Since I am just starting out, what should I do before considering joining SAG?  I’ve heard people say that you are not supposed to pay to be in this business. Can you explain?

When people advise that you are  not  supposed to pay, they are  probably  alerting  you to scam  artists who claim  they are  legitimate agents and are only  out  there to  take your money.  Just so  you know, agents  should  not  charge  you a dime up front.  They  are entitled  to 10% from  the  jobs  they  arrange for  you,  but  no up  front  fees.  Paying  SAG a yearly fee is what union actors  do to enjoy benefits and have their rights  protected.  Since you are just starting out, it may serve you well to experience what being an actor is all about. Look into working as an extra in order to get exposure to a set, learn the lingo and network. Take acting workshops in college, Hollywood or wherever you can access them. Cold reading classes are especially valuable because it will teach you to think on your feet and learn valuable audition techniques. You will also learn the lingo such as “sides” which means script. You will need to learn the jargon for auditions. If you have friends in the business you may want to ask them for recommendations on workshops or teachers. Some workshops offer showcasing to agents at the end of the workshop series and more than likely you can land your first agent in that scenario.