an ACTRA-signatory
commercial . These types of roles earn you an
ACTRA "credit" (not to be confused with
credits that roll at the beginning or end of a
production). After purchasing a work permit for the role, the
Performer is invited to join ACTRA, and has 4 weeks from
the date of that invitation to join.
Upon becoming an Apprentice Member, the Performer has to
accumulate five additional qualifying credits – not from background roles – or two additional
qualifying work permits if he/she is a visible minority
or physically challenged in order to be eligible for
Full Membership. Apprentice Members are required to pay
$75.00 in annual dues, plus fees for each work permit
that they purchase. If you allow your dues to lapse,
you will be sent a final notice before your
Apprenticeship is cancelled and all of your qualifying
credits are revoked.
When an Apprentice earns his/her final qualifying
credit, the Performer qualifies for Full Membership
and must contact the local branch to be initiated as a
Full Member. The one-time initiation fee for
Apprentice Members who become Full Members is $450.00, plus
$195.00 annual dues. If
the Apprentice Member has fulfilled their qualifications
for Full Membership and neglects to join before their
next role, their credits
become void and their Apprenticeship will be cancelled.
They can re-apply for the Apprenticeship program upon
their next credit but none of their previous credits
will be reactivated.
When
an Apprentice Member becomes a Full Member, ACTRA
reviews their work history for the previous two years
and creates an RRSP account for them with any retirement
plan deductions that were made from their
paycheques. Full Members continue to build their
RRSPs as they work in ACTRA's jurisdiction.
2. Being a Member of a Sister Organization:
If you are already a Full Member in
good standing of
Canadian Actors Equity Association (CAEA), Screen Actors
Guild (SAG) or the American Federation of Television and
Radio Artists (AFTRA), and are a Canadian citizen or
landed immigrant, you can apply for Full Membership with
ACTRA.
CAEA members are obliged to join ACTRA
upon being cast in their first ACTRA gig; they pay a
discounted one-time initiation fee of $225 and annual
dues of $175.00. ACTRA members are similarly obliged to join
CAEA upon obtaining their first role in CAEA
jurisdiction. For more information, please view the
CAEA/ ACTRA Reciprocal Agreement.
SAG and AFTRA members who are Canadian
citizens or landed immigrants can join ACTRA by being
cast in a role (speaking part, stunt or silent-on camera
in a commercial) in Canada and paying a one-time $900.00
initiation fee, along with $195.00 annual dues.
3.
Joining as an ACTRA Extra:
Our newest category of membership is
the ACTRA Extra. This category was created for
performers who want to pursue work as professional
background performers.
In order to be eligible for ACTRA
Extra membership, you must prove that you have worked as
a background performer for 24 days within the 12-month
period immediately preceding your application for
membership. Proof of the 24 workdays must be presented
at the time of application.
ACTRA Extras pay a one-time initiation
fee of $75.00 plus basic dues of $30 per year, along
with 2.0% of gross fees earned. ACTRA Extras must
maintain their membership by working 15 days as a
background performer (only on ACTRA productions)
measured from March 1 of each year, and shall not be
re-admitted as an ACTRA Extra unless they fulfill these
qualifications.
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