IATSE Local 695

Production Sound, Video Engineers & Studio Projectionists

Departments

News & Announcements

California Tax Credit Program Extension Signed Into Law

Assembly Bill 2026 and Senate Bill 1197 were signed into law on September 30, 2012, by Gov. Edmund G. Brown Jr. to extend funding for California’s Film & Television Tax Credit Program. The two-year $200 million extension ensures that tax credits will be available through fiscal year 2016-17. More information can be found at http://www.film.ca.gov/Incentives.htm

New Soundstages to Be Part of NBC/U’s Extension

Local 695 Business Agent Jim Osburn accompanied Local 80 Business Agent Thom Davis and a delegation of IA reps at a recent hearing in L.A. City Council chambers in support of NBC/Universal’s $1.6 billion “Evolution Plan”. The project, now approved by the City Council, will include new and improved production and post-production facilities, two new soundstages, new media-related office space and enhancements to the Universal Studios Hollywood theme park and CityWalk, along with hotels and retail and dining facilities.

Additionally, a Project Labor Agreement has been reached between NBC/Universal and Southern California construction unions that is expected to create about 13,000 construction jobs during the 10-year project. More information can be found at http://nbcuniversalevolution.com

Local 695 Building Debt Paid Off

The Local made its last payment in June on a second mortgage loan that was taken out in 1992 for funds in order to make much-needed earthquake repairs. The building is now owned free and clear by the membership.

Bridge to Health

The MPTF program “Bridge to Health” offers limited healthcare services to members who have not accrued enough hours to qualify for the Motion Picture Health Plan. Available to members and their dependents age 13 and up, office visits cost only $25 and lab services and X-rays are free when performed at the Motion Picture clinics. For complete details and eligibility information, see www.mptvfund.org/page.aspx?pid=528

Mixers Out Socializing

More than eighty members of the local sound community attended the MOS gathering (Mixers Out Socializing) at the Gordon-Biersch Brewery Restaurant in Burbank on September 8. Proposed and organized by Michael Miramontes, a local sound recordist, the event was promoted on the online discussion forum operated by our own Jeff Wexler and attracted considerable support from other sound professionals and equipment suppliers. Rich Topham, a native of Los Angeles and now president of Pro-Sound in New York, came west for the event and generously contributed both lunch and a donation to support the Wexler forum. Swag from many sources was distributed freely. Anyone who left empty-handed was probably not paying close attention to the raffle announcements. More importantly, sound professionals had an opportunity to meet others working in the same field, match faces to names and exchange experiences. Special thanks to Whit Norris for handling the raffle chores and to his wife, Kathy, for signing everyone in and keeping the event running smoothly.

In Memoriam

FRED JOHNSTON
Boom Operator
Oct. 2, 1954 – Sept. 19, 2012

MARVIN E. LEWIS
Boom Operator
Aug. 18, 1943 – Sept. 22, 2012

From the Business Representative

In Perspective: Fred and Marvin

Deep and somber affection compels this communication. During the past quarter, two of our valued members passed away. Fred Johnston died on September 19 at age 58 and Marvin E. Lewis passed on September 22 at age 69.

Both men represented the finest qualities in their profession as production microphone boom operator technicians.

They leave an exceptional and profitable body of work that shall be enjoyed by millions in years to come. Their industry contributions required physical stamina, technical expertise and long hours of employment away from family.

The preliminary reports my office received concerning Fred is that he contracted a lung ailment known as Valley Fever, following his work on production. Fred failed to recover despite the medical attention he received.

Marvin retired after 40 years of capturing actors’ scripted dialog on production. Continuous use of a “fishpole” had caused injury to his back and necessitated knee replacement operations in both legs; he could no longer continue the work.

Memorial services for Fred with his family were, like Fred himself, personable and quiet. His ashes will be disbursed in the wind.

Memorial services for Marvin were held on October 6 at the Angelus Funeral Home. More than 200 friends came and were part of a very touching service. It was absolutely clear to me that Marvin was loved and embraced by many.

Local 695 members attending included Executive Board members Elizabeth S. Alvarez, Andy Rovins, myself and many other members who took time to share in that moment.

The Industry Wide Labor-Management Safety Committee is collectively aware and investigating matters that, I believe, contributed to physical distress our members have suffered and continue to endure.

Neither Fred nor Marvin shall be forgotten as we pursue reasonable work hours and safe work environments.

James A. Osburn, CAS
Business Representative
Executive Director

From the President

GIVING THANKS ON THANKSGIVING

As I sit here writing, so much of the world is in a hurricane. Sandy batters the East Coast where most of my family is. The presidential election is days away, swinging its razor pendulum. Likewise, international turmoil is in an uptick and uncertainty reigns in the land.

This year has been a tough stretch for many of us. In some ways, the toughest many of us have ever seen. And yet I’m constantly delighted and warmed by the camaraderie, perseverance and intensity of commitment I come across in my contact with fellow members. Never was this more clear to me than during the lovely get-together in Burbank, as described elsewhere in this issue of the 695 Quarterly. What a great gathering of a terrific community.

A voice inside brings calm as the refrain “this too shall pass” reverberates, inviting me to an inevitable sense of gratitude:

On this day, my children are healthy as is my loving wife of 32 years. My parents, well into their seniority, (92 and 86, respectively) are still independent and I have been blessed with some of the dearest friends a human could ever hope for. Further, I get the opportunity to do what I love (filmmaking) when invited, to some pretty interesting projects. So after 36 years in this freelance life, with all its ups and downs, what more could I ask for?

The answer is continued safety and security for my family and friends and the renewal of sustained prosperity and security for my beloved professional family of IATSE Local 695.

My message this issue is very simple: I thank our committed team in the office and the Board of Directors for their insight, caring and wisdom, and I thank you—the membership—for your friendship, support and professionalism. It is easily the proudest association I have been blessed with in my professional life.

I wish you a Happy Thanksgiving and healthy holidays to you all.

