45477 ACTRA 8/31/06 9:50 AM Page 1 Summer 2006 The Alliance of Canadian Cinema, Television and Radio Artists ACTION! Production coast to coast 2006 SEE PAGE 7 45477 ACTRA 9/1/06 1:53 PM Page 2 by Richard We are cut from strong cloth Hardacre he message I hear consistently from fellow performers is that renegotiate our Independent Production Agreement (IPA). Tutmost on their minds are real opportunities for work, and We will be drawing on the vigour shown by the members of UBCP proper and respectful remuneration for their performances as skilled as we go into what might be our toughest round of negotiations yet. professionals. I concur with those goals. I share the ambitions and And we will be drawing on the total support of our entire member- values of many working performers. Those goals seem self-evident, ship. I firmly believe that Canadian performers coast-to-coast are cut even simple. But in reality they are challenging, especially leading from the same strong cloth. Our solidarity will give us the strength up to negotiations of the major contracts that we have with the we need, when, following the lead of our brothers and sisters in B.C. associations representing the producers of film and television. we stand up and say “No. Our skill and our work are no less valuable Over the past few months I have been encouraged and inspired than that of anyone else. We will be treated with the respect we by the determination of our members in British Columbia as they deserve.” confronted offensive demands from the big Hollywood companies I can tell you that our team of performers on the negotiating com- during negotiations to renew their Master Agreement. While a number mittee, without hesitation, will be proud to make that statement. of other unions in B.C. accepted rate cuts, members of UBCP stood up and said “NO!” The impasse led the parties to jointly seek the assistance of a mediator to help resolve the substantive issues, prior to returning to the bargaining table. While producers and broadcasters alike wail about their struggle for ‘marginal’ profit, it’s worth reminding ourselves and the industry Richard Hardacre that despite tightening economies, increased competition, some National President, ACTRA decreased ad revenue, and fragmented audiences, they are actually continuing to enjoy tidy gains. Would Bell Globemedia (the con- glomerate that includes CTV) have been able – and willing – to shell out $1.4 billion to snap up CHUM if business was going down the tubes? And it’s worth noting that, in making their insulting demands in B.C. the major companies declined to present financial reports to support their claims that rollbacks were required. In the U.S., producers and studios large and small, agreed to pay members of SAG, AFTRA, DGA and WGA some very fair increases. Meanwhile, our producers are paying performers in demanding roles less and less. And they, along with the same U.S. studios that agreed to pay increases for U.S. unions, are now demanding that Canadian unions be willing to ‘share their pain’ by taking deep cuts. What they really want is to bolster their profit margins on the backs of Canadian performers. That is absolutely unacceptable. Canadian performers are second to none. We deserve the same treatment and the same pay increases as our brothers and sisters south of the border. There is no legitimate rationale for us to be treated as second-rate performers. We went to negotiation sessions in Vancouver and we stood side-by- Banff, June 2006: Richard and Rob Morton side with our UBCP colleagues, adeptly led by , Chair of Wendy Mesley minutes after Mercedes Watson the UBCP Negotiating Committee and , Lead he presented her with ACTRA’s Negotiator. We have no reason to think that we won’t be facing simi- John Drainie Award. larly insulting demands when we face producers this fall to EDITORIAL ADVISORY COMMITTEE: LAYOUT: Joss Maclennan Design www.joss.to Richard Hardacre, Thor Bishopric, Joanne Deer, Printed in Canada by union labour at Thistle Printing. Ferne Downey, Brian Gromoff, David Macniven, All contents are copyright ©2006 ACTRA. All rights are Ken Thompson, Stephen Waddell Summer 2006 Volume 13, Issue 3 reserved and contents, in whole or in part, may not be CONTRIBUTORS: Heather Allin, D.J. Anderson, reprinted without permission. The points of view InterACTRA is the official publication of ACTRA Jamie Bradley, Joy Corion, Tom Gallant, Kim Hume, expressed do not necessarily represent those of ACTRA. David LeReaney, Patricia McCutcheon, Mike Petersen, (Alliance of Canadian Cinema, Television and Radio Please return any undelivered mail to: Jill Rosenberg, Marit Stiles, Carol Taverner, Artists), a Canadian union of performers affiliated to the ACTRA, 300 - 625 Church St, Toronto ON M4Y 2G1 Christine Webber, Carol Whiteman Canadian Labour