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For independent filmmakers, at least when you are starting out, unions won’t be much of a concern for you. You will normally hire your crew and actors from non-union members. Once you have made a couple of films and have started to make some money though, you will find you will need to make the transition to hiring union workers.

There are many unions, even more local ones, ranging from Directors to Projectionists. Here are just a few of the unions you might be faced with in your filmmaking career.

ACTRA

The Alliance of Canadian Cinema and Radio Artists is obviously a Canadian union. It’s the sister union of the US based AFTRA. This is an actor’s alliance, including performers in film, television and radio. As well as voice over artists, puppeteers, stunt performers, dancers and background performers.

Founded in 1943, this unions works to promote its members as well as protect them while they are on the job. As with any union, they negotiate wages, medical and dental benefits as well as retirement benefits for one particular branch.

Just like the Academy Awards, ACTRA hosts an annual event to honor its members.

To become a member of ACTRA, you must have had at least one speaking role in a film or television production. This rule does not however apply to background performers as they do not generally have a speaking role. In addition to this requirement, members must pay a $75 initiation fee as well as a $75 annual fee.

AFTRA

American Federation of Television and Radio Artists is based in the United States and like ACTRA, protects their members by negotiating wages, working conditions and benefits.

AFTRA represents Actors, Journalists and anyone working in the media and entertainment industries.

Founded in 1930, this makes AFTRA one of the oldest unions in the United States. In 1937, it began including radio artists and has now evolved to include negotiations with the Screen Actors Guild or SAG.

CFTPA

This is the Canadian Film and Television Production Association. It represents Television and Multimedia companies. They manage labor agreements, taxation, trade, copyright, broadcasting and film.

This union also trains young people about the industry and how to compete in it. This union is mostly for independent producers and production companies.

Directors Guild of America/Canada

The main focus of this union is on representing Directors, Assistant Directors, Unit Production Managers, Associate Directors, Stage Managers and Production Associates in both Canada and the United States.

As with any other union, this one negotiates wages, benefits and working conditions of Directors of film, Television, Stage, Media, Broadcasting and any form of production.

This union has evolved into a worldwide union from its humble beginnings in 1934 with only 100 members.

SAG

Founded in 1933, SAG or the Screen Actors Guild was designed to protect actors and their rights. It was formed when Directors controlled the contracts of actors in order to release the actors from these unbearably long contracts that did not truly benefit them along with making sure the actors were treated fairly while under contract.

The main reason for founding this union was that at the time, studios and producers held actors contracts and forced them to work excessively long hours. In addition, many of these contracts controlled the actors lives, including their personal lives.

In order to make their working life bearable, 21 actors started this union to improve their careers. It’s one of the only unions that has stood the test of time and has always done their best for their members.

The requirements for joining this union include filling out an application as well as having had at least one speaking role.

WGA/WGC

Writers Guild of America and the Writers Guild of Canada, promote writers in the film and television industry, media, CD-ROM, movies and news broadcasts.

The unions purpose is to negotiate contracts for its members and then enforce them with producers and directors. They also ensure their members receive medical and dental benefits in their contracts as well as residual pay for all screenwriters.

They have training programs and resources offered to writers of the union. Novel authors and screenplay writers can have their work registered with the union to protect it from anyone trying to steal it, or take credit for it.

There are many more unions including ones for theatre, projectionists, camera operators and post production. Depending on what area you are involved in, do some research and find out their requirements before submitting an application to them.