Foreign and CanCon production in Ontario are roughly equal - INSIDE: ACTRA Toronto Takes Pride PLUS: IPA Bargaining 2018
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THE MAGAZINE FROM ACTRA TORONTO
VOLUME 27 • ISSUE 2 • FALL 2018
Foreign and CanCon production in Ontario
are roughly equal
• INSIDE: ACTRA Toronto Takes Pride • PLUS: IPA Bargaining 2018 •
INSIDE
President’s Message
by Theresa Tova ................................................... 04
Split Screen
by Joy Tanner ........................................................ 06
Expansion: 06
The Renewal of The Expanse
by Brendan Jeffers................................................ 08
Amybeth McNulty
Is Anne with an E ......................................09
AFC’s FREE Financial
Wellness Program
by Richard Young ................................................. 10 09
Emily Nixon:
Silencing the self-talk ............................11
Harassment Update
by Victoria Shen ................................................... 12
Changing the Culture: Interview
with Dr. Jesmen Mendoza
by Joy Tanner ........................................................ 14 14
The Future of Diversity Onscreen
by Samora Smallwood ........................................ 16
ACTRA Toronto Takes Pride .......... 18
Looking Ahead
to IPA Bargaining 2018
by Sue Milling .....,................................................ 20 16
Member News ............................................ 22
Welcome New Members .................. 26
Lives Lived .................................................... 28
ACTRA Toronto Who’s Who ............. 30
29
Let’s Make Toronto a Truly
Film-Friendly City ......................................... 31
02 ACTRA TORONTO PERFORMERS magazine
THIS IS
YOUR
UNION
MAGAZINE
(COVER DESIGN)
Upper photo:
Amybeth McNulty (left) and Geraldine James (right)
in Anne with an E. Courtesy of CBC - Photo Credit: Chris Reardon.
Bottom image:
The Expanse: "It Reaches Out" Episode 308 Cara Gee (left)
as Drummer, Dominique Tipper (right) as Naomi Nagata
(Photo by: Rafy/Syfy)
Performers
PUBLISHER
David Gale
dgale@actratoronto.com
EDITOR
Joy Tanner
editor@actratoronto.com
STAFF EDITOR
Karen Woolridge
kwoolridge@actratoronto.com
COPYEDITOR
Jerry Schaefer
EDITORIAL COMMITTEE
Heather Allin, David Gale, Art Hindle,
Sue Milling, Karl Pruner, Dave Sparrow,
Joy Tanner, Theresa Tova, Karen Woolridge
DESIGN and LAYOUT
Erick Querci
www.erick-querci-design.com
ADVERTISING SALES
Karen Cowitz
kcowitz@rocketmail.com
416-461-4627
CONTRIBUTORS
Jennifer Higgin
Brendan Jeffers
Sue Milling
Emily Nixon
Victoria Shen
Samora Smallwood
Joy Tanner
Richard Young
SEND EDITORIAL CORRESPONDENCE TO:
editor@actratoronto.com
JOIN THE TEAM
If you’re an ACTRA Toronto Member and want to write an article, or
contribute original artwork or photos, we’d love to hear from you.
Send an email to editor@actratoronto.com.
Printed in Canada by union labour at Thistle Printing on 50% recy-
cled paper.
NEXT COPY DEADLINE IS: December 1, 2018
The magazine invites members to submit notices of births, marriages,
obituaries and letters to the editor. Article submissions must be sent
via email to editor@actratoronto.com. We reserve the right to edit
or omit any material for length, style, content or possible legal
ramifications.
Performers magazine is published twice a year by ACTRA Toronto.
The views expressed in unsolicited and solicited articles are not nec-
essarily the views of ACTRA Toronto, its council or the Editorial
committee. The presence of an advertisement in Performers magazine
does not imply ACTRA Toronto’s endorsement of the advertised
company or product.
Publications Mail Agreement number 40069134
ISSN 1911-4974
www.actratoronto.com
FA L L 2018 03
Theresa Tova
ACTRA Toronto President
harassment, discrimination, bullying and violence. This is hard
President’s Message and complex work as we come to terms with a culture of sexual
harassment in our industry and society at large. Read “Update
FALL 2018 on Sexual Harassment Prevention” by Special Advisor Victoria
Shen (pg. 12) to learn more about the steps ACTRA Toronto is
taking. Whether it is through the Canadian Creative Industries
Code of Conduct, ACTRA by-laws, our various member
committees or the upcoming Independent Production
Are we
Agreement (IPA) negotiations, we are working together to
develop policies, protocols and training to help everyone un-
derstand their rights and responsibilities in building respectful
there yet?
work environments.
On the bargaining front, ACTRA will be back at the bargaining
table this autumn with the Canadian Media Producers
Association, negotiating the renewal of the IPA, our biggest
agreement. We need to consider today’s climate as well as the
future as we negotiate for our members. More on that in “Looking
A question you might expect to hear on a long family summer
Ahead to IPA Bargaining 2018” by Executive Director Sue
road trip. On this, our union’s 75th anniversary year, we can
Milling (pg. 20). For 75 years, we have been bargaining the best
look back on the journey we’ve taken together as a big, eccen-
terms and conditions for performers. You can have your say by
tric, exuberant, extended family knowing that in some ways
p ar t i c ip at i ng i n t he I PA su r ve y and fo c us g roup s
the adventure has just begun. We represent 15,000 performers
or by e m ai l ing your feedback and suggestions to
at ACTRA Toronto, the largest branch of ACTRA, in the film,
ipa@actratoronto.com.
radio, television and digital sector. We are the largest organization
of cultural workers in Canada. On June 29, Ontario’s first Progressive Conservative (PC)
Cabinet since 2003 was sworn-in at Queen’s Park. Of the 21-
Together, we do much more than negotiate and administer
member Cabinet, seven women were appointed as ministers
contracts. We advocate for our members, continue to adapt to
as well as some familiar faces, like Hon. Vic Fedeli, Minister of
our ever-changing industry, and help shine a spotlight on
Finance, Hon. Sylvia Jones, Minister of Tourism, Culture and
Canadian culture. Our struggles in 2018 are just as critical as
Sport and Hon. Laurie Scott, Minister of Labour. What’s in
those in 1943, when a group of voice performers fought for
store for Ontario and our industry over the next four years?
better wages and respect for their work at the CBC with
We will have lots of work to do, educating our newly elected
demands of “A Dollar A Holler.”
Members of Provincial Parliament (MPPs) about the economic
In this past year, we have worked with our partners in the impact film and television has in Ontario. All provincial
creative industries to take concrete steps to stop and prevent parties support investing in the screen-based sector, which
04 ACTRA TORONTO PERFORMERS magazine
continues to grow and evolve, attracting good jobs
and investment. An interesting fact is that the first
Media Tax Credit was introduced in 1996 by the PC
government of former premier Mike Harris. We will
continue to defend public services and fight for fair-
ness, good jobs and dignity for all. We cannot give up
on a $15 minimum wage, affordable child care, uni-
versal pharma and dental care.