With heartfelt fraternity,
Mark Ulano
President, IATSE Local 695

From the Editors

As members of Local 695, we are a community but we often perform our tasks in isolation from our fellow brothers and sisters working the same disciplines.

If you are fortunate to be on one of the major studio lots, you might have the time to stagehop and visit with fellow associates. Otherwise, the other members of your own team are likely to be your only contact with fellow 695 professionals.

Fortunately, the Internet has created a larger community and given us a place to connect virtually. More fortuitously, it has also created the famous NAB “RAMPS Party” held each April in Las Vegas, the Annual Kriky-Seth BBQ and more recently, the “Mixers Out Socializing.”

These have all proved to be wonderful opportunities to socialize and become friends in a relaxing and noncompetitive environment. It has reinforced our sense of community and this issue of the 695 Quarterly gives a major hat’s off to the organizers of these events and all who attended.

The Quarterly is also a part of our sound community. We aspire to be the link, giving you informative articles that both enlighten and bring us all closer together.

We appreciate your readership and the continuing contributions from every craft represented by Local 695.

Fraternally,
Richard Lightstone, David Waelder and Eric Pierce

Education & Training

You can pretty much say goodbye to film because from this point forward, it’s all about video.

by Laurence B. Abrams

That includes production and post-production and distribution, as well.  After more than a dozen years of hi-def development, last year represented something of a tipping point… the year that digital projection finally took the lead over film on theater screens around the world.  For more than 80 years, 35mm film was the industry’s primary theatrical projection format but in 2011, nearly 64,000 screens worldwide… over 51 per cent of all screens… were projecting digital films.  And the rate of transition is certainly not slowing down.  To the contrary, the use of conventional film prints by major studios may cease altogether both in the United States and in major markets worldwide sometime before the end of next year.  As film manufacturers like Kodak and processing labs like Technicolor and Deluxe shut down or drastically scale back their facilities, we see clear evidence of the same sort of transition from film to video taking place on production, as well.

Director Christopher Nolan and his admirable commitment to continue shooting on celluloid notwithstanding, it’s safe to say that the vast majority of our work has already gone to video.  In retrospect, shooting on film seems so much more simple, more stable, more reliable and certainly easier to work with but the reasons for switching to video are not insignificant… and there will be no turning back.

The film-to-video transition is driven by a rapidly changing technological environment, with new products reaching the market at a stunning pace and with new workflows in use on almost every production.  During this year’s Basic Contract negotiations with the AMPTP, some of the Producers’ representatives seemed to suggest the belief that all this “new video stuff” made it so much easier to shoot and somehow required fewer people to do it.  Really?  What this REALLY means for us… the sound technicians, the video engineers, the broadcast technicians and the projectionists who actually do the work….  is that today’s theatrical and broadcast productions are far more complex and far more technically demanding and far more challenging than anything we’ve experienced in the history of our industry.

But we love challenges and in many cases, members of Local 695 are some of the people advancing these new technologies, designing and developing the equipment, advising the manufacturers and developing creative and innovative on-set workflows.

What this all adds up to is an increasingly important need to develop new education and training resources for the membership of Local 695.  With that in mind, we’ve developed a variety of programs, including a partnership with THX and Dolby Labs to offer our members a series of comprehensive Color Science/Color Managementclasses.  Local 695 Video Assist, Engineers and Projectionists have attended seven full days of intensive color science training so far and we expect to offer more of these classes in the future as just one component of our on-going data management training.

Also for Video Assist, Engineers and Projectionists, we have continued with our 4-day Final Cut Pro training this Summer but this time we’ve expanded the program by including an additional 4-day Final Cut Pro Level 2 plus After Effects training.

For Production Sound crews, we’ve developed Local 695 Pro Tools PT-101 training that now qualifies as Avid Certified Training and we’ll soon be expanding the program to include the PT-110, as well.  Each of these Avid-certified classes is concluded with an Avid-approved assessment test and once both units are completed, Members are awarded qualification as an Avid Certified Operator.

The 2-day EVS training we conducted in the Spring offered training to Members in the use of EVS systems to capture and distribute digital video and audio over networked servers.  Local 695 members are currently using EVS on sports programming, awards shows, talk shows and some dramatic production.

Our Cable Clinics, now in their third year, are conducted on a recurring basis by Local 695’s “Master Cable Builder” James Eric.  These hands-on classes are limited to just 4 Members, providing a great opportunity to receive highly personalized training in the essential skills of cable building and repair for sound and video.

We are also continuing to offer our Fisher Microphone Boom Training: One-on-One Intensive, a unique training opportunity not available anywhere else.  In addition to Microphone Boom Operators and Utility Sound Technicians, we strongly encourage Production Sound Mixers to enroll in this training, as well.  In some cases where video cameras are rolling for exceptionally long shooting takes, the Fisher boom can prove to be an excellent solution and this is why all Production Sound crews should be trained in their safe operation.

And we continue to provide our members with access to more than 1,000 self-paced software tutorials through VTC, covering a huge selection of programs, including Adobe Premiere, Sony Vegas, Apple Final Cut Pro, Adobe After Effects, Adobe Photo Shop, Avid Pro Tools, Sound Forge, Adobe Audition, Adobe Soundbooth, Abelton Live, FL Studio, Apple Logic Studio, Steinberg Cubase, Filemaker Pro, Macromedia Director, Flash, Dreamweaver, WordPress, Drupal, Joomla!, Wikis, PHP, Javascript and many hundreds more.

All of the above training is free to Local 695 members (although in some cases, you may need to satisfy certain qualifications established by Contract Services.)  In addition, more training is available at significantly reduced cost (via two-thirds reimbursements from Contract Services) at Studio Arts and the IDEAS Workshop and at RED Digital Cinema, Barco, EVS, Video Symphony and more.

How can you learn more about these important training opportunities?  Thought you’d never ask.  All classes are listed on the Announcements page and the Education & Training page of our website at www.local695.com and are also announced in emails sent to the Membership.  Most of you have been getting these emails periodically but if you haven’t, you need to first be sure that you’re registered on the website.  If not, it’s quick and easy to do.  If you’re already registered, log in and check your profile to verify that we’ve got your correct email address.  If all else fails, be sure to check the junk filters on your computer and if necessary, “white list” our address…info@local695.com… to assure that you’re receiving all of our emails.  As always, if you have any questions or suggestions about training or about the website, don’t hesitate to contact us at edu@695.

