Informal Gathering @ Fuddruckers?

[ChadPersons]

Thanks David,

 

June 7th not July 7th....whooops. Guess I'll stick to steadicam and not reading comprehension. I'll keep my ears open like you suggested for the next get together.

 

You joked about putting Steadicam Guild on your business card but I think, in time, there might be something to it. In making my deal this year on the West Wing they tried to dictate my rate by the rates of other operators at Warner Brothers. It seems to me, sometimes, that the UPMs are incahoots with each other more than we are with each other. In a perfect world we shouldn't have to fear are brothers undercutting are ability to make a lucrative deal with production. We are being pitted against each other. THAT SUCKS... I'm sure I'm not the first to bring up this beef but we gotta start somewhere. I vote for the Steadicam Guild. Its as good a place as any.

 

All the Best,

Chad Persons

[David Allen Grove]

Chad,

 

Actually, the part where I suggested putting Steadicam Guild on business cards, I wasn't kidding. I don't think that alone would do it but it certainly made the producer I worked for scared to death. Hey, let them believe what they want, if they think we are a cohesive group (which one day I hope will happen) that won't take their crappy pay and it scares them, GOOD! They shouldn't be so darned cheap!!!

 

Also, I'm tickering with a design for an official Steadicam Guild T-Shirt. If the business cards don't scare the producers perhaps the shirt will! mwhahaha.

 

Being a relatively new member of the union I can't say I've had much negotiating experience with union shows. The first union show I steadicam'd for was on American Family last year. I told production $1,500 for the day and they almost had a heart attack. The producer said "I guess I don't have a choice do I?" (they forgot to call the guy they had hired to give him his day and call time and couldn't get a hold of him that day, so they were really desperate. I'm not cutting myself down or anything they just needed a steadicam op for the day, right away) Anyway, Silly me, I thought $1,500 was average. :rolleyes:

 

I wish we had some sort of database (like I've heard upm's have) of what those shows are willing to pay or what they are actually paying. I know that would be impossible unless of course those operators would be willing to share what they are really charging. uh huh...

 

What is Warner Brothers paying the other operators? Just curious.

(I know I'm treading on dangerous ground here....)

 

I figure the more we are open about it the better we can come up with a solution. If there is one... :(

[ChadPersons]

Hey David,

 

Regarding what I was told about rates at WB. When I started the West Wing two seasons ago at WB they offered sixty an hour and 2800 a week rental. I was told that that was what the guys before me were getting; guys that had more experience and had stayed with the show for a while. I had been offered another show within a day or so that was offering more money but it wouldn't look as good on the resume as the West Wing so I took it. Last year my deal got better and this year better yet. The first year though I really feared that I might have been undercutting the steadicam cause. I read posts on the internet and spoke with a couple very established feature operators and they were making twice as much as me. On one hand figured I wasn't as good as those guys so why should I ask for more but on the other hand I thought I might be screwing the rest of us by not asking for more.

 

Here is what really burned me one day on our show...

 

First Unit wrapped early one day and everyone went home except me. I was asked to head over to second unit to help grab some "B" camera angles because they were a bit behind. That sucks but "Okay...Love to help out." I walk over to the stage next door and watch a two and a half page rehearsal. During the rehearsal the Director walked circles around the table that the actors were sitting at. HMMM... Thats a steadicam shot... After the rehearsal I inquired as to how I was to get a "B" camera angle while the other operator (no names of course) walked circles with his steadicam. And here's the rub... I was then told that I was going to do the shot while the other operator watched. I don't know if they just weren't comfortable with him or not satisfied with his work. I felt horrible for my steadicam brother who watched as I did his shot. I feel he is a great operator and certainly did not deserve that slap in the face. After that shot was over I was released and I snuck out without talking to anyone. Looking back I wish I had said something but...I don't know.

 

Anyway the next day one of our "B" camera assistants came to me and said, "Wow, that was crazy yesterday. I've never seen that happen before". I asked how the other operator handled it at the monitors; were there any harsh feeling? She assured me that he was really cool about it which made me feel a lot better but then she added how weird it was that the other operator was making fifty dollars an hour more than me. WHAT??? Now I know that day calls should make more that someone who is on the show full time but not almost twice as much. I went to the producers with that story and they made a honest attempt at sweetening my deal. But man... Such a crazy thing to happen.

 

Shoot, gotta run..

 

Chad