South African Guild of Actors to host -day conference

The South African Guild of Actors is proud to be hosting, for the second year running, an international delegation of our peers. The Guild welcomes representatives of the International Federation of Actors FIA, the Canadian Actors Union ACTRA and SAG-AFTRA of the USA, for another series of two-day conferences in Johannesburg and Cape Town.

The proliferation of diverse media platforms and the increasingly global nature of the entertainment industry are causing the ground to shift significantly under the feet of performers in our local film, theatre and television environment. Such a dynamic climate presents both challenges and opportunities for stakeholders; SAGA is committed to the empowerment of actors and other creative entrepreneurs as they navigate the changing landscape.

Various sessions are planned, each dedicated to shedding light on a particular facet of the Creative Sector:

Industry experts will help us to explore the backdrop to current entertainment scene: where we come from as performers, where we currently find ourselves and what challenges and opportunities await us on the horizon.

International co-productions are a feature of the global industry with local facilitation increasingly shaping the performer's environment. The conference will explore global standards around such issues as working conditions, sexual harassment and the promotion of diversity. Leaders in the film and television production industry will share their experiences and propose a vision for the future: capitalising on the present opportunities to meet challenges, mitigate limitations and create sustainable benefits.

Discussions will explore the dynamics of building capacity for greater cooperation in the industry to achieve mutually beneficial goals. The forum will focus on mechanisms for mobilising individuals to cooperate for the greater good, and consider ways of forging meaningful partnerships between actors, agents, casting directors, producers, distributors and broadcasters.

With our local Intellectual Property legislation under review, the conference aims to investigate international copyright regimes and best practices. What are South Africa's obligations under the various conventions and treaties? What is South Africa's stance on the Beijing Treaty on copyright in audiovisual performance? What is the status of the Performers' Protection Act? What moral and economic rights should performers retain as their work is further exploited?

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Dominick Luquer is the General Secretary of FIA, which represents the professional interests of its members at international level, voicing the concerns of performers working primarily for the audiovisual industries. SAGA is privileged to be an active member of FIA.

Stephen Waddell is the National Executive Director of ACTRA, the Alliance of Canadian Cinema, Television and Radio Artists, representing over 22,000 professional performers in the English-language recorded media in Canada.

Brad Keenan leads ACTRA Performers' Rights Society (APRS) and ACTRA Recording Artists' Collection Society (RACS) that collect and disburse remuneration to performers and advocates on behalf of artists.

Duncan Crabtree-Ireland is chief operating officer and general counsel of SAG-AFTRA, the world's largest entertainment and media artists union, representing actors, recording artists, and news and entertainment broadcasters in the United States.

With the local broadcasting environment in a state of flux and with national policies on Arts Culture and Heritage forced to serve narrow political interests, the South African Guild of Actors is proud to lead from the front as performing artists claim a stake in their collective future.

Contact SAGA at admin@saguildofactors.co.za to book a seat for the 2-day sessions in Cape Town (2 3 November) and Johannesburg (5 6 November).

Actors and Performance

South Africa

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