Joining UK Equity actors union should be your first step as soon as you begin pursuing your career as an actor, either starting with training in any of my suggested best acting schools in the UK or going straight into the business of acting in London.
UK Equity — By Actors, For Actors
Well, not necessarily by actors, and not exclusively for actors, but they do look out for their fellow artists in the United Kingdom. Long time ago, in 1929, UK Equity union was formed to protect lesser known actors in the vastly growing show business. It has worked steadily ever since, making sure that every artist trying to make a living would be treated equally.
Here’s how UK Equity describe themselves on their website:
About us Equity is the UK trade union for professional performers and creative practitioners. As a leading industry organisation, Equity is known and respected nationally and internationally for the work we do with, and on behalf of, our members working across all areas of the entertainment industry.
Equity members form a cultural community that is of major importance to the UK in artistic, social and economic terms and Equity works to support them by negotiating their terms and conditions including fee structures with all kinds of employers and employer’s groups. Our 5,000 Student Members are also able to access information and advice to help prepare them for work in the industry.
There’s more on their website, if you wish to read.
The UK Equity Union
Equity is functioning to represent the interests of actors, dancers, singers, stunt people, and many more other artists and performers working in the United Kingdom.
Even though their function touches upon a much broader audience of working performers than, for example, America’s SAG (Screen Actors Guild, which is now joined with AFTRA, American Federation of Television and Radio Artists) who’s primary objective is to look out for actors working with cameras, Equity seems just slightly less powerful in the showbiz of the United Kingdom.
Equity’s principal function is to negotiate minimum pay and conditions for member actors, and make sure that everybody gets paid or receives the material that was promised to them.
Compared to SAG-AFTRA, where you need to work harder and pay more to get in, with Equity almost any actor can be a member, which reduces the value of the membership in my opinion. Basically, as soon as you get into any drama school or even any kind of performance-related course in the University, you can become a Student Member of the UK Equity.
You will receive your membership card, and stay a student member until you graduate, after which you can then transfer to a Full Membership status. If you haven’t got into any performance-related course, then you only need a few performance credits on your resume and you can join too.
Membership for students. When you’re a student on any term acting related course, I would say it’s worth getting your Equity membership straight away.
Many students consider it unnecessary because they’re aren’t working during their training (which is a double mistake, because you HAVE to be working outside of your training), therefore, they miss the opportunity to become an older member of the Union and reserve their screen/stage name for the future of their careers.
Yes, as soon as you register with UK Equity, you can reserve a stage/screen name for yourself, and nobody else will be able to snap it after that. Plus, the standard yearly fee of student membership is less than you spend when going out on a Friday evening. It does not, however, come with all the advantages of Full Membership, which you don’t necessarily need while in training.
Becoming a Member of UK Equity
If you’re asking me if it’s worth it, then without any hesitation I say to you YES, it’s definitely worth it. Even though it won’t guarantee you any work, but the equity card will attach to your name at least a little bit of professionalism when you start out. It will be shown on all your casting listings, profiles, your resume and business cards.
Even though almost all actors with just a little credit are members of UK Equity, agents, managers, directors, etc. still quickly look if you are a member or not. For pricing, check their website at: http://www.equity.org.uk/
Don’t be misguided though; if for some reason, financial or other, you cannot join UK Equity, you can still get acting work, both in professional and amateur league. This is what I meant when comparing UK Actors Union with America’s, when in the United States not being SAG-AFTRA member considerably limits your opportunities of getting work, and every actors priority is to get into the union ASAP. That is not the case with UK Equity, and whether it’s good or bad depends on your personal views.
What UK Equity Does for You
With Equity’s help, it’s easier for actors to negotiate and re-negotiate pays for professional work. Employees also treat actors financial side with more care, knowing that if an actor gets underpaid, it will be taken up with the Union. And just like a said, it’s plainly shows a sign of professionalism.
Aside from all that, Actors Equity provides job information service, special legal aid, advice on benefits and taxes, insurance services and some other stuff. It’s best if you look it up on their website, as the details of their system are too complex to start explaining here. Call them up and you’ll get your answer in full detail very quickly. Equity is very proactive at various campaigns for saving theatres and getting better funding.
UK Equity — To Sum Up…
Not much to sum up here, as it was just a brief introduction of our one and only Actors Union in the United Kingdom. One point to take home here, is that you should join Equity as soon as you are eligible, meaning getting onto the performance-related course that’s no shorter than one year or receive a few acting credits. Then reserve your stage/screen name, and even if it’s your real name, you still have to reserve it (Michael Keaton/Michael Douglas case).
The best source of information on UK Equity would be their website, so head up there and read everything you need to know for your future career as an actor.