| What are residuals and residual payments? |
 | Find out about residuals - who is entitled to them and how they are distributed - by downloading our FAQ information sheet.
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| I have never received any residuals. How do I find out if I am owed any? |
| Who is entitled to residuals? All performers engaged under Equity contracts and whose performances remain in the final product. This usually includes:
- Performers
- Stunt Performers
- Bit-Players
Extras and background actors are not entitled to receive residuals.
If you have, and you meet the above criteria, contact residuals@alliance.org.au
The residuals section is currently updating their records and will publish the list of performers who we are trying to locate as soon as it becomes available.
Contact residuals@alliance.org.au |
| Is there somewhere on your site for me to check which residuals have been paid for the quarter? |
| You can download the residual payments for offshore and local productions received by the Alliance for the February 2010 quarter here... |
| How can I find out which Performer Class I fall into? |
| Does the Alliance recommend agents for actors? |
| No. For both legal and ethical reasons the Alliance is unable to recommend one agent over another. The agent lists we have compiled are for contact purposes only. In some cases a description is provided to show the type of clients or work an agent specialises in representing. In NSW and QLD agents are required by state legislation to be licenced in order to operate. This is not the case in the other states. The Alliance does make a number of general recommendations on what we feel are appropriate practices for agencies. These include - no upfront fees, and choice of photographer for portfolio shots. More detailed recommendations on the agent/client relationship and our current agents lists can be found in the Resources section. |
| What happens to my residual payments? |
| Because the work of performers is concentrated in particular productions, payments for the repeated use of their work is critical to providing a fair wage. Through the agreements negotiated with producers, the Equity section of the Alliance collects and distributes these residual payments to Australia’s performing community, Alliance members and non-members alike. Payments are distributed at the end of each quarter. |
| I’m applying for a grant. Will the Alliance fill out my application for me / help me fill out my form? |
| No. Whilst the Alliance does not provide direct advice on filling out grant applications, we do have information on rates of pay that may help when projecting a budget. This can be found through our ‘resources’ option on the main menu. |
| Can my child join the Alliance? |
| Alliance membership is open to children aged 5 years and over. In certain circumstances membership can be arranged for children under this age. Reduced juvenile rates apply to members under 16 years of age. |
| An Actors' Association existed in Australia during the early 1910s. Although this Association was registered in July 1919 as the Actors' Federation of Australasia, members quickly lost confidence in it, forcing its deregistration just two months later, in September 1919.
On 6 March 1920 a new union, again named the Actors' Federation of Australasia was registered under the Conciliation and Arbitration Act. It was renamed Actors' Equity of Australia on 25 February 1936. The union, however, was ineffective and had close links with its supposed adversaries, the Theatre Proprietors and Managers' Association of Australasia. In 1939 Management of Equity was taken over by Hal Alexander and other trade union activists.
On 5 May 1945 the union's name was changed once more, this time to Actors and Announcers' Equity of Australia and was largely due to the inclusion of members from the recently defunct Announcers' Association of Australia. A closed shop ruling was announced in 1949, with members prohibited from working with non-members. Taking the often-casual nature of a performer's employment into account, members were only required to be financial when in work.
Almost since its inception the union was based and most active in Sydney. In 1980 Equity underwent major structural changes with NSW ceasing to be 'The Council State.' A Federal Council was set up in order to be more representative of Equity members around Australia, together with a NSW Division similar to the other state Divisional Committees and Executives. On 14 July 1982 the union assumed its previous title, Actors' Equity of Australia. An unsuccessful attempt was made in 1983 to establish a breakaway union.
In 1993 the Actors Equity of Australia amalgamated with the Australian Theatrical & Amusement Employees' Association and the Australian Journalists' Association to form the Media Entertainment & Arts Alliance. Source: Australian Trade Union Archives
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| I need a list of different contacts in the entertainment industry e.g. lighting crew, casting agents, equipment hire etc. Where should I go to look for these? |
| A comprehensive guide to contact details for people in different areas of the entertainment industry is the Encore Directory. If you are a financial member of the Alliance, you are welcome to come into your local Alliance office and look at our copies of this guide (be sure to call first!), or alternately, major public libraries usually have a copy. If you require this information often, you should contact the Encore Directory to purchase a copy. |
| Where can I see who different actors are represented by / Which actors different agents represent? |
| One of the easiest places to find a comprehensive list of actors and their agents contact details is the Showcast guide. If you are a financial member of the Alliance, you are welcome to come into your local Alliance office and look at our copies of this guide (be sure to call first!), or alternately, major public libraries usually have a copy. If you are an agent or require this information often, you should contact Showcast to purchase a copy. |
What are residuals and residual payments?