News & Announcements

Contract Negotiations

The issue of contract negotiations dominated the 2nd Quarter Membership Meeting on June 9, 2012. International VP Thom Davis was on hand, along with Business Representative Jim Osburn, to explain the details and the progress of negotiations. It was a lively discussion.

In the final vote tally on July 3, the contract was ratified. Local 695 members approved the new contract by almost a two-to-one margin.

Kriky & Seth’s 2012 BBQ

Now in its sixth season, the Kriky and Seth BBQ has become something of a tradition, a gateway to summer. Each year, Michael (Kriky) Krikorian and Seth Gilbert host a BBQ and generously invite anyone involved in production sound in the Southern California area. They alternate hosting duties; this year it was Kriky’s turn. About 100 people came, socialized and enjoyed pulled pork, ribs and other BBQ specialties. Many goodies supplied by Coffey Sound/Trew Audio, Location Sound Corp., NeoPac, Solar On Set and Wilcox Sound were raffled. There were also abundant supplies of “Accept No Subs” T-shirts from Lectrosonics.

To be on their mailing list, send an email to soundbbq@kriky.com or visit the Kriky & Seth’s Sound Department BBQ on Facebook.

In Memoriam

SUMNER J. KAUFMAN
Projectionist
Oct. 4, 1919 – July 29, 2012

GLENN S. STUART
Projectionist
June 13, 1954 – July 14, 2012

From the Business Representative

Long Production Hours

Our industry has shown a commitment to workplace safety and has implemented a variety of programs that work together effectively to promote safe working conditions. But with a history of working very long hours on the set and sometimes getting very short turnarounds, sleep deprivation on production is still a matter that needs serious attention.

Statistics don’t lie. Research has shown that sleep deprivation can have some of the same hazardous effects as being drunk. Drivers are especially vulnerable to these risks. After being awake for 18 to 20 hours, most drivers will perform worse in driving tests than those who have exceeded the legal limit for drunk driving.

Long workdays and shortened sleep cycles affect coordination, reaction time and judgment and pose serious risks that can lead to reduced productivity, poor concentration, accidents, increased risk for a variety of chronic illnesses … all of which can ultimately result in sickness, injuries, increased benefit expenses—even death.

If you are working long hours and getting short rest periods, we want to know about it. The information you share will be very helpful in our continuing discussions with industry representatives. To share your experiences, please visit www.local695.com/html/longhours.php.

Be safe.

James A. Osburn, CAS
Business Representative
Executive Director

From the President

Thank you for participating…

During director Stanley Donan’s acceptance remarks for his career achievement Oscar, he maintained that the key to his success as a director was showing up ready to work. This ethic also relates to our effectiveness as an organization.

We, along with all the other West Coast locals, have ratified this new contract with large pluralities of the voting members.

Some of us spoke strongly for rejection of this contract, some for its ratification. It seems to me that both sides were asking for a real movement toward solidarity amongst the larger body of membership.

These efforts to persuade fellow members to come together are the greater value, more than the pros and cons of this immediate contract. Whatever your position, I thank the voting members for engaging in the process and urge and invite those of you who sat this one out to reconsider for the next time. Your opinion only is heard if you return your ballot.

And speaking of effort and participation, issue number 14 of this publication is on deck and heartfelt gratitude goes out to all our stalwart contributors. Special mention is due Scott Smith, Jim Tanenbaum, Steve Nelson, Benn Betts and Laurence Abrams, who have each contributed more than one article.

I invite you to join your colleagues with articles of your own creation. This is your quarterly and you are encouraged to appear in these pages.

Fraternally,
Mark Ulano President
IATSE Local 695

From the Editors

Summer has many meanings and attached memories. We can nostalgically look back to our time as young kids and remember summer as a time of freedom, no homework, camp, swimming, friends and long days.

Today, it might represent a return to another season of your episodic or the start of a new show that was picked up after the pilot. To others it could mean lots of traveling far from Los Angeles on a feature film that is on location not because of its unique look, but because that state has a terrific tax incentive.

Welcome to the summer of 2012 and the “new normal” of production that Local 695 members work in.

That’s why the 695 Quarterly is THE place to get a sound view of our craft. Steve Nelson continues his journey on The River and Jim Tanenbaum delves deeper into “The Cable Connection,” while Scott D. Smith looks at the new world of “Digital Asset Management.”

We are thankful to our contributors and want to read more from you, the heart and soul of Local 695.

In the meantime, enjoy your summer filled with family and friends.

Fraternally, Eric Pierce, David Waelder and Richard Lightstone

Award Winners

It was a hat trick for the sound team of the Martin Scorsese film Hugo, taking the Oscar for Sound Mixing, BAFTA Film Award for Sound, and the Cinema Audio Society Award for Outstanding Achievement in Sound Mixing for a Motion Picture.

John Midgley, Production Mixer
Tom Fleischman CAS, Re-recording Mixer
Simon Rhodes, Scoring Mixer
Philip Stockton, Eugene Gearty, Sound Editors
Mike Reardon, Charlotte Gray, Dash Mason-Malik, Peter Clarke, Martin Seeley, Clive Osborne, Andrew Sissons, Simon Brown, Production Sound Team

The 48th Annual CAS Awards were held Saturday, February 18, at the Millennium Biltmore Hotel in Downtown Los Angeles.

