Departments

Our Contributors

Contributors to this edition

Thomas Curley CAS
After graduating film school and working in broadcast engineering for a few years, Thomas moved from upstate NY to Los Angeles to pursue a production sound career. He has been mixing features, docs and television since 2001.

Lorenzo Millan
Lorenzo began his career as a Boom Operator more than twenty years ago in his hometown of Baltimore, Maryland. His work includes award-winning productions such as Homicide: Life on the Street, Something the Lord Made and The Wire. Lorenzo is currently sound mixing the fourth season of the hit show House of Cards.

Ben Osmo
After ten years recording projects from documentaries to drama at the ABC (Australian Broadcasting Corporation), Ben went freelance in 1985. That’s when he started his career as Production Sound Mixer on feature films, including Dead Calm, Strictly Ballroom, Lorenzo’s Oil, Babe, Babe: Pig in the City, Oscar and Lucinda, Peter Pan, Charlotte’s Web, Happy Feet 2, The Sapphires and Mad Max: Fury Road. Ben is also a founding member of ASSG (Australian Screen Sound Guild), lectured and mentored at AFTRS (Australian Film Television and Radio School) and the New York Film Academy Australia, Sydney Campus. Ben is also a keen musician and singer/songwriter and writes and performs whenever time permits.

Tom Varga
Tom has been recording movies for close to thirty years. After graduating with a degree in communications from Temple University in 1986, he started in the industry in Philadelphia. He moved to Los Angeles for a few years in the early ’90s and settled back in New York where he is now currently based. Tom is originally from Lake Placid, New York, where he can be found either on a mountain bike or in a kayak.

Photos courtesy of the respective contributors

From the Business Representative

The New Contract

The IATSE and the West Coast Studio Locals sit down to hammer out a new Basic Agreement every three years. Both sides come in with a list of proposals that address working conditions on production, cost issues and the continuing support for our Pension and Health plans. In 2012, we worked hard to shore up the monetary shortfalls we would have experienced in the Pension and Health plans.

The commitment for the 2015 contract negotiations was to address quality of life issues. We focused on the long hours and short turnarounds all IATSE members experience working production. President Loeb made an impassioned speech to bring the effects long hours and short turnarounds have on the health of our members and their families. I only wish every rank-and-file member could have witnessed his fire and passion. With this speech the negative effect of long hours and short turnarounds became very real in the eyes of the AMPTP.

The Producers agreed that this is a real problem but seem to stall when working out a solution. The Basic Agreement will now include a side letter, “Guidelines Regarding Extended Work Days.” This will address how sleep deprivation affects your driving but it falls short of saying that sleep deprivation has the same effect as driving while alcohol-impaired, yet the employer refuses to bend on the long hours worked. The IATSE has been very successful including the 10-hour daily turnaround and 56-hour weekend turnaround in one-off contracts with the Low Budget producers and all contracts in Canada. President Loeb asked why production companies could make their low-budget shooting schedules work, however, under the Basic contract, the major studios just can’t seem to do it.

The last day of negotiations went twenty-four hours straight, fighting over several issues, not least of which was the long hours and short turnarounds. In the end, we were able to achieve many significant gains, but sad to say, the Rest Period/Callbacks was not one of them. The battle is not over. The spotlight is very bright on this issue and I see a time when the employers will acknowledge this and work with us to achieve a more healthy and safe working environment and give back our weekends.

Scott Bernard
Business Representative

From the President

We’re witnessing a surge in organizing as evidenced by many successful outcomes. The community is watching and we have been at the forefront of this development. To me, this is very important as it underlines the essential nature of the crafts we collectively supply the industry. Without sound and video engineering, production cannot occur.

It’s especially interesting to see the large uptick in successful organizing of the ultra-low budget projects and reality television. The working rank-and-file crewing these shows have been acting on their wish to gain the benefits of collective bargaining and union representation.

A standout example of this awakening took place on a reality TV show called Broken Skull Challenge. This show became a battle zone over the workers’ desire for better terms and conditions. The employer pushed back hard, refused to negotiate after a legal crew election had taken place and were declared an unfair employer by International President Loeb. A full-blown strike ensued, with simultaneous picket lines in three Los Angeles locations. It got pretty ugly with the employer attempting to replace everyone.

Local 695 took up the charge to support the five-man sound crew honoring the picket line. These guys are real heroes. Lead by their department head, Doc Justice, and his crew, Jason Wells, Kenny Beane, Jim Gomes and Reese Wexler. They never faltered. They understood the risk and the weight of their commitment.

As Doc Justice said, “We know that all strikes are tough on the crew, and we know that this strike is more difficult than most. Through all of the nasty displays of posturing that production has displayed, we have all strengthened our belief that this is a fight worth fighting. In time, we’ll detail all of the efforts made against us, but for now, know that I’m proud to fight with the support of my crew, and the support of my Local. We will continue to Hold for Audio, and Fight for Justice. Thank you all.”

I’ll revive an old affirmation: Right-on!

When these guys took a stand, Local 695 made it a first priority to man the drive in support of the job action. At Business Rep Scott Bernard’s direction, Laurence Abrams and Joe Aredas Jr. established a 24/7 command post, calling out the troops to show up, in real numbers every day. They called on our Social Media Committee Chairman, Chris Howland, and Director Devendra Cleary CAS to work their networking skills to the max and the membership responded beautifully. There were many days when Local 695 alone was providing 70% to 80% of the members on the picket lines, as we coordinated closely with the West Coast Office leadership of Vanessa Holtgrewe and Steve Aredas.

We have proudly risen as a “Go-to” Local when it comes to delivering a focused organizing campaign. We are stakeholders in this organization. Our stock rises and falls in direct proportion to the participation we contribute. Thanks for showing up. L695 solidarity is being noticed broadly. Keep it up!

