IATSE Local 491
IATSE Local 491 is a regional labor union local under IATSE International, representing below-the-line film and television production technicians across all crafts in North Carolina, South Carolina, and the Savannah, GA vicinity, providing collective bargaining, a referral list, and member benefits.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded-
- HeadquartersWilmington, United States
- Headcount1–10
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
What IATSE Local 491 does
IATSE Local 491 is a regional labor union local chartered under the International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees, Moving Picture Technicians, Artists and Allied Crafts of the United States, its Territories and Canada (AFL-CIO-CLC). Headquartered at 1924 South 16th Street in Wilmington, NC, it is the exclusive collective bargaining representative for below-the-line film and television production technicians across all crafts (Art, Construction, Craft Service, Electrical, Greens, Grip, Location, Marine, Paint, Plaster, Props, Set Decoration, Sound/Video, Special Effects, Wardrobe and Welfare) in North Carolina, South Carolina, and the Savannah, GA vicinity. The organization is member-governed through an elected executive board and is structured as a nonprofit membership entity, with no private equity, venture, or public ownership.
Its core offering is union membership, supplemented by a craft-segmented referral list database (accessible via the member dashboard at 491.iaentertainment-locals.org), which functions as a labor marketplace connecting signatory productions with qualified technicians. Supporting technology is modest in scope: the IATSE Safety Info App (iOS and Android, bilingual English/French) provides safety bulletins, hazard reporting, and a persistent dialer to the IATSE Safety Hotline, alongside a toll-free safety hotline (844-422-9273). The ASA Safety Pass program tracks required safety training for new members.
The revenue model combines three streams: a $1,000 one-time initiation fee plus a $100 International application fee (non-refundable), recurring annual dues of $280 per member payable quarterly regardless of employment status, and 3% working assessments on gross wages paid only when working under a collective bargaining agreement. Additional member benefits are delivered through partnerships with the IATSE National Benefit Fund (employer-paid medical and annuity, optional 401(k) up to $250/week, up to 8 weeks parental leave) and UNION-PLUS programs including Sharonview Federal Credit Union access from $25. Membership growth requires 60 days of verifiable craft experience, sponsorship, a multi-step application process, and mandatory New Member Orientation.
IATSE Local 491 firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- IATSE Local 491
- Legal name
- International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees, Moving Picture Technicians, Artists and Allied Crafts of the United States, its Territories and Canada, AFL-CIO-CLC
- Website
- https://iatse491.com
- Company type
- Private
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1–10 employees
- Short description
- IATSE Local 491 is a regional labor union local under IATSE International, representing below-the-line film and television production technicians across all crafts in North Carolina, South Carolina, and the Savannah, GA vicinity, providing collective bargaining, a referral list, and member benefits.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
IATSE Local 491 industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Labor Union Representation Services
- NAICS
- Professional Organizations (81392)
- SIC
- Services-Membership Organizations (8600)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Crew & Labor Services (Production Staff, Unions, Payroll) (MPADAFAA)
Keywords
Where IATSE Local 491 is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Wilmington
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices2 records
Markets served
IATSE Local 491 business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Others, Marketing or Sales
Revenue model
- Membership Dues: Annual dues of $280 per year for members in good standing, payable quarterly regardless of employment status. These dues fund the Local's operations and servicing of collective bargaining agreements.
- Working Assessments (3%): Working dues paid as a percentage of gross wages (currently 3%). This portion of dues is used to help pay for servicing collective bargaining agreements. Only paid when working on a project under an agreement.
- Initiation Fee: One-time initiation fee of $1,000 plus $100 International application fee (non-refundable), paid when joining the union. Total join cost is $1,380 including one year's dues.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| One time/ perpetual license | Pay-as-you-go | One-time membership initiation fee |
| Subscription | Annual | Annual membership dues |
| Usage-based | Pay-as-you-go | Working assessments (3% of gross wages) |
Distribution channels1 record
Marketing channels3 records
IATSE Local 491 product offering
Product offeringCore offering
IATSE Local 491 is a chartered labor union local that represents below-the-line film and television production technicians across all major crafts in North Carolina, South Carolina, and the Savannah, GA vicinity. It negotiates collective bargaining agreements with signatory productions, administers member benefits including health coverage and retirement plans through IATSE National Benefit Funds, enforces workplace safety, and operates a referral list to dispatch qualified union crew to productions. Membership is offered to qualified technicians working in covered crafts within the local's jurisdiction.
Product overview
IATSE Local 491 is a labor union representing Film and Television production technicians (below-the-line workers) in the Carolinas and Savannah, GA vicinity. The union's core offering is membership that provides fair wages, health benefits, retirement savings, and safer working conditions through collective bargaining. The union operates a referral list database accessible via a member dashboard, connects members with job opportunities, and provides safety training through the IATSE Safety Info App. Additional services include parental leave benefits, UNION-PLUS discount programs, credit union access, grievance procedures, and a mandatory new member orientation program. The organization is part of the International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees (IATSE).
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- IATSE Local 491 Union Membership Membership in the chartered IATSE Local 491 labor union for below-the-line film and television production technicians across all major crafts in North Carolina, South Carolina, and the Savannah, GA vicinity; provides collective bargaining representation, negotiated wages and working conditions, and access to member benefits.