Outstanding Achievement in Sound Mixing for a Television Movie and Mini-Series

Too Big To Fail
James J. Sabat CAS, Production Sound Mixer
Chris Jenkins, Bob Beemer CAS, Re-recording Mixers
Chris Fogel, Scoring Mixer
Michael Schmidt, James J. Sabat Jr., Production Sound Team

Outstanding Achievement in Sound Mixing for a Television Series

Boardwalk Empire
“To the Lost”
Franklin D. Stettner CAS, Production Mixer
Tom Fleischman CAS, Re-recording Mixer
Sam Perry, Peter Fonda, Toussaint Kotright,
Egor Panchenko, Production Sound Team

Outstanding Achievement in Sound Mixing for Television Non-Fiction, Variety or Music – Series or Specials

Deadliest Catch
“New Blood”
Bob Bronow CAS, Re-recording Mixer

Education & Training

Workplace Safety

by Laurence B. Abrams

Stunts, cranes, booms, pyrotechnics, noise, long hours, smoke, water, highvoltage equipment, speeding vehicles and a desire to push the limits. These things sometimes come together to make great movies but they don’t come without certain risks. However, by developing a greater awareness for the potential safety hazards that surround us at work, film and television sets have actually become much safer work environments than they ever were before. Here are four very important programs that make it safer for us to report to work each day.

Safety Pass

The Safety Pass Program administered by Contract Services Administration Trust Fund (CSATF) offers classes tailored to the needs of each Local and each job classification. Please remember that the newest course in the training program, the A-2 Environmental Safety class, is mandatory for ALL classifications and that failure to complete this class can prevent you from being hired for work. You can verify whether or not you’ve already completed the A2 class if you go to www.csatf.org and on the left, click “Online Roster/General Access” and then enter your name and Local number. If you still need to take it, this three-hour class is offered daily, Monday through Saturday. For details and quick online registration, see www.csatf.org/safety.shtml. If you have questions about the Safety Pass Program, you can call Contract Services directly at 818.565.0550, ext. 1100.

Safety Bulletins

The Industry-Wide Labor- Management Safety Committee, a consortium of representatives from the IATSE, the guilds and the producers, has issued a series of documents intended as guidelines for promoting safe practices on the set. State, federal and local regulations take precedence, of course, but these guidelines are specifically developed to address issues that are directly related to our industry and to the kind of work that we do.

Topics covered by the Industry- Wide Labor-Management Safety Committee are wide ranging, offering advice on situations such as working near camera cars, boats and water hazards, firearms, smoke and fog effects, working with animals or around helicopters or near high voltages, in extreme hot or cold weather or high-wind conditions and much more.

The newest document released by the Safety Committee is called Safety & Health Awareness Sheet – Extended or Successive Takes and is critically important to our sound crews now working with HD cameras capable of shooting nonstop for extremely long periods of time. Please be sure to read about this particular document here www.local695.com/html/long-takes.php. To become familiar with all of the other safety bulletins, each printable in PDF format, please visit www.csatf.org/bulletintro.shtml.

Studio Safety Hotlines

Every employee has the right to report unsafe conditions or unsafe practices to their employer without fear of reprisal. To assist in reporting such problems, a list of all the Studio Safety Hotline phone numbers and contact information for safety representatives at the major studios is available on the Contract Services website at www.csatf.org/studio_safety_hotlines.pdf. Most of the studios state that they are available 24 hours a day to accept anonymous safety-related phone calls. The studios have made it clear that they are totally committed to maintaining a safe workplace and that they very much want to hear about any safety problems that you may be aware of.

OSHA and Your Right to Have a Safe Workplace

The Occupational Safety and Health Act (OSHA) of 1970 was created to assure safe and healthful working conditions for all working men and women. At its core, this health law declares that it is the duty of employers to provide workplaces that are free of known dangers that could harm their employees and that the employer must follow all OSHA safety and health standards. It goes on to specify a list of workers’ rights and employers’ responsibilities and it provides a path for you to report anonymously any unsafe conditions to your employer and to be protected from any discipline or reprisals that might arise as a consequence of you drawing attention to the problem. For more information, links and phone numbers for reporting violations, see https://www.local695.com/resources/health-safety-info/osha-workplace-safety.

News & Announcements

Membership Directory Offers New Features

The Membership Directory Committee continues to add improvements to the membership directory system:

• Members can now customize the order that their “Job Skills” and “Areas of Skills” appear in. From the drop-down menu, select all that apply, then simply drag them into the order you want them to be in.

• Field added for members who have an FCC Low Power Auxiliary Broadcast (part 74) License.

• The directory database will now retain all submitted information if a member has a break-in-service. It won’t be part of the active list during the time someone is removed from membership, but once reinstated; all information will be restored to the active database. Previously, all information had to be resubmitted once a member was reinstated.

Remember, you can update your directory information 24/7, 365 days a year by logging in to www.local695.com.

Seth & Kriky’s Sound BBQ

Seth Gilbert and Michael “Kriky” Krikorian’s Sixth Annual Sound Department BBQ is being planned for June. Great food, BYOB, and a great networking opportunity with fellow soundies! To get on their mailing list, send an email to soundbbq@kriky.com or visit Kriky & Seth’s Sound Department BBQ on Facebook.

Tax Credit Program Advances with AB 2026

A bill to extend California’s Film and Television Tax Credit Program by five years cleared a hurdle when AB 2026 passed out of the California State Legislature’s Arts & Entertainment Committee. The bill is co-authored by Assemblyman Felipe Fuentes, who also led the passage of the program’s one-year extension back in October. It’s a tough sell as Sacramento grapples with continued budget shortfalls but a Los Angeles Economic Development Corporation study reported that the program generated $3.8 billion of economic activity in its first two years.

In Memoriam

RENE M. SIMONEAU
Chief Projectionist
July 8, 1937 – April 10, 2012

From the Business Representative

In Perspective

At contract negotiations conducted March 14, 2012, at the offices of the AMPTP, the Local 695 Bargaining Committee presented the following as further substantiation of our members’ technical expertise and historically established contribution to the ongoing evolution of the audio and video electronic recording chain.

EVS systems incorporate file-based production tools for script-based production, live studio production, content control and delay, fast turnaround production, soap operas, talk shows, news production, sports production and more.

