Working Both Sides of the Fence

Here is the reality that union purists do not discuss openly: many actors, especially those outside LA and New York, navigate some version of both union and non-union work over the course of their careers. The rules are clear. The enforcement is real. And the gap between the rule and the economic reality is, for some actors, very wide.

This lesson is about understanding what the rules actually say, what flexibility exists within the system, what happens when people break the rules, and how to make intelligent decisions at each career phase.

This lesson is pragmatic. Pragmatic does not mean endorsing rule-breaking. It means describing the actual landscape rather than the idealized version.

What Has Changed

The entertainment industry looks fundamentally different than it did a decade ago.

What has changed:

• Streaming platforms produce content globally, creating enormous volume outside the traditional studio/network model
• Digital content, branded entertainment, social media, and web series have created a massive non-union production sector
• Self-tape auditions have made geography less of a barrier, expanding who competes for what
• International co-productions between multiple countries and unions are standard
• AI and synthetic performance are creating entirely new categories of work that unions are still figuring out how to cover

What has not changed:

• Major studio films are union
• Network and premium streaming television are union
• National commercials are overwhelmingly union
• Broadway and major regional theater are Equity

If you want to work at the highest levels, you need to be in the union. But between the top tier and the vast ocean of non-union content, there is a growing middle ground that is increasingly relevant to working actors.

Global Rule One: The Actual Rule

Before discussing strategies, you need to understand exactly what the rule says and what happens when it is broken.

Global Rule One states: SAG-AFTRA members may not work on non-signatory (non-union) productions.

This covers:

• Non-union films, commercials, web content, voice-over, video games — everything not signatory to a SAG-AFTRA agreement

Violations result in:

• Fines (can be substantial — thousands of dollars)
• Suspension of membership
• Potential expulsion from the union
• Loss of pension credits and benefit eligibility during suspension

Limited exceptions:

• Student films meeting specific SAG-AFTRA criteria
• Certain educational or charitable projects
• Work under sister union jurisdictions (ACTRA, Equity UK, MEAA) through reciprocal agreements

New Media Agreements: Built-In Flexibility

SAG-AFTRA recognized early that rigid application of traditional contracts to digital content would be impractical. The result is a set of new media agreements that provide significant flexibility — and this is where smart actors find room to work within the system.

SAG-AFTRA New Media Agreement Tiers

Why New Media Agreements Matter

• A web series that looks like a "non-union" project may actually be eligible for coverage under a new media agreement
• Lower-budget tiers are specifically designed to be accessible to independent creators and smaller productions
• Working under these agreements gives you union protections and credits on the type of content that is proliferating
• Encourage productions you work with to consider becoming SAG-AFTRA signatories under the appropriate agreement. Many producers do not realize how accessible the lower tiers are

How to Make a Production SAG-AFTRA Signatory

The process for new media is relatively straightforward:

1. Production contacts SAG-AFTRA to become a signatory
2. SAG-AFTRA determines which agreement tier applies based on budget
3. Production signs the agreement and agrees to union terms
4. Performers on the project receive union coverage, credits, and protections

How Smart Actors Navigate Each Phase

Pre-Union Phase

Goal: Build reel, skills, relationships, and momentum.

• Do as much quality non-union work as you can
• Be selective — choose well-made projects that serve your career, not everything that comes along
• Track which projects in your market are union signatory vs. non-union
• Build relationships with casting directors who cast both union and non-union work
• Start developing relationships with agents who handle union submissions
• Save money for the initiation fee and transition period

SAG-Eligible Phase

Goal: Use the window deliberately while preparing for union commitment.

• Continue building on non-union work
• Monitor the union market for your type in your area
• Strengthen materials to compete at the union level
• Secure or solidify agent representation
• Attend SAG-AFTRA informational sessions (open to SAG-Eligible actors)
• Set clear criteria for when you will convert to full membership

Newly Union Phase

Goal: Establish yourself in the union market.

• Focus entirely on union opportunities
• Self-submit for union projects on Actors Access and Casting Networks
• Build relationships with casting directors who cast union work
• Rely on your agent for access to union breakdowns
• Expect a potential dip in audition volume during the first 3-6 months — this is normal
• Supplement income with work that does not fall under union performing jurisdiction (see below)

Established Union Phase

Goal: Maximize earning potential and career growth.

• Build toward recurring roles, series regular status, or consistent guest star bookings
• Develop relationships that generate offers rather than auditions
• Consider international work under reciprocal agreements for additional opportunities
• Engage with the union — vote, attend meetings, serve on committees. The protections you benefit from depend on active membership

The Gray Area: Acknowledging Reality

There is a reality worth acknowledging directly. There are SAG-AFTRA members who quietly do non-union work. They use a different name, avoid projects where they might be recognized, and fly under the radar.