Fraternally,
Mark Ulano CAS, AMPS
Local 695 President

From the Editors

Welcome to the summer edition of our 695 Quarterly

Lorenzo Millan explains the process of “digital boom pole removal” in the hit Netflix show House of Cards. This technique should be SOP on every production that has a VFX budget.

“Whiplash” by BAFTA and Oscar winner Thomas Curley CAS describes his work during the nineteen days of shooting on this low budgeted but fascinating motion picture.

Contrasting that is “The Traveling Road Show on Mad Max: Fury Road” by Ben Osmo, chronicling their six months in the Namib Desert, on an extremely complex and technically difficult production.

“The Sound of Birdman” by Thomas Varga, the CAS Award winner, relates how his crew tackled the nearly continuous Steadicam choreography on this dialog intensive show.

Happy reading.

Fraternally yours,
Richard Lightstone, Eric Pierce and Mark Ulano

News & Announcements

Wireless Class

The RF Microphone Clinic, taught by Thomas Popp, packs ten years of wiring skill into a one-day class. Being able to wire talent quickly and effectively is an essential skill in today’s movie and television environment. In this hands-on class, Thomas teaches set etiquette and addresses wardrobe challenges, unique wiring problems, wind protection—all the black arts of microphone concealment techniques. Due to the close interaction, seating is limited. Check the Education and Training resource at www.local695.com or contact edu@local695.com for class dates.

iHeartRadio

NBC/Universal reversed direction and restored the IATSE contract for the live broadcast of the iHeart- Radio Awards. Many of the engineers working these award shows are IATSE members but, last year, NABET took the job away from us and they wanted to do it again this year. That contract was conspicuously inferior to the IATSE agreement and more than twenty Local 695 engineers working the show would have had to make concessions for NABET. Most particularly, they would have been forced to forgo contributions to their Health and Pension plans through MPIPHP. Local 695 acted quickly and sent out an email to the membership encouraging anyone affected to contact NBC/ Universal and express their reluctance to working under a contract that didn’t meet their health and welfare needs. NBC/Universal management reconsidered their options and, on March 23, only days before the scheduled broadcast, they restored the IATSE contract. It’s a good outcome from vigilance at the Local and active participation of the membership!

Fellowship and Service Award

We swell with pride at the announcement that Joe Aredas Sr. is this year’s recipient of the Fellowship and Service Award from the Motion Picture Editors Guild (MPEG). He received the award at a dinner at the Sheraton Universal on May 2. The Fellowship and Service Award recognizes an individual who embodies the values the Guild holds most dear: Professionalism, Collaboration, Mentorship, Generosity of Spirit and a Commitment to the Labor Movement. Joe Aredas is one of our own, having served Local 695 as Assistant Business Representative from 1980 to 1987, and his son, Joe Jr., presently serves as our Field Representative. Joe Sr. has served in many other capacities including on the Board of Directors of the MPEG, on the Board of the Motion Picture Pension and Health Plans, as Vice President of the California Labor Federation and others.

LA Sound Mixers Flea Market

The first of what will hopefully be a regularly scheduled production sound flea market meet took place on Saturday, February 28, 2015. Chris Howland, a Local 695 member, organized the event and invited anyone in the sound community to bring in gear they were no longer using. Glen Trew, also a 695 member as well as an equipment retailer, graciously provided space (and rain protection) at his new Burbank location and a taco truck was available for refreshments. Twenty-five sellers offered gear ranging from cables to mixers to more than a hundred shoppers over the three-hour event. There were bargains to be had and many deals were completed.

Sharknado Strike List

These 695 members, and some prospective members, recorded their names on the sign-in sheets at Sharknado picketing locations. We are grateful to them, and others who may have walked the lines without signing in, for their participation.

Laurence Abrams
Andrew Adams
Jon Ailetcher
Lena Al-Khatib
Agamemnon Andrianos (3 times)
Joe Aredas (2 times)
Eric Ballew
Kevin Bellante
Scott Bernard (2 times)
Thomas Cassetta (2 times)
Wesley Claggett (2 times)
Devendra Cleary
Travis Cote
Brian Curley
Thomas Curley
Neal Doxsee
Alistair Duff (4 times)
Noel Espinosa
Sara Evans (2 times)
Evan Freeman
Dennis Hammermeister
Ashley Holland
Chris Howland (2 times)
Tim Jones
Kelsey Jonikas (2 times)

Justin Katoni
Martin Kittappa
Johnny Kubelka
Jason Kubota
Phillip Le Gault
David Pattee
Brandon Pert
Chris Polczinski
Ken Pries
Orson Rheinfurth (3 times)
Eva Rismanforoush (2 times)
Dennis Schweitzer
Robert Schuck
Carrie Sheldon
Brenton Stumpf (3 times)
Bartek Swiatek (2 times)
Matt Thompson
Sabi Tulok
Rosa CostanzaTyabji
David Waelder (4 times)
Susan Waelder
Robert Wald
Troy Wilcox (2 times)
Jennifer Winslow
Frank Zaragoza

Erratum

The Fall 2014 edition of the 695 Quarterly correctly identified Ray Lindsay, Edward McKarge, William McKarge and Ric Teller as members of the production team responsible for The 56th Annual Grammy Awards, an Emmy-winning special on CBS. However, we failed to indicate with bold type that they are all members of Local 695.

In Memoriam

MICHAEL D. DAVIS
Utility Sound Technician
August 29, 1982 – January 9, 2015

SALVADOR OLIVAS
Projectionist
April 29, 1941 – March 20, 2015

From the Business Representative

Where Is Local 695 Heading?

