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from the Wall Street Journal:

"NBC Universal plans to cut spending on traditional TV by up to $750 million as viewers and advertisers move to new media. Layoffs are expected across the company's news departments -- including cable operations CNBC and MSNBC -- and the company says it will replace expensive dramas with game shows and other low-cost fare in the 8 p.m. time slot on NBC. "

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from the Wall Street Journal:

"NBC Universal plans to cut spending on traditional TV by up to $750 million as viewers and advertisers move to new media. Layoffs are expected across the company's news departments -- including cable operations CNBC and MSNBC --

and the company says "it will replace expensive dramas with game shows and other low-cost fare in the 8 p.m. time slot on NBC. "

<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<

To be read as catering to the lowest common denominator at 8pm. The adult fare will still be on 9pm-11pm hopefully.

Eric 

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In this market NBC has gone to one man bands... CBS did it a couple years ago on some shoots... someone tell me what a union card is for, please...

J

At the very least, Union membership is the necessary work permit to allow you to work on jobs covered by the collective bargaining agreements. Our Union, the I.A.T.S.E., has not been very successful at preserving the traditional workforce and jobs, but in all fairness this is not specifically nor totally the union's fault --- the employer is always looking for any way that they can re-define the job and hire fewer people.

Regards,  Jeff Wexler

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You must not lose sight of the fact that we work in an "industry," and that industry wants to turn a profit. While we may like to think of the television and film industry as an "art form."  It's not being run by artists, it's being run by people who look at checks and balances.

This is true and wise.

One stumbling block that we face is that there is not really enough recognition for what our work is by directors and producers.  Once they have determined that we are competent professionals who produce nice sounding work and who are pleasant enough to deal with on set, and who can be securely trusted to deliver good tracks without hiccup to the workflow, I don't believe there's enough of a recognizable aesthetic difference between our work (as far as they can hear) that can really motivate them to pick one person over another.  It's one thing when, for example, a DP is famous for a particular *look*.  I think they have an easier time understanding the aesthetic difference, say, between Darius Khondji and Roger Deakins than they have understanding the aesthetic difference, say, between Jeff Wexler and Ed Tise.  It's not that this difference does or does not exist -- that's not the point.  The point is that the difference does not appear to be recognizable or compelling enough to the producer or director's eye to make producers and directors INSIST regularly on one sound mixer or another.  There are examples of this, sure, but it doesn't seem to be the rule rather than the exception.  So then when you throw in things like tax advantages and money savings and practical considerations, we become vulnerable here if we are counting on repeat business.

I've been lucky enough to have a couple of directors and producers who insist that I come back for each of their projects.  But I've had plenty of others who, although I feel I did good work and was given a lot of signs of appreciation throughout the filming process, went to someone else the next time.  I've also been hired to do a director's movie when I knew his previous mixer and knew that the guy who came before me did a good job.  Sometimes it's just because the production manager knew me and not the other guy and the director and producers did not bother to push for that person.  And I see this lack of rewarding good work with repeat business all throughout our industry, from friends and colleagues who experience this to guys who consistently work on nothing but the biggest budget projects.

I'm always suspicious of promises that I'll be "taken along" for the next one, especially when there is little likelihood that the person who is doing the hiring (UPM, line producer, etc) is even going to be on the next one for that director or producer.  This is a usual ploy to try to talk people into doing hard low budget jobs for low pay and with little comfort, and to my mind, it's not wise to follow the carrot.  If you want to do the job as a favor to someone, or because you believe in the work, movie, actors, or director, or because you simply need the cash, go for it.  But I think you have to go in accepting that it's as likely as not that all you're going to get out of the job is the extremely discounted paycheck that the national low-budget IATSE agreement offers (currently about $20 an hour for mixers and $18 an hour for booms, before taxes, often with a very low allotment for equipment and no utility person budgeted).  To do the unpleasant work motivated upon the expectation that you will be rewarded with a "real" job later is, given the way the business works, as likely as not setting yourself up for a hard disappointment.  As a boom operator friend likes to always say, "Expect the worst and hope for the best."

.02 nvt

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Guest Jeffrey Colon

I made my comment about unions as a disallusioned card holder... I saw this NBC BS coming with nabet  and due to issues regarding staff vs freelance union members... in that the contract favored staff.  The company(s) promptly went to a 95% freelance workforce... The shop steward who was a long tenured network employee was laid off...  I didn't like where the neworks were headed with programming (Reality?) anyway, and was lucky to find other (type)clients before this episode...

Those who have completely lost their livleyhood due to the networks going this route are a harbinger of things to come.  If the nets can do it... so can everyone.  At one time I would have hoped my cameraman friends would have demanded at least a soundo to watch their backs...nowadys it seems they take whatever chum is in the water...