The EVS hardware and software controllers improve production speed and efficiency and reduce production cost. The primary functionality for multicamera recording of scripted production is to provide ingest and server-based recording operation and immediate transfer to post-production facilities, both on-site and off-site. In live and live-to-tape production,

EVS systems are used to give producers instant access to the timeline for editorial decision and multichannel playback.

The EVS system’s tapeless production technology incorporates an integrated suite of video management tools for a wide variety of production applications. Replacing four or more HD-SDI tape machines, the eight-channel SD/HD and six-channel 3D/1080p intelligent production servers are used to manage multiple audio and video sources for immediate assemble preview and playback or for delivery to post-production or media archives over high-speed server networks. It allows ingest control, metadata management, on-the-fly editing and playout scheduling managed from a single interface.

The responsibilities of the EVS operator include:

>>> Set up and monitor all local and remote server operations.

>>> Assign routing and maintain video and audio feeds in and out of the server.

>>> Enable continuous loop recording, which captures audio and video from all sources virtually all the time without interruption.

>>> Assign and configure video codecs and compression schemes for distribution to required output destinations.

>>> Monitor and control record and playback functions on the server.

>>> Replay, clip management, playlist management, locating, previewing, assembling and playback video/audio files from the server and routing to the appropriate destination.

>>> Control and monitor security features using RAID technology, redundant power supplies, and internal hot-swapped disk drives.

James A. Osburn, CAS
Business Representative
Executive Director

From the President

On My Journey With Obesity

I thought I’d touch on my own journey with obesity.

In our kind of work it is very common for us to become so absorbed in our work that we disconnect from our physical selves.

Years can pass without us being aware of the progression and changes to our bodies as we move along in our lives and careers.

I look back on decades as an obese person and realize that I had literally built a “fortress” around myself. This was a fortress of pushing constantly, not stopping and noticing the present, obsessively multi-tasking and just trying to be ahead of the curve, missing the forest right in front of me, the trees perfectly blocking the view.

I’d always begin some program, some diet, some magicbullet solution, ultimately falling apart as schedules shifted wildly and life’s apparent pressures inevitably gave me a “reason” why I couldn’t keep it together.

Eventually, I grew to become a 285-lb man on a 5’ 7” frame. Everything was affected by this slow motion, inadvertent suicide.

I’d always positioned it as a logistical or technical issue, something on the “to do” list, to be scheduled, to be gotten to when I could pay full attention. Years passed as I failed to confront the essential nature of taking care of myself. Then, I had the very good fortune of a couple of “2 x 4”s hitting me upside my head. We had a major health scare with my wife and simultaneously my annual physical revealed that my liver was in severe decline, infested with fat from years of abuse. Although never a drinker or smoker, it was as if I had been a severe alcoholic and had foolishly treated my body like an endlessly renewable resource.

The fecal matter was hitting the ventilation system in spades. I looked up and saw my kids, my wife and said to myself this is it. Everything else is off the table. I withdrew from the project I had committed to so I could remain home during the journey of my wife’s surgery, and took stock of what I was doing and what I wanted the future to look like. More importantly, I recognized that it was time to start living in the present.

So I stopped beating myself up and threw the switch, the emotional switch that made it possible to change my behavior. Eating less, moving more…

No angel, I. It has been a process of two steps forward, one back, but I changed this. It took more than four years but I am currently 172 pounds, I run three miles 4 to 5 times a week. I started training for mini-triathalon and learning how to use Russian Kettle Bell for core strength.

“Failure cannot cope
with persistence.”

This is a day-by-day thing. I try to not let how I feel about any given day affect my behavior regarding the program. Some days I feel terrific and some not so much, but when I miss a run or eat inappropriately, I feel it almost immediately and realize I can’t go back…

Only forward.

We were very lucky. My wife is well. My blood chemistry is the best it’s been in 30 years. People can improve, make it better, get past their own crap. Failure cannot cope with persistence.

No one is perfect, certainly not me. But stopping and noticing, living in the present, facing into the things most challenging in our lives, has the greatest value. You gotta have a system.

Warm regards,
Mark Ulano President, IATSE Local 695

From the Editors

Goals, objectives and desired results form every aspect of our lives. It might be a goal to spend more time with the family, improve your sound package, achieve better sounding tracks, a better workout or just your quality of life.

We regularly set goals for ourselves and work to bring them to fruition.

The goal of the 695 Quarterly is to bring you a great read, full of information in every discipline Local 695’s membership provides to the entertainment industry.

This issue begins a three-part series by James Tanenbaum, “The Cable Connection,” that explains everything you need to know about interconnecting cables on your sound cart. Steve Nelson explores the travails of mixing the challenging episodic series The River, in Puerto Rico and Hawaii, and Scott Smith returns with “When Sound Was Reel-9.”

Our goal is to give you new insight into the incredibly complex work our membership does each and every day.

Enjoy.

Fraternally,
Richard Lightstone, Eric Pierce and David Waelder

Award Nominees

[Names in BOLD are Local 695 members]

Cinema Audio Society

It’s awards season and we’re proud that Local 695 is well represented in the sound categories. Here’s a salute to all those nominated, and their production sound teams! The nominees were announced for the Cinema Audio Society’s 48th Annual Awards. Ceremonies were held on January 19 at the Millennium Biltmore Hotel.

