tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8078779326914378322.post3783895076580403203..comments2024-03-22T14:40:33.276-07:00Comments on Blood, Sweat, and Tedium: Confessions of a Hollywood Juicer: The Devil's BargainMichael Taylorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02569781786039595929noreply@blogger.comBlogger9125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8078779326914378322.post-49513921706385819002021-10-03T10:20:34.425-07:002021-10-03T10:20:34.425-07:00Chris --
Thanks for filling us in on the situatio...Chris --<br /><br />Thanks for filling us in on the situation -- you were there, I wasn't. I don't see the issue of long hours as stemming from "evil producers" -- although we've all worked for dickhead producers, most are okay -- but the problem is the system as it's evolved over the years, and the assumptions that evolved with it No matter how good a producer or his/her production company might be, working a 19 hour day just isn't right. People tend to make poor decisions after working that long, which may be what happened with Brent that night. Should he have taken the hotel room? Sure, but after 19 hours (and maybe you can tell us how long the days were leading up to that one), I'm sure the foremost thing in his fatigue-addled mind was to get home to his wife, kids, and his own bed. The nature of the business is such that a long day is going to happen every now and then, but anything past 14 hours should be the absolute rarest exception -- not something that happens on a regular basis. The cable contract virtually ensures 16 hour days (including drive time and lunch, and that contract has to be brought back in line with the standard 8/10/12 hour overtime schedule. If and when that happens, work weeks should get shorter and life improve for those who work on set. <br /><br />A lot more can and should be done, but that's where it needs to start.<br /><br />Thanks for tuning in.Michael Taylorhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02569781786039595929noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8078779326914378322.post-64131241207016194972021-10-01T15:08:59.545-07:002021-10-01T15:08:59.545-07:00For what it's worth, I was working with Brent ...For what it's worth, I was working with Brent on set the day the he passed away. Even though we were shooting 'in the zone' at a gymnasium in Long Beach, every member of the crew that day was offered a hotel room near the location. Most declined, and we all know what happened that night.<br /><br /> Brett's death was an awful tragedy that haunts me to this day, and I think his death did result in more sensible work hours on a lot of productions. But I've seen a lot of attempts to characterize producers as evil and and crew as helpless victims- On that production, nothing could have been further from the truth. chrishttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05351363578544466619noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8078779326914378322.post-20199466123867785822021-09-30T14:43:50.568-07:002021-09-30T14:43:50.568-07:00Jim --
I agree, 100% - as the song goes, "ch...Jim --<br /><br />I agree, 100% - as the song goes, "change has gotta come."Michael Taylorhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02569781786039595929noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8078779326914378322.post-32263142840527462802021-09-30T11:14:16.822-07:002021-09-30T11:14:16.822-07:00I’ve worked in the movie business for 55 years and...I’ve worked in the movie business for 55 years and I’m still working. I have seen horrible changes to our working conditions. The reason for double time after twelve hours, meal penalties and reasonable turnaround is not to make money, it’s to have a reasonable life. The Producers don’t care at all about our families or our health and safety. They care about their money. This has to change and it may not be easy, but it has to happen.Jim Plannettehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07308517723782029900noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8078779326914378322.post-73916624097646518632021-09-28T10:25:52.222-07:002021-09-28T10:25:52.222-07:00Mark;
I doubt that social media support from non-...Mark;<br /><br />I doubt that social media support from non-industry people would have any real effect on the AMPTP unless it takes the form of mass cancellations of streaming service subscriptions, with those cancellations directly tied to the issues at hand. That seems unlikely to happen. SAG, the DGA,and WGA have all issued statements of support, but how far that support will go is unclear. If SAG refused to work on set until an acceptable deal is hammered out, this would be settled fast, but I'm not sure if they're even allowed to do that without violating the terms of their contract with the AMPTP. When the WGA went on strike back in 2008, we were told to keep working because our contract specifically denies us the right to strike so long as that three-year contract is in force. SAG may have a similar provision in their contracts -- I really don't know.<br /><br />I agree that leverage is everything, and without it, there's no hope of achieving a good outcome. The question remains as to who has more leverage -- the IA or the producers -- and I guess we'll find out soon enough.