This special episode of Film Center we sit down with SAG actor Cassiphias Guerrero as he gives us his take on the strike now that the WGA has a tentative deal. This episode was made on location at BJ's Restaurant & Brewhouse in downtown Burbank.

This is Film Center, your number one show for real entertainment industry news.

No fluff, all facts.

Now, here are your anchors, Derek Johnson II and Nicholas Killian.

Hey everyone, welcome to Film Center.

My name's Derek Johnson II and I'm here with...

Uh, Cass, Cassidious Guerrero, AKA Cass, AKA the man for the job, AKA Mr.

Make it happen, AKA producer of the year, AKA Mr.

You have to speak up a little bit, man.

You're saying so much speak up a little bit.

Oh man, I got to say it louder.

AKA Mr.

23, AKA Mr.

BJ's himself, AKA Mr.

Guerrilla Films.

Yes.

So, uh, we're here at BJ's in downtown Burbank.

Um, for those of you who don't know, we take the show on the

road, you know what I'm saying?

And Cash is a, uh, uh, uh, actor himself.

He's part of SAG.

And currently, it is Tuesday, September 26th.

And just recently, uh, the WGA has received, uh, well,

they've reached a tentative.

Tentative.

Tentative being the main word.

Tentative.

A tentative deal with the producers.

Yes.

Producers Guild.

And unfortunately though, SAG has not.

So, Cass, you know, he's been on Blackish, he's been on a whole bunch of other

stuff, a lot of big shows and big movies.

So, since he is a member of SAG, I thought that, you know, he'd be

perfect to, uh, give us his take on it.

So, Cass, let me ask you something, man.

When you first heard that SAG was joining the strike the same time

that WGA was, way back when, what was your first thoughts, man?

Okay, I want to be honest about this, uh...

Okay.

When I was, uh, when I first heard about the strike, I was working on

a show called Grown ish, uh, we're streaming on Freeform, uh, Disney Plus.

Yes.

Um, we were one of two shows that were still shooting during the strike.

Really?

Uh, which was ourselves and Good Trouble.

Okay.

Uh, Good Trouble, uh, shoots on location at all times.

They don't have a home base, so they were going anywhere.

Really?

I was that though?

Cause it must've been like, they must've been staring daggers at you or something.

I mean, cause I, you know, I was at the pickets on the picket lines myself.

So that must've been very difficult.

You know, it was the beginning.

Uh, so at Disney in the beginning, you would see at least like 20

people, 20 to 15 people at Disney.

Yes.

It was.

So which, which, which Disney lot?

Uh, Disney lot on Riverside.

Riverside, okay.

Yeah, Riverside Drive.

So it wasn't too many people in the beginning.

No.

At all.

I feel like people, they didn't believe it.

I feel like people felt it was going to be resolved maybe in a week or two.

Okay.

But once grown ish ended and once good trouble ended and everybody knew that

there were no more shows and no one was crossing the picking line, I feel like

that's when everybody took to the streets, went to Netflix, went to Paramount.

Why do you think that is?

Why didn't you just hop on as soon as I heard it, man?

My honest thing about that is I feel like a lot of people are bandwagon.

A lot of people don't jump until everyone else jumps.

The same question about joining SAG.

There's a lot of non union actors out there with that same question.

Every day doing background saying, should I join?

I'm eligible.

Should I join?

Should I join?

What's your.

If you could get so, cause you know, a lot of people who listen to the show,

they're in either in the film industry or trying to get into the film industry

and why I got you here, you know, I got to grill you, you know, I got

to, I got to ask a lot of questions.

Let's do it.

What is your, before we get back to SAG and the strike, what is your opinion?

I'm going to show you like if someone, let's say I've been on, it's my first

time as a background actor on a SAG set.

Okay.

Uh, how soon should I join SAG?

It's just my first time.

You know what I'm saying?

So should I be thinking about it soon?

Should it be way down the line?

You know, talk to those people who, you know, they're not SAG

yet, or maybe more SAG eligible.

