To operators from different countries

[Matias Mesa]

Lately in my country there is this big debate between producers and film technicians, about how should a standard day be; we currently have a 12hr day and 12hr turn arround. But some producers are trying to go to a 12hr day with a 10hr turn arround. I 'm wondering how is it in different countries all arround the globe. I know Canada and US is 10 and 10 but how about Spain, South Africa, Australia, etc. I would like to hear your thoughts.

 

Best to all.

 

Matias Mesa

[Brad Grimmett]

Well, in my experience the US is not 10 and 10. Maybe 10 hours turnaround (except on those tortuous jobs), but never a 10 hour workday. I just finished a feature and we did an average of 14 hours a day, 6 days a week for 7 weeks straight (not counting travel time), so 10 hours would have been a dream. We did have at least 10 hours turnaround, which is OK, although 12 would be much better.

France has recently been considering a longer work week (their current standard is 35 hours per week), they want to make 40 hours the standard and it's caused an uproar among workers. If we could only get it down to about 50 I'd be happy. 80 hours a week is just no fun.

[James Puli]

G'day from Australia

 

Down Under we run a standard 10 hr day (on everything except commercials which is 8 hours), but everything MUST have a 10 hour turn around. (Working a standard 50 hour week on Drama etc unless otherwise agreed). Depending on where in the world the production is from they will try and change this to get the most for their money. I know that on Charlotes Web (shooting at the moment) the production was trying to negotiate a standard 12 hour day with a 9 hour turn around. I'm not sure wether this was agreed to or not.

 

The 10 hour turn around is pretty much the only thing the union (almost non existant) down here enforces. Its not so much the union enforcing it, but everyone knows the rules and doesnt mess with it. Unless you are working on a Chinease or Korean TVC which you do pretty much what ever to get the job done, often including piles of overtime ( $$ ). But its generally enforced pretty well.

 

The 10 hours here is before over time. Generally, gaffers and grips especially, will only work a 14 hour day, and I have seen many a gaffer turning lights off because of this (often during shots - it gives a nice fading effect done in camera lol). Obviousley if crew are driving trucks, generators etc home (as we generally dont have drivers, and often very different locations each day) it is unsafe to work any more. And this depends on where the location is in relation to the city as well. Any thing over 30km from the city attracts additional penalties.

 

The list of variables on this one goes on and on. At the end of it and because of the lack of union activity (at least on the shoots which I tend to work on) it is what ever the crew will do for the money.

 

But the 10/10 I would say is the standard.

 

JP

Melbourne Australia

[Matias Mesa]

Over here 12 and 12 is the standard thing but Producers are pushing to get a 12 and 10 day. I'm not up for that but if anything changes it should go to 10 and 10. You allways do overtime but its based after the 10th hour.

 

Please add some mor info please!!.

 

thanks to all.

 

 

Matias Mesa

[Stephen Murphy]

Hi Matias,

 

I started a similar thread in march last year: if you do a search in Gen. Discussion for a topic called "International working conditions" you should find it: there is some very usefull info there.

 

Below is a link i found to a document that the CML (Cinematography mailing list) put together to try and standarise working conditions around the world: its a table of varying working conditions globally:

http://www.cinematography.net/Files/CML%20...ours%20v0.2.pdf

 

If you join up the CML (www.cinematography.net) you will find an ongoing discussion entitled "12 on/12 off" which is about this same issue: Haskell Wexler is actually shooting a documentary about it and is one of the many people leading the charge so to speak.

 

Hope this helps,