Jeff Wexler Posted September 28, 2012 Author Report Share Posted September 28, 2012 +1 to what Laurence says. It may have taken 7 years to join the Union and it may have been rocky start, but I would never wanted to turn back once I was in the Union doing great movies with wonderful people, working with the benefit of union representation. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vincent R. Posted September 28, 2012 Report Share Posted September 28, 2012 I edited my post a bit Jeff, any comments on that, that you have to be in an union to get certain projects? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jeff Wexler Posted September 28, 2012 Author Report Share Posted September 28, 2012 I bet it's different here in holland then; retirement plans and healthcare has nothing to do with unions. And Jeff worked already a whole career before joint the union, somewhat I read you "have" to join the union to get a career. Correct me if I'm wrong but that sounds strange, to be on a union to get a certain job. You are very right about it being different in Holland (and just about every other civilized country in the world) when it comes to healthcare. One of the best aspects of union membership here in the US is the benefit of a healthcare plan that for the most part works quite well. I will add, however, that as good as our union healthplan is, it must operate within a system of healthcare that is so seriously flawed, ruled by the for profit insurance companies and big pharma that calls all the shots. As far as having to be in a union to get a certain kind of job --- there is nothing to stop you from working as a sound person but if you want to work on a job where the employer has signed a union contract, you need to be in the union --- doesn't sound so strange to me. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vincent R. Posted September 28, 2012 Report Share Posted September 28, 2012 And I bet all the big studios/production corps have signed such agreement? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
studiomprd Posted September 28, 2012 Report Share Posted September 28, 2012 " all the big studios/production corps have signed such agreement? " pretty much, yes, that is why non-union productions are called independent; however the big corporation who have signed the contracts keep forming little sub-corporations that have not signed the contracts, in order to try to get around the unions... very complex. Keep in mind, the union does not get its members jobs, but there are many jobs that require union membership. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jeff Wexler Posted September 28, 2012 Author Report Share Posted September 28, 2012 Keep in mind, the union does not get its members jobs, but there are many jobs that require union membership. The only jobs that require union membership, as stated before, are the jobs where the employer has signed a contract that requires them to hire union members... it just so happens that that is the majority of quality (and sometimes not so quality) jobs. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jeff Wexler Posted September 28, 2012 Author Report Share Posted September 28, 2012 "If memory serves me, don't I recall that Haskell, made a "suitcase" camera, used to catch some clandestine moments on set. Pictures of the suitcase camera?" It was a "covert camera" so no pictures of it at work. It was one of the Arri 35 BLs we had on the job put in a prop suitcase that had a whole in the side for the lens to look out. Hector Figueroa, the "B" camera operator, dressed in period wardrobe and walked around through the migrant camp filming the extras who day after day began to treat the migrant camp set like a true migrant camp. "The Group System was done away in 1977, when the I.A.T.S.E. recognized the need to unionize the new medium of videotape. Had they allowed those folks in under the Group System, they too would have come in as Group 3's, and been relegated to the same restrictions that were placed on Jeff, and those before him." There also was a second lawsuit that challenged the whole seniority system around that time and to avoid costly time in the courts the I.A. upgraded everyone in Group 2 and 3 to Group 1 status. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Philip Perkins Posted September 28, 2012 Report Share Posted September 28, 2012 Back to that BFG scene--Jeff did you walk behind the camera with your rig? How much rehearsing was there for the shot? phil p Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jeff Wexler Posted September 29, 2012 Author Report Share Posted September 29, 2012 Actually, I walked along to the side of the camera, and quite a distance away (to avoid camera noise), trying to get as much sync (what the camera sees) ambience and chatter from people in the migrant camp, as well as the boss's barker calling for "30 more pickers for the day" as we approached David Carradine and Randy Quaid for dialog on the wireless. We didn't really rehearse too much but we did do several takes, but obviously only one of them was used in its entirety (I think take 2). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Philip Perkins Posted September 29, 2012 Report Share Posted September 29, 2012 Actually, I walked along to the side of the camera, and quite a distance away (to avoid camera noise), trying to get as much sync (what the camera sees) ambience and chatter from people in the migrant camp, as well as the boss's barker calling for "30 more pickers for the day" as we approached David Carradine and Randy Quaid for dialog on the wireless. We didn't really rehearse too much but we did do several takes, but obviously only one of them was used in its entirety (I think take 2). Great mix--lots of detail, actor's voices sound great, right perspective for barker and the truck driving off. Recorded to mono, I assume. phil p Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jeff Wexler Posted September 29, 2012 Author Report Share Posted September 29, 2012 Mono for sure, Nagra 4.2. I did do some 2-track recordings with the fairly new Stereo Nagra (no timecode but then we didn't need timecode) but I had to give the transfer department (in L.A. at Todd-AO) advance warning so they could transfer the 2-track tapes with a rented Stereo Nagra. The final movie was released in mono as well. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
larry long Posted September 29, 2012 Report Share Posted September 29, 2012 wow and holy crapballs! what great history! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
studiomprd Posted September 29, 2012 Report Share Posted September 29, 2012 " someone living in another state, can become a member of Local 695 " this sort of thing isn't unusual, and it means that you work with the same terms and conditions as any other 695 member on any given gig. BTW, the L695 jurisdiction is not CA, but LA County.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Laurence Posted September 30, 2012 Report Share Posted September 30, 2012 Local 695 members can work where ever the employer takes us and are not limited in the manner the Senator claims. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Laurence Posted September 30, 2012 Report Share Posted September 30, 2012 I'm not able to answer those questions, Richard, but members with questions like this should direct them to one of the Reps at 695. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
studiomprd Posted October 1, 2012 Report Share Posted October 1, 2012 " Local 695 members can work where ever the employer takes us and are not limited in the manner the Senator claims. " please, do not put words into my mouth, as I have enough trouble with the words I put into it! Local 695's charter specifies its jurisdiction, and that is still (basically) LA County. Of course any production that falls under the jurisdiction of a "West Coast" contract can, and do work where ever the gig takes them, and under the terms of the contract applicable. There are 695 members who do not actually reside in LA (695's jurisdiction), but as members they can get those jobs. Uf the gig is in LA, the employer is not obligated under the contract to pay any sort of travel housing or associated expenses for this 695 member to deal with the fact they do not actually reside in LA. conversely, if they are actually residing at the shoot's "distant location", they are actually entitled to receive any and all the same payments and expenses as any and all other 695 members on the shoot receive. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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