Okay, for the people that will say have been on set for the

first time to the third time.

Because I know it's gonna be some time in between the first and third.

Uh, I would say take your time.

Learn the job, understand what the commitment is because

this is a lifelong commitment.

Yes, a lot of people don't understand.

When you're in an entertainment business, you're in it for good.

You're in it for good.

I'm sad to say that due to the strike, I've had to pick up a regular job.

I'm a PE teacher now.

Shout out to my kids at Magnolia Science.

Um, but hey, but you're supporting the strike.

Yeah, I am supporting the strike.

I'm not crossing the picket line.

I've gotten so many texts and so many job opportunities and auditions.

Yeah, you know, myself included, I've gotten, well, not for SAG, I'm

not part of it, I'm not an actor.

But, um, a lot of, uh, studios have contacted me to write for them.

A lot of studios have contacted me to work on some of their sets and, um,

when people don't also don't understand it's not only studios, but production

companies associated with those studios.

Exactly.

So I totally understand where you're coming from, but you

can't, you can't do that.

You can't.

It's about solidarity, right?

It's all about solidarity.

And for those non union, uh, actors out there, I would say, take your time

and understand what this commitment is and understand what you're, what

you're dedicating your life to.

Um, for those people that are SAG eligible that have been eligible for two,

three years, what are you waiting for?

Uh, the only way you'd be able to speak on television commercials is if you're SAG.

Yes.

It's a different thing if you're non union and they pick you to speak and

then you become SAG, that's a one in a million chance, like joining the NBA.

So I definitely suggest that if you are eligible, just pay the money, join.

There's payment plans.

There's a whole bunch of programs out there for you.

I didn't even know they had payment plans.

They have payment plans.

Wow.

You can put down 1500.

Okay.

And make, uh, make over, I think it's nine payments for

the year and you'll be paid up.

Oh, I didn't even know that.

I didn't know they had payment plans like that.

And, um, and also you get to have hard laid in.

It's actually kind of affordable.

Yeah.

It's very, it's very affordable.

People think 3, 500 is so much.

It's not, it's not.

It's cause it's over that period of time.

So much.

If you're, if you're paying right in LA, you could be sad.

Yeah.

You could say, right.

Yeah.

I had to say it guys.

I had to say it.

Right.

Yeah.

Um.

So getting back to the strike.

Okay.

As an actor who in the beginning saw that the writers were going

on strike, did you know, cause I know there was a vote that happened

before SAG actually went on strike.

So did you, did you get a feeling that it was going to happen?

I mean, you knew it was was up.

So I'll tell you this.

So on Grown ish I, uh, I was standing for little Yachty, Drewski

and a couple other characters.

Um, The AD told us, oh, he told you, she, oh, she told you, excuse me.

She told you, she told you.

So you had a little like heads up.

Yes.

So when you, I mean like, I mean, acting, this is your life, man.

Yes.

And that's what pays your bills.

Yes.

So, I mean, what goes through your mind when you're like, okay, well,

because it's not like, it's not like, you know, it's not like, you

know, we're talking, it's not like.

You have billions and millions of dollars for everything like The

Rock, but The Rock has paid like 10 million dollars for everything.

Exactly.

You're like a SAG member who's done a whole bunch, right?

But even still, it's like...

No one has such a large of a nest egg until they're a millionaire because in L.

A.

it costs so much, the cost of living is high.

Gas right now is like at 6.

39.

6.

39 it was 6.

79 at the corner, right in no, you're right.

We're here in, uh, by the way, once again, we're in the BJ's at Burbank.

Uh, quick shout out to the, uh, manager, David.

David, who's letting us record here.

Yeah.

Um, but, so.

I mean, since that's your livelihood, that's where your bills get paid,

what goes through your mind when you're like, I had to stand in

solidarity, but then I need money.

Cause like you said, now it's like, you got to take a sign job

to cover that until sag is over.

That's what it becomes.

It becomes a honing in on your other skills you had before acting,

which is for me, it was sports.

So being a PE teacher was, it was right around the corner for me.