This is a violation of Global Rule One. If caught, consequences include fines, suspension, expulsion, and loss of pension credits during suspension.

This is not a recommended approach. The acknowledgment is that it happens because the gap between the rule and the economic reality is, for some actors, very wide. The actors who do this are making a calculated bet that the risk of getting caught is lower than the cost of turning down work they need to pay rent.

International Flexibility

Actors who work across borders often find more inherent flexibility through reciprocal agreements.

How this works in practice:

• A SAG-AFTRA member works on an ACTRA production in Canada — permitted under the reciprocal agreement
• A SAG-AFTRA member works on an Equity UK production in London — also permitted
• A SAG-AFTRA member works on an MEAA production in Australia — covered by reciprocal arrangements
• These international jobs provide union-level pay and conditions without violating Global Rule One

The strategic opportunity: International work can expand your available union market beyond what exists in your home city. An actor in a mid-size US market with limited union work might find additional union opportunities through ACTRA in Toronto or Vancouver.

This requires a passport, willingness to travel, and an agent with international connections — but it is a legitimate path that more actors should consider.

Supplementing Income Without Violating Global Rule One

Union actors who need additional income between bookings have legitimate options that do not violate union rules:

Work that is NOT covered by SAG-AFTRA jurisdiction:

• Teaching acting — classes, workshops, private coaching
• Directing (unless you are also a member of DGA with similar restrictions)
• Writing — screenwriting, copywriting, content creation
• Producing — behind-the-camera work
• Corporate consulting — using industry expertise in non-performing roles
• Hosting live events — some events fall outside SAG-AFTRA jurisdiction (verify specifics)
• Print modeling — still photography for print or digital use (verify current jurisdiction)
• Social media content creation — your own channels, as a creator not a performer for hire (nuances apply)

Important: The category of "non-performing work" is where most union actors find supplemental income. Bartending, waiting tables, driving rideshare, freelance writing, web development — none of these conflict with your union obligations. There is no shame in supplemental income. There is only the practical reality that most actors need it, especially in the early union years.

Market-Specific Strategies

LA or New York

Union membership is the standard. Join when competitive, commit fully, and supplement with non-performing income if needed. The union market is large enough to sustain a career.

Atlanta, Chicago, or Major Secondary Markets

These markets have robust non-union sectors alongside growing union production. Build your career in the non-union market first. Join the union when union work represents a meaningful portion of your auditions and bookings — not when you get your first voucher.

Smaller Markets

Be very deliberate. If your city has limited union production, joining may not make sense until you are ready to pursue work in a larger market or until local production grows. Stay non-union, build your skills, and keep your options open.

Digital/New Media Focused Career

Investigate SAG-AFTRA new media agreements. There may be a path to doing the work you want within the union framework. If the content you create or appear in is consistently non-union, evaluate whether full membership adds value to your specific career path — or whether staying non-union or SAG-Eligible gives you more flexibility.

The Bottom Line

The actors who navigate the union/non-union landscape best are the ones who:

• Understand the rules and their exceptions — not just vaguely, but specifically
• Understand their own market and what is realistically available
• Make deliberate choices based on strategy, not emotion or impulse
• Think long-term about where they want their career to go
• Stay informed about changes in union contracts and industry trends

The union/non-union divide is not going away, but the boundaries are shifting with every contract cycle. The 2023 strike was partly about extending union protections into digital and streaming spaces. New media agreements continue to expand. International coordination through FIA is increasing. The trend is toward broader union coverage — and the actors who position themselves on the right side of that trend will benefit as it unfolds.

Know the rules. Know the landscape. Know where you are and where you want to go. Then make your choice with open eyes.

Next Steps

1. This week, audit your current and upcoming work against Global Rule One (if you are a SAG-AFTRA member) or against your future union plans (if you are pre-union). List every project you are involved in or considering, and note whether each is union signatory or not. If you are pre-union, start tracking which projects in your market are signatory — this data will inform your timing decision.
2. Within the next 14 days, identify one non-union project in your network that could become a SAG-AFTRA signatory under a new media agreement. Talk to the producer about the Tier 1 or Tier 2 new media agreement. Even if they say no, the conversation educates both of you and plants a seed for the future.
3. Before the end of this month, build a list of 5 non-performing income sources that could supplement your acting income without violating union rules. Research each one enough to know whether it is viable for your schedule and skills. Having this list ready before you need it prevents desperate decision-making during slow periods.