Of course, the Municipal Election is coming up on
Monday, October 22, 2018, and the province has cre-
ated quite a stir by introducing legislation that affects
Toronto city council and some regional municipalities.
No matter where you stand on the changes, the elec-
tion is our opportunity to talk to all the candidates
about how municipal councils can help our industry
grow. #ActforArtists
Yes, there continue to be challenges on the road ahead.
But they are nothing we can’t handle. We’ve got 75
years of solidarity to see us through. We have already
come a long way. I am so proud of the stories our
Canadian performers tell, the work members are
doing to make our workplaces more respectful and
ensuring our industry continues to thrive. If the pre-
vious 75 years are anything to go by, the next 75 will
be nothing short of SPECTACULAR! •
In Solidarity,
Theresa Tova
President, ACTRA Toronto
FA L L 2018 05
SplitSCREEN By Joy Tanner
Tax credits, service productions, CanCon, OTT, SVOD, AVOD, TVOD —
what the heck do these things have to do with acting
and why should you know what they mean?
Well, they bring productions to Ontario, so we can have the chance to How do our CanCon productions fare with audiences compared to
audition, hopefully get booked and have our performances seen across service productions shot in Ontario? Hard to tell, sometimes. In part, it
the globe. Tax credits assist Canadian Content (CanCon) producers in depends on how and where it’s distributed and aired.
Ontario through the Ontario Film & Television Tax Credit (the OFTTC)
Let’s clarify the acronyms. OTT stands for Over the Top, a term used for
(plus regional and first-time bonuses, if applicable), offering a refund of up
the delivery of film and TV content over the Internet, without the need for
to 35 per cent of the Ontario labour costs. The Ontario Production Service
consumers to subscribe to a cable or satellite TV package such as Rogers
Tax Credit program (the OPSTC) attracts foreign productions (aka service
Premier TV. CraveTV, owned by Bell Media, which shows all three seasons
productions, typically from the U.S.) to shoot film and video productions
of the widely popular CanCon sci-fi show, Killjoys, is an OTT delivery system
in Canada with a 21.5 per cent credit for the eligible Ontario spend. Both
and an SVOD (Subscription Video on Demand) service. You’ll recog-
tax credits reward producers for hiring Ontarians. The federal govern-
nize many Canadian faces on this series, including Aaron Ashmore, Luke
ment has similar tax credits.
Macfarlane, Tamsin McDonough and Mayko Nguyen. People across
Either way, we just want to work, whether on a service or CanCon the globe are increasingly watching their favourite shows on OTT
production. Am I right? streamers like Netflix and Hulu, instead of appointment-viewing the ini-
06 ACTRA TORONTO PERFORMERS magazine
tial over-the-air or free TV broadcast, say on CBC, which airs the beloved Tale with a two-episode première followed by an episode once a week. It
CanCon series, Anne, and the hilarious CanCon comedy Baroness Von hooked the audience with material that resonates with our modern political
Sketch Show. Baroness Von Sketch, with Aurora Browne, Meredith landscape and forced audiences to be patient for more. It was the most
MacNeill, Carolyn Taylor and Jennifer Whalen in the driver’s seat, took watched debut of any series, original or acquired, on Hulu. In fact, Hulu
home an ACTRA Award and four CSA awards this year and they’ve cracked committed to a second season one short week into the release of the first
the U.S. market as a web series on IFC. season; they knew they had a hit. Awarding their decision, Hulu was the
first streaming platform to win an Outstanding Drama Series Emmy.
Netflix is another example of an SVOD. CBC’s Anne also airs on CBC’s
OTT website, their free CBC TV app and on Netflix under the title Anne How does anyone keep track of all the players and the numbers? Old systems
with an E. It was considered Netflix’s best new family drama of the 2016- designed to measure conventional TV watching, like the old Nielsen
17 season and its debut on CBC attracted the highest total reach of any handwritten diary, are not up to the task of measuring online audience
CBC première that year. AVOD (Ad-supported Video on Demand) numbers. Hulu, like Netflix, has a policy not to release their numbers. But,
services are free to consumers, such as newly launched CTV Movies and to give you an idea of the power and reach of streaming platforms, according
CTV Vault. TVOD (Transactional Video on Demand) are pay-per- to statista.com, Netflix had 125 million subscribers worldwide in the first
video services such as iTunes. quarter of 2018. Of these subscribers, 56.71 million were in the U.S. alone.
Here in Canada, Netflix is unforthcoming with its Canadian data, and,
Google the CanCon hit Letterkenny and you’ll see how hungry Americans since 2010, no longer discloses how many Canadian consumers it has, but
are for the show. Initially stymied by an inability to access Letterkenny, statista.com had them at 5.2 million Canadian subscribers in 2016. The
American viewers were torrenting it (illegally downloading the show) stakes are high, and productions are vying to be licensed by these “channels.”
L. to R. : Schitt’s Creek; Letterkenny; The Handmaid’s Tale; The Expanse; Anne with an E.
until Hulu and iTunes picked it up. On home territory, Letterkenny airs The Expanse, an American service series shot in Toronto, is an example of
on CraveTV and Bell Media’s specialty cable Comedy Network. According to a fabulous sci-fi show with stellar acting that nearly got lost in the shuffle.
Crave, Letterkenny had the biggest debut of any series on their platform, If it weren’t for its enthusiastic fan base which launched a change.org and
back in 2016. The brainchild of Canadian actor Jared Keeso, it’s racked up Twitter campaign, #SaveTheExpanse, the show would be Pinewood Studio
numerous awards in its four seasons. history. (See Brendan Jeffers’ piece, Expansion, overleaf.) Sprung from
the minds of Mark Fergus and Hawk Ostby out of the States, it boasts
Great storytelling is the root of all memorable TV and Eugene and Dan
an international cast. Canadians will recognize our own Cara Gee, Shawn
Levy have tapped into that. CanCon darling Schitt’s Creek has a devout
Doyle, Dominique Tipper, Frankie Adams and others as series regulars.
following not only on CBC, but on Netflix and POP TV in the States. POP
When American cabler SyFy announced it would not renew the show for
TV (owned by CBS and Lionsgate Entertainment) released viewership
a fourth season, the show’s committed fans made social media mayhem
numbers for the April 11, 2018 air date as 265,000. You’ll see familiar
and SVOD Amazon Prime stepped in to save the day. A fourth season is
Canadian faces on Schitt’s Creek, from the leads to regulars to guests like
now slated for release on Amazon Prime in 2019.