Um, I know fellow actors, um, a couple of people that were on

Netflix shows on, um, Outer Banks.

My boy was on Outer Banks, All American, and now he's doing Amazon Flex.

I have another guy that was on All American Homecoming.

He had two guest starring roles on there, and he did some other stuff on Grown ish.

And now he's a server at a restaurant.

You know, a lot of people don't understand this.

There is a significant amount...

Not everyone in SAG and WG is rich.

That's not the...

That's not...

You know, there's a lot of money to be made there.

There's a lot of money.

But what happens is, with a lot of these strikes, is that...

The unions are really there to protect you from when, when you're active, exactly.

When you're not active, there's not a whole lot of nothing.

There's nothing there for you.

I do appreciate the fact that they have a food drives.

There's actually 50 percent off at Tocala.

Tocala.

Yeah.

And Tender Greens right now.

Oh, for my SAG members, get out there.

Tocala, Tender Greens, 50 percent off everything.

You can bring up to eight people to your party.

Wow.

I, I, Hey.

Sag members.

Hey, say, say one more time just in case they didn't hear you.

For my sag members, go out to Tokala.

sag member.

Yeah, you have to be a sag member.

You need three golden tickets.

Yes.

At 3, 500.

Um, and go out to Tendergreens.

You get 50 percent off uh, now on your order.

So, you know, you're thinking like, okay, we'll have to rely on my other skills.

And now it's been several months since, um, you know, that happened.

And very recently, what, yesterday or the day before?

WGA finds a tentative agreement with, um, the 24th, the 24th, Sunday,

Sunday is currently Tuesday, which is crazy that they call it a tentative

agreement because I've never, I've never really heard of this before.

I've always heard like, cause, uh, so there've been five of the strikes

previous to this one, 2008 is the one people have recent memories,

but really, uh, and those of you listened to the show before, you know.

That when we first looked at the strike all the way back in uh, may

april That usually strikes happen with a change in technology Exactly.

They have been always timed with a change in technology and with this ai stuff.

It's time with the change in technology right and uh, i'm going

to reference one in the 80s right with a wj strike in the 80s because

With that one they were getting it.

It was like striking about digital.

Now.

This is technically specifically wga But they did not have a

tentative, uh, agreement back then.

Didn't have a tentative agreement in 08.

And now, for some reason, modernly, they have a tentative agreement.

Uh, which to me just sounds temporary.

It's just a band aid on an open wound.

Yeah, that's all they keep doing is the band aid.

But I've never, like, so what, like, like, Do you think SAG is

gonna have a tentative agreement?

Okay.

Or...

Ah, my opinion on that is very off the wall because...

When the strike happened in May, April, May, when we found out, um, AI wasn't

the forefront of why they were going on strike, but once all the information

started to come out, SAC started saying, this is the reason why we're

on strike, because of AI, because they wanted to keep everybody in solidarity.

Let me ask you a question.

, you, I mean, you obviously support the strike, right?

What is the main reason that you support, support the strike?

Uh, got, 'cause I know this is a whole bunch of, okay.

Hey, the reason why I support the strike is, is the ai, the AI clause,

because this is how I got my vouchers.

I was doing background, I was background on show called Never

had re stream me on Netflix.

Four Seasons straight.

Yeah.

I got all my vouchers in a.

Wow.

That's rare.

That is rare.

That's very rare.

So that's because he's, he's good at what he does.

He's like, Hey, I gotta, he's good at what he does.

I got all my vouchers in a month.

Right?

So knowing that, and knowing that there was guys on set and women that

were doing background for five, six years and only have a one voucher.

Wow.

Two vouchers.

Yeah.

That's why I'm against AI because there's people out there

that are busting their butts.

To get these vouchers to become sex so they can get those auditions.

So they can get signed to that agency to get that audition.

So they can speak on that TV show, their favorite show, whether it's general

hospital, all American, uh, all my children grown ish, whatever it can be,

sex in the city, whatever it is, right.

People bust their butts doing background for these

opportunities and for you to just.