MOTION PICTURES

Hanna

Roland Winke, Christopher Scarabosio, Craig Berkey CAS, Andrew Dudman, Thomas Wallis, Noah Timan, Hunor Schauschitz, Jeanne Gilliland, Nourdine Zaoui

Hugo

John Midgley, Tom Fleischman CAS, Simon Rhodes, Mike Reardon, Charlotte Gray, Dash Mason-Malik, Peter Clarke, Martin Seeley, Clive Osborne, Andrew Sissons, Simon Brown

Moneyball

Ed Novick, Deb Adair CAS, Ron Bochar CAS, David Giammarco, Brad Haehnel,Knox White, Chris (Catfish) Walmer, Marc-Jon Sullivan, Andy Edelman, Glenn Berkovitz CAS, Bill King, Bob Tiwana, Niel Riha, Joel Reidy, David C. Manahan

Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides

Lee Orloff CAS, Paul Massey CAS, Chris Boyes, Alan Meyerson, Jeffrey Humphreys, Jonathan Fuh, Joseph Magee, Michael Anderson, John Gareth, Ivan Sharrock, Paul Schwartz, Christian Joyce, John Reynolds, Richard Linke

Super 8

Mark Ulano CAS, Andy Nelson, Anna Behlmer, Dan Wallin, Tom Johnson, Adam Blantz, Juan Cisneros, Jesse Kaplan, Eric Pierce CAS, Brion Condon

TELEVISION MOVIES & MINI-SERIES

Cinema Verite

Petur Hliddal, Lora Hirschberg, Scott Lewis, Douglas Murray, Greg Townley, Carl Fisher, Frank Stettner, Amanda
Jacques

Innocent

Shane Connelly, Mark Hensley, Tamara Johnson CAS, Chris Higgins

The Kennedys – “Hour 7”

Henry Embry CAS, Frank Morrone CAS, Stephen Traub, Larold Rebhun, Denis Bellingham

Mildred Pierce – “Part 5”

Drew Kunin, Leslie Shatz, Todd Whitelock, Mark Goodernote, Paul Koronkiewicz, Jason Staium

Too Big to Fail

James J. Sabat CAS, Chris Jenkins, Robert J. Beemer CAS, Chris Fogel, Michael Schmidt, James J. Sabat Jr.

TELEVISION SERIES

Boardwalk Empire – “To the Lost”

Franklin D. Stettner CAS, Tom Fleischman CAS, Sam Perry, Peter Fonda, Toussaint Kotright, Egor Pachenco

Breaking Bad – “Face Off”

Darryl L. Frank CAS, Jeffrey Perkins, Eric Justen

Dexter – “Just Let Go”

Greg Agalsoff, Pete Elia CAS, Kevin Roache CAS, Ken Keauchene, Kim Podzimek

Game of Thrones – “Baelor”

Ronan Hill, Mark Taylor, Derek Hehir, Billy Quinn

The Walking Dead – “What Lies Ahead”

Bartek Swiatek CAS, Gary D. Rogers CAS, Daniel J. Hiland CAS, Kevin Summers, Brian Didsbury, Drew Ponder, Anthony Cargioli, Robert Maxfield,James Peterson, Adam Mohundro, Christopher J. Harris, Michael P. Clark, Aron Siegel

TELEVISION NON-FICTION, VARIETY, MUSIC SERIES OR SPECIALS

American Experience – “Triangle Fire”

G. John Garrett CAS, Rick Angelella, Everett Wong, Coll Anderson

Bobby Fischer Against the World

Mark Maloof, Bill Marino

Deadliest Catch – “New Blood”

Bob Bronow CAS

Great Performances at the Met: Nixon in China

Ken Hahn CAS, Jay David Saks

Lady Gaga Monster Ball Tour

John Harris, Brian Riordan CAS

Satellite Award for Best Sound (Editing and Mixing)

The Satellite Award or Best Sound (Editing and Mising), presented by the International Press Academy on December 18, 2011, went to:

Drive

Robert Eber CAS, Dave Paterson, Lon Bender, Robert Fernandez, Victor Ray Ennis, Scott Edelson, Sean Byrnes

Congratulations to the rest of the nominees:

Super 8

Mark Ulano CAS, Andy Nelson, Anna Behlmer, Ben Burtt, Matthew Wood, Tom Johnson, Adam Blantz, Juan Cisneros, Jesse Kaplan, Eric Pierce CAS, Brion Condon

The Tree of Life

John Pritchett CAS, Kirk Francis CAS, Christopher Scarabosio, Craig Berkey, Erik Aadahl, Jeremy Peirson, David Roberts, Scott Jacobs, Shawn Harper, Kay Colvin

War Horse

Gary Dodkin, Chris Murphy Stuart Wilson AMPS, Andy Nelson, Gary Rydstrom, Richard Hymns, Tom Johnson, Orin Beaton, Mitch Low, Thomas Fennell, Alan McFeely, Danny Hambrook, Christian Joyce, Matt Taylor

Transformers: Dark of the Moon

Peter J. Devlin CAS, Erik Aadahl, Ethan Van Der Ryn, Gary Summers, Greg P. Russell, Jeffrey J. Haboush, Kevin Cerchiai, Scott Solan, Kevin Summers

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2

Stuart Wilson AMPS, Adam Scrivener, James Mather, Mike Dowson, Stuart Hilliker, Orin Beaton, Mitch Low, John Casali, Gary Dodkin, Chris Murphy

BAFTA Nominees

The nominees for the Orange BAFTA (British Academy Awards) for Sound were announced January 17, 2012. Ceremonies will take place at The Royal Opera House on February 12, 2012.

The Artist

Michael Krikorian CAS, Nadine Muse, Gérard Lamps, Valeria Ghiran

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2

Stuart Wilson AMPS, James Mather, Stuart Hilliker, Mike Dowson, Adam Scrivener, Orin Beaton, Mitch Low, John Casali, Gary Dodkin, Chris Murphy

Hugo

John Midgley, Philip Stockton, Eugene Gearty, Tom Fleischman CAS, Mike Reardon, Martin Seeley, Charlotte Gray

Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy

John Casali, Howard Bargroff, Doug Cooper, Stephen Griffiths, Andy Shelley, Chris Murphy, Tim White, Orin Beaton, Alan MacFeely, Márton Kristóf, György Rajna

War Horse

Stuart Wilson AMPS, Gary Rydstrom CAS, Andy Nelson, Tom Johnson, Richard Hymns, Orin Beaton, Mitch Low, Thomas Fennell, Alan McFeely, Danny Hambrook, Christian Joyce, Matt Taylor

Oscars Nominees

The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences announced the nominees in the category of “Achievement in Sound Mixing” on January 24. The Oscars will be presented at the 84th Academy Awards on Sunday, February 26.