Lately, our Local has seen a dramatic surge in member participation. Yes, we’ve had big turnouts at recent membership meetings, the last several of which have seen twice as many members as we used to have. But it’s much more than that.

Last month, our members took a lead role in the Sharknado 3 job action, packing the picket line with Sound Engineers, Video Engineers and Projectionists, sending an unmistakable disincentive to this and other Producers who set out to abuse their crews.

Also last month, our Local, and more than twenty Local 695 members on the crew, came through to deliver a decisive, lastminute knockout punch to NABET’s attempt to steal NBC/ Universal’s iHeartRadio Awards broadcast from an IA contract.

Last summer, after our members flooded the mailboxes of California Assembly members and walked the state house halls in Sacramento, our persistent efforts were rewarded with passage of a powerful new Film Tax Incentive program that, over the next few months, will have a dramatic impact on film job growth for our members. And, with AB 1839 under our belt, we intend to continue to play an active role in state politics as a member of the CIC (California IATSE Coalition, formerly the EUC, Entertainment Union Coalition). Under the CIC, we’ll be taking on issues that will positively affect our members at work and in their personal lives.

With new technology, Local 695 Engineers have done nothing less than transform the way motion pictures and television shows are produced and exhibited. Harnessing the potentials of digital technology, Local 695 Sound and Video Engineers now have more options and more flexibility to record and playback, enabling them to deliver more services to the employer than ever before. That means more equipment requirements and a bigger workload for both sound and video, and we have contract language that requires proper man/woman-power for both. For the Sound Engineers, if you are asked to work with a two-person crew, you must direct the production to the Local to request a waiver of the Utility Sound Technician because no Local 695 member can waive any provision of the contract, including the Utility Sound Tech. For Video Engineers who are being asked to perform more and more services on production, you can have an assistant if you point the employer to Paragraph 56 of our contract. Better yet, call the Local and ask for assistance. We have been very successful in demonstrating to the employer the added benefit of an assistant for the Video Department. So for both sound and video, you can make the difference.

Without question, the members define this Local’s future. And there’s so much more we can do working together in partnership. How involved are you in your Local? On what committees will you participate? This is your future. The answer to the original question is simple: “Where is Local 695 heading?” Where you take us.

Scott Bernard
Business Representative

Our Contributors

Contributors to this edition

Rosa Costanza Tyabji
Rosa Costanza Tyabji has worked for over a decade as a Sound Mixer, as a Boom Operator and as a Utility Sound Technician. She has worked on locations in North America, India & Africa. Rosa is also a producer of films, music videos and of Grammy-selected music albums. She co-owns and operates an independent record label (Limitless Sky) and publishing company. She is a voting member of the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences (NARAS) and is a publisher-member of ASCAP and BMI. She is the third generation of her family to work in TV and film, and grew up immersed in the behind-the-scenes processes.

Peggy Names
Peggy Names picked up her first fishpole after graduating with an MFA from USC in 1975. She joined Local 695 in 1977 as the first female Boom Operator. During her career, she has worked as Boom Operator and Utility Sound Technician on many commercials and television shows, but her main area of expertise lies in motion pictures. Her credits include Oz the Great and Powerful, Alice in Wonderland, The Hangover Part II, Castaway, Minority Report and Enemy of the State. In December, Ms. Names was elected to her second term as Trusteeof Hollywood’s IATSE Local 695. She is retired now after thirty-nine years, but her son, Alex Names, is forging his own path in sound.
Jennifer Winslow
Jennifer Winslow became a member of Local 695 in 1990, after working as a Utility Technician on films in Los Angeles and Dallas, Texas. She has been a Boom Operator on feature films, commercials and episodic TV, and recently has been working as a Utility Technician, while she raises her (fourteen-year-old) twins. She has worked on many films, including Problem Child, Lone Star, Spiderman 2, and Be Cool. Her television credits include Chicago Hope, Cold Case, Star Trek Deep Space 9, The Pretender, 7th Heaven, Family Affair, The Secret Life of the American Teenager and The Neighbors. Jennifer holds a bachelor of arts from UMASS Amherst and a certificate in screenwriting from UCLA. She enjoys writing and is happy to be a contributor to the Quarterly.

Cabell Smith
Cabell began mixing in the 1970s in New York, beginning in news, moving to documentaries, then features and, after the birth of her two children, to commercials. She moved to California in 1991, retiring in 2006. She now divides her time between Los Angeles and the Virginia Piedmont, where she manages a farm. She has just finished writing her first book, a mystery set in central Virginia. Mindful of how much our technology has shrunk with the advent of handheld devices, the plot revolves around “a geeky female journalist detective and her smartphone!”

Mary Jo Devenney
Mary Jo Devenney has been a Boom Operator and Sound Mixer of films and TV shows for more than thirty years. She enjoys being paid to witness wonderful entertainment firsthand and being in a position to capture it for others.

David Waelder
David has recorded sound for films for several decades and has been an editor of the 695 Quarterly since its inception six years ago.

Photos courtesy of the respective contributors

From the President

Welcome to the spring edition
of our 695 Quarterly.

We are seeing large and enthusiastic turnouts at our meetings, organizational drives and in the formation of a number of committees. This real growth in rank-and file participation is an affirmation of the true spirit in our professional community. It is being widely recognized in the larger entertainment world and we are benefiting; the word is out.

In this issue you will see an important recognition of the professional women in our ranks. Their strength, history and contributions have always been integral to our progress and we are grateful for the voices contributing to this issue. Please take note: professional is the key word here as gender is only one aspect of this group of very seasoned pros. Some of these members are true pioneers in breaking down workplace barriers, past and present. However, the common thread of this diverse group is their excellence at managing their successful careers.