<br /><br />Thanks for tuning in.Michael Taylorhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02569781786039595929noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8078779326914378322.post-84718847295957440492021-09-27T17:49:14.774-07:002021-09-27T17:49:14.774-07:00As someone who has spent the last quarter century ...As someone who has spent the last quarter century negotiating contracts (not union matters) I've come to believe that it is generally not reasonable to blame a bad outcome on a poor negotiator...or to assume a good outcome results from a good one. No doubt that an unskilled negotiator will often conclude deals on less favorable terms than a skilled one, but the single biggest factor in a positive outcome in my experience is nearly always the issue of leverage: who has it, and who doesn't. <br /><br />It is possible for each side to a negotiation to have leverage, but rarely is leverage possessed in equal amounts. Take the example of Donald Trump's history of litigation. High profile failures became more common as his claims became more and more insane, but for most of his career he was able to silence his critics and his victims and to use the legal system to his ends not because he was in the right or because he and his legal team were good at what they did (I've never seen a wealthy person with consistently awful legal representation). Instead, it was always about leverage, and with his bankroll he could bleed his opponents dry by tying them up in legal proceedings intended not to win on the merits but to outlast an under-funded foe.<br /><br />So, while striking creates a degree of leverage for the good guys in this story, will it be enough? History suggests maybe not. What can the union do to increase leverage? Is there any possibility of getting the support (meaningful support; like a sympathetic "co-strike") from the actors' union? Can social media be leveraged to increase public support for those below the line?<br /><br />As an outsider, it has always bothered me that those in front of the camera seem to be treated so much better than those behind the camera, and how comfortable they seem to be to let that situation persist. I understand and accept that different jobs are valued differently and often grossly disproportionally. The NFL player's union will threaten to strike over pay, benefits, and safety measures for the players, but they don't seem to care that NFL cheerleaders are (illegally) classified as independent contractors and denied benefits or pay above (or at) the minimum wage. <br /><br />So, maybe I'm naive, but I'd hope there are enough people doing well in the film/tv industry who are bothered enough by this crappy situation to join the fight. Or maybe it's always just about ensuring that MY pie is as large as it can possibly be, and the size of yours is just not my problem. I hate this sanguine "not my problem" point of view that seems so prevalent....Marknoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8078779326914378322.post-66943012140697081792021-09-27T13:50:18.360-07:002021-09-27T13:50:18.360-07:00This has the feeling of the Kohler strike of the 1...This has the feeling of the Kohler strike of the 1950s. The Kohler family refused to negotiate because unions were bad, and trying to run their business. When in reality much of what the union wanted was already required by Federal law. The suits had no idea of the conditions people wee being asked to work under other than any alternate cost more time or money.<br />Eleatism and class warfare personified.<br />That strike ran for years, 7 I think, and was the Civil War level of family divisiveness.<br /><br />Gaffer15@juno.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8078779326914378322.post-26503633427235404452021-09-27T10:24:25.232-07:002021-09-27T10:24:25.232-07:00Gaffer15 --
It's quite a story, and rather co...Gaffer15 --<br /><br />It's quite a story, and rather complicated.<br /><br />https://www.iatse728.org/about-us/history/the-war-for-warner-brothers<br /><br />You're probably right about the results of a strike, which would be a war of attrition. Nobody will budge for a while, and with the AMPTP needing unanimous support from their members to agree to anything, it'll take time and lots of suffering to bring them all around. Three to six months sounds about right, and that'll hurt the rank a file in a big way. You can't get unemployment checks if you're on strike, and how many people can go three to six months with no income? There's a lot of chest-thumping on industry forums about demanding big pay raises, eliminating all sub-scale deals, and restoring the old rules to protect workers, but I doubt much of that could or will happen. Assuming a big authorization vote comes in next weekend, my guess is the AMPTP will come back with some form of unsatisfying compromise and a not-great deal will then be hammered out ... but maybe not. We seem to live in an era where compromise is a dirty word.<br /><br />We'll see.<br /><br />Thanks for tuning in.Michael Taylorhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02569781786039595929noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8078779326914378322.post-83399405276093915742021-09-26T18:44:09.666-07:002021-09-26T18:44:09.666-07:00It never ceases to amaze me how many IA negotiatio...It never ceases to amaze me how many IA negotiations are not conducted by people trained in the art of negotiations or conflict resolution.<br />In legit theater where road crews are facing similar hours worked challenges- sometimes running 36 hours AND a 300 mile jump--one negotiator told me that to get per diem based on US GSA schedule we would have to give up something else. His concept that there was always an exchange required for every bit bargained was a serious mental handicap going in.<br />FYI The last IA Hollywood strike was I think in the 1940s. It gained 20% gains in pay plus better conditions<br />This strike will have to be long to succeed. The suits have already bet we don't have the stomach for it after Covid. It will take 3-6 months to convince them otherwise imho and at that point we should screw them thoroughly as they have us for the last 20 years. <br />Yes! Make it all up in one contract.Gaffer15@juno.comnoreply@blogger.com