A Guide to the Unions and Guilds
Unions and guilds are deeply embedded in the entertainment industry. Here are some basics to get you acquainted.
Whether you have the option of joining a union or guild depends on whether a union or guild covers your job or “craft” in the region you work in. Unions and guilds inform members about open job opportunities in their craft and help negotiate better working conditions, hours, wages, health benefits, and retirement benefits.
Each union and guild has different membership requirements. Below is information about specific local and national unions and guilds that support the careers in entertainment featured here.
Please note that any of this information can change at any time and it is best to call the union directly with questions or concerns.If we have excluded a guild or union that should be covered here, or our information needs updating, please contact us directly.
Table of Contents:
- IATSE Local 44
- IATSE Local 52
- IATSE Local 80
- IATSE Local 161
- IATSE Local 481
- IATSE Local 600: The International Cinematographers Guild
- IATSE Local 695
- IATSE Local 700: Motion Picture Editor Guild
- IATSE Local 705
- IATSE Local 706
- IATSE Local 728
- IATSE Local 798
- IATSE Local 800: Art Directors Guild
- IATSE Local 839: The Animation Guild
- IATSE Local 871
- IATSE Local 884
- IATSE Local 892
The International Brotherhood of Teamsters
Directors Guild of America (DGA)
Producers Guild of America (PGA)
Screen Actors Guild-American Federation of Television and Radio Artists (SAG-AFTRA)
Writers Guild of America (WGA)
International Alliance of Theatrical and Stage Employees and Motion Picture Technicians, Artists and Allied Crafts of the United States, its Territories and Canada (IATSE):
IATSE is a labor union that represents tens of thousands of workers in film and television. Job categories or “crafts” are represented by different “locals.”
In 13 Western states (Alaska, Arizona, California, Colorado, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, New Mexico, Oregon, Texas, Utah, Washington and Wyoming), it is a requirement to be placed on the Industry Experience Roster (also called the “IER” or the “Roster”) to work or be hired for an IATSE contract project. The Roster is a list of union members who have logged a certain amount of work experience within a specific job. Once individuals are placed on the Roster they are able to work on IATSE contract projects and are eligible to join their local. The Roster is managed by Contract Services Administration Trust Fund (CSATF).
More information on CSATF and the Roster can be found here and here.
- Professions served: coordinators (including construction coordinators), drapers, floor cover, greens, prop makers, property, sewers, set decorators, special effects, upholsterers, commercial masters, commercial prop makers, and commercial property.
- Region served: Los Angeles, CA
- Requirements: Information on joining IATSE Local 44 can be found here.
- Professions served: gaffers, rigging gaffers, electricians, (including best boy electricians, shop electricians, rigging electricians), dimmer board operators, base camp generator operators, generator operators, lamp operators, grips (including key grips, best boy grips, key rigging grips, key construction grips), best boy construction, medic/allied department, property masters, special effects, armorers, set dressers, set decorators, greenspersons, lead persons, craft department, production sound mixers, boom operators, sound utility technicians and 24 frame technicians.
- Regions served: New York, New Jersey, Delaware, Pennsylvania (excluding Pittsburgh), and Connecticut
- Requirements: Membership application information is listed by job classification on their website here.
- Professions served: motion studio picture grips, crafts services, set medics, marine department and warehouse workers
- Region served: Los Angeles, CA
- Requirements
- Step 1: Attend an orientation. Orientation dates are listed here.
- Step 2: Register on the “Off Roster referral List” to become a “registered permit”.
- Step 3: Work 30 union days for either the Commercial or Industry Experience Roster.
- More information on joining IATSE Local 80 can be found here.
- Professions Served: script supervisors, production office coordinators, assistant production office coordinators, production accountants, assistants productions accountants and payroll accountants
- Regions Served: Alabama, Connecticut, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Illinois (except Cook County), Louisiana, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan (except for Script Supervisors in six counties in the Detroit area), New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Tennessee, Vermont, Virginia, West Virginia, and Washington, D.C.
- Requirements: Use this form to contact IATSE Local 161’s Membership Coordinator. Include your resume, job classification, residence, and any current projects you are working on.
- More information on IATSE Local 161 can be found here.
- Professions Served: art department coordinators, set construction workers, costumers/wardrobe, craft services, gaffers, electricians, set lighting, greens, grips, location managers and scouts, marine department workers, first aid workers, picture cars, property masters, set decorators/set dressers, boom operators/sound, special effects, studio teachers, teleprompter operators, video assistants.
- Regions Served: Massachusetts, Maine, New Hampshire, Rhode Island and Vermont
- Requirements: Information on joining IATSE Local 481 can be found here.
IATSE Local 600: The International Cinematographers Guild
- Professions served: cinematographers, camera professionals and publicists (includes visual effects supervisors and first and second assistant camera).
- Regions Served
- Western Region: Alaska, Arizona, California, Colorado, Hawaii, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, New Mexico, Oregon, Utah, Washington and Wyoming
- Eastern Region: Connecticut, Delaware, District of Columbia, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, Puerto Rico, Rhode Island, South Carolina, US Virgin Islands, Vermont, Virginia, and West Virginia
- Central Region: Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Michigan, Mississippi, Nebraska, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Wisconsin.
- Information on joining IATSE Local 600 can be found here.
