VO-BB - 20 YEARS OLD!

[PJHawke]

I did my first recording for an "entertainment" type gig (music video) and the production co. sent me a work release form to sign. I translated the legalese to "Whatever you did for us here is ours now to do whatever we want with for ever and ever amen etc;" No problem.

But at the bottom, along with the Name/sig/date/etc, was a section for my social security number. Is that SOP for one-off jobs in the entertainment industry? The commercials I've done were always a little less formal and I'm not quick to giving out my SSN to people I'm not establishing a long term relationship with.

[Bish]

Give them your EIN if you have one. It should satisfy any of their reporting and accounting demands. If you don't have one, they're dead easy to get (and free)... here's the linky-link. It's an official government tax ID, linked to your SS number.

... at least, I think that should work
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Bish a.k.a. Bish
Smoke me a kipper... I'll be back for breakfast.
I will not feed the trolls... I will not feed the trolls... I will not feed the trolls... I will not feed the trolls.

[Velfin]

Some of my bigger agent-found jobs had forms asking for SSN.

The instructions on the W-9 say you "may enter either your SSN or EIN" on a W-9 if you're a sole proprietor, but "the IRS prefers that you use your SSN." Wonder if that means they come to your house and give you stern looks if you don't.

Once, there was no VO-release form to be had, so I signed an on-camera release instead, saying they could use my likeness. Despite the fact that they didn't have my likeness.
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Kendra Hoffman
kendrasvoice.com

[Bruce]

For all the protecting we're supposed to do of our SS number from prying, criminal eyes, we're required to hand it out willy nilly to anyone we have financial transactions with. One of life's little conundrums.


B
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VO-BB Member #31 Enlisted June, 2005

I'm not a Zoo, but over the years I've played one on radio/TV. .

[PJHawke]