Until the people of News and television collectively draw the line, working standards will go down.  For those of you enamored by the glamorous world of film and television, I promise it takes more than Glamour to send a 21 year old to college.

Unfortunately, here in right to work "Hollywood South" this type of post will probably get me blackballed as an organizer...I say screw em and am trying to do what I think is right... Kudos to Ron Scelza for drawing the line recently... If enough of us are willing to stand up for what we believe... I woulnd't be here ranting on a Monday afternoon :-(... FAAAAK!

Jeff C.

Resigned NABET31... Hon. Withdrawl IBEW1200... considering IA478

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I am glad to see the direction this question has taken us.  Years ago, it didn't take me long to realize what the "...then we'll use you on the (better) paying gig" promise is worth: that, and about $5 will get you a cup of coffee, maybe!

Now, if someone I have been doing regular, decent paying work with askes a favor on a project, I'm inclined to go along, but that is after they have earned it!  There are many exploiters out there who burn out crew members (and then spit them out) with those empty promises; they are Pros at it, and in fact, Dov S S Semans teaches the technique in his popular "Hollywood Film Institute" sessions -for which he charges plenty, does not accept "deferrals", or offer discounts!! (also, not to be confused with the legitimate Hollywood Film School, on Sunset at Vine).

It is also common in the rare cases where the "wunderkind" actually gets "discovered" and given a real directing job, that now that there is good money involved, the folks providing said money will also insist on their PM, who will hire her or his favorite crew folks, and politely tell the "wunderkind's" friends that said "wunderkind" did go to bat for them, and strenuously, but that they are making the decision, and are "going another way" on this position!  (This was even the plot of a movie starring Kevin Bacon a number of years ago!).  That's what happened when Columbia Pictures (Sony) "hired" Robert Rodriguez (who had no sound crew on El Mariachi, anyway)...

Sure, Directors,  Producers and UPM's have favorites, and why not?? but frankly I'll bet it is far more about reputation, experience, attitude, set presence, and personality than it is about the specific equipment package or sound quality.

Then there are those incentives:  for example, to get the max incentives for shooting in Canada, only a limited number of Key positions can be filled from outside Canada; sure Canada understands that the Producer(s!), Director and Stars will come from (USA), but after that, the number is controlled.  bring your DP?? OK, but that's one!

The DP wants her/his Gaffer, That's two,  The Director want's his "associate producer"/ 1st AD and regular favorite Script Supervisor, that's three and four, and the favorite Sound Mixer, with her/his regular Boomer, that's five and six, and one of the stars wants her/his favorite Makeup and Hair team (it's in their contract!)... whoops, now we are bringing too many to get the full incentive, so never mind the Sound team!

and BTW, IATSE will organize a show and allow any low rates to continue (as long as they pay H&W, which is the IA's measure of success!).  That has included $10/hr mixer and $8/hour boomer, and OT starts at 14, no meal penalties. All the IA changes is getting H&W hours.

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One thing I guess we might have to accept is that to most of the world we are essentially plumbers.  We do a job that is acknowledged to be necessary but isn't well understood by most people.  As on a construction crew, the architects only really care about the people they deal with directly, and they will go to bat for a crew person they have some kind of good relationship with (including a family one), and otherwise they let their underlings hire whoever they want.  Who THEY want might be someone that comes on a recommendation from a friend or be the person they last worked with who did a good job and didn't make waves.  The reputation of mixers like our host comes from many years of really excellent work, approbation from their peers that takes the form of effusive recommendations, recommendations from respected directors and producers as being someone who can get the job done excellently with a minimum of fuss and a maximum of speed and good humor; and, just as important, is an interesting and outstanding person who they would find good company. The rest of the time we are a name on a list.  (I wish my last name started with "A".)

Philip Perkins

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Hi Senator,

Good to hear from you and see you are doing well... Thank you for the KUDOS... The contributions

from you and our other thoughtful family has made life for me and many of us as good as it can be in these times..

As we are both lifelong members of the IA....  We have been witness to our leaders and administrations and to the voice of our Brothers and Sisters throughout these years both pro and con on safety vs. overtime issues.

I think there is only one solution to this never ending problem of safety -- It is an individual's choice to be true to oneself --- Boils down to... Ones own integrality is more important to oneself then anything else in ones life.  I feel good that I was able to contribute a little bit. 

We survive by the goodwill of others and the support of our group.  I am a proud member of the I.A.T.S.E. and respectful to the challenge of our leaders in this fight to preserve the integrity of the individual through the voice of the majority of our group.

With Haskell's strong lead our concerns of safety will now play a much larger roll in any decision making with regard to sleep  ..  I just screened "Haskell's Wexler's" "Documentary "Who Needs Sleep"... It is a heartbreaking story that was very, very well told. I'm sure that Haskell is proud that his inspiration will lead the way to a better life for many.

Best always

Sincerely

Ron Scelza C.A.S.

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