Karen Robinson, Noah Reid, Robin Duke, Tim Progosh and the late
Frank McAnulty. Our talent is not only deep but is cast wider in inter- Back when TV was young in Canada, there were perhaps five over-the-air
national waters than ever before. stations and bingeing was only related to food and drink. Today, the cross-
pollination of programs on various platforms is mind-boggling. How does
It’s impossible to ignore the runaway success of U.S. showrunner Bruce
any show stay afloat? In an era where the Hulus are pawns in mega-merger
Miller’s The Handmaid’s Tale, based on Margaret Atwood’s 1985 best-
takeovers (Disney shareholders approved the purchase of Fox for $71.3
selling novel. Yet, — surprise — it is not CanCon. The show has so be-
billion U.S., putting Disney in control of Hulu), the interconnections be-
witched the global popular imagination that people know what you mean
tween producers, distributors and streamers can be enigmatic. But the
when you say, “She’s an Aunt Lydia.” Amanda Brugel was the lone Canadian
message is clear, there are some big bucks to be made.
lead on Season One and became a series regular on Season Two. It airs on
Hulu, Crave TV and Canadian specialty cable network Bravo. Unlike the The Ontario Media Development Corporation tracks production dollars
Netflix model of releasing an entire season, Hulu launched The Handmaid’s spent in Ontario annually and, for the past four years, service and
FA L L 2018 07
ment, but it is certain that CanCon would not be as healthy as it is, and
service production would not be here at all, were it not for Ontario’s
globally competitive tax credits.
Out of this shallow dive into the new Wild West of content distribution
SplitSCREEN
(geez, we haven’t even touched Treaty Co-Pros!) here are a few takeaways.
Firstly, there is a growing global appetite for Canadian storytelling; we
have a unique tradition of comedy, family drama and animation that is
... continued
sold, seen and celebrated worldwide and OTTs help international
audiences to see us. Secondly, we have well-trained and diverse talent in
front of and behind the camera with whom foreign production companies
CanCon are roughly equal. Both are essential to the health of Canadian
want to work. Thirdly, the Wild West needs Netflix and other OTTs to pay
production companies and the development of local expertise and as-
tax and contribute to the Canadian production ecosystem and
sets, thereby increasing the quality of production and talent for both.
transparently report its audience numbers. Another thing is certain: with
Understanding the ecosystem and the economic benefit of our indus-
the current ravenous appetite for content, every
try to the city, Toronto’s Mayor Tory personally visited studio execu-
series will have to engage with its fan base to
tives in L.A. to woo service production to Toronto. ACTRA’s IPA
agreement gives a leg up to domestic CanCon producers through its
stand out in the ever-growing crowd •
Canadian Independent Production Incentive Program, but ACTRA
members, as proud as they are of their CanCon, are happy and proud Joy Tanner is the editor of Performers.
to work on both. We have the best of both worlds in Ontario at the mo- She recently shot an episode of Private Eyes.
EXPANSION
The Renewal of The Expanse
by Brendan Jeffers
Technology and social media have brought us closer – to the “It’s a gift to have a series last for three seasons, so above all
television shows we watch and love. And never has a fan base been else, I was grateful for that,” shares Shawn Doyle, who plays
so important to a show’s success. Clearly, any given show’s view- the astute and ruthless Sadavir Errinwright on the show, “There
ers and fans are pivotal to its success, but in today’s climate the is so much programming across so many different platforms these
fandom of a show wields more power than most would imagine. days, we can only be thankful that the show had the impact it did
Evidence of this is the fate of The Expanse, a critically and was able to build an audience.”
acclaimed and fan-revered show that was cancelled after its
third season on SyFy.
The Expanse: "Intransigence," Episode 309
David Strathairn (left) as Klaes Ashford,
Andrew Rotilio (right) as Diogo
(Photo by: Rafy/Syfy)
08 ACTRA TORONTO PERFORMERS magazine
Amybeth
That dedicated audience immediately swooped in with their
#SaveTheExpanse campaign, which was so much more than just a hash-
McNulty is
Anne with an E.
tag popping up here and there on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook and else-
where. Signs went up, petitions were signed, videos were crafted, all urging
the powers that be to somehow save The Expanse universe that sees
humans inhabiting Earth, Mars and The Asteroid Belt.
The fandom even crowd-funded to have a plane fly a giant banner with the
#SaveTheExpanse hashtag over Amazon Studios headquarters for four
hours, the same Amazon Studios that took note of the popular show to
which it had second-run rights and then went on to eventually renew the
Get to know the new Anne
show for a fourth season in recognition of its fervent following.
“I think it’s incredible when a group of people find such a sense of Amybeth McNulty is Irish-Canadian. She was given the L.M.
community and connection with each other through a show that they are
Montgomery books to read when she was nine years old. She
willing to expend such energy and commitment, to the point that they are
the ultimate message to any network or content-creator: If you build it,
became interested in performing at age 10, taking ballet and
they will come and, in fact, are already here!” asserts Shawn, “Amazon is performing in musicals in London’s West End. One song that
the perfect home for a big-budget show like this; they can invest in it really spoke to her is Electricity from Billy Elliot. She is home
confidently, knowing they will have new customers continually discover- schooled.
ing and viewing it.”
Her first one or two auditions were submitted by self-tape (see
“I know everyone, from the writers and producers, to the cast and crew pg. 25). The casting search for Anne went from coast to coast
are so grateful to the fans for the outpouring of support we received,” says in Canada and then expanded to other countries. In all, cast-
Cara Gee in a manner perhaps similar to the courageous Captain Camina ing saw about 1,800 girls.
Drummer, who she plays on the show, “The fans played a major role in
helping us get the fourth season, and we are all thrilled to have a chance to Amybeth is older than Anne. She speaks with an Irish accent
continue telling this story.” and had her Canadian accent refined with the help of dialect
coach and member Jeffrey Simlett.
“We owe it all to the fans, and I’m thrilled that Jeff Bezos (Chief Executive
Officer of Amazon) is a big fan of our show,” says Andrew Rotilio, who She has grown close to the young women who play her bullies
portrays the charismatic and often comical Diogo Harari, “It’s great to see on the show and to Producer Moira Walley-Beckett.
him at the forefront of space exploration in real life and on television.”
Amybeth self-identifies as a feminist and has posted that she
The fandom is powerful indeed, and Andrew has experienced the celebrates the women in front of and behind the camera on
influence of the show’s fans, firsthand. It appears Diogo, who in the books Anne with an E. She has 192,000 followers on Instagram. She
isn’t quite as imperative as he is on the TV series, was rescued by the fan wrote a paper on the importance of education for girls.
base of The Expanse earlier on.
