| How do you join AFTRA? AFTRA is the only union | | | | next AFTRA job I became what is called a "must join". |
| that you can literally "buy" into. You can show up to | | | | That simply means that my waiver was no longer valid |
| their offices and simply hand over a hefty wad of | | | | and before I could record the job I had to join the |
| cash and sign up there and then. How much does it | | | | Union. I literally had to go to the AFTRA headquarters |
| cost to join AFTRA? As of todays date the initiation | | | | in NYC first thing in the morning before the booking. |
| fee in NY is $1300 plus minimum dues of $63.90. Keep | | | | This is a REALLY important point. In fact, I lost a small |
| in mind, if you join just before the 2nd dues-cycle (as I | | | | job on Flight of the Conchords the week before |
| did!) you will be required to pay another $63.90. A | | | | because the casting director called me after 6pm the |
| grand total of $1427.80. After one year providing you | | | | night before the 10am shoot which made it too late for |
| have some AFTRA jobs under your belt, you may be | | | | me to go to the AFTRA offices and sign up. And that |
| eligible then to join SAG. You can also join AFTRA by | | | | made the CD's job a little harder as she then had to |
| booking an AFTRA job. | | | | go find someone else to do the job who was either |
| Last year, I booked a Coke commercial and earned an | | | | AFTRA or for whom she could get a waiver. And it |
| AFTRA-waiver. That allowed me to reap the residual | | | | made my world a little bluer as now I know there is no |
| benefit of an AFTRA actor while still able to audition | | | | more FOTC and I missed my shot to be on it. |
| for and book non-union work. As soon as I booked my | | | | |