- Professions served: boom operators/sound technicians, video engineers, television broadcast engineers and studio projectionists
- Region served: Los Angeles, CA
- Requirements: Information on joining IATSE Local 695 can be found here.
IATSE Local 700: Motion Picture Editors Guild
- Profession served: costumers
- Region Served: United States
- Requirements: Information on joining IATSE Local 700 can be found here.
- Profession served: motion picture costumers
- Region served: Los Angeles, CA
- Requirements: There are five different ways to join IATSE Local 705, depending on the type of production you have work experience in (non-union, commercial, costume house, live television, or new media).
- All require submitting 30 days employment, verifiable by paystubs and a letter from your employer, to CSATF to obtain roster placement.
- Additionally, you must complete CSATF safety classes. Once CSATF processes your paperwork, IATSE Local 705 will mail you an application.
- More information on joining IATSE Local 705 can be found here.
- Professions served: makeup artists and hairstylists
- Region served: Los Angeles, CA
- Requirements: Information on joining IATSE Local 706 can be found here.
- Profession served: studio electrical lighting technicians (electricians, gaffers)
- Region Served: Los Angeles, CA
- Requirements: You must work 30 “permitted hire” days for a signatory producer (a producer who has signed a contract with IATSE) and be placed on one of two industry rosters in order to qualify for membership in Local 728.
- More information on joining Local 728 can be found here.
- Professions Served: make-up artists and hair stylists
- Regions Served: Maine, Vermont, New Hampshire, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, Connecticut, Delaware, Maryland, Washington, DC, Pennsylvania, West Virginia, Virginia, Tennessee, North Carolina, South Carolina, Alabama, Georgia, Louisiana, Mississippi, New York, New Jersey, Florida, and the cities of Minneapolis and Louisville.
- Requirements: Information on joining IATSE Local 798 can be found here.
IATSE Local 800: Art Directors Guild
- Professions Served: art directors, illustrators, storyboard artists, matte artists, production designers, model makers, scenic artists, title artists, and graphic artists
- Region Served: United States
- Requirements: Information on joining IATSE Local 800 can be found here.
IATSE Local 839: The Animation Guild
- Professions Served: animation artists, writers, and technicians
- Regions Served: Los Angeles, CA
- Requirements: Information on joining IATSE Local 839 be found here.
- Professions served: script supervisors, accountants, production office coordinators, and art department coordinators
- Region Served: Los Angeles, CA
- Requirements: Information on joining IATSE Local 871 can be found here.
- Profession Served/Covered: studio teachers
- Region Served: Los Angeles, CA
- Requirements: You must be certified to be a studio teacher by the State of California. Applications for certification can be found here. Once certified, you are eligible to join the Dual Credential Substitute List. Once you accumulate 30 days of union work, you are eligible to apply for IATSE Local 884 membership through CSATF. More information on IATSE Local 884 can be found here.
- Professions Served: costume designers, assistant costume designers and costume illustrators
- Region Served: Los Angeles, CA
- Requirements: Membership requirements are dependent on classification, however, applicants must submit three signed letters of recommendation from costume designers from working professionals who are knowledgeable about your relevant skills. Costume designers and assistant costume designers may join by either:
1. working on a non-union production that becomes unionized; or
2. having worked on at least one feature motion or television production, commercial or music video for commercial release. - More information on joining IATSE Local 892, including the application, can be found here.
The International Brotherhood of Teamsters
- Professions Served: Animal handlers and trainers, casting, couriers, dispatchers, drivers, mechanics, transportation coordinators, warehouse workers, and wranglers
- Regions Served:
- United States and Canada. More information about the International Brotherhood of Teamsters can be found here.
- Teamsters Local 399 Hollywood serves Los Angeles, CA
- Requirements: Teamsters Local 399 only accepts new members when they are “in permit”.To join Teamsters Local 399 call (818)-985-7374 and Press 1 at the voice prompt. You will hear a voice message detailing the current classification of members that they are using. If they are in permit, that means they are accepting new members. You can then call signatory companies to see if they are hiring and begin accumulating the 30 days you need for membership.
- More information on Teamsters Local 399 Hollywood can be found here.
Directors Guild of America (DGA)
- Professions served: directors, assistant directors, associate directors, stage managers, and production associates
- Region served: United States
- Requirements: Information on joining the DGA can be found here.
Producers Guild of America (PGA)
- Profession Served: Producers
- Region Served: United States
- Requirements: The PGA is not a labor union and does not negotiate contracts or provide coverage for members. In order to be eligible for membership applicants must demonstrate professional experience by accumulating PGA approved credits.
- More information on joining the PGA can be found here.
Screen Actors Guild-American Federation of Television and Radio Artists (SAG-AFTRA)
- Professions Served: Actors, announcers, broadcast journalists, dancers, DJs, news writers, news editors, program hosts, puppeteers, recording artists, singers, stunt performers, voiceover artists, and other media professionals
- Region Served: United States
- Requirements: Information on joining SAG-AFTRA can be found here.
Writers Guild of America (WGA)
- Profession Served: Writers
- Region Served: United States
- Requirements by Region
- WGA West: WGA West represents all writers who live west of the Mississippi River at the time of their initial membership. Information on joining the Writers Guild of America West and their schedule of units can be found here.
- WGA East (WGAE): WGAE represents all writers who live east of the Mississippi River at the time of their initial membership. Information about joining WGAE can be found here.