You can get hired for guild work as a non guild member, usually you join the guild after though.

And that is the main gatekeeping mechanism that keeps so many talented young writers, actors, cinematographers, etc. out of the game or working for pennies on the dollar as assistants.

It’s great when you’re in but if you don’t have the connections to get in you can find yourself on the outs for years.

If a SWE guild can find a way to eliminate the nepotism and create a meritocratic way to get into a guild…

Sure, it's obviously possible. If it weren't there would never be new actors on the scene.

But the number of times I've heard directors and such tell stories about how they wrote a line for a non-speaking part as a favor to the actor in the role, solely to allow them to get their SAG card, is disturbing.

It's indicative of a high degree of gatekeeping.

The sag rules have changed in recent years to be a lot simpler.