SAG-AFTRA
The labor union representing actors, announcers, and other media professionals.
Definition
SAG-AFTRA (Screen Actors Guild-American Federation of Television and Radio Artists) is the labor union representing approximately 160,000 media professionals. It negotiates minimum wages, working conditions, health and pension benefits, and residuals. Most professional productions in the US are SAG-AFTRA signatory, meaning they must follow union rules and pay scales.
Why It Matters
SAG-AFTRA union membership establishes professional standards for performers—from minimum pay scales to working conditions to residual payments. Understanding union requirements is essential for productions planning to work with professional talent.
Union signatory status affects production costs and access to established performers. New media agreements have expanded options for lower-budget productions to work within the system.
Examples in Practice
A low-budget film uses SAG-AFTRA's New Media Agreement to work with professional actors affordably.
An indie production's signatory status attracts name talent who won't work non-union.
A production budgets properly for residuals, avoiding surprises when their film reaches different distribution windows.