Because the stewardship of our history has long been a personal interest of mine, I am delighted to announce the formation of a History Committee chaired by Andy Rovins. If you have any interest or materials that may relate to this endeavor, please be sure to contact Andy at history@local695.com.

Finally, I’d like to express recognition and gratitude to David Waelder for his long years of service as one of our editors. Almost fifteen years ago, we asked David to come and help edit our nascent newsletter, the precursor of the current Quarterly. He generously jumped right in and journeyed the often-complex task with grace. He has stepped down and handed his responsibilities to another of our long-serving editors, Richard Lightstone.

Thank you, David, and congratulations, Richard.

Spring is here.

Carpe diem!

Warmest regards,

Mark Ulano, CAS, AMPS

IATSE Local 695 President

From the Editors

by David Waelder

We are pleased to bring attention, long overdue, to the women members of our Local. Cabell Smith tells of her adventures in a changing environment beginning in the early seventies. Working news for NBC in New York, she came in contact with all the major players in that turbulent time from a Man on a Wire to mafia hits. Coming to Los Angeles, she joined Local 695 in 1992 and pursued a career as a commercial Mixer. Mary Jo Devenney had an equally circuitous path in her career and credits some of her success to an independent-minded cast member named Two Socks. Peggy Names and Jennifer Winslow provide a spirited defense of the Utility Sound position. Finally, we have Rosa Costanza Tyabji’s compilation article that introduces us to nearly two dozen women in the Local today.

Also, check out our account of the strike action against Asylum Productions and Sharknado.

Finally, this issue marks my last as managing editor of the 695 Quarterly. Richard Lightstone, one of the original editors and longtime partner in this venture, will assume the responsibility of managing editor for future issues. The last six years have been a challenge, an opportunity to expand my horizons through contact with the many disciplines represented by the Local and a chance to grow with the enterprise. I thank you.

Fraternally yours,

Eric Pierce, Richard Lightstone and David Waelder

Awards and Nominations

[Names in BOLD are Local 695 members]

CAS Awards Nominees

The 51st Annual CAS Awards Final Five nominees were announced on Tuesday, January 13, 2015, and the awards ceremony will be held on February 14 at the Crystal Ballroom of the Millennium Biltmore Hotel – Los Angeles, California.

Retired Local 695 member David Macmillan CAS will be honored with this year’s CAS Career Achievement Award.

Motion Pictures – Live Action

American Sniper

Walt Martin CAS, Gregg Rudloff, John Reitz, Robert Fernandez, Thomas J. O’Connell, James Ashwell

Production Sound Team:
Randy Johnson, Gail Carroll-Coe, Nourdine Zaoui, Mustapha Elatouni

Birdman or (The Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance)

Thomas Varga, Jon Taylor CAS, Frank A. Montaño, Gustavo Borner, Jason Oliver, John Sanacore CAS

Production Sound Team:
Brendan O’Brien, Adam Sanchez, Teferra Mckenzie

Guardians of the Galaxy

Simon Hayes CAS, Lora Hirschberg, Christopher Boyes, Gustavo Borner, Doc Kane, Chris Manning

Production Sound Team:
Arthur Fenn, Robin Johnson, James Gibb

Interstellar

Mark Weingarten CAS, Gary A. Rizzo CAS, Gregg Landaker, Alan Meyerson CAS, Thomas J. O’Connell, Mary Jo Lang CAS

Production Sound Team:
Michael Primmer, David Raymond, Zach Wrobel, Drew Kunin, Murray Head, Benedikt Amason

Unbroken

David Lee, Jon Taylor CAS, Frank A. Montaño, Jonathan Allen, Paul Drenning CAS, John Guentner

Production Sound Team:
Mark Van Kool, Steven Harris, Dean Morcom

Motion Pictures – Animated

Big Hero 6

Gabriel Guy CAS, David E. Fluhr CAS, Alan Meyerson CAS, Mary Jo Lang CAS

The Boxtrolls

Carlos Sotolongo, Tom Myers, Ren Klyce, Nathan Nance, Nick Wollage, Mary Jo Lang CAS

How to Train Your Dragon 2

Tighe Sheldon, Randy Thom CAS, Shawn Murphy, Brandon Proctor, Corey Tyler

The Lego Movie

Thomas J. O’Connell, Michael Semanick CAS, Gregg Rudloff, Wayne Pashley, Brad Haehnel, John Simpson

Penguins of Madagascar

Tighe Sheldon, Paul N.J. Ottosson CAS, Dennis Sands CAS, Randy K. Singer CAS

Television Movies and Mini-Series

American Horror Story: “Monsters Among Us”

Bruce Litecky CAS, Joe Earle CAS, Doug Andham CAS, Evan Daum, Kyle Billingsley

Production Sound Team:
Steve Huerstel, Jack Bigelow, Eric Heigle, Wade Summerford

Fargo: Part 2 “The Rooster Prince”

Michael Playfair CAS, David Raines CAS, Mark Server, Andrew Morgado

Production Sound Team:
Robert “Arjay” Joly, Val Siu, Mike Markiw, David Brown

Houdini: Part 1

Tamas Csaba CAS, Onnalee Blank CAS, Ken Burton CAS, Chris Navarro CAS

Production Sound Team:
Mate Gabor, Tuska Milan, Csaki Janos, Csaki Janos Jr.

