Signatory to what
"Is it signatory?" is incomplete until someone names the union. Each union's agreement is separate, and a production can sign any combination:
| Production | SAG-AFTRA | DGA | IATSE | Teamsters |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Studio feature in LA | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| $1.2M indie in Georgia | Yes (low-budget) | No | No | No |
| Thesis film | Yes (student agreement) | No | No | No |
| Mid-budget streamer series in Atlanta | Yes | Yes | Yes (Area Standards) | Yes |
The $1.2M indie row is common: the producers sign SAG-AFTRA so they can cast union actors, and hire non-union crew.
What signing commits you to
For a SAG-AFTRA film, the company agrees to pay at least scale, report every performer's hours on Exhibit G, hire non-members only under the Taft-Hartley process and preference-of-employment rules, pay pension and health contributions, and pay residuals if the film is exhibited in later markets. The union typically asks for documents like the script, budget, schedule, and proof the company owns the rights (chain of title), and it may require a security deposit against cast wages before the shoot.
Signing the DGA agreement means giving preference of employment to people on the Qualification Lists for AD and UPM jobs. IATSE and Teamsters agreements set crew minimums, work rules, and benefit contributions.
Why unions care who's signatory
Union membership rules keep members from working for companies that haven't signed. SAG-AFTRA's Global Rule One says members may not work for an employer who hasn't signed a basic minimum agreement with the union where one applies. That's why a producer who wants a union actor has to sign first, and why the signatory guide is one of the first things a new indie producer reads.
Mistakes to avoid
Signing the wrong entity. If the production LLC isn't formed yet, some producers sign their parent company, which then carries residual obligations for the film indefinitely.
Letting cast start before the agreement is final. Rehearsals and fittings count as work.
Not budgeting fringes. The agreement's pension and health percentages go on top of wages, and they belong in the budget's fringes section from the first draft.