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Screen Actors Guild

The Screen Actors Guild (SAG) is the labor union representing film actors in the United States. The guild guarantees members a minimum daily wage on union productions ("scale") and handles payment of residuals.

SAG members may not work on non-union productions without special dispensation; many film schools have waiver agreements with the guild to allow SAG actors to work free of charge in student films.

History

In 1925, the Masquers club was formed by actors fed up with the long, grueling work hours at the Hollywood studios. This then led to the creation of the Screen Actors Guild in 1933. One of its founders was Berton Churchill.

SAG Awards

The SAG Awards have been one of the top awards events in Hollywood since 1995. The Spring issue of the Screen Actor Magazine has a very interesting article about the awards, including some history. The awards have been televised for the past several years on TNT.

For more info see www.sag.org

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