Take a, uh, a scan of us for a hundred dollars and give us a

hundred dollars and save that scan.

Well, I, I'm apologizing right there.

For our listeners who aren't really fully understanding what the scope

of this AI is, because we've said it before on our show, exactly what it is.

But I want you guys to hear it from the mouth of someone who's

actually being, uh, affected by this.

I've been scanned on All American, actually.

They scanned you?

So, I'm sorry, explain to the listeners what's going on with this AI scan.

Because they might not know, even though we've said it before.

Just to reiterate.

Yeah, so I'll give you guys an example of the day.

You get to set.

They put you in wardrobe.

You stand in front of a green screen.

And you stand face front.

You stand left sideways, right sideways, and back.

And then you do a dance move, but do the dance move spinning.

And they have you on footage and they scan your body, scan your movements,

they scan everything about you.

They can duplicate you about 7 to 8 times on the television.

And you only get paid once.

You only get paid once, 100.

When originally you would be paid every single time you were on set.

And it's not only 100, it's significantly more.

And living here in Los Angeles and being an actor yourself, this is money that you

are going to need to survive out here.

So before the strike, prior to the strike you were getting paid 187.

If you're Union.

If you're 180, uh, for eight hours, but now once the strike started, uh, because

we have big name actors like Angelina Jolie, Brad Pitt, all these other guys,

A list guys that need to be working, SAG signed the quote unquote under the table

tentative deal that allowed SAG actors to continue working on sets that have

already written scripts and have already had hired directors prior to the strike.

So how does it make you feel exactly?

You know, because like it's, it's, it's, you know, it's like, do you

feel like they're like, oh, my point about that was the pay went up.

So instead of 187, now it's 208.

So it's like 30, a 30.

Do you want to keep it higher?

I think we can go even higher because the non union.

Give me a, number that, I mean, cause I'm not an actor.

I mean for, I'm going to, I'm going to be honest with you.

To make, to have six figures, to be considered a six

figure caliber human being.

In our tax bracket.

You need to, you need to make $236 a day.

236 could be a day, be six figures, so can be considered six figures.

Okay?

That's a day though.

Yeah, it's true.

And you're only gonna get back, well work three to four times a week.

So what people understand that as an actor, You only

get paid when you get hired.

It's not like a, uh, it's not like a nine to five where it's like,

Oh, I'm gonna be there tomorrow and the day after and the day after.

It's not, it's not as guaranteed.

If you're, the show gets canceled or something like that, you don't know

where the next job's coming from.

This could be the last gig you get for a minute.

So this money is important because you might have to sit on it for a while.

Yeah, it's something you need to remember too, whether it's background,

standing work, whatever it is.

You're only as good as your last job.

Yes.

You're only as good as your last job.

So, where do you see, um, How do you think Cause WGA, there's this

huge thing all over the news about the tenant deal and da la la.

How does that make you feel as a SAG actor?

Don't you guys feel like you're kind of being pushed to the side a little bit?

I mean, cause I mean, I would, I would feel that way.

Not, you know, it might not be true.

I honestly, because I'm somebody that's following it, um, not under a microscope,

but I'm actually following it in the life.

I'm not reading articles.

I'm actually in the life.

I'm actually getting, still getting texts from Central Casting.

So that's how I knew that the price of pay went up.

Cause Central Casting is actually a show that's, I can send

you now, I got a text today.

Uh, there's a show that's actually shooting currently.

So you can see with your own eyes.

Um, Central Casting availability.

Oh, he famous.

Right?

What does it say here?

Union, BG.

Oh no, I am, I am looking at this message ladies and gentlemen.

What's the show that's shooting?

It says, Howlin Harper.

Uh, uh, date, Thursday, September 28th, 2023.

It's for Jesse's brother.

It is union.

It is here in LA and they are, the rate is being per background, 208 for a day.

So seeing that in under the pay went up, I know that the writers

are getting what they wanted.

So basically what the writers got on the tentative agreement is, um, residual pay.

Yes.

So that means they're getting residual pay on streaming networks.