People who’ve met her say she is whip smart, mature for her
“In Season Two, a #SaveDiogo hashtag was born on Twitter and my
character was saved,” explains Andrew. “What started off as a walk-on part
age, effervescent and driven. She likes to read, sing, dance and
for my character in Season One, ended up being a fan favourite with a she knits. She has an interest in filmmaking and is learning as
three-season arc.” much as she can from the editors and camera people on set.
She has a YouTube channel:
And so, the battle for the fate of another show has been won, but how does www.youtube.com/watch?v=PM4LKHLNm7c
a resurrected series stay alive in a highly competitive, cutthroat, television
landscape? It must keep its fans and viewers happy, challenged and She says she learns a lot about acting from working with
engaged, and simultaneously stay true to its vision. Geraldine James (Marilla) and R.H. Thomson (Matthew). She
likes to joke around with R.H. who
“I consider myself a fan of the show as well, and it is a gift to be able to Amybeth McNultys natural hair colour is blonde.
work on something I believe in with my whole heart and soul,” says Cara,
says this about her: “Amybeth is a
“Politically and philosophically, The Expanse has much wisdom to offer, young woman with a deep well of
and I think our audience appreciates that we are serving up something talent and a gift for storytelling,
substantial.” who carries an enormous load in
the series. Our sense of the absurd
The tagline for The Expanse is “We’ve gone too far”, but clearly that’s not the keeps us going during some long
case… • shoot days. We laugh. Amybeth is
as courageous as the character she
plays. In the first days of the first
episode, there was a magical scene
Brendan is best known for playing Vince Bell of driving the buggy through an
on Degrassi. Other shows he has been featured
in include Frankie Drake Mysteries and Saving orchard in full blossom. Amy-
Hope. Brendan’s short film, Fowl Play, which beth, Geraldine and I were all new
he wrote, co-directed and co-stars in, was to each other, as was the rest of the
one of five finalists in Laugh Out Loud Presents:
Just For Laughs Eat My Shorts competition.
crew and creative team, and our
progress through the orchard was
a journey of discovery in many
ways.” •
FA L L 2018 09
Survive (and Thrive) as a Performer with
The AFC’s FREE Financial Wellness Program
By Richard Young
We performers love to talk about every nuance of the craft, don’t we? We’re paid less than non-artists overall, and our income comes in fits and
Analyzing the script, doing the emotional prep, finding out which acting starts while our expenses arrive steadily. To survive (and thrive) as a
classes and headshot photographers are the best, and even figuring out performer, we need to learn how to manage our money. Because, if we
how to make our Instagram #onfleek (or whatever hip term that will don’t, we risk treating our artist careers like a game of “financial chicken”
already be dated the moment it appears in this publication). and wondering what will happen first: scoring that big money gig to keep
the bills at bay or being forced to give up performing because we’ve maxed
But one of the most important aspects of our profession is rarely
out all our credit cards and debts.
discussed: financial wellness.
10 ACTRA TORONTO PERFORMERS magazineSo, taking control of your finances is key to staying in this business.
But how do you do start? Fortunately, The AFC is here to help.
Formerly known as the Actors’ Fund of Canada, you may already know of These services are FREE for those who work in the
this organization and how it has provided financial aid to entertainment Canadian entertainment industry, such as ACTRA
industry members since 1958. But recently, through the generous support members.
of Richard Rooney and Laura Dinner, it launched its FREE Financial
We artists know that we must keep our mind, body
Wellness Program that includes:
and soul all healthy. But let me suggest that we also
• personalized, non-judgmental counselling to help you address keep our wallets healthy, because financial wellness
your biggest financial emergencies via Credit Canada — a non-profit helps with the other three and can help keep you in
organization that has helped millions of Canadians improve their this career you love.
financial situation,
• one-on-one financial coaching to learn money tips and tricks,
For more information on and how to sign up for the
FREE AFC Financial Wellness Program, check out
work towards your financial goals, and build your knowledge and
https://afchelps.ca/financial-wellness-program/
confidence through the support of your own personal “money coach”,
• debt management to help lower or even freeze your interest rates,
•
• financial therapy to better understand your emotional
Richard Young is ACTRA
Toronto's Treasurer. He recently
relationship to money, appeared in NBC's Taken, and
• and more! Kim's Convenience.
Silencing the self-talk that says, “You won’t be good enough until all
of your income is made by making art.” By Emily Nixon
I used to be terrified of money. It felt threatening and untamable. I operated For so long, I have heard the little voice in my head that says, “You won’t
under the false but comforting idea that “as long as my card isn’t declined, be good enough until all of your income is made by making art.” When I
I don’t have to deal with it.” I told myself, “I’m a right-brained person; I don’t was fresh out of theatre school, I was scared to even be good at anything
get math.” Every few years, I would feel stressed enough to make a budget else, as though being good at other things made me a less capable artist.
and briefly try to adhere to it before becoming intimidated. With some sense
I had a revelation when I was in a workshop with ACTRA member Chick
of relief, I would jump ship back into the sea of ‘ignorance is bliss’.
Reid and she talked about how much she used to love office temping when
What I didn’t understand at the time was that, sure, financial literacy involves necessary. It shone a bit of light into the dark part where I was keeping my
math, but only in the way that acting involves memorizing lines — it is a shame of all my non-artist jobs. And now, as I have acquired the tools to
slightly onerous task that serves a goal you care about. In personal finance, manage my personal finances, I can see these jobs for what they are — tools.
you get to decide what these goals are. Mine range from “a place to sleep” Fundamentally, I think learning how to manage my money has brought me
to “funding my next film.” Someone else’s might be more exotic. But they a greater sense of self-worth. It has partially silenced the voice that says,
should represent what you care about. Becoming financially literate will “You’re not a real artist,” as I slick my hair into a bun for a serving shift. Yes,
help you draft a map of how to achieve them. we are more than our joe jobs, we are also artists,
but we are more than just ourselves as artists.
I think that, perhaps, part of what dissuades artists from engaging with
their finances is the fear that if we do, we may see exactly, to the number,
We get to exist in everything we do. •
how necessary supplementary income might be. And I think this fear
comes down to one of not being good enough.
Emily Nixon is an actor, filmmaker,
Part of my personal journey now, and my larger goal in talking about money
and the Community Outreach
within the arts community, is to take away the fear and shame so many of
us carry about not being enough. The fact is that almost none of us get to do Coordinator for Rags to
just this. We have to wait tables, hand out product samples, or teach English. Reasonable, a financial planning
We have such a fear of seeming a less legitimate artist if we do have ‘joe jobs’. organization for artists and
But these jobs are not an admission of failure. They are a necessary tool in other variable income earners.
an economy that makes it challenging for artists to thrive. She is also a sometimes server,
I think there is a real bravery in being able to say, “Here are the other things nanny, and French teacher.
