Actor Growth

Recently my background agent sent a few of us details about upgrading our statuses to become a union background member. From what I read, one needs to work 24 days in a year to be able to apply as a UBCP background extra. To my understanding this is different from being a union actor who happens to be doing background work.

I have heard mixed thoughts about this as a lot of people say it is not worth joining the union simply as a background extra member as you have to pay extra fees as well you will now not be able to do non union work. As well, you only getting treated differently if there is not enough regular Union members to cover the requirements of a film set as you are simply a “next in line” type of person.

In some ways I was thinking it might be worth it for me though as I do background work mostly for fun and experience and increasing my odds to get upgraded might be better than worrying about not being able to do non union extra work. I only need to do about 5 more days to be eligible for this, but for now I am still debating about it.