The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo

Bo Persson, David Parker, Michael Semanick, Ren Klyce, Stefan Ljungberg, Jonas Rudels, Mark Weingarten CAS, Michael Primmar, Mark Gretch, David Raymond, Daniel Greenwald, Chris Munro, Steve Finn

Hugo

John Midgley, Tom Fleischman, Mike Reardon, Charlotte Gray, Dash Mason- Malik, Peter Clarke, Martin Seeley, Clive Osborne, Andrew Sissons, Simon Brown

Moneyball

Ed Novick, Deb Adair, Ron Bochar, Dave Giammarco, Knox White, Chris (Catfish) Walmer, Marc-Jon Sullivan, Andy Edelman, Glenn Berkovitz CAS, Bill King, Bob Tiwana, Niel Riha, Joel Reidy, David C. Manahan

Transformers: Dark of the Moon

Peter J. Devlin CAS, Greg P. Russell, Gary Summers, Jeffrey J. Haboush, Kevin Cerchiai, Scott Solan, Kevin Summers

War Horse

Stuart Wilson, Gary Rydstrom, Andy Nelson, Tom Johnson, Orin Beaton, Mitch Low, Thomas Fennell, Alan Mcfeely, Danny Hambrook, Christian Joyce, Matt Taylor

Critics’ Choice Movie Award

On January 12, 2012, the 17th Annual Critics’ Choice Movie Award for Best Sound went to:

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2

Stuart Wilson AMPS, Orin Beaton, Mitch Low, Gary Dodkin, Chris Murphy

Congratulations to the rest of the nominees:

Hugo

John Midgley, Mike Reardon, Charlotte Gray, Dash Mason-Malik, Peter Clarke, Martin Seeley, Clive Osborne, Andrew Sissons, Simon Brown

Super 8

Mark Ulano CAS, Adam Blantz, Juan Cisneros, Jesse Kaplan, Eric Pierce CAS, Brion Condon

The Tree of Life

John Pritchett CAS, Kirk Francis CAS, David Roberts, Scott Jacobs, Shawn Harper, Kay Colvin

War Horse

Stuart Wilson AMPS, Orin Beaton, Mitch Low, Thomas Fennell, Alan McFeely, Danny Hambrook, Christian Joyce, Matt Taylor

Education & Training

by Laurence B. Abrams

Deadline Passed for Safety Pass Class

Most of our members have already completed the required “A-2 Environmental Safety” course, which is the most recently added course in the Safety Pass Training Program, but there may still be some who have not yet attended this class.  Be aware that Contract Services has announced that individuals who do not complete all required classes will be suspended from the Industry Experience Roster and may be considered ineligible for employment.  For those who haven’t yet taken it, the 3-hour “A-2” class is offered daily, Monday through Saturday, and provides a great deal of information that relates to the work we do.  For details about this training and easy online registration, see www.csatf.org/safety.shtml.  If you have questions about the Safety Pass Program, you can call Contract Services directly at 818.565.0550 ext. 1100.

Fisher Microphone Boom Training

Once the tool of choice for nearly every motion picture and television production sound team, the Fisher Microphone Boom has seen much less use in recent years.  Nonetheless, it is a hugely valuable tool that becomes more relevant today, as multi-camera HD shoots place impossible demands on the boom operator with a fishpole.  Local 695’s Fisher Microphone Boom: One-on-One Intensive Training is a unique and important training opportunity that is exclusive for Local 695 members and cannot be found anywhere else.  Microphone Boom Operators, Utility Sound Technicians and also Production Sound Mixers are strongly encouraged to attend this ongoing program that provides personalized hands-on instruction for the Model 2 and Model 7 Fisher microphone boom arms and the Model 3 and Model 6E Fisher boom bases.  HD cameras and long shooting takes have changed the way we do our work and have given you good reason to be fully trained on the use of a Fisher.  The AMPTP’s endorsement of the “Safety Bulletin on Extended and Successive Shooting Takes” (see www.local695.com/html/long-takes.php) makes it clear that your Producers are aware of the significant health and safety issues associated with long shooting takes and that they are on your side, ready to provide a Fisher Boom when one is needed.  Local 695’s Fisher Boom training is free to all 695 members, is entirely supported by the Local and is independent of the CSATTF training requirements.  For details on how to schedule one of these appointment-only Fisher Boom training sessions, visit www.local695.com/mbr/edu-fbt.php.

Pro Tools Training

In coordination with Contract Services Administrative Training Trust Fund’s skills training program, Local 695 members just completed a 4-day Pro Tools class at the Guitar Center Studios training facility in Woodland Hills.  The Avid-certified PT-101 class conducted during January 2012 covered all functionalities of the software, with emphasis on location recording and playback.  This training was free to members qualified for the Contract Services skills training grant.  If the grant is approved for the year starting February 2012, we anticipate additional PT-101 classes as well as expanding to include the advanced PT-110 class.  This training is free for Local 695 members who meet these CSATTF training requirements:

Software Tutorials

Members of Local 695 still have the opportunity to take advantage of free access to over 1,000 comprehensive online software tutorials.  The list of courses grows continually as new software and versions are released.  These self-paced  online tutorials allow you to stop and start and review as needed.  And since you can keep multiple windows open, it’s easy to switch back and forth and experiment with the actual software while the tutorial progresses.  The list of available courses covers an enormous variety of topics, including Avid Pro Tools, Apple Logic, FL Studio, Steinberg WaveLab, Adobe Audition, Adobe Soundbooth, Apple Soundtrack Pro, Cubase, Sony Sound Forge, Adobe Premiere, Apple Final Cut Pro X, Adobe After Effects, Sony Vegas Pro 10, NewTek LightWave, Adobe Flash, Adobe Director, Adobe Dreamweaver, Adobe Photoshop, Apple Shake, Cleaner Pro, Adobe Fireworks, networking, databases, digital photography, website design and much more.  This training is completely free to all 695 members, is paid for by the Local and is totally independent of the CSATTF training requirements.  Take advantage of this free training while it remains available.  Further details and information about signing up for access to this training is at www.local695.com/mbr/edu-vtc.php.