I do to enable me to make my art,” so that we aren’t hiding the parts of
ourselves that exist in places other than on set or in rehearsal, but we get
to include in ourselves the fact that we paint bathrooms, or cater, or do
landscaping, to count all parts of ourselves and our lives as valid.
ACTRA TORONTO FINANCIAL LITERACY AND WELLNESS INITIATIVES:
Your union recognizes that understanding and managing your money is important to your
performer career. In August and September, we held live financial wellness sessions with the FA L L 2018 11
financial planning organization Rags to Reasonable. And coming in the winter will be ACTRA
Toronto Member Education Money Matters online course, free to all members.Update on by Special Advisor Victoria Shen 12 ACTRA TORONTO PERFORMERS magazine
Respect on Set Training
.
.
ACTRA Toronto has been offering the Respect on Set workshop since 2010. Clear steps in the Appeal process and the role of the Branch
The training provides members with an understanding of how to respect Discipline Committee.
each other when they are on set. The course materials were updated this
.
Available penalties including proportional consequences for the
year to include information on reporting complaints and how to access
violation of Member Responsibilities.
support services; definitions of discrimination, sexual harassment and
workplace harassment; and bystander training. The workshop is now Provision for a Charging Official to recommend to the Branch re-
mandatory for new members, as is an online or in-person Apprentice striction on the privileges of membership in situations of serious
course. Since January 2018, we have trained four additional member in- complaints of discrimination, harassment and/or sexual harass-
.
structors and over 200 people have completed the Respect on Set work- ment where it is believed there is significant risk or harm to the
shop. Complainant or any other member.
Reporting of Discipline Orders to the ACTRA Toronto Council
Discipline Process Revised (By-law No. 7)
through in camera (private) sessions.
In order to improve our process for responding to member complaints on
harassment, ACTRA National Council revised the discipline process set
out under ACTRA By-law No. 7. The revisions came about after extensive
consultation and input from the ACTRA Toronto ad hoc Committee on
Preventing Sexual Harassment and the ACTRA Toronto Constitution and
By-laws reviewing committee. There were subsequently consultations
across the country and with external legal counsel. On June 3rd, 2018,
.
National Council voted to accept the changes. The revised By-law No 7
includes the following:
Definitions of discrimination, harassment, sexual harassment, ReadtheCode.ca
and work-related environments that “can include but are not On June 10th, the Canadian Creative Industries launched the website
limited to: auditions or casting meetings, job interviews, in- readthecode.ca. Following the release (on International Women’s Day)
dustry events, festivals, awards, company functions, produc- of the Code of Conduct to Prevent and Respond to Harassment, Dis-
tion studios and sets (whether local or remote), offices and
.
crimination, Bullying and Violence, there are now over 63 signatories rep-
rehearsal, training and performance venues.” resenting a broad spectrum of creative industry stakeholders. The website
Explicit in Members Responsibilities the requirement for includes the Code of Conduct, information on the working groups, and
members in all work and work-related environments to up- links to the harassment resources of signatory organizations.
hold workplaces, industry and union environments free from
.
What is the Code?
discrimination and harassment. It is a declaration by partners in the creative industries to work together
New and separate process to address complaints of discrim- to stop and prevent harassment, discrimination, bullying and violence. It
ination, harassment and/or sexual harassment that provide commits organizations to develop policies, protocols and training to help
.
for the following:
Clear steps to initiate a complaint and an assessment of whether
the complaint meets the threshold of harassment or discrimina-
make sure that everyone who works in the creative sector understands
their rights and the responsibility we all share in building respectful work
environments.
. tion as defined in the By-law;
Ability of the union to initiate or pursue a complaint in the ab-
Improving Service to Members
Since November 2017, ACTRA Toronto Business Representatives have
received at least 13 hours of additional training to improve our services to
.
sence of an individual complaint or where a complaint has been
withdrawn; members, including the handling of harassment complaints. Our Special
Advisor, Victoria Shen, reports monthly to ACTRA Toronto Council and
Mediation: parties to a complaint may request voluntary media-
.
provides an overview of initiatives underway and, where possible, the
tion at any point; complaints received. Regular updates on the harassment initiatives are
Investigation: the Charging Official may assign an internal or in- also communicated to members on the ACTRA Toronto website, in our
dependent external investigator to provide an analysis of the com- e-blast newsletters, and on social media.
plaint, response and any supporting material. The investigator will A reminder that members can access the Sexual Harassment Emergency
provide a final report to the Charging Official which will include Report hotline 24/7 at 1-855-201-7823 or make a report through our
.
a determination of whether the complaint is or is not substantiated online form. For more information, see our website at;
and any recommendation for penalty or penalties; and www.actratoronto.com/sexual-harassment-resources/ . •
Notification to the Complainant and Respondent of the Charging
Official’s decision and the Appeal process.
FA L L 2018 13Interview with Dr. Jesmen Mendoza
Dr. Jesmen Mendoza
By Joy Tanner
Since the #MeToo movement cracked open
the girded underbelly of the entertainment
world, ACTRA and its Toronto President,
Theresa Tova, have been at the forefront of re-
defining the culture. Madam President has
opened her phone lines to ALL people within
our industry; brought lawyer Victoria Shen
on board as Special Advisor on human rights
and sexual harassment; been instrumental in
mobilizing an industry-wide response in-
cluding negotiating the Canadian Creative In-
dustries Code of Conduct, opening dialogue
between contiguous guilds and associations,
and she sits on the newly-formed ad hoc Sub-
Committee on Sexual Harassment. Tova has
held several safe space groups in confidence with female members at ACTRA
Toronto. These groups helped inform ACTRA’s work on preventing harass-
ment. It gave us a better understanding of how, where, when, and what was
happening. It helped us identify needs and gaps. The information we gath-
ered resulted in, for example, additional training for staff and members,
updated Respect on Set training (now mandatory for new members), and re-
visions to the discipline process in our by-laws.
One safe space group President Tova did not attend, sending V.P. David Gale
in her stead, was offered to men in the membership. It was facilitated by Dr.
Jesmen Mendoza. Dr. Mendoza, currently at Ryerson University Centre for
Student Development and Counselling, has trained and provided treatment
and assessment in a range of settings that include Correctional Service Canada,
Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, Changing Ways and Family Service
Toronto. With over 17 years of counselling experience within the violence
against women community and the partner assault response community, he
has also done substantial work with perpetrators of sexual violence in what he
calls, “accountability programs.”
While the #MeToo movement has brought the female experience to light, male
ACTRA members can also be witness to and subject to harassment, bullying
and violence in our industry. As well, men can find themselves encircled in a
14 ACTRA TORONTO PERFORMERS magazinesexualized “locker room” atmosphere, behaviour associated with toxic The industry Code of Conduct speaks of “proportional consequences” for harassment.
masculinity, which is also sexual harassment. What sorts of consequences has Dr. Mendoza found effective?