The Normal Heart

Drew Kunin, Joe Earle CAS, Doug Andham CAS, Beauxregard Neylon, Scott Curtis

Production Sound Team:
Mark Goodermote, Paul Korenkiewitz, Igor Panchenko, Billy Sarokin, George Leong, Schavaria Reeves

Sherlock: “His Last Vow”

John Mooney, Howard Bargroff, Nick Wollage, Peter Gleaves, William Everett

Production Sound Team:
Stuart McCutcheon, Abdulqader Amoud

Television Series – One Hour

Boardwalk Empire: “Friendless Child”

Franklin D. Stettner CAS, Tom Fleischman CAS, Mark DeSimone CAS, George Lara CAS

Production Sound Team:
Sam Perry, Laurel Bridges, Toussaint Kotright, Igor Panchenko, Larry Provost

Game of Thrones: “The Children”

Ronan Hill CAS, Richard Dyer CAS, Onnalee Blank CAS, Mathew Waters CAS, Brett Voss CAS

Production Sound Team:
Simon Kerr, Jonny Waite, Daniel McCabe, Richard Dye, Bradley Kendrick, Luke McGinley

Homeland: “Redux”

Diethard Keck, Nello Torri CAS, Alan M. Decker CAS, Stephen Webster, Shawn Kennelly

Production Sound Team:
Bert Roets, Clair Hesom

True Detective: “Who Goes There”

Geoffrey Patterson, CAS, Martin Czembor

Production Sound Team:
Jeffrey Humphreys, Scotty Jacobs, Chris Cooper

The Walking Dead: “No Sanctuary”

Michael P. Clark CAS, Gary D. Rogers CAS, Daniel J. Hiland CAS

Production Sound Team:
Robert Maxfield, Dennis Sanborn

Television Series – Half-Hour

Family Guy: “The Simpsons Guy ”

Patrick Clark, James Fitzpatrick CAS, Arman Steiner

Modern Family “Australia”

Stephen A. Tibbo CAS, Dean Okrand CAS, Brian Harman CAS

Production Sound Team:
Srdjan “Serge” Popovic, Dan Lipe, Peter Hansen, Mark Van Kool

Nurse Jackie “The Lady With the Lamp”

Jan McLaughlin CAS, Peter Waggoner

Production Sound Team:
Brendan O’Brien, Joe Savastano

Parks and Recreation: “Moving Up”

Steven Michael Morantz CAS, John W. Cook II CAS, Robert Carr CAS

Production Sound Team:
Craig Dollinger, Mitch Cohn, Mark Agostino

Veep: “Detroit”

William Macpherson, Richard Davey

Production Sound Team:
Steve Saada, Travis Groves

Television Non-Fictions, Variety, Music Series or Specials

Cosmos: A SpaceTime Odyssey “Standing Up in the Milky Way”

Darryl L. Frank CAS, Mark Hensley, Joel D. Catalan, Paul Aronoff, David Torres

Production Sound Team:
Brian Copenhagen, Alex Usatine, Tom Williams

Deadliest Catch “Lost at Sea”

Bob Bronow CAS

Foo Fighters Sonic Highways: “Los Angeles”

Eddie Kim, Jeff Fuller

2014 Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony

Brian Riordan CAS, Jamie Ledner, Jay Vicari, Bob Clearmountain

The Roosevelts: An Intimate History – Part 3 “The Fire of Life”

Dominick Tavella CAS, Lou Verrico

Production Sound Team:
John Osborne

Oscar Nominees

The Oscar nominees for “Best Sound Mixing” were announced on Thursday, January 15, 2015. The 87th Academy Awards ceremony will be held Sunday, February 22, at the Dolby Theater in Hollywood California. The ceremony will be broadcast on ABC Television, and in more than 225 countries and territories worldwide.

Best Sound Mixing

American Sniper

Walt Martin CAS, John Reitz, Gregg Rudloff

Production Second Team:
Randy Johnson, Gail Carroll-Coe, Nourdine Zaoui, Mustapha Elatouni

Birdman or (The Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance)

Thomas Varga, Jon Taylor CAS, Frank A. Montaño

Production Sound Team:
Brendan O’Brien, Adam Sanchez, Teferra Mckenzie

Interstellar

Mark Weingarten CAS, Gary A. Rizzo, Gregg Landaker

Production Sound Team:
Michael Primmer, David Raymond, Zach Wrobel, Drew Kunin, Murray Head, Benedikt Amason

Unbroken

David Lee, Jon Taylor CAS, Frank A. Montaño

Production Sound Team:
Mark Van Kool, Steven Harris, Dean Morcom

Whiplash

Thomas Curley CAS, Craig Mann, Ben Wilkins

Production Sound Team:
David Stark, Michael O’Heney

BAFTA Nominees

Best Sound

American Sniper

Walt Martin CAS, John Reitz, Gregg Rudloff, Alan Robert Murray, Bub Asman

Production Sound Team:
Randy Johnson, Gail Carroll-Coe, Nourdine Zaoui, Mustapha Elatouni

The Grand Budapest Hotel

Pawel Wdowczak CAS, Wayne Lemmer, Christopher Scarabosio

Production Sound Team:
St. Clair Davis, Howard Bevan

Whiplash

Thomas Curley CAS, Ben Wilkins, Craig Mann

Production Sound Team:
David Stark, Michael O’Heney

The Imitation Game

John Midgley, Lee Walpole, Stuart Hilliker, Martin Jensen, Andy Kennedy

Production Sound Team:
Howard Bevan, Charlotte Gray, Martin Seeley

Birdman or (The Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance)

Thomas Varga, Martin Herándes, Aaron Glascock, Jon Taylor CAS, Frank A. Montaño

Production Sound Team:
Brendan O’Brien, Adam Sanchez, Teferra Mckenzie

AMPS Nominees

The London-based Association of Motion Picture Sound (AMPS), announced their 2nd annual Award for Excellence in Sound for a Feature Film in early January. Whiplash was deemed the winner, and the award will be presented at a ceremony in the summer.