Yes.

I don't know if that means for the old projects, for like Different World and

all these other projects, I don't know if that's what that means for them.

They haven't released enough details about it, uh, as of this moment.

But, from what we've read, we know that it's just new projects

that are gonna be coming out and writers will get what they want.

Yes.

So that makes me feel good.

Cause if they got what they wanted, we'll know we're gonna get what we wanted.

Yeah.

And I feel like 208...

But how long?

How long, how long till that happens?

I'm, I could be honest with you because actors, actors, actors have

historically been, I don't wanna say oppressed, 'cause this is a little much

oppressed because it's not really true.

We're in some hiatus of though, but like historically, actors are always the first

ones to be, uh, put on the spotlight.

Yes.

When it comes to this kind of stuff.

But we're in the time of hiatus, so the time of hiatus for the people that don't

know, normally prior to covid things, things changed up due to Covid, but

prior to Covid, You would, we would, any show would go until November.

So we'll say November 17th, you'll go on a break for Thanksgiving

until December 7th or 8th.

You'll come back to work and you'll work until December 20th, and then

you'll go on break from December 20th all the way till January 7th.

Well, January 7th is when the shows come back.

So between November and January, you're only on set maybe about three weeks.

So no shows.

Really?

I mean, well, actually, no, that's, that's the shutdown time.

Holiday time.

Everybody shuts down.

Yeah, so there's three weeks of just, of work.

We'll say there's three to four weeks in between those three months

where you're actually gonna be on set working for a full week to get paid.

Correct?

Yeah.

Making a decision now won't affect anything.

The people who make the decisions, they're holding out.

So that way the holiday time, people have no money to buy stuff.

That's why the tentative agreement is coming right before the holiday.

Think about it.

It's coming up for the holiday.

People are already losing their houses.

They're, they're, they're actors.

Now you can do research on it.

There's actors now selling memorabilia.

There's actors now saying I walk your dog for 500.

There's an actor that was like, uh, I think it's a apartment wrecks.

I can't remember his name, but he's walking, he's walking dogs for 500.

So, I mean, it's 500 an actor walking my dog.

That's ridiculous.

It's crazy because you, you, I mean, you don't, you don't, and it just shows

the fickleness of this industry, but a lot of people think that like, oh,

once I get in once, I'm in for good.

No.

Like Cass says, you're only as good as your last job is a consistent grind.

It's not like, Oh, I did this once.

So I'm cool in forever.

The industry is not like that anymore.

Now we're going to do one commercial back in the eighties and be set forever.

That's not how they do that.

You know, he is, but a consistent grind.

Right.

And when the work dries up, you know, I mean, our, so our last

episode Cass was on, uh, IOTC and they're not going to strike because.

You know, first of all, their contract isn't up.

And also there's tons of work for them.

All right.

Like tons of work when there's streaming, I tell a lot of people this, when

you want to break into the industry.

I mean, if you wanna be sag and you were an actor, and you were a writer,

director, whatever, have those goals.

But if you wanna get your foot in the door.

Yep.

Ii i ii, you wanna be on big name sets as soon one as possible.

ii, learn how to grip.

Dude ii learn how to be, and I don't even wanna be PAs.

That's what everyone that's like, oh, I'll just get you a coffee.

That's easy.

No.

Learn how to play with, I call the metal Legos, the C stands and all that stuff.

Learn how to hang some lights.

And be good at it.

Yeah.

PAs are the bottom of the totem pole.

Right.

But they're under background.

Right.

And no one even wants to be key grips.

Nobody wants to And yet they're above PAs.

Exactly.

So I thought we would get into that.

And you can even talk about the pay on that.

I remember I was speaking with the locations guy on Snowfall and he

was saying they get 24 an hour.

Yeah.

So then I said, how can I get higher?

How can I get a higher pay?

Took a walk around the block.

I went to Crafty.

Crafty makes 40 an hour to start.

Yes.

40 an hour.

If you got the flick of the wrist, as they say, if you got the No, no, no, no.