“Something we also need to be aware of is how we, for lack of a better
“One of the major impressions I was left with,” says Dr. Mendoza, reflect-
word, ‘re-train’ people, that have been on the perpetrator side of things.
ing on his experience with the ACTRA Toronto men’s group, “was un-
We can certainly sanction them and hold them responsible, but at the end
derstanding how privilege is abused in your industry. Whether (the
of the day, if we are to look at this as a community issue, then how do we
victims) be men or women, although more typically women, …. privilege
bring people back in? Do we subject them to a remediation program? And
is asserted in the name of ‘practice’ or ‘this is how the industry operates’
if so, what kind? And are they effective?… What I can tell you is that we
or ‘this is how one advances their career in the industry’.” He adds,
don’t know too much information right now, in terms of what would be
“…when I think about the entertainment industry, and more specifically
clinically effective, and that’s something we should be aware of. But that
the performers in the industry, sometimes I think it is something of the
doesn’t mean we shouldn’t make suggestions on how to remediate people’s
idea of the ‘cult personality’ that allows, if you will, their privilege, … the
attitudes or behaviours to sexual assault and sexual harassment.” “I think
ability to leverage privilege and, at a minimum, put (someone) in a com-
we start with a better understanding of what consent is, what a relation-
promising position and take advantage of them.”
ship is, what’s acceptable or not, and then really promoting within them
How would Dr. Mendoza help a person who is carrying around shame, fear or guilt about (the perpetrator) empathy for the victim.”
their past behaviour?
Many men have pledged to be better allies and bystanders.
“I think acknowledging that conversations ahead of us are difficult con-
But how, exactly, do they do that?
versations and that they aren’t something to be shied away from… They
“Empathy… to really understand (the survivors’) experience and to honour
may bring up shame within people. But I would help differentiate the dif-
those experiences. That’s one piece. The other piece is to invite allies to have
ference between shame and guilt. At the end of the day, shame is very
a shared responsibility — that doing or saying something (in the moment)
much about saying ‘I’m a bad person’ and guilt is about saying ‘I want to
is very important. If they notice that a colleague is trying to take advantage
take responsibility.’ It also means not pre-judging one another, as well. For
of another colleague, being able to say something so it takes away the op-
example, if someone tells me they’ve done this really harmful behaviour
portunity to take advantage of that person.” It can be difficult. “I think quite
towards someone, but they did it because of their past abuse, well, I can
often, when conflict comes up, people have different responses…but more
empathize with the past abuse, and yet, at the same time, I want to hold
likely, people don’t want to engage in what I would call ‘healthy conflict.’” But
them accountable. It’s being able to hear it all and not just one side or the
it’s important to “understand that you have a choice.”
other.”
Zooming out, Dr. Mendoza talks of how to build a healthy cultural frame-
What if someone is aware now that they have behaved in a harassing manner in the past
work, “It’s being very delicate and mindful, but not being afraid of tough
and wants to change? How would you help them do that?
discussions.” “This starts everywhere. It is a community issue and we all
“I would prepare them for the process to be difficult and filled with guilt,
play a part.”
and to be personally challenging. I would also encourage them to frame
the feelings of guilt as a call to take responsibility and to do healthier be- ACTRA Toronto’s website has a page with resources for individuals look-
haviours. Harassment is also about power. I would want to help them, in ing for help: www.actratoronto.com/sexual-harassment-resources/. The
a Socratic manner, discover that sharing power (and not power over oth- monthly Respect on Set course is mandatory for all members. Why not
ers), is what promotes healthier behaviours and mindsets. Finally, I would sign up now? Contact me@actratoronto.com. The course has an ex-
brainstorm ways that they can take personal responsibility in their life, panded and updated harassment component that will help you know the
without imposing such actions on others. Personal responsibility can en- law and give you tools for dealing with harassment, discrimination,
tail many activities and finding such actions that are meaningful for that bullying and violence on set.
person is what I would help facilitate.”
To report harassment during normal business hours (9:00 a.m. to 4:45
How can accountability be achieved at an individual, subjective level? What does p.m., Monday to Friday), call 416-928-2278 or toll-free at 1-877-913-2278.
a person need to understand, reconcile, and commit to doing, in order to take responsibility? After hours, call 1-855-201-7823 or send an email to afterhours@
“Once awoken to their behaviours being harassing, it's important for them actratoronto.com.
to continue to raise consciousness within themselves and be clear on having
ACTRA members have access to the MFAP
a good thorough understanding of what healthy and respectful behaviours
program which offers phone counselling. Call
are, and assess (not only their past) but their present behaviour against this
the Members and Family Assistance Program
definition. They need to take responsibility for their own self-education and
(MFAP Support) at 1-844-880-9142. Identify
get feedback on their understanding of what healthy behaviours are (which
yourself as having access to the MFAP through
may be through the help of a qualified therapist). They need to adopt an it-
AFBS. You will need to provide your ACTRA
erative and long-term mindset as they start to take responsibility and un-
derstand that not avoiding any of the difficult emotions that might arise, like
membership number and date of birth. •
guilt, is a part of the process of responsibility-taking. Finally, such individu- Joy Tanner is the editor of Performers. She recently shot an episode of Private Eyes.
als also need to recognize that personal responsibility-taking is making a
Any advice conveyed is for informational purposes only and is not meant to convey
conscious choice to make a realistic promise to themselves about how they professional service or support. Any thoughts conveyed by Dr. Mendoza are general
want to act, and then fulfilling that promise on a daily basis.” and hypothetical in nature. Individuals are encouraged to follow-up with a professional.
FA L L 2018 15The Future of
Diversity Onscreen
by Samora Smallwood, Diversity Committee Co-Chair
Back row left to right: Theresa Tova, Jessica Salgueiro, Kevin Hanchard, Dalmar Abuzeid.
Front row left to right: Lovell Adams-Gray, Jani Lauzon, Lisa Michelle Cornelius, Samora Smallwood, Richard Young. (photo by Cass Enright)
Diversity onscreen is not a trend.
It is a huge audience draw and seeing it as such and not as an
arbitrary box to check is the future of film and television.