Excellence in Sound for a Feature Film

The Grand Budapest Hotel

Pawel Wdowczak, Wayne Lemmer, Christopher Scarabosio

Production Sound Team:
St. Clair Davis, Howard Bevan

Into the Woods

John Casali, Mike Prestwood-Smith, Renee Tondelli

Production Sound Team:
Chris Murphy, Alan MacFeely, Dash Mason-Malik, Peter Clarke, Jerome McCann, Jeremy Brown, Jon Olive

Whiplash

Thomas Curley CAS, Craig Mann, Ben Wilkins

Production Sound Team:
David Stark, Michael O’Heney

The Imitation Game

John Midgley, Stuart Hilliker, Lee Walpole

Production Sound Team:
Howard Bevan, Charlotte Gray, Martin Seeley

Exodus: Gods and Kings

David Stephenson, Paul Massey, Oliver Tarney

Production Sound Team:
Gary Dodkin, Lloyd Dudley, Alayn Crespo Calvo, Jorge Adrados, Jaime Lianos, Francisco Burguillo

News & Announcements

MPTF: The Pride of Our Industry

One of the most fortunate perks of our careers, and one of the most overlooked, is the Motion Picture and Television Fund (MPTF). So this is a reminder to Local 695 members of all the ways the MPTF is there to help.

In 1921, Hollywood’s earliest stars, including Charlie Chaplin, Mary Pickford, Douglas Fairbanks and DW Griffith, to name only a few, began a simple relief fund for any of their peers having a tough time.

Today, the MPTF is a robust organization offering industry members a lot more than just health clinics. It provides all kinds of programs, services and financial aid for young and old alike and it truly belongs to all of us.

You owe it to yourself to take just a few minutes to explore all the programs and services that MPTF has to offer. Please visit www.mptf.com and browse the website. Also, check out their Facebook page at www.facebook.com/mptf

And if you want to have one of the most enjoyable experiences ever, think about volunteering. You’ll meet lots of other great industry members, from executives on down, all working together on projects and having a blast in the process! For more information, contact Derek.Krull@mptf.com

We are incredibly lucky to work in an industry that gives back in so many ways, and it’s MPTF that makes all that happen. Let’s make sure that Local 695 is well represented as contributors to the fund.

I hope you were able to attend the 4th Annual Santa Anita Day at the Races on January 31! www.mptf.com/events It’s a great family-friendly event and your ticket supports MPTF activites. If you missed it this year, remember to seek it out next year.

–Robert Wald

In Memoriam

Tony Verna, the inventor of instant replay, died at his home in Palm Desert on January 18 at age 81. For the first use of the new technique at the Army-Navy game in 1963, he was at pains to assure the audience that Army had not scored another goal. Tony was mentioned prominently in the profile of Hal Hanie in the recent summer issue of the Quarterly. https://www.local695.com/Quarterly/6-3/6-3-hal-hanie-profile/

From the Business Representative

On January 17, International President Matthew Loeb, along with Michael Miller (International Vice President and Director of Motion Picture and TV Production), joined the Local 695 membership at our first General Membership Meeting of 2015. President Loeb thanked the Local for the work we’ve done over the past year and installed into office your newly elected Board of Directors. I’m very much humbled by the trust that the membership has bestowed upon me and the rest of the elected Board. The Local’s leadership will keep pushing forward along the path we established during the Trusteeship and continue to look for ways to improve services and representation for the members.

President Loeb informed the membership of the progress Local 695 has made, was impressed with the new direction the Local is heading and confirmed that, going forward, Local 695 has his full support and the support of the International. President Loeb made the comment that “Local 695 is the creative and technical crown jewel of the International.”

After the newly elected Board was installed, we held our 1st Quarter Membership Meeting. I’m glad to report that President Loeb and Vice President Miller remained with us as guests of the Local.

During my report, I took the opportunity to address the current standing of Local 695 in the production community and how, with the help of the membership, we can increase awareness of the skills of our members. Here is an excerpt from my comments.

“We are the problem solvers. We are the people with the technical skills to get the job done. So what I would like to hear when I visit the set is ‘Wow, there’s the engineer Local—full of Hollywood engineers, video engineers, projectionists, maintenance engineers, video engineers on the trucks broadcasting the Emmys, the Oscars … we’re much more than a sound local. We are the production engineers that make it happen! We have the most talented people and we will let Hollywood know—we’re going to let the industry know— who we are.

“Every member is going to be represented by this administration. The Board works for you. And that’s not just a speech, that’s reality. But we need you behind us so, when we go to the negotiating table, they know who we are, they know who you are.

“Get involved. Stay involved. We work for you.”

Scott Bernard
Business Representative

From the President

Congratulations! Our Local has turned the corner and is entering this new year of 2015 stronger than ever.

I want to express personal gratitude for the level-headed leadership and professional hard work demonstrated by Scott Bernard and Laurence Abrams as they navigated Local 695 through the challenge of Trusteeship this past year, to the many members who pitched in this year to support Scott and Laurence’s efforts, and to all of you for stepping up and participating in the democratic process with a resounding mandate for the Local’s newly elected Board of Directors. The new Board is a terrific group of people, a wonderful mix of experience and enthusiasm sharing the common goal of moving our union forward. My hat is off to you all.

Scott Bernard – Business Representative
Mark Ulano – President
Jay Patterson – Vice President
Laurence B. Abrams – Recording Secretary
Susan Moore-Chong – Treasurer
Andy Rovins – Sergeant-at-Arms
Shawn Holden – Trustee
Peggy Names – Trustee
Jeff Wexler – Trustee
Agamemnon Andrianos – Board Member
Devendra Cleary – Board Member
Courtney Goodin – Board Member
Richard Lightstone – Board Member
Steve Nelson – Board Member
Philip Palmer – Board Member
Laurence B. Abrams – Convention Delegate
Ed Moskowitz – Convention Delegate
Jay Patterson – Convention Delegate
Andy Rovins – Convention Delegate

Also, a heartfelt thank-you to our runners up for their generous participation: Chris Howland, Beau Baker, Jane Fleck, Kevin Muldoon and Elizabeth Alvarez.

