International Working Practices

[David Allen Grove]

And David, I have to agree with Eric.  Strikes don't do ANYBODY, ANY good.  .....

Michael

Yea, I know :)

 

again... "I was kidding about the strike (sort of). (I forgot to add a smiley face) "

[Eric Fletcher S.O.C.]

Like Eric says, you can get $100 an hour as a dayplayer on a show, if you push. And that's what his AGENT did for him. And the more power to him for that.

Actually My Agent did NOT get me that deal I got that deal because of prior realtionships. I decided not to quote the rates that he has got for me while dayplaying on series.

[JamieSilverstein]

Guys;

Please don't get hung up over the actual rate of the job. Technically, a producer can offer scale and you either take the rate or not................ The issue HERE isn't what each and every steadicam operator is getting,but insuring that all workers get what they deserve and under conditions that are safe and healthy.

In other words, lets not fight amongst ourselves but understand that there are several tiers of operators in the world, accept that, and fight for better representation, wages and, conditions.

In this election year, a year that pits the democrats against the worst union and labor bashing administration since Ronald Regan, we need to understand that all of us work for a living. Even in the rest of the world, if Bush wins again, the global anti worker sentiment will have a resounding echo.

That is what I am interested in.

[IanMcMillan]

Hi all,

Well stephen you asked a great question and have created some great responses. I have to back up Jamie's last point though. lets not loose sight of the question. This is mainly about conditions. I have been in the film industry for 20 years, the last 10 as a Steadicam op. Once when doing a music video in the early days, trying to build a reel at $200 a day with a rented rig, nothing but steadicam all day, the producer suggested we have lunch on the run. I replied " not unless you can attach a hamburger and a cup of coffe to this thing, I have to put it down to eat." She looked at the rig and I swear she tried to figure out how to do it. 10 years later on much better paying gigs I still get asked stupid requests like that.

Now I stray. It IS about SAFTEY and FAIR working conditions. As Stephen said, we have families we would like to see. So no mater what the pay rates, there is only a couple of good reasons for working six days, and watch the productivity go down after a couple of long weeks. And then theres the Monday morning when you find out one of the crew fell asleep driving home on Friday night........

All the best everyone

 

Its not all about the money

 

Ian Mc Millan

[IanMcMillan]

I feel like I've killed the discussion.

I have that effect at parties too.

Ian mc millan

[Peter Abraham]

Many excellent points here. Wil has made quite a few, and the one that hangs in my head is that Producers get what they pay for.

 

There will always be people with deep pockets who buy the priciest of the toys and will go out for cheap, just to get their $ 400 shoes wet. There are also the phenoms who get used gear, are very good very quickly and make their way to the top in rapid succession. It's a bell curve.

 

People get burned by Steadicam Operators, and that is an ugly truth. We should just put that out there in this discussion. Sometimes the money we are negotiating to get from a company is based on what they paid the last guy/gal, who may or may not have come off set smelling like a rose.

 

I remember clearly when I got paid $ 1,000 a day the first time. I still had my Model I rig. I got off the phone with a goofy grin on my face. Ditto when I passed the $ 2k a day mark. People expect a lot from someone making $ 200/hour for a 10 hour day. Prices are down in LA because of the sad and true reasons listed. Similarly in New York, where Toronto has "been" New York City streets for well over a decade.

 

Bill whatever you can, or have your agent do so. Just make sure they always get their money's worth, yanno?......

 

As mentioned, gone are the days ( for the most part ) of the Specialist Operator who comes in at 10:00 am, shoots three shots and leaves at 3:00pm. Gone also are the days of the Diva. I personally think those Diva days need to stay gone.

 

Peter Abraham, E.M.T.

[Eric Fletcher S.O.C.]

As mentioned, gone are the days ( for the most part ) of the Specialist Operator who comes in at 10:00 am, shoots three shots and leaves at 3:00pm.

I've been doing that for the last three weeks on my feature and I'm on a 12 hour guaranty... It's still out there.

[Peter Abraham]

Okay. I stand corrected.