Audiences today are smarter and more diverse than they used to be. When watching your favourite TV shows and films in the coming weeks,
They’re hungry for more diversity in onscreen storytelling and so are take the time to notice how often people of colour and women are
diverse performers. And while things are changing, they’re changing too portrayed in positions of service and subservience. ACTRA Toronto
slowly and, often, in too small a way. I am Co-Chair of ACTRA Toronto’s members Sedina Fiati and Robert Ifedi have noticed the number of roles
Diversity Committee and through speaking with our members, my they audition for as cops, nurses, maids, waitresses, assistants, janitors,
friends and drawing from my own experience as a bi-racial actress, I have and bodyguards. Of course, performers, and especially diverse
found it’s not just representation that matters, but the richness and performers, are grateful for every opportunity to audition, but one must
quality of the representation that is important. Until we see more people ask why we don’t see more diversity in leading roles. We’ve seen how suc-
of colour, more women and more gay and trans folk onscreen in cessful, subversive and just plain good it can be with films like Black
substantial roles, representing the full spectrum of the diverse experience, Panther, Get Out, Call Me by Your Name and shows like Atlanta,
the work is not done. This is Us, and Dear White People. Other than quality, what do these
16 ACTRA TORONTO PERFORMERS magazineprojects have in common? They’re American. And herein lies the co- happens to be trans and not focus so much on the tired narrative of transition.”
nundrum: I believe we have trained our keen Canadian audience to Bi-racial actors often experience the awkwardness of not being “black
turn to U.S. programming to fulfil their desire for diverse storytelling. This enough” for “black roles” and “not white enough” for “white roles.”
doesn’t have to be the case — we have so many talented, diverse Enough. The audience is here; the talent is definitely here. Now it’s up to
performers in Canada and certainly in Toronto and Vancouver which people in positions of power to insist we see Canadian, diverse per-
host many U.S. service productions. In fact, Toronto is now made up of 51 formers for all roles, and especially for lead roles. When that happens, we
per cent “visible minorities.” Diverse performers don’t need a handout; can tell real, authentic stories. Isn’t that why we became storytellers in the
they need the opportunity to showcase their talent. The solution involves, first place?
in part, U.S. productions trusting that they can rely on our talent pool.
While you’re waiting for your big break, here’s a piece of advice from
Our casting directors ought to be encouraged to get creative with cast-
ACTRA Toronto member Xavier de Guzman: “Be the best performer you
ing beyond stereotypes for leading roles. Once called “Blind Casting,” this
can be. Train, train, train. Train to be the best actor you can be, so that
is now referred to as “Non-Traditional Casting,” which just means casting
when that opportunity comes along, you’ll be ready to seize it.” Catch him
actors of varied ethnicities, gender identifications, and ages, when
on ABC and CTV, Thursdays at 10 p.m. as a series regular on the show
race, gender, and age are not germane. Producers, directors, and executives
can take the time to check out diversity.actraonline.ca, an amazing tool to
Take Two (a U.S. production that films in Vancouver). •
find the perfect performer. You need a black woman, with a playing range
of 25-37, who sings? Use filters to be as specific as necessary and find,
Samora Smallwood is an actress, writer, and cool feminist. She is Co-Chair of ACTRA
for example, Lisa Michelle Cornelius, who may just be the actress you need. Toronto’s Diversity Committee and founder of The Actors Workspace. Samora is
dedicated to creating opportunities for diverse filmmakers and performers.
Canada is making strides. We have CBC’s megahits Kim’s Convenience and
Frankie Drake Mysteries which feature diversity at the forefront. Frankie
Drake Mysteries promotes stories by and for women, with Chantel Riley
of Broadway’s The Lion King in a lead role. The show strives to represent
racial diversity as well. In a recent episode, I played Ruth, a mixed-race
woman passing as white, working as a seamstress alongside Chantel Riley
as Trudy and Cara Ricketts as Dot, two proud black women — both the
actors AND their characters. This is not a story we have seen. The episode
was directed by Sudz Sutherland of Hungry Eyes Media who, along with
wife and partner, Jennifer Holness, has long been a champion of quality,
diverse storytelling. CBC also has Diggstown, the upcoming drama set in
the gritty arena of legal aid created by Floyd Kane and executive produced
by Amos Adetuyi. It is the first original Canadian drama featuring a black
female lead character. These are great examples of how powerful it can be
when we see more women, people of colour, and diversity behind the
scenes pushing for more inclusivity onscreen. Despite the progress, these
examples are still the minority and we have a long way to go, particularly
when you consider the Catch-22 of not being hireable without “enough”
experience and not being able to get experience without being hired. This
is an especially troubling issue when we look at the lack of representation
of and stories from and about the LGBTQ+ community and performers
with physical differences.
The number one recurring theme among diverse performers of late is the
desire to be considered for roles that are not specifically written as diverse.
Who says leading roles must be mostly young, straight, thin and white?
ACTRA Toronto member Aisha Evelyna points to the success of creator “…it’s not just
Shonda Rhimes in giving us fresh characters who are doctors, politicians,
surgeons, and people who just happen to be black, queer, latinx, zaftig,
representation that matters,
etc. Ryan Rosery, a young Toronto actor, says he wishes to audition for
and “play more roles that represent blackness beyond characters that are
but the richness and quality
criminal or affiliated with gang culture.” Savannah Burton, an ACTRA
Toronto member and activist, would love to see “more trans stories that
of the representation
are shown in a positive and realistic way” and to be considered for roles that is important.”
that are not written as trans. “I’d love to play a doctor or a lawyer who just
FA L L 2018 17Top: ACTRA National’s 2018 Woman of the Year, Dr. Rita Shelton Deverell.
Bottom Left: ACTRA Toronto’s V.P. Communications David Gale.
Bottom Right, front row: ACTRA Toronto’s 2018 Pride Ambassadors
Colin Mochrie, Deb McGrath and Kinley Mochrie with
ACTRA Toronto President Theresa Tova.
ACTRA
TORONTO
TAKES
The rain didnt dampen anyones spirits this Pride Day in downtown
Toronto. We were proud to help celebrate a festival of inclusivity
and acceptance. After all, if there is a Gay-Straight Alliance in the
Canadian entertainment industry, it surely is ACTRA.
On the day of the Pride Parade, ACTRA Torontos LGBTQ+
sub-committee officially launched as OUTACTRAto, helmed by
Joanne Vannicola.
18 ACTRA TORONTO PERFORMERS magazineTop: TAWC Co-Chair Joanna Swan.
Bottom Left: Councillors Angela Asher and Leah Pinsent.
Bottom Centre: V.P. Member Services Clara Pasieka.
Right: OUTACTRAto’s Chair Joanne Vannicola (left)
and President Theresa Tova (right).
