Welcome to the ask Mark Pirro page. We should change this to the SAG financial core page, since it seems that lately 80% of all questions are relating to union issues. Feel free to leave any question or comment you like, even if it's NOT about going SAG financial core ---------- Mark Pirro himself will respond. ---------- Or, if you'd rather not leave a message right now, just click here to go back to our Home Page. Messages are listed from the newest to the oldest. After you've left your message, check back soon. Mark usually replies within 24 hours.. There are now 327 messages in our guestbook. <<< 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 33 >>> Viewing messages 11 to 20. Your name (required) Your message (required) Where in the world? Tammy Hi I'm was thinking about joining SAG or AFTRA but someone was telling me to go FI core. Do I have to join one of these unions or can I just go straight to Ficore? ---------------------------------------- MP: You can't be financial core if you're not a member of a union to be financial core from. That's like asking if you can get a discount on auto insurance, but you don't have a car. Once you join the union, you can immediately apply for financial core status. 2 July 2010 - LA Lovechop Mr. Pirro, My wife wonders why you sit in our bedroom nightly (on top of her dresser) sometimes for just a couple of hours, but often ALL NIGHT. I have tried and tried to explain, but I'm not sure that she hears me. -------------------------------------- MP: Do the nurses at the Asylum know that you're using their computer? 20 June 2010 - Seattle Emma I am a SAG must join. If I do SAG ficore is there a registration fee? Or just the annual $160 plus a percentage of money made through union work? thanks! -------------------------------------- MP: Other than your regular SAG dues, there is no additional fee to go financial core. In fact, your yearly SAG dues should be less. 13 June 2010 Phil South I just saw the trailer for Color-Blinded and was surprised to see it in color. I thought this movie was in Black and White? --------------------------------------- MP: It was shot in color, but initially released in black and white (primarily to conceal the video look the color had) in 1998. Around the year 2000, technology advanced and allowed us to create a film-look in color, so we remastered it. 8 June 2010 - UK Sharon My agent wants me to go SAG fi-core. He thinks I'll book more work that way. If I do go fi-core, how difficult is it to rejoin SAG at a later date? ------------------------------------- MP: You have a smart agent. There's really no point in 'rejoining' once you've gone fi-core, but if you decide to, they'll most likely hit you up for a fine or penalty or whatever whim hits them. It probably won't be too severe since they DO want you back. 12 May 2010 - So Cal name removed by request Please remove my name. Thanks so much ----------------------------------- MP: uhh...okay. 1 May 2010 Rex M. Hi again, Mark! Thanks a lot for your earlier response. I just got back from going Fi-Core with SAG. Quick question for you, though: To what address should I mail a certified letter to AFTRA to go fi-core over there as well? Thanks a lot! ----------------------------------- MP: Just send it to their legal department. 22 April 2010 - NY Area matilda Hi! I'd like to know if you have any information on the current regulations as to going back to being a full SAG member once you've gone FiCo. I know that a couple of years ago you had to go in front of a committee and then they would decide whether you're let back into the union as a full member. But I keep reading different answers to this question and i also feel like SAG has been changing these regulations over the past couple of years back an forth. Any ideas on the current status? Thanks! ------------------------------------- MP: SAG is like the IRS: they can change the rules at any time. My understanding is that if you go fi core and then one day decide to relinquish that status, SAG will levy a fine on you. This fine could also be waived at their discretion. Understand, they would WANT you to give up your fi core status, so it behooves them to get you back. When you're fi core, you're holding all the cards, regardless what they would want you to think. 21 April 2010 - NY Rex M. Hi there, Mark! I've got two questions for you about SAG Fi-Core. I'm terribly sorry if you've already answered these. 1. Could you please tell me the full information I'd need to go SAG Fi-Core? IE, what address to send the Fi-Core request letter to, what the letter should say, what information it should include, etc. I'd just like to make sure I'm doing it right, so they can't pull anything on me. "Well, you didn't sign and DATE this, so it doesn't count! :P" 2. Let's say I've already worked on a non-union TV show as a SAG member, using an alias. If I go Fi-Core and then resume work on the same non-union show under my true name, can I get in trouble with SAG? Meaning, can they say, "Hey, wait! You did THESE episodes BEFORE going Fi-CORE and LIED about it by pretending to be someone else! You're out of the union, Jack!" Thank you so much for your time, Mark, it's greatly appreciated! ------------------------------------- MP: You should be able to find all the info you need regarding what to do here:http://pirromount.com.customers.tigertech.net/sag.html If you've already worked a non-union film as a SAG member, you could be found out, but it's pretty unlikely. Depending on how big the show is and how prominent you are in it, you're probably safe. I wouldn't worry about it. With all the independent productions going on, SAG's teeth aren't as sharp as they once were. 20 April 2010 - NY Area Jim C. Hey! Thinking about going Fi-core but have a couple 'O questions. I am sometimes asked to do SAG extra work here in Philly and when I'm called, the casting director asks for my SAG ID # ahead of time. Will they know from this that I am fi-core? I am assuming I will get paid a union wage either way, correct? Also, do you think it wise to join AFTRA after I go fi-core? Would AFTRA know I am fi-core by submitting my paperwork? Thanks. ------------------------------------ MP: Technically SAG wants you to surrender your card when you go financial core, but many members ignore that. Once you are fi core, you can work for any wage negotiated between you and the producer (which can be as much as possible to free). Whatever the pay offered for the job is what you are entitled to get (some SAG jobs now even go for $100 a day, so that's not much of an indication). Regarding joining AFTRA, my opinion is to avoid joining any union if you can help it. 20 April 2010 - Philadelphia area <<< 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 33 >>>