Crafty now post COVID, you don't do anything but hand them stuff now.

Oh, that's true.

You gotta think about it.

So, so, cause when I started, they used to make it fresh.

They used to make it fresh, but now nothing's fresh but the

coffee and the tea that you drink.

Yes, because of, because of health, newer health regulations.

Everything is, everything is pre wrapped.

You know, the person comes up, can I have a bag of chips?

Here's your bag of chips.

Hey, can I have this?

I gotta be real, bro.

I, I, I miss, I miss when it was hot.

You get paid 4 an hour just to stand there.

I miss it was hot when you get spaghetti and meatball and like, you know.

Dude, I remember my first time on set, I was on, uh, Never Have I Ever.

And it was like, you know, it's buffet style.

You just walk up and you do it yourself.

Right?

Yes.

Yeah, you just get it yourself.

You can't do it no more.

Dude.

Can't do it no more.

Uh, for our listeners who need to know, um, Cass and I have done some work before.

Um, and I happen to know that Cass is a really great actor.

Uh, and uh, I appreciate you.

You, you're coming out.

Oh, thank you.

Thank you.

But, uh, one thing that I know about CAST is that he's always doing something.

There's always something that he's up to.

always.

I get you.

Not, I've gone to, I've, I've started working on a set, well, not even.

Knowing his name wasn't even on the call sheet and then he

shows up and he's like, yeah.

Yeah, I'm here I'm like, yo, where you at?

Since when?

When did they hire you?

I saw the call sheet, you weren't here before.

And he's always like, I'm here now.

This is my mommy, right?

Yeah, my mommy.

Oh man.

I'm sorry.

That was great.

That was great.

My Molly was, uh, was a great experience.

Uh, shout out to my boy Mike Iel and my boy Justin Alexander and, uh, Trinity.

Gabrielle.

Yeah.

My, uh, Darla.

Oh, Mike.

Mike Darla.

Mike Darr.

Yeah.

Sorry.

Scratch Iel.

That's not on the record.

No, Mike say Mike Dar.

Um, so.

What other projects are you working on?

Let the audience know what's happening.

Cause I know, I know it's something.

Give him a little, he has his finger on a pulse.

He's on the inside.

What's going on?

What's coming up?

Oh man, so I'm working on a play.

Okay.

I'm producing a play here in Los Angeles, California.

It's called Corporate Dilemmas.

Oh, I've seen that set.

Yes.

I've only seen a set.

So it looks like it's big stuff going on.

Very, very immersive play.

Uh, definitely check event.

Bright.

Uh, October 13th is our opening night.

Uh, corporate dilemmas.

Check event bright for that.

October 13th.

October 13th.

I can't give too many details.

I signed in.

No, you can't.

You can't.

Yes.

This is the radio.

You better watch out.

Yeah, you can't do that.

Um, where can they follow you?

Oh, you can follow me on Instagram.

Um, at Cassafias, C A S S I P H I A S.

Once again, that's C A S S I P H I A S.

Oh, and to finish the question of projects, I also have a

project that I'm working on now, uh, called, uh, Candy Rain.

It's about four assassins.

They're women.

So it's a twist on Charlie's Angels.

Instead of them solving the problem.

Yeah, they're creating the problem and Finishing the problem.

Oh Hey, hey, keep a lookout for that.

Is there any date that we might be able to uh, we're in we're shooting

now We're actually in production.

We're in production.

Yeah, we're in production.

I mean always check out Tubi.

Shout out to Greedy Underdog Mafia, GPS Filmworks You know him, Love, Lust,

and Money 2 and 3 My boy Derek was actually a cinematographer for that one.

I was.

Yeah, yeah, yeah, yes he was.

Yeah, shooting dice at the park.

Yeah.

That was an interesting day.

Very interesting.

All right, great.

Well, guys, this has been Film Center.

My name is Derek Johnson II.

And my name is Kasefius Guerrero.

And we'll see you next time.

This has been Film Center on Comic Con Radio.

Check out our previous episodes at FilmCenterNews.

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