The Film Lab and SAG-AFTRA Renew 72 Hour Shootout Agreement

NEW YORK - May 9, 2014 - PRLog -- SAG-AFTRA and The Asian American Film Lab™ (“Film Lab”) are pleased to announce the renewal of their agreement enabling SAG-AFTRA members to more easily participate in the annual 72 Hour Shootout™ competition (the “Shootout”), a worldwide filmmaking competition promoting gender and ethnic diversity.  The Shootout, now in its tenth year, has inspired hundreds of diverse filmmakers by helping nascent talent take brave steps towards a filmmaking career.  The Film Lab management, several of whom are members of SAG-AFTRA themselves, expressed gratitude to SAG-AFTRA for “helping pave the way for diverse talent to gain recognition and exposure in the Shootout while maintaining protection and support for the actors.”   A complete list of requirements can be found on the Shootout page of the Film Lab website at www.asianamericanfilmlab.com.

About SAG-AFTRA

SAG-AFTRA brings together two great American labor unions: Screen Actors Guild and the American Federation of Television and Radio Artists. Both were formed in the turmoil of the 1930s, with rich histories of fighting for and securing the strongest protections for media artists. Our members united to form the successor union in order to preserve those hard-won rights and to continue the struggle to extend and expand those protections into the 21st century and beyond.  We are actors, announcers, broadcast journalists, dancers, dj’s, news writers, news directors, program hosts, puppeteers, recording artists, singers, stunt performers, voiceover artists and other media professionals. Our work is seen and heard in theaters, on television and radio, sound recordings, the internet, games, mobile devices, home video: you see us and hear us on all media distribution platforms. We are the faces and the voices that entertain and inform America and the world.  SAG-AFTRA is committed to organizing all work done under our jurisdictions; negotiating the best wages, working conditions, and health and pension benefits; preserving and expanding members’ work opportunities; vigorously enforcing our contracts; and protecting members against unauthorized use of their work.

A proud member of the AFL-CIO, SAG-AFTRA partners with our fellow unions in the U.S. and internationally to seek the strongest protections for media artists throughout the world. We work with governments at the international, federal, state, and local levels to expand protections for American media professionals both at home and abroad.

It is a core value of SAG-AFTRA that our strength is in our diversity. We are committed to the broadest employment and involvement of our members, regardless of gender, race, age, religious beliefs, disability, nationality, and sexual orientation or identification. SAG-AFTRA strives to educate and engage members so that they may be full participants in the workings of their union. We are proud to be a model of inclusion, democratic organization and governance.

About the Asian American Film Lab

The Film Lab is a non-profit 501(c)(3) headquartered in New York City that provides free or low cost programming to promote and support ethnic and gender diversity in film and television.  Its programs and newest production arm, AAFL TV, have been featured most recently on CUNY TV (http://youtu.be/NwHXHD00YIM).  The membership has grown to comprise professionals, artists and other talented individuals who all share the common goal of creating great film and promoting Asian American filmmakers and other filmmakers of color, and the visibility of their stories and characters in film and television.  Film Lab’s programming includes the Industry Spotlight program, in which established industry professionals share their knowledge, expertise and advice via filmmaking workshops, screenings and more.  Other Film Lab programs include Unfinished Works, a program for aspiring writers in which selected writers have their pieces performed by Film Lab Actor Directory members in a public table read, followed by a workshop moderated by Film Lab Unfinished Works Coordinator Lorna Nowve.  The Film Lab also holds film competitions including the annual 72 Hour Shootout®, which has inspired hundreds of filmmakers by helping nascent talent take brave steps towards a filmmaking career.  The Film Lab management team consists of Jennifer Betit Yen (actor, President and Board Member, founder of AAFL TV Production Arm), Aurora Betson (Treasurer and Board Member), Daryl King (Secretary and Board Member), Lorna Nowve (Unfinished Works), Justin Lee (2014 72 Hour Shootout Coordinator), along with a dedicated Board, interns and event volunteers. Board members include actor James Kyson and writer/director Aaron Woolfolk, among others.  Joanna Shen, who edited the trailer for the 2013 72 hour Shootout, conducted the final editing for Season 1 of Film Lab Presents with the help of filmmaker Justin C. Lee. For more information, please visit the Film Lab’s website at http://www.asianamericanfilmlab.com/