For members who aren’t already registered on the Local 695 website with a current email address, you may want to do that now.  The most effective way for you to stay informed about educational resources, upcoming training announcements, updates and news about the Local is via email and the Local 695 website.  If you haven’t done so in a while, please log onto the website at www.local695.com to make sure that you are registered and that your email address is correct.

News & Announcements

Do you want to cruise previous issues of the Local 695 Quarterly? Send a link to an article to a friend or read the current issue on set? All issues of the Local 695 Quarterly are online at www.local695.com. The entire catalogue of the 695 Quarterly is available in a PDF format whenever you want it.

While you’re there, click on the “695 Gear” tab to see all the cool swag available. New items are added continuously, so check back often. The latest additions are 10 packs of “Local 695” stickers.

Southern Hospitality

Whit Norris held a gathering with Local 695 members from Los Angeles and Atlanta’s sound crews at his home in Atlanta, Georgia, on Sunday, November 6. Sound and video crews represented by Locals 695 and 479 enjoyed barbecue and beverages together on a pleasant Georgia afternoon.

CLICK TO ENLARGE

Front row: (l-r) Aron Siegal L479, Allen Williams L479, Paul Sorohan L479, Jim Hawkins L695-479, Chris Durfy L479 and son Devon, Richard Lightstone L695, Whit Norris L695-479, Bartek Swiatek L695-479, Jeff Wexler L695, Mary Ellis L695-479, Alex Lowe L479, Don Coufal L695, Bill Kaplan L695, Tommy Giordano L695 2nd row: (l-r) Hank Martin L479, Michael Clark L479, Bob Branam L695, David Goldstein L695, Glen Valentino L479, Matt Robinson L479, Eric Pierce L695, John Tendrich L695, Jorge Delvalle L479, Michael Wynn, Kevin Raser L479, Matt Durber L479

​In Remembrance: Alan F. Bernard

Local 695 Production Sound Mixer Alan Bernard passed away in the presence of his family on December 11, 2011. He leaves behind his wife Linda, daughter Cindy and sons Scott and David, both members of Local 695, and four grandchildren. Alan was a member of Local 695 for more than 50 years, and was an IATSE Gold Card member. Much of his time was devoted to the service of Local 695, volunteering for many committees and holding elected office. Alan was profiled in the fall 2011 edition of the 695 Quarterly, and can be read online at www.local695.com/Quarterly. A “Celebration of Life” for Alan was held on February 12 at Local 80 in Burbank.

Production Tracking Database

The Local 695 Production Tracking Database has been proving to be a great tool to help the office answer member’s questions about contracts and conditions on various productions. Keep filling out your job reports at www.local695.com/mbr/jobreport.php

Building the Buy Union!

LA Labor 411 is committed to empowering American consumers to buy quality products that are safe, made here in the U.S., and at a price point that means value. Union-made products enhance our community and build the cornerstone of our society—the middle class. Each one of us can make a difference every time we shop by choosing American-made, union-made products. Visit www.LALabor411.org for more information, and to use their online directory.

Stand Up To Content Theft

“Creative America continues to look for ways to eliminate the threat of digital content theft by rogue offshore websites. Recent debate on the issue is leading legislators toward solutions that effectively protect the rights and interests of all involved. Creative America is the grass-roots coalition formed by labor unions, guilds, studios and networks to look for ways to protect the jobs of more than 2 million Americans whose livelihoods are supported by the film and television industry. Visit www.creativeamerica.org to learn more about the impact of content theft on jobs, benefits and future work opportunities and to find out how you can help put an end to piracy.”

In Memoriam

DEAN G. HODGES
Production Sound Mixer
May 14, 1926 – Jan. 4, 2012

ALAN BERNARD
Production Sound Mixer
Jan. 30, 1934 – Dec. 11, 2011

FRANK A. RAINEY
Maintenance Engineer
Feb. 2, 1954 – Nov. 9, 2011

ALBERT AQUINO
Microphone Boom Operator
Aug. 7, 1957 – Jan. 9, 2012

From the President

When we start
All fire in the belly
To get to excellence
To make it
To make it right

This union thing
off the radar at first
Under the first layers
of what we think
we need know

Time pushes and pushes
Till it’s clear, looking back,
Tools we need to have
How to get good at this

Less about the hammers and nails
More about the blueprint,
a larger purpose
the overall

And the humans
We journey with…

This Union makes sense
To me, in this way
Another essential piece

A connection
Professional, personal
A solution seeking problems
Not perfect
but then, what is?

We are musicians,
sidemen,
session players

Perpetual students
Always practice, practice, practice
This is the task
This is the passion
This is the discipline

Fraternally,
Mark Ulano
President, IATSE Local 695

From the Business Representative

In Perspective

Workflow in its legal definition is a term covering all forms of physical and mental exertion to achieve an objective other than recreation or amusement.

In our industry, “workflow” has particular specialized meanings that apply to recording and transferring data at each stage of the process. A fundamental point is sometimes lost in all the technical specifications: skilled people perform these tasks; the people run the machines, not the other way around. A workflow, then, is simply a map of the tasks engineers and technicians undertake to produce a result.

In a workflow plan for managing digital images and sound, the tasks necessary at each stage include recording and transferring data, making computer entries, manipulating data files, servicing the audio and video equipment and similar chores. The technicians and engineers performing this work, both historically and contractually, do so under the jurisdiction of Local 695. Specific language in the IATSE-Producer contracts, as well as custom and practices agreed to between the parties, affirms the essential role of Local 695 bargaining unit employees in data management.

As the industry continues its migration to digital technology, there will be new challenges and a need for flexible new workflows. But it’s important to keep in perspective that these all refer to tasks performed by people, tasks that have been performed with skill and distinction by our members.

Should the reader require further information regarding this perspective, please address your inquiries to the Local 695 Business Office.

Very best wishes,
James A. Osburn, CAS
Business Representative Executive Director

IATSE LOCAL 695
5439 Cahuenga Boulevard
North Hollywood, CA 91601
phone  (818) 985-9204
email  info@local695.com