Professional Organizations

1. Professional Organizations
By: Tie-Dye Soulful Eyed Bunny
Ray, Sam, Zoe & Nick

2. Graphic Artist’s GuildGraphicartistsguild.org
- Made for graphic/interactive designers, illustrators/animators, and web programmers and developers.
- Helps ensure that they have their rights and offer materials and meetings to help those who work in those
industries.
This is an artist community with many regions across the country:
-Eastern Region, Midwestern Region, New England Region, Southern Region, and Western Region
It does cost money to be a member! $200 for full membership, $170 for
Associates membership and $75 for student memberships
There are requirements for each level of membership
ACM: sigraph, animation magazine, concept artist guild
https://guides.library.ucla.edu/c.php?g=180300&p=1186802

3. Art Directors Guild
adg.org/the-guild/
A Guild/Union for : Art Directors, Graphic Artists, Illustrators, Matte Artists, Model Makers, Production Designers,
Scenic Artists, Set Designers, and Title Artist
Local Union of IASTE (International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees)
- Services Offered: Workplace issues support, public workshops, screenings, events/conventions, and awards.
- Benefits include: health care, wage control, members only events/scholarships, education and training
- Become apart of a local Union ex)Local 800 for Illustrators to become a member to this guild
The only way to become apart of this guild is to have been an employee for 30 days with a signatory company in a
Local 800 covered classification and apply under a specialty roster.

4. DGA - Directors Guild of America
Not only is this guild well known in the filmmaking community, but it was created by a group of well
known and active directors. The guild provides a legal safety net over both the director and their
team to ensure their projects are under the DGA agreement and protection.
DGA provides pension and a health plan to cover the director and their family, as well as help them
save for retirement.
The DGA have headquarters in LA and NY, but have committees in SF, Washington DC, Chicago and
London.
To become a member, you must apply a request and the DGA Council will decide whether or not
they want you as a part of their Guild. Their initiation fees vary, but the Director’s fee is about $3,500

5. Film Independent
Film Independent is not a Union or Guild, it is mainly a Filmmaker
Membership program.
As a member, they provide financial perks to your film in any stage of
production. They provide hours of studio space, free casting, waved festival
charges, free festival tickets and more (depending on your membership). They
have networking events, screenings and workshops galore!
To be a Filmmaker Pro Member, you need to pay $250 a year.

6. (AES) Audio Engineering Society
● The audio engineering society interests me because it is geared towards
audio students and people with an education in audio engineering.
● It is an international organization formed in 1948. They have conventions
and conferences every few months all over the world.
● Anyone into audio engineering or who has a degree in the audio field can
join. It costs $125 for one year of membership and only $50 is you are a
student.
● The purpose of AES is that they have a lot of knowledge resources, job
boards, conventions and conferences.
● The pros of joining are that it has a great community for networking, a job
board and it has an affordable membership cost.
● The cons of joining is that it isn’t a union and doesn’t have those kinds of
benefits such as medical.

7. AES Infographic

8. (AFM) American Federation of Musicians
● The American Federation of Musicians interests me because of how they
help musicians get connected with the resources they need to help record
music.
● Center For New Music is a labor union for musicians, artists and audio
engineers formed in 1896.
● It is a nationally based labor union which is has many locations all over
the US.
● The purpose is that the AFM protects the rights of musicians and helps
them find work and also provides the benefits of a labor union.
● The pros of joining are that they help find work, they protect musicians in
contracts, provide medical/life insurance benefits and provide instrument
insurance.
● The cons are that it is geared towards big musicians who are headlining
shows and less useful to upcoming musicians.

9. ScreenWriters Guild of America
This Union allows protection for writers in America. It was established in 1933
during the Depression. It provides for its members multiple benefits including
medical, dental, vision and prescription. The guild can also provide
registration for writer’s work even for non-members and helps protect the
rights of writers in America.
The requirements to join require that you would have already worked on
numerous projects. They have a unit point system and if you complete 24
units in under three years of signing up you can become an official member.
Once a member there are strict guidelines that must be adhered to and to
follow the banned board to know who not to work for.

10. SAG-AFTRA
-The Screen Actors Guild was formed in the 1930s during the depression in
order to protect actor’s rights.
-Labor Union
-Initiation fee is $3,000 (one time fee) Annual fees after that are $214.32. In
order to join one must have proof of employment is a position that is covered
by SAG-AFTRA (AFTRA or SAG)
Wide range of benefits including Benefits: hospital, medical, dentel, vision,
prescription, mental health and substance abuse as well as legal assistance.