Quantifiable outcome
- Parental leave benefit: up to 8 weeks
- +2 more outcomes
Companies that use IATSE Local 491
Customer profileSegments1 record
Ideal customer profiles1 record
IATSE Local 491 technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature1 record
IATSE Local 491 partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Two partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.
- Sharonview Federal Credit UnionminorThrough UNION-PLUS program, members have access to Sharonview Federal Credit Union which serves Charlotte, Fayetteville, and Wilmington areas. Members can open an account for as little as $25 and immediately begin enjoying credit union benefits.
- National Benefit Fund (NBF)coreThe NBF is the International's sponsored benefits program providing medical coverage and annuity plans for members working under Area Standards, Commercial, Music Video, and Independent Agreements. Provides employer-paid medical coverage and annuity contributions.
Scale indicators1 record
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights4 records
IATSE Local 491 competitors and assessment
Company assessmentOthers
- Writers Guild of America: Entertainment union representing film/TV writers. Adjacent rather than directly comparable to Local 491, but its strike actions (most recently 2023) directly halt film/TV production activity that drives Local 491's working-assessment revenue.
Broad incumbents
- SAG-AFTRA: The major U.S. entertainment union representing actors, broadcasters, and some below-the-line roles. Operates a parallel collective bargaining and benefits structure on overlapping productions and sets the industry-wide labor standard that IATSE locals follow.
- IATSE International: Parent federation of IATSE, including Local 491. Sets national contract templates, administers the National Benefit Fund, and coordinates cross-local bargaining — the structural backbone on which Local 491's benefits and recognition depend.
- Directors Guild of America: Entertainment union representing directors, assistant directors, and unit production managers in film/TV. Shares the collective-bargaining framework and jurisdiction overlap on the same productions, often coordinating contract cycles with IATSE.
- IATSE Local 600 – International Cinematographers Guild: The largest IATSE local, representing camera professionals globally. Operates a similar collective bargaining and referral model for camera/cinematography crafts, and overlaps with Local 491's jurisdiction for camera-specific roles.
Direct peers
- Teamsters Local 399: Hollywood-based Teamsters local representing drivers, location managers, and animal wranglers in film/TV production. Provides the same below-the-line labor representation model on adjacent crafts and frequently co-represents productions with IATSE.
- IATSE Local 871: IATSE local representing production coordinators, production accountants, and other office/administrative crafts in film/TV. Provides an adjacent referral-list and collective bargaining service to productions in the same studios and geographic markets as Local 491.
- IATSE Local 80: New York City-based IATSE local covering grips, crafts service, and other below-the-line film/TV crew roles. Shares the multi-craft referral, collective bargaining, and training-oriented service model with Local 491, but at substantially larger scale.
- IATSE Local 479: Atlanta-based IATSE local representing below-the-line film/TV technicians across all crafts in Georgia — the closest functional competitor for productions choosing between the Carolinas and Atlanta. Directly comparable in craft coverage and referral-based service model.
- IATSE Local 728: Hollywood-based IATSE local covering grips, electricians, and craft service for film/TV production. Operates the same referral-list, collective bargaining, and benefit-fund model as Local 491, serving as the West Coast benchmark for craft scope and benefit levels.
Market position
Strengths4 records
Weaknesses4 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
IATSE Local 491 social profiles
Digital presenceIATSE Local 491 financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
IATSE Local 491 leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles8 records
IATSE Local 491 funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
IATSE Local 491 M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about IATSE Local 491
What does IATSE Local 491 do?
IATSE Local 491 is a chartered labor union local that represents below-the-line film and television production technicians across all major crafts in North Carolina, South Carolina, and the Savannah, GA vicinity. It negotiates collective bargaining agreements with signatory productions, administers member benefits including health coverage and retirement plans through IATSE National Benefit Funds, enforces workplace safety, and operates a referral list to dispatch qualified union crew to productions. Membership is offered to qualified technicians working in covered crafts within the local's jurisdiction.
Is IATSE Local 491 a public or private company?
IATSE Local 491 is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was IATSE Local 491 founded?
IATSE Local 491 was founded in -1. It employs 1 to 10 people.
Where is IATSE Local 491 based?
IATSE Local 491 is headquartered in Wilmington, United States, in the North America region.
How does IATSE Local 491 make money?
Three revenue lines are on record. Membership Dues are the primary driver. The others are working Assessments (3%) and initiation Fee.
Who are IATSE Local 491's main competitors?
Writers Guild of America is listed as an others. Broad incumbents are SAG-AFTRA, IATSE International, Directors Guild of America and IATSE Local 600 – International Cinematographers Guild. Direct peers are Teamsters Local 399, IATSE Local 871, IATSE Local 80, IATSE Local 479 and IATSE Local 728.
Does IATSE Local 491 have an API?
No public API is recorded for IATSE Local 491.
What industry is IATSE Local 491 in?
IATSE Local 491's product category is Labor Union Representation Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is MPADAFAA, Crew & Labor Services (Production Staff, Unions, Payroll). Its NAICS code is 81392 and its SIC code is 8600.