Apprentice Molly MacCallum
FA L L 2018 19Looking Ahead to
IPA Bargaining 2018
By Sue Milling, Executive Director, ACTRA Toronto
Collective bargaining is the most important job a union performers Clara Pasieka, Dalmar Abuzeid, Shannon Kook
does for its members and ACTRA has been bargaining the and others, brought their stories from the bargaining table
best for performers for over 75 years. From minimum rates and to the Ontario government, leading to the passage of the
residuals to provisions protecting child performers, stunt per- Protecting Child Performers Act, which extends the rights
formers and performers engaged in scenes requiring nudity and responsibilities across the whole of Ontario’s live and
and intimacy, ACTRA has negotiated the strongest terms in recorded entertainment industry.
the industry. Leading the way in the global organization,
Step by step improvements in the way Canadian perform-
Fédération Internationale des Acteurs (FIA), ACTRA helps
ers are compensated for the use of their work also takes
to set the standard for performer unions around the world.
place during bargaining. The IPA’s prepayment model, first
The union is only as strong at the bargaining table as its mem- seen in the IPA in the early 1980s and improved since, al-
bers are strong in the workplace. History proves this to be true. lows performers to be pre-paid a Use Fee, together with
Shirley Douglas and Sarah Polley helped improve the minors’ their session fee, for the use of their work for a fixed period
provisions when they shared their stories and experiences of time. Easy to administer, a prepayment guarantees a
across the bargaining table. Supported by performers, ACTRA performer a set amount for use and is not contingent on
has negotiated the best provisions in the industry to protect sales of the production.
child performers. Douglas and Polley and former child
Team ACTRA on the first day of 2015 IPA negotiations with bargaining members and supporters:
Left to right, front row, sitting: Rick Howland, Shawn Doyle, Heather Allin, Blair Young, Stephen Waddell, Ferne Downey, David Sparrow, Amber Goldfarb, Farah Merani,
Julian Richings, Carlo Mestroni; Back row, standing: Aidan Devine, Mike Scherer, Ron Lea, Alvin Sanders, Huse Madhavji, Art Hindle, Katie Uhlmann, Amanda Brugel,
Kristin Booth, Jim Codrington, Kyra Harper, Richard Young, David Gale, and Angelica Lisk-Hann.
(missing from photo: Grace Lynn Kung, Sarah Gadon, Catherine Disher) Photo: Jag Gundu
20 ACTRA TORONTO PERFORMERS magazine“No internet for free.” As difficult as bargaining is, ACTRA members One of the effects of the global competitive market and hunger for
in 75 years have only once reached an impasse in bargaining. Back in content is that there is less of an appetite for older content. ACTRA’s
2006, the producers didn’t think there was any money to be made in Performers’ Rights Society distributes over $12 million in residual earn-
distributing work on the Internet. Imagine giving away your work for free ings to performers each year. A declining interest in older content has
on the Internet. ACTRA held strong and negotiated the first provisions an impact on “back end” earnings for performers, a trend that is worth
in the world to compensate performers for work produced for and noting as we go into bargaining. Is the residual model in the IPA still
distributed on new media. Then, in 2015, ACTRA negotiated a relevant in this evolving and expanding online market?
landmark digital media prepayment of 105 per cent for four years
On another front, the culture of our workplaces is changing. And, it
for productions produced for digital use. In the same year, we suc-
is about time. In November, the Canadian Creative Industries met
cessfully bargained for increases to prepayments for conventional uses
to commit to working together toward workplaces free of harass-
when combined with digital uses: 110 per cent for television with digital,
ment and violence. Since November, the industry has adopted a Code
and 135 per cent for theatrical with digital.
of Conduct and identified and developed resources to be used across
In November 2018, ACTRA will be back at the bargaining table with the industry (see Special Advisor Victoria Shen’s anti-harassment
the Canadian Media Producers Association (CMPA) and L’Associ- update on pg. 12). As we prepare for negotiations, we are looking at
ation québécoise de la production médiatique (APQM), negoti- the IPA through a lens of what we can do better to build respectful
ating the renewal of the Independent Production Agreement (IPA). workplaces. Anti-harassment language has been in the IPA since 1992
Representatives from the U.S. studios will be there as well. Preparation and improved through bargaining since. This round, we will be re-
for this round of negotiations started the day after the current agree- viewing the procedures in the agreement and looking at how we can
ment was ratified. ACTRA Toronto Council and committees have improve language regarding the complaint and investigation
been taking stock and keeping track of issues raised by members and process, and protections for performers engaged in scenes that require
identified by the Business Representatives and talent agents. A bar- nudity, intimacy and violence. We are seeing change, but there is
gaining survey, focus groups, and a deep dive into production statis- much more to do.
tics results in a combined list of issues for consideration. You can
While some performers earn good money and work regularly,
have your say on the IPA at any time by emailing your feedback
many performers struggle to make ends meet. The current rate in the
and suggestions to ipa@actratoronto.com.
IPA for people working in background outside of the “count” is far
Too many bargaining priorities likely means there isn’t a priority. It is less than Ontario’s minimum wage. While producers have been pay-
the job of the National Wages and Working Conditions Committee ing the Ontario minimum wage since January, they have given notice
to carefully consider the proposals from ACTRA members across the that they expect something in return for paying the increase.
country, analyze the numbers and research, and finalize the bargain- Performers should not have to pay in other parts of the agreement to
ing package that will be presented to the employers in November. The ensure the most precarious of workers are respected.
goal is to achieve a tentative settlement prior to the expiry of the cur-
The union is only as strong at the bargaining table as its members are
rent agreement at the end of December 2018. The current agreement
strong in the workplace. If we are to negotiate improvements that
will continue to be in effect until the terms of the new agreement are
will benefit performers and producers in this global entertainment
ratified.
market, change the culture of our workplaces to ensure they are free
As we prepare for bargaining, we have to consider the current climate of harassment, discrimination, bullying and violence, and pro-
and projections for the next few years. There is no question we work tect the most vulnerable of our members, we need to demonstrate
in an increasingly competitive global entertainment market. As the our solidarity on sets, in audition rooms, in production facilities, and
big players jockey for position in the over the top (OTT) online sub- through social media. Watch your e-blasts for IPA bargaining updates
scription market, the traditional broadcasters are also finding their and action alerts. We will be counting on you as we keep you in-
way into the field. Quality matters and producers, broadcasters and formed and involved in the bargaining process. Your bargaining
OTT providers are developing partnerships to compete. We can committee needs your support to continue a proud 75-year tradition
see the results: award-winning Canadian productions, the expan- of bargaining the best.
sion of the industry in Canada, and commitments from government
to the stability of investments to keep up the growth.
SOLIDARITY MATTERS. •
We are living in a time where there is tremendous hunger for
content. There is a record amount of content being produced for
television. Web series, new and experimental only a few years
Voting on the next IPA
Members who meet the criteria outlined in By-law 17 in the National
ago, are attracting audiences in the millions and are now part of
By-laws and have worked under the IPA in its previous term will be eligible
broadcaster offerings through their online and streaming serv-
to vote to ratify the negotiated terms of settlement.
ices. The menu of content is expansive. There is something new
every day.
FA L L 2018 21You can also read
