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+--- Thread: Screen actors guild complaint (/showthread.php?tid=311)
Screen actors guild complaint - Donesia - 01-26-2022
Here is a previous case by *** (Identity withheld for privacy reason).
...even if the producer has it I can't imagine him sharing that with the someone who may be looking to sue him. All SAG was able to email me is attached below which is merely proof that I was paid for the original work.
Frankly I have no way of knowing exactly how much 30 years of residuals comes out to. A bout two years ago I received a check for about $600 as the first residual since 1990 and she tells me on the phone that that check was basically a settlement with the producers which after 30 years would be both insulting and preposterous. When I received it I went to The SAG office for an explanation and I couldn't even see anyone. I was only able to talk on the phone from the reception area and they wanted me to state my case on the phone while I was sitting in a room full of other actors. I explained I needed privacy but to no avail. I left upset and essentially didn't get any answers at all.
About 15 years ago I was able to set up a meeting with then SAG president actor Richard Masur regarding this and when I showed up to speak with him I was met with a conference room full of SAGs legal team. They must have thought I was lawyer-ing up but I had only gone to find out why I hadn't been getting residuals for so many years. They basically were saying that this was actually somewhat normal for production companies, particularly this one, to file bankruptcy in order to avoid payment of residuals. So they are repeat offenders by SAGs own admission. Meanwhile they claimed they were still going after my monies. 15 more years went by and I get the whopping $600 windfall. This is my union who is supposed to be protecting me from this type of producer and spectacularly failed to do so. That's why as I mentioned, I'm not sure who I am more upset with, the shifty producers or SAG who acted more like a crooked production company sympathizer than someone looking out for my best interest.
Status: open, under investigation