I have Lt. Matt Caldwell to thank for pushing me to joining SAG-AFTRA.

A little history. When I got my first agent, I was already hearing about the drawbacks of joining SAG-AFTRA. Of course you have to keep in mind that my first agent was based in Denver, CO... in a modified Right To Work state. Layer onto that the shortage of incentives to bring film and television work to the state and you find that there is a LOT more non-union work available than union work. So, the standing advice is "don't join the union unless you have to," and even then I was advised to join as a Fi-Core member to keep my options open., I never seriously considered that though.

The thing is, I have goals that don't involve working on non-union projects with no protections and a real wild-west attitude toward compensation for actors. Which meant I was going to join the union, the question was when.

Then I booked my first union film, "Paul's Promise" through my agent in New Mexico I was suddenly qualified to join. When I got my SAG Eligibility notification I was beside myself, I was on my way. But I had it in mind that I was still represented in Colorado, and the work was still mainly non-union, so I held my ground and didn't join... yet.

Then I booked Better Call Saul... Steve the Security Guy (yeah, same name, not confusing on set at all). This was the moment I was bumped up to the status of "Must Join." Which meant I was still okay but the next union part I booked, I'd have to join before could step on set.

I couldn't wait to get that next union gig! Still, I held my ground, and that was a good choice for me because I didn't live in a market where I was competing for union work every day, sometimes not even every month, or quarter. But I was still getting on sets, and in front of cameras, with student projects thanks to Colorado Film School and folks like Camdan Mead. I'm still waiting to see "It's Time." Camdan... just sayin'.

All of which eventually leads me to "Waco: The Aftermath" in 2022. I read for at least three roles on this project, and when I booked this they had changed the character's name to Lt. Matt Caldwell, so it took me a minute to figure out which one I actually landed. Not that it mattered, honestly, because it was time to finally join the union. And no-one was going to be able to talk me out of it, it was all or nothing.

Which is the short story of how I got here. It was a long path of work, training, patience, sarifice, and perseverance... but not a single regret.