As we enter into contract negotiation season, we couldn’t ask for a better team to be carrying the responsibility of representing this Local’s interests. We are in good hands.

Fraternally and with warmest regards,
Mark Ulano
IATSE Local 695 President

Contributors

Contributors to this edition

Ethan Andrus, CAS
Ethan has been a Production Sound Mixer for nearly 20 years. He has worked on projects with directors such as Terrence Malick, Richard Linklater, Jason Reitman, Robert Rodriguez and Jeff Nichols. Ethan was a CAS Award winner in 2010.

Steve Cantamessa
A second-generation Sound Mixer, Steve is an Academy Award winner for Ray as well as an Emmy and BAFTA Award winner.

David Waelder
David has recorded sound for films for several decades and has been an editor of the 695 Quarterly since its inception five years ago.

Photos courtesy of the respective contributors

From the Editors

Local Participation

Something extraordinary occurred at the nominations meeting in December: members had to pull additional chairs from the storage racks to have some place to sit. That hasn’t happened in a long time. With the end of the Trusteeship, we have experienced a resurgence of participation in the affairs of the Local. It’s not a road we would have elected to travel to achieve that end but we welcome the development however it comes. We encourage members to continue the trend and also to share knowledge and experience by writing for the 695 Quarterly.

We’re now in the thick of awards season and have an assortment of articles for you. Steve Cantamessa and Ethan Andrus discuss their work on award contenders Gone Girland Boyhood, respectively.

We also have a profile of Production Sound Mixer Bruce Bisenz, who pursued his own path over a career spanning nearly four decades.

Fraternally yours,
Eric Pierce, Richard Lightstone and David Waelder

66th Emmy Winners

[Names in BOLD are Local 695 members]

Outstanding Sound Mixing for Comedy or Drama Series (one Hour)

House of Cards “Chapter 14” Netflix

Lorenzo Millan, Nathan Nance, Scott R. Lewis

Production Sound Team:
Randy Pease, Chris Jones, John Gooch, Brian Jordan, Steve Saada

Outstanding Sound Mixing for a Miniseries or a Movie

Treme “Sunset on Louisianne” HBO

Bruce Litecky CAS, Andy Kris, Blake Leyh

Production Sound Team:
Matt Armstron, Robert Bigelow, Eric Heigel, Kyle Lamy, Jim Rongakis

Outstanding Sound Mixing for Comedy or Drama Series (Half-Hour) and Animation

Nurse Jackie “The Lady With the Lamp” Showtime

Jan McLaughlin CAS, Peter Waggoner

Production Sound Team:
Brendan O’Brien, Joe Savastano, Antonio Arroyo

Outstanding Sound Mixing for Variety Series or Special

The 56th Annual Grammy Awards CBS

Tom Holmes, Eric Johnston, John Harris, Eric Schilling, Mikael Stewart, Ron Reaves, Tom Pesa, Michael Parker, Pablo Munguia, Josh Morton, Bob La Masney

Production Sound Team:
Michael Abbott, Steven Anderson, Damon Andres, Andres Arango, John Arenas, Bruce Arledge, David Bellamy, William Bellamy, Rick Bramlette, Robert Brogden, Paul Chapman, Steve Chavez, Fred Coury, Pete Dahlstrom, Corey Dodd, Kirk Donovan, Mike Faustino, Max Feldman, Brian T. Flanzbaum, Andrew Fletcher, Grant Greene, Kristian Harper, Hugh Healy, Stacey Hempel, Bill Kappelman, Ray Lindsey, Mark Linett, Billy McKarge, Eddie McKarge, Bob Milligan, Jeff Peterson,Greg Price, Craig Rovello, Peter San Filipo, Joel Singer, James Spezialy, Ric Teller,Phil Valdivia, J.P. Velasco, Barry Warrick, Robert Wartinbee, Joe Watson

Outstanding Sound Mixing for Nonfiction Programming

American Masters “Jimi Hendrix: Hear My Train a Comin” PBS
Eddie Kramer, Steve Crook

News & Announcements

AES Convention

The Audio Engineering Society Convention (AES), held in Los Angeles for the first time in 12 years, drew record attendance. The event attracted more than 15,000 attendees to seminars, workshops and exhibits from 300-plus sponsors.

The Convention had workshops featuring Production Sound recording with Local 695 members fully involved in the presentations. Jim Tanenbaum and Mark Ulano discussed the requirements for making quality recordings in the “Superstars of Production Sound Recording” seminar. Subsequently, Sound Mixer Jay Patterson and Boom Operator Peggy Names came in for a Master Class on techniques and equipment used by the Production Sound Crew.

The AES will return to Los Angeles for a first-ever Conference on Audio in Hollywood on March 6-8, 2015.

IATSE Officer Institute

In October, IA officers from dozens of locals across the country attended the week-long IATSE Officer Institute at Local 80 in Burbank. Representing Local 695, Interim Business Representative Scott Bernard and Education Director Laurence Abrams attended presentations on Labor History, Labor Law, Organizing, Collective Bargaining, Union Finances, Contract Administration, Grievance Handling and more. International President Matthew Loeb and Michael Miller, International Vice President and Department Director of Motion Picture & TV Production, were on hand as well as the trainers and labor experts who helped design this unique program. President Loeb announced plans to continue conducting the IATSE Officer Institute over the next few years with the goal of advancing the effectiveness as well as the activism of the entire network of IA locals and their memberships across the US and Canada.

