In support of SAG-AFTRA and Writers Guild of America (WGA) strike

In support of SAG-AFTRA and Writers Guild of America (WGA) strike

By Lynda Carson - August 1, 2023

Oakland - As an individual, I am wholly in support of the strike by the Screen Actors Guild (SAG-AFTRA) and Writers Guild of America (WGA), and hope the striker’s demands are met as soon as possible. The local SAG-AFTRA website for San Francisco and Northern California, may be found by clicking here.

According to the website for SAG-AFTRA, “On July 13, the SAG-AFTRA National Board voted unanimously to issue a strike order against the studios and streamers. This historic decision was made after the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers, or AMPTP, failed to reach a deal that adequately addressed the issues most important to the union's members, including provisions for economic stability and streaming revenue, and protections against the proliferation of artificial intelligence.”

A Message From SAG-AFTRA President Fran Drescher

https://www.sagaftra.org/message-sag-aftra-president-fran-drescher

SAG-AFTRA - San Francisco, Northern California

https://www.sagaftra.org/SFNC

Writers Guild of America (WGA)

https://www.sagaftra.org/get-involved/solidarity-wga

For more information, visit SAG-AFTRA Strike.org. Questions? Email sagaftrastrike [at] sagaftra.org or call 877-8-STRIKE (877-878-7453)

Rob Nilsson’s Tenderloin Action Group, A Drama Actors Group:

Years ago during 1998 and before that, I was a member of local filmmaker, director and actor Rob Nilsson’s actors group called the Tenderloin Action Group. It was later renamed the Tenderloin yGroup, co-founded by filmmaker Rob Nilsson. Click here for a YouTube link to the Tenderloin Action Group.

During 1998, and before, in the Tenderloin area of San Francisco the drama actors group called the Tenderloin Action Group used to meet in a room on Wednesday evenings on the second floor of the Golden Gate YMCA. This was a haven away from the noise, energy, and confusion of the streets.

The drama actors group would vary in size from week to week, and people from all walks of life were welcome to join, for a session of meditation and raising artistic expression to a whole new level. There was no charge to the participants, but donations were welcome.

Reportedly, “volunteer filmmakers, local residents, and the recently homeless (unhoused) would gather weekly for the free workshop that trained participants in film acting, while focusing on an emphasis of personal empowerment, and emotional accessibility.”

The Tenderloin Action Group meeting at the Golden Gate YMCA would to start out by laying down on the floor of the room and meditate for a while, to try to relax, forget about their worries, and tune in to the moment.

After the group meditation session, filmmaker Rob Nilsson and the drama actors group would grab some folding chairs to sit on, and they would form a circle in the room from a group of 12 participants or more, depending on the evening and how many participants appeared for the drama actors improv session.

Then as an example of an exercise during the drama actors session, Rob would pick out a member of the group, and have them stand in the center of the circle. Rob may then ask the person in the circle to take on the role of a fallen man or woman who has “betrayed” himself or herself, and everyone they love. The person in the circle would then do their best at the moment to do an improv act of telling the group how they “betrayed their self,” while 2 camera operators would be recording the improv acting exercise. If the improv session in the circle went well, and was successful, Rob might tell the participant, “I believe that we just saw another level of you that we haven’t seen before.” Often the improv sessions in the circle were intense, very emotional, and in advance one would never know who Rob would pick to stand in the circle, or what type of a role or character that he would want the participant to act during the improve sessions.

Often after the weekly improv acting sessions occurred at the Golden Gate YMCA, Rob Nilsson, myself, and other members of the Tenderloin Action Group would go to Lefty O’Douls in San Francisco for some nourishment, conversation, and friendship.

I used to love being a part of the Tenderloin Action Group while hanging out with Rob Nilsson, and other members of the actors group including Gabriella Maltz Larkin. Back in November of 2001, Gabriella Maltz Larkin and her son Adan Faudoa joined me and others one evening years ago for a rally in support of the “rights of Oakland tenants”, in front of the Oakland City Hall.

The grandfather of Gabriella Maltz Larkin who’s name was Albert Maltz was part of The Hollywood Ten, and was blacklisted by The House Un-American Activities Committee (HUAC) years ago. Though blacklisted, Albert Maltz was a screen writer for many great films including the film Broken Arrow with James Stewart, and The Robe with Richard Burton, Jean Simmons, Victor Mature, and Michael Rennie.

Because of my experience numerous years while I was a part of the Tenderloin Action Group (drama actors group) many years ago, this is why I am wholly in support of the SAG-AFTRA and Writers Guild of America (WGA) strike, and hope that all of their demands are met as soon as possible.

Rob Nilsson, the film Chalk and the Tenderloin Action Group:

Years ago, Rob Nilsson joined longtime collaborator Don Bajema to write a screenplay featuring characters designed for specific Tenderloin Action Group (TAG) members. They made a film titled Chalk released in 1996, which was shot over a four year period with a volunteer crew, and was financed by personal donations and and Bay Area billiard clubs. I saw Chalk back in 1996 at the Castro Theater in San Francisco.

Since then, Rob Nilsson has directed many other films through the years.

The Y Not Quarterly Publication:

Rob’s film actors group used to put out a publication quarterly during 2003 and before called the Y Not Quarterly. During the Spring-Summer Issue of 2003, it marked the first anniversary of the Y Not Quarterly. The managing editor was Pat Wallace. Contributing writers included Rob Nilsson, Constance Taylor, Irit Levi, and Pat Wallace. The editorial consultant was Gabriella Maltz Larkin.

The contents of the 2003, Spring-Summer issue of the Y Not Quarterly included the Mail Pouch - Lynda Carson, tenant activist, reveals the personal risk of going up against the system on Page 3.

Output, What The Cinema Should Do - By Rob Nilsson. Page 5.

Life Distilled - Constance Taylor and Irit Levi offer us their mental imagery. Page 7.

Snips and Clips - yGroup projects and activities. Page 8.

And Persephones Pluck - How I learned to deal with the underworld while waiting for rescue, by Pat Wallace. Page 11.

More about local filmmaker Rob Nilsson may be found by clicking here, or by clicking here.

More about the Tenderloin Action Group and Tenderloin yGroup may be found by clicking here.

If interested, see a few more images below from my Rob Nilsson collection.

Lynda Carson may be reached at newzland2 [at] gmail.com

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