The days of scouring your email for union paperwork or heading to FedEx are over. SAG-AFTRA has finally launched an online portal to make it easier for producers trying to navigate the signatory process for registering union performers and streamlining the amount of paperwork necessary to get your film approved, get your bond returned, and move on to the next project.
In a partnership with PGA, SAG-AFTRA’s Producer Portal is live now in second-stage beta, and a source tells IndieWire that anyone who is now looking to sign with the union is being directed to use the portal and create an online profile.
Here’s essentially what producers can now do with the portal: they can upload and download documents and easily access templates for things like cast lists, sign-in sheets, W-9s, and more. They can get status updates on documents that are required by the union, including checklists of every document that is still outstanding in order to get a bond return. Producers can delegate and control access levels to documents for various team members (maybe you don’t want your PA seeing all the financial details). It will tell producers exactly whom your signatory or claims rep is and will automatically and immediately update that info if that person changes. And it even has a detailed archive of all communications on a film so that you’re not crawling your email or risk forgetting to CC someone on important materials. The portal will also be updated with new features over time based on feedback.
The portal to bring the union into the digital age is something that’s been in the works for the last five years at SAG-AFTRA, slowed by the usual culprits of the pandemic and the 2023 strike. But it launched in its first beta late last year and was available to just select producers working on Ultra Low Budget projects. Now though the Producer Portal is available for Theatrical (Basic or CBA), Low Budget Agreement (LBA), Ultra Low Budget Project Agreement (UPA), and the Moderate Low Budget Project Agreement (MPA).
To date, the signatory process for SAG-AFTRA has been a little like applying for a mortgage. Especially for bigger projects, packages for signatories sometimes reach 100 pages, and submitting everything that’s needed has been a manual process, with filling out paperwork by hand, and even faxing or FedEx-ing those documents to the necessary reps.
For bigger productions, especially for producers who might have multiple films going at a single time with different union reps for each, this could provide a lot of relief and eliminate some of the complexity. For the smaller, indie projects with fewer documents, it ideally makes things easier, quicker, and more efficient. If you depend on getting your bond returned in order to fund the next stage of production, the portal is designed to provide more transparency and speed in that process.
“Signing with SAG-AFTRA has never been easier,” said SAG-AFTRA President Fran Drescher. “The Producer Portal gives creatives the tools to spend less time on paperwork and more time realizing their artistic vision.”
“Filmmakers have told us they wanted a smoother process for signing professional union talent on their productions, and we’re excited to deliver on that,” said SAG-AFTRA National Executive Director & Chief Negotiator Duncan Crabtree-Ireland. “With everything in one place on the Producer Portal, there’s no longer a need to track documents in multiple email chains — and the information is available 24/7.”
“The Producer Portal is a meaningful solution for independent producers, simplifying the signatory process and saving valuable time,” said Producers Guild of America Chief Executive Officer Susan Sprung. “We’re proud to collaborate with SAG-AFTRA on a tool that not only streamlines the process but also empowers producers as they bring their creative visions to life. Our thanks to the entire SAG-AFTRA team, the PGA Independent Film Producers Task Force and IFTA for their hard work and dedication to this important project.”
“The Producer Portal is a major step forward for independent producers navigating the SAG-AFTRA processes,” said Independent Film & Television Alliance President & CEO Jean Prewitt. “This platform offers a transparent and accessible system for producers to track compliance amid the inherent challenges of production — from shifting schedules and changing personnel to uncertainties around requirements. The portal lets producers spend less time on paperwork and more time on creating. SAG-AFTRA’s commitment to this initiative strengthens its relationship with the independent sector and fosters greater confidence in the process. We commend SAG-AFTRA for its yearslong dedication to this project and thank the Producers Guild of America and IFTA’s members for their support.”
Access to the Producer Portal is granted as part of the signatory application process for producers working on projects under these contracts. Get answers to other FAQs here.