Congress (CLC) and the International PHONE 1-800-387-3516 or (416 )489-1311 FAX (416 )489-8076 Federation of Actors (FIA). InterACTRA is free of charge COVER PHOTO: Jennifer Podemski, Nathaniel Arcand, EMAIL [email protected] WEB www.actra.ca to all ACTRA members. Adam Beach and Michelle Latimer. Photo by Sebastien Publications Mail Agreement #40069134 Raymond, Courtesy Rezolution Pictures International. ISSN 1705-9496 C 2 InterACTRA SUMMER 2006 45477 ACTRA 8/31/06 9:50 AM Page 3 page 9 The Stage Mom In this issue of InterACTRA... Survival Guide PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE 2 by Richard Hardacre for parents of young performers in the Canadian film and television NEWS 4 industry, by Robyne Ropell-Baruchel, ACTRA Toronto Lobby Day; Moving in to published by ACTRA. PAL Vancouver; National Council meets; The guide is free to ACTRA members ACTRA/AFBS Service Agreement; (under 18), or $15 (incl. GST) for page 21 Bishopric new AFBS chair adult members and non-members. COVER STORY 7 The Stage Mom by Joanne Deer Survival Guide ACTION! Coast to Coast 2006: is available at Our annual snapshot of members ACTRA branches at work across the country across Canada 1-800- or call POLICY 13 387-3516 for by Ken Thompson more info. Victory! You spoke, they (finally) listened TWO HANDER 14 by Jamie Bradley Interview with Global’s Barbara Williams Correction BARGAINING by Marit Stiles 16 In the Spring 2006 issue, acclaimed Ready to face producers actor Donnelly Rhodes was mis- identified in the photo on p.8 by his THE DIGITAL DIARIES 17 characters’ name, Leo Shannon. We by Patricia McCutcheon apologize for this error. Nine-year-old What the heck is ‘multi-platform’? ACTRA member Niamh Wilson was missed on our list of Young Artist WOMEN IN THE DIRECTOR’S CHAIR 18 Award winners. Niamh’s performance 10 years and going strong in Haunting Sarah (Lifetime) garnered page 22 her the Best Supporting Actress APPLAUSE 20 award for a Movie of the Week, Tony, Dora, Leo, Rosie, Bessie Miniseries or Special. and friends honour ACTRA members Letters BRANCH NEWS 23 InterACTRA welcomes letters and Calgary celebrates the big 4-0; feedback. Submissions should be Honours for Edmonton, UBCP no longer than 200 words and may and Manitoba members be edited for length. Please send submissions to: [email protected] FAREWELL 25 Remembering David Renton Calling all scribes! and Joseph Rutten Interested in never-ending glory? page 23 FINANCIAL STATEMENTS 26 Want to contribute content to InterACTRA? Please contact by Ferne Downey Black is always in style! [email protected] page 24 MEMBER SERVICES 31 Want to receive Member discounts; Contact ACTRA InterACTRA by email? BANFF WORLD TV FEST 2006 32 If you’d like InterACTRA in your by Heather Allin e-mailbox instead of by mail, email What happens in Banff us at [email protected] with your membership number. doesn’t stay in Banff… SUMMER 2006 InterACTRA 3 45477 ACTRA 8/31/06 9:50 AM Page 4 Performers lobby Ontario politicians On the stairs at Queen’s Park. High profile stars led ACTRA Toronto’s After a hard-hitting press conference, act on some of these issues by late fall. Lobby Day at Queen’s Park, the provincial more than 40 performers fanned out across ACTRA Toronto will keep up the pressure legislature, in May. The issue of the day was the provincial legislature and met with 30 to ensure the minister follows through. urging the government to follow through on ministers, party leaders, and Members of its 2003 election promise to pass Status of Provincial Parliament. ‘Status of the Artist’ means: the Artist legislation. The important legisla- The performers’ visit generated extremely tion would address the unique nature of how positive response from MPPs of all stripes. • Protection for child performers artists work, covering areas such as protec- Responding to a pointed question from • Dignity for older artists tion for child performers, career transition NDP Leader Howard Hampton during • Career transition and training and training, income averaging and dignity Question Period, the Culture Minister • Income averaging for older artists. Caroline DiCocco said she intends to Anne Marie Scheffler, Lorne Cardinal, MPP Press conference: Colin Mochrie, Sonja Smits, Karl Pruner and Fiona Reid. Monique Smith, Art Hindle, and Theresa Tova. 4 InterACTRA SUMMER 2006MMER 2006 45477 ACTRA 8/31/06 9:50 AM Page 5 it possible to have 80% of the rental suites Moving in to PAL Vancouver subsidized. But the work isn’t done – $150,000 per year needs to be raised to The dream is officially a concrete reality. a studio performance space so residents can maintain current levels of subsidy and funds PAL Vancouver opened its doors on May 29 continue to flex their creative muscles with are needed to complete the theatre and to and the first residents began moving in.