42093 Interactra 1/7/06 8:45 AM Page 1 Winter 2006 The Alliance of Canadian Cinema, Television and Radio Artists ACTRA and USW pitch Parliament! Gabrielle Miller – see page 7 42093 Interactra 1/7/06 8:45 AM Page 2 The strength of a unified voice by Richard Hardacre With this first issue of our magazine have been joining our cause. ACTRA has we have the united will to move together for 2006, I offer wishes for a fine New Year taken the lead in a coalition of the unions in one direction – that of solidarity. full of prospects for good health and well and guilds working in film and television. Building trust and respect has been an being to all the members of ACTRA. In We have told all the federal parties com- enormous challenge for the leaders of both our challenging industry it always merits peting for Parliament that they have this national union and our autonomous focusing on a clear perspective and on posi- an obligation to inform the voters how second-largest branch throughout a decade. tive movement. A new year, as everyone they plan to encourage and protect our Many elected performers and senior staff knows, offers many opportunities ahead and autonomous culture. have devoted untold months of their lives the chance to reflect on what was learned Our growth takes us as well into the toward that goal. I believe that at this in the year past. For ACTRA, 2006 has the winter and springtime bargaining of moment a delicate balance is being tried. promise of renewal on several fronts and the National IPA and the B.C. Master We have begun the shift towards a new maybe even a glance into a frontier or two. Agreement, the two big contracts driving direction – that of all English-speaking What we start with is a freshly chosen the engines of film and television in performers in recorded media in Canada National Council, elected by the members Canada. In those we must make fair gains. working together on the same ambition. to serve in their interest for the next two We must strengthen our rights commensu- That objective is admirable, and attain- years. There’s an infusion of different ener- rate with what was just achieved for all the able. We will create the best industry gies and viewpoints coming in to work with creative and technical guilds of our broth- possible for our culture and our members. the seasoned councillors that were re-elected ers and sisters working in the same industry, We will build the environment in which from across the country. This is a display of for many of the same employers represent- we can prosper equally. We will get the organic and invigorating growth; and growth ing the major global media corporations. best deal achievable for all our performers. in many ways is what ACTRA is about. We, the performers of ACTRA, know we And we will do it by being unified. We have been growing steadily over a have earned the right to the same respect In our own house we’ve had more than very brief history into the foremost voice as these, our American comrades. a taste now of what strength and impact a in our country speaking out for a strong When we think of renewal our greatest unified voice can have. We have watched industry and a vibrant culture for English- opportunity is certainly upon us. For the the federal party leaders sit up and take speaking Canada. A growing number of first time since the 1996 Settlement notice of our efforts to put culture and the our members from St. John’s to Victoria Agreement between UBCP and ACTRA, rights of cultural workers on their agendas. We have been to Parliament Hill to tell ACTRA/USW Lobby Day reception in Ottawa: CLC President Ken Georgetti, ACTRA them, and we will keep on doing that until National President Richard Hardacre and USW National Director Ken Neumann. it works. This is a tough business we have chosen in this beautiful country. It can be as harsh as an eastern January, but as full of promise and life as maple buds struggling to survive the frost. In a world where you can depend on so little, you can depend on this: ACTRA, with the strength of all of us will maintain and tighten its course to reach the best results we possibly can. The operative word is ‘we’. We have a place to take as ours. Let’s stick together and take it. With strong wishes for a successful year, I remain committed to the job at hand. In solidarity, Richard Hardacre, ACTRA National President 2 InterACTRA WINTER 2006 42093 Interactra 1/7/06 8:45 AM Page 3 page 16 The Stage Mom In this issue of InterACTRA... Survival Guide PRESIDENT’SMESSAGEby Richard Hardacre ........ 2 LETTERS ...................................................................................... 4 for parents of young performers in the Canadian film and television page 17 NEWS industry, by Robyne Ropell-Baruchel, Wonderland challenge, Victory for Culture, published by ACTRA. Standing by Australian workers, Protesting the CBC lockout .................................................. 