Shahs of Sunset

When 16 editors and assistant editors at Shahs of Sunset walked off the job at Berne, LLC, a subsidiary of Ryan Seacrest Productions, they thought that it would be a simple matter to settle with the show. They didn’t have a serious grievance and were primarily seeking health benefits and contributions to a retirement plan. They walked out on September 10, only a month away from the announced season premiere on October 13. In a statement to Deadline Hollywood, Ryan Seacrest Productions indicated a willingness to meet but never responded to any overtures from union organizers. Bravo, the network carrying the show, dismissed the striking editors. Normally, an employer is enjoined from dismissing unionizing workers but Bravo asserted that the editors had never been their employees.

With no one from production willing to negotiate, things settled down to a long slog. The striking and dismissed editors maintained a picket line at the Bravo offices at the NBC/Universal building on Wilshire Boulevard for four weeks. They also displayed an informational banner and large, inflatable rat at the New York headquarters at 30 Rockefeller Plaza, alerted Bravo advertisers of the job action and held a rally in South Weddington Park in the shadow of the Universal and NBC black tower.

After four weeks of resistance, Ryan Seacrest Productions entered negotiations with the IATSE. They came to an agreement and, on October 10, the Shahs of Sunset crew voted unanimously to ratify a contract covering production as well as post-production work.

Safety App

A safety app to facilitate set safety and reporting dangerous conditions is now available as a free download for both Android and Apple phones. The Pledge to Sarah organization developed the application and detailed information is available from www.pledgetosarah.org/app

The app features a list of safety hotlines, a complete list of CSATF safety bulletins and the text of the twenty-one most relevant bulletins including working with firearms, animals, stunts, fog, process trailers and other commonly encountered situations. The app also has well thought out features to facilitate anonymous reporting. Each safety hotline number is accompanied by two “call” buttons, one just to dial the number and another to make the call with Caller ID blocked. There is also a function to take a picture of a time sheet and email the image to a Friends of Sarah Jones clearinghouse that will forward only the essential information to unions and protect the identity of the sender. Armed with the documentary evidence this function supplies, rather than just anecdotal accounts, representatives can more effectively address the issue in negotiations.

In Memoriam

HARRY C. HOWARD
Video Engineer
July 21, 1940 – August 6, 2014

From the Interim Business Agent

From the Interim Business Agents

AB 1839

On September 18, 2014, Gov. Jerry Brown and members of the California film community gathered in front of the TCL Chinese Theatre to sign Assembly Bill 1839 into law. As a result, IATSE Local 695 members can now expect substantially more job opportunities at home, here in Hollywood. State Assembly member and co-author of the bill, Mike Gatto, announced: “Today, with the stroke of a pen, California is doing something significant to bring good jobs back to our state.”

The state of California will now support the film and television industry to the tune of $1.6 billion in tax incentives over the next five years.

This was not something that just happened overnight; this victory was years in the making and put the IATSE on the map in Sacramento. There were countless people working behind the scenes, meeting one-on-one with key players and walking the halls of the State House. We, the members of the IATSE, now have standing in Sacramento.

I have been fortunate to speak with many of our elected leaders up and down the state and the message you sent with your letters and participation in the rallies in Burbank, San Francisco and Sacramento was impressive. It went a long way to show that the IATSE will not be pushed aside when our jobs are threatened.

On Sunday, October 26, we held a celebratory rally at Calamigos Ranch in Malibu, where many political leaders came to thank you for standing up and bringing this bill home. “Production and production jobs aren’t running away from California, they’re being lured away … but that stops today,” proclaimed Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti.

There are way too many people to thank for the countless hours of work fighting for this much-needed tax incentive. I’m proud to report to you that Local 695, its leadership and members were right there on the front line leading the charge.

So now I say, “Let’s get back to work.”

Scott Bernard
Interim Business Agent

Contributors

Contributors to this edition

Mark Agostino began his career as a studio recording engineer. After four years missing the light of day, he was in dire need of a change of scenery (literally). Along came an opportunity to join Local 695. He snatched it up and has been specializing in multitrack music playback and live recording for the last 18 years.

Richard Lightstone, CAS
Richard began his career in Canada and it continues in Los Angeles. He served as President of the Cinema Audio Society and is also a co-editor of the 695 Quarterly.

Lisa Piñero, CAS
Lisa Piñero, CAS, a production sound mixer for more than 25 years, has credits including documentaries, television and feature films. Her recent work includes projects with directors Oren Moverman, John Hillcoat, Nicole Holofcener and the three most

David Waelder
David has recorded sound for films for several decades and has been an editor of the 695 Quarterly since its inception five years ago.

Photos courtesy of the respective contributors

From the Editors

Ingenuity and Enthusiasm

The accomplishments of the Local 695 members featured in this issue span fifty years, from Jimmie Songer’s work perfecting video assist in the late ’60s to Lisa Piñero’s efforts to make World War II communications gear functional for Fury. There’s a remarkable consistency in these efforts. In every case, success was the result of a focused determination and attention to detail. Jimmie Songer introduced new materials to viewfinder optics to gain sufficient light for his design and worked with electronic circuits so miniaturized that he needed a microscope just to follow the traces. Lisa Piñero brought in a consultant to assist in rebuilding and repurposing antique tank communications.

If there is any new development, it is the growing complexity of the process. As Mark Agostino relates, accomplishing Clint Eastwood’s goal of live-recording the Jersey Boysmusicians required deploying microphones in several adjacent rooms to capture audio simultaneously from both on-screen and offscreen musicians.

We applaud the commitment and ingenuity of all these 695 engineers practicing the craft at the highest levels of skill and professionalism.

Fraternally yours,
Richard Lightstone, Eric Pierce and David Waelder