What is the screen actors guild, how do you get a sag card and what is the union for?
We've got the lowdown on the actor's labour union that costs more than £2,200 to join.
ANYONE who works in film or TV will be familiar with the screen actor's guild.
But what is the union and how much does it cost to join? We've got the lowdown...
Jennifer Lawrence was a member of the screen actors guild
What is the screen actors guild and what is it for?
The screen actors guild was an American labour union that represented more than 100,000 film and television performers.
It was founded in 1933 and in 2012 they merged with the American Federation of Television and Radio Artists (AFTRA) forming SAG-AFTRA.
In their mission statement they aimed to: "Negotiate and enforce collective bargaining agreements that establish equitable levels of compensation, benefits, and working conditions for its performers; collect compensation for exploitation of recorded performances by its members, and provide protection against unauthorised use of those performances; and preserve and expand work opportunities for its members."
It was originally founded to combat the exploitation of actors who were often forced into long contracts with film studios where they would work long hours without sufficient rest.
How do you get a SAG-AFTRA card?
Applying for membership is reasonably straight forward.
You simply need to complete the form and submit the relevant documentation.
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There is also an admission fee of around £2,230 and an annual charge that starts from £156.
In order to be eligible for membership you need to have worked on a production covered by SAG-AFTRA.
Ideally you would get hired with a speaking role but you are also eligible if you have worked as an extra for three days on the production.