4 The guide is free to ACTRA members (under 18), or $15 (incl. GST) for COVER STORY by David Sparrow adult members and non-members. ACTRA and USW Lobby Days: Mr. Dave Goes to Ottawa .................................................... 7 The Stage Mom Survival Guide FEATURE by Karen Nicole Smith 20 is available at page Star Search: building our own star system .............. 11 ACTRA branches across Canada INTERVIEW by Wayne Nicklas or call 1-800- Border Crossing: 387-3516 for A chat with AFTRA Pres John P. Connolly .................... 12 more info. BARGAINING NEWS by Marit Stiles ............................ 14 AFBS UPDATE by Ferne Downey ...................................... 15 ACTRA AWARD OF EXCELLENCE page 21 Tonya Lee Williams ................................................................ 16 Do we have APPLAUSE ACTRA members in the spotlight .................................... 18 $$ for you? FAREWELL Remembering Lorraine Ansell and Lloyd Bochner .... 20 Attention all performers who have earned royalties, residuals BRANCH NEWS and use fees under an ACTRA Maritimes, UBCP, Newfoundland & Labrador, 24 21 agreement (film, TV, documentary page Montreal .................................................................................... or commercial productions): MEMBER SERVICES Have you moved and not kept Member discounts, Contact ACTRA .............................. 23 a current address with ACTRA? BACK COVER Are you holding on to an ACTRA in L.A. .......................................................................... 24 uncashed cheque from ACTRA Performers’ Rights Society (ACTRA PRS)? If you answered “Yes” to either Cover Photo: Jonathan Hayward. of these questions, ACTRA PRS Design: Joss Maclennan Design may be holding an unclaimed Printed in Canada by union labour at Thistle Printing. Winter 2006 Volume 13, Issue 1 residual payment for you. All contents are copyright ©2006 ACTRA. All rights are reserved and contents, in whole or in part, may not InterACTRA is the official publication of ACTRA be reprinted without permission. The points of view For info, please visit www.actra.ca, (Alliance of Canadian Cinema, Television and Radio expressed do not necessarily represent those of ACTRA. and locate the ACTRA PRS section to Artists), a Canadian union of performers affiliated to the Canadian Labour Congress and the International Please return any undelivered mail to: see a list of performer names under Federation of Actors. InterACTRA is free of charge to ACTRA, 300 – 625 Church Street, “ACTRA PRS NKA Payments” to see if all ACTRA members. Toronto, Ontario M4Y 2G1 PHONE 1-800-387-3516 or (416) 489-1311 Editorial Advisory Committee: Richard Hardacre, your name or a performer you know FAX (416) 489-8076 Thor Bishopric, Joanne Deer, Ferne Downey, Brian Gromoff, is listed. If it is, contact ACTRA PRS David Macniven, Ken Thompson, Stephen Waddell. EMAIL [email protected] (contact details are on page 23). We’d Contributors: Barry Blake, Mike Burns, Joy Corion, WEB www.actra.ca be happy to hear from you and Randy Duniz, Monty Hall, Matt Holland, Kim Hume, Ruth Lawrence, Wayne Nicklas, Karen Nicole Smith, Publications Mail Agreement #40069134 arrange for payment! David Sparrow, Marit Stiles, Carol Taverner, Gary Vermeir. ISSN 1705-9496 C WINTER 2006 InterACTRA 3 42093 Interactra 1/7/06 8:45 AM Page 4 Dear Editor: InterACTRA is looking great. But I do wish Exciting positions available Correction there was some accurate acknowledgement for dynamic goddesses! Brittney Wilson was nominated for two Young Artists Awards, not one as noted of past contributions to ACTRA. On page ACTRA is committed to equal in the Fall 2005 InterACTRA: one for her 5 (Fall 2005) you have a pic of ‘ACTRA’s opportunity and treatment for all role on the TV series Romeo, and one National Presidents’. Not ‘some’ of them – members. The National Women’s for her voice work on Polly and the or the ones who happened to be around Committee is a standing committee Pockets. Congratulations Brittney! when pictures were being taken. that is available to all members of Last spring I spoke to the two excellent ACTRA and serves as an advocate for editors of the Anniversary Edition (Dan the concerns of women performers. MacDonald, Editor and Ferne Downey, If you would like to serve on this Want to receive Editorial Board member) of InterACTRA committee, or if you have experiences InterACTRA by email? to point out that there was no mention of and concerns that you want addressed the Women’s Committee and its terrific or voiced, please contact Joanne Deer If you’d like InterACTRA in your contribution to ACTRA – and no at [email protected] e-mailbox instead of by mail, email acknowledgement of the wonderful women us at [email protected] with your who struggled to make our association gen- membership number. der balanced. It’s great if we don’t need to Letters push that button now but we should at least acknowledge that it was a significant InterACTRA welcomes letters and Calling all scribes! development in our history.