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Problems on Set?
ACTRA Toronto's stewards ensure that individual productions comply with our agreements. Stewards regularly receive more than 50 voicemail messages a day in addition to direct calls, letters, meetings and on-set visits, so to ensure that your concern is handled properly, know the process.
Stewards prioritize:
- situations involving serious problems with personal safety
- problems with unscripted nudity and/or sexually
- problematic scenes or situations involving child performers
These situations will be dealt with immediately by a steward. If you are calling about such a situation, insist that you talk to a live person.
Also call ACTRA Toronto immediately at (416) 928-2278 if you see a situation on set that involves:
- young performers working more than eight hours a day (under 12 years old for the IPA; under 13 years old and without permission for the Commercial Agreement);
- unscheduled stunts or dangerous situations where stunt performers are not being used; or,
- unscripted nudity or sexual situations not outlined in your contract.
Other problems:
Most small problems on set can be resolved through a calm conversation with production personnel. In the event of a disagreement - don't hold up production. Make your point calmly and then pass the problem along to your agent. If an ACTRA Toronto steward or On-Set Liaison Officer (OSLO) is on set, let him/her know.
Working Under the Independent Production Agreement (IPA)
Your agent should be the first person who deals with situations involving upgrades, cancellations, postponements and other violations of the IPA. With upgrades, you must make production aware on set that your performance category should be upgraded. Should your agent not be able to resolve the situation or require assistance, your agent will contact the ACTRA Toronto steward for the production.
Working under the National Commercial Agreement
Contact an ACTRA Toronto commercial steward for situations involving cancellations, upgrades, interpretations or agreement violations. Upgrades are rare and depend on the final edit of the commercial. If you genuinely feel your performance should be upgraded, contact a commercial steward and ask them to get a copy of the commercial.
Following up with ACTRA
Please remember: you must notify ACTRA about a breach of the IPA or the Commercial Agreement within 30 days of that breach in order to pursue restitution. Be clear about the facts: Relate all relevant information clearly - including your name, ACTRA number, agent name, production name and location, date and time of the call and nature of the problem.The steward will not reveal your name to the production as the source of the complaint. Keep a written record of the call.
I haven't been paid for work under the IPA.
Your cheque is mailed to the address on your contract within 15 days from the day you work. If you don't receive your cheque, and it hasn't been received by your agent, have your agent call the production's accountant to find out if it has been mailed. If your agent can't resolve the problem, call the ACTRA Toronto steward responsible for your production right away.
When you get your cheque, make sure the payment is correct. If it isn't, have your agent call the production accountant. Notify the ACTRA Toronto steward assigned to the production, as well.
I haven't been paid for work under the Commercial Agreement.
Your cheque is mailed to ACTRA Toronto within 15 working days from the day you work, and then forwarded to you or your agent, as directed by your membership record with ACTRA. If your cheque is late, or if the payment isn't correct, contact ACTRA Toronto's Commercial Department.