National AGM this Monday

Don't forget...

Equity’s 2010-2011 National Annual General Meeting is coming up shortly.

Date: February 28, 2011
Time: 7:00-10:00 p.m. (doors open at 6:30 p.m.)
Venue: Currie Hall (National Ballet School)
Location: 105 Maitland St. (between Church and Jarvis Sts.- south of Wellesley St. E.), Toronto

All Equity members in good standing are encouraged to attend. Apprentice, provisional and probationary members are also welcome and encouraged to attend. Please bring your current membership/apprentice card to show at the door.

The NAGM will be divided into two segments. The first portion will take care of necessary business items and be kept as concise as we can reasonably manage. It will include:

• brief reports from the President and Executive Director, including a review of recent Association activities and updates on current initiatives, such as the Insurance and the Independent Theatre reviews
• receipt of the audited financial statements and appointment of Equity’s auditors for the coming year

The world of recorded media has changed drastically in the past decade, and continues to evolve at a furious rate. The second half of the evening will be an open forum on the subject of new media technologies and their increasingly important role in live performance. We’re calling it:

The Digital You

Remember the days when recorded promotional material consisted of two minutes of current affairs video shot by a local TV crew, a couple of newspaper interviews, and a handful of setup shots taken by a professional photographer? Well, say “So long!” ‘cause they aren’t coming back. The technology to create compelling video segments, audio clips and photos, and the means to easily publish them, are now within the reach of pretty much everyone. In fact, many of us carry that technology in our pockets. 

Requests for access to the backstage, green room and rehearsal hall, for the purpose of recording promotional material, are increasingly common. The artist interview no longer lasts 10 minutes – members self-interview, through blogs or Facebook or Twitter, on a daily basis for weeks. And when the show is all done, and the last piece of glowtape has been peeled from the stage, all that digital material enjoys a life everlasting on the internet.

Join Council, your colleagues, and panellists…

Maev Beaty (performer, writer)
Marjorie Chan (performer, writer)
John Karastamatis (Communications Director: Mirvish Productions)
Ross Manson (performer, director, AD of Volcano)
Michael Wheeler (co-AD of Praxis Theatre, theatre blogger)

…for an information sharing session on new media technologies, and how artists and engagers are using them, followed by open discussion on how we should be treating this material in our scale agreements and engagement policies.The forum will be an opportunity for members to share experiences and advice, learn about copyright, ACTRA jurisdictional issues and more. 

We hope you are able to join us for what promises to be an informative evening. It’s a chance to connect with Councillors from across the country, your regional advisory and, of course, your local colleagues. Refreshments will be served.