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IATSE Local 695

Production Sound, Video Engineers & Studio Projectionists

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From the Editors

Let’s hear it for summer!

Understandably, each day feels like the next, all the more reason to dive into the summer issue of Production Sound & Video.

José Antonio Garcia tells us about the challenges and rewards of working with Director Spike Lee on Da 5 Bloods. Shawn Holden writes about the groundbreaking series, The Mandalorian.

Steve Nelson offers us “Increasing Production Efficiency While Working Through a Pandemic” and Co-editor James Delhauer describes how our Video Engineers are preparing to return to work.

Bryan Cahill updates us on Boom Operators using the exoskeleton in “Hands Held High.” Jennifer Winslow continues “News & Announcements,” and I bring you “The Road Back.”

We welcome Scott Marshall as a new contributor covering our awards, starting with the Emmy nominations for sound!

Kick back, and enjoy the read.


Fraternally,
Richard Lightstone & James Delhauer

From the President

NOW

NOW Business might be asking us for unprecedented concessions.

NOW Congress appears less concerned with workers’ challenges.

NOW We’re confronted with a false choice between safety and financial survival.

Good friends,

Never has the need for our participation as Union members been more essential to our community and ourselves than NOW.

Our Union is central to our ability to control our work life; It provides much more than serving us in a moment of personal or professional crisis.

Our Union gives power and legitimacy to our collective action: it is much more than a pass to work.

And yet, many of us don’t experience our Union as the congregation of Labor that it actually is.

As we journey together through this avalanche of health, financial, and social crises, we need each other more than ever. This mutuality, this concept  of community, this fellowship, is a fundamental tool for our survival.

Passive membership inevitably leads to confusion and deep disappointment, but direct engagement as members and stakeholders keeps us informed and influential. Which of these you choose really affects the outcome of legislation and policy.

Your personal time is most valuable to your family and yourself and sometimes you tell yourself that you have no budget to devote time to our Union. I would respond with: They are very connected and together they form a network of mutual support.

One of the glories of Local 695 is its true embodiment of the democratic process. Now is the time to consider coming forward to learn and lead.

Our Local has an election coming up at the end of this year. Nominations are in November and the election follows in December.

I urge you to consider “stepping into the room” and either have someone nominate you for the Board of Directors or support a colleague that you trust and respect to represent you. Being elected by your peers to the Board is an honor. It is also a voluntary, unpaid opportunity to contribute some “sweat equity.”

Currently, all your present Board members and Officers are hardworking family people with the same pressures and obligations as you and I, yet they have found the time to contribute.

Beyond running for the Board of Directors, there are the many committees and activities the Local provides to serve the members.

Come take a turn, get involved. Information on how to participate is available on our website, or you can contact our representative staff or myself for direct assistance.

Showing up is how we overcome these forceful challenges

Let’s not forget this most basic truth: It’s your Union, own it!

As always, I am deeply grateful for the privilege and opportunity to serve.

My love and respect to all of you.

Mark Ulano CAS AMPS
President
IATSE Local 695

From the Business Representative

Safety and Networking

I hope this message finds you and your families healthy and safe. The return to work we’ve been waiting for looks like it will be a gradual one, but we do expect to be seeing more productions starting back up over the coming months. As of this writing, Local 695’s Craft-Specific Safety Guidelines are available for members to download from our website. For the broader set of industry-wide safety protocols, the IATSE, along with all of the other unions and guilds, have developed a set of comprehensive safety guidelines called “The Safe Way Forward” and presented it to the AMPTP for review. Developed in consultation with doctors and safety experts, we believe this represents the most expeditious way for our industry to get back to work while making it as safe as possible for cast and crew. It is our hope that by the time you read this, the producers will have adopted it as the standard that all productions follow.

Physical distancing is proving to be an essential measure taken in every production environment, and that explains the accelerated use of networking technology for both audio and video. Immediately after the March production shutdown took hold, Local 695 and Sound Mixer James Hunt began development of a training program called “Networking Crash Course: Essentials of Audio & Video IP.” Building on the extensive history of Local 695 members setting up audio and video networks for live broadcasting and sports production, this training was designed to teach more of our Video Engineers, Video Assist Technicians, and Sound Mixers the fundamentals of network management.  These workflows can send network-enabled audio and video to remote locations, which can be used by directors, writers, producers, and other crew, allowing them to view video monitors at safe distances from the set. In fact, the demand for this course was so high that we ran nine separate training sessions within just two months. Meeting the needs of a COVID-safe work environment, our members are embracing networking technology and developing innovative solutions to meet the needs of production with amply distanced Video Assist monitoring, as well as remote recording and playback whenever requested.  

Video Assist has a long history of providing support for production. Back in 1960, Jerry Lewis positioned twenty-four video monitors around the set of The Bellboy, allowing him to keep an eye on what the camera was seeing while he was performing. Jerry coined the phrase “Video Assist” and we still use it to this day. A few years later, he added a two-inch videotape machine and made Video Assist even more useful by giving him record and playback for every shot. Video Assist and the added features it now offers has grown a great deal, especially now with the need to keep crews safe with physical distancing. With the requirement for more monitors and remote viewing, Video Assist is now “assisting” nearly every department on the set.

Stand together and stay strong.

In Solidarity,
Scott Bernard
Business Representative

Sound Awards 2020

56th CAS Awards We Congratulate All the Winners!

Motion Pictures – Live Action
Ford v Ferrari

Outstanding Sound Mixing Motion Pictures – Live Action Ford v Ferrari David Betancourt, Steven A. Morrow CAS, Tyson Lozensky, Richard Duarte, Paul Massey CAS, David Giammarco CAS

Production Mixer – Steven A. Morrow CAS
Re-recording Mixer – Paul Massey CAS
Re-recording Mixer – David Giammarco CAS
Scoring Mixer – Tyson Lozensky
ADR Mixer – David Betancourt
Foley Mixer – Richard Duarte
Production Sound Team: Craig Dollinger, Bryan Mendoza, Richard Bullock Jr.

Motion Pictures – Animated
Toy Story 4

Outstanding Sound Mixing Motion Pictures – Animation Toy Story 4 David Boucher, Vince Caro CAS, Doc Kane CAS, Scott Curtis

Original Dialogue Mixer – Doc Kane CAS
Original Dialogue Mixer – Vince Caro CAS
Re-recording Mixer – Michael Semanick CAS
Re-recording Mixer – Nathan Nance
Scoring Mixer – David Boucher
Foley Mixer – Scott Curtis

Motion Pictures – Documentary
Making Waves: The Art of Cinematic Sound

Outstanding Sound Mixing Motion Pictures – Documentary Making Waves: The Art of Cinematic Sound presenter Tod A. Maitland, Dan Blanck CAS, David J. Turner CAS, Tom Myers CAS, presenter Javicia Leslie

Production Mixer – David J. Turner CAS
Re-recording Mixer – Tom Myers CAS
Scoring Mixer – Dan Blanck CAS
ADR Mixer – Frank Rinella

Television Series – One Hour
Game of Thrones
“The Bells”

Production Mixer – Ronan Hill CAS
Production Mixer – Simon Kerr
Production Mixer – Daniel Crowley
Re-recording Mixer – Onnalee Blank CAS
Re-recording Mixer – Mathew Waters CAS
Foley Mixer – Brett Voss CAS
Production Sound Team: Guillaume Beauron, Andrew McArthur, Paul McGuire, Andrew McNeill, Sean O’Toole, Jonathan Riddell, Joe Furness

Television Series – Half-Hour I Tie
Barry “ronny/lily”

Outstanding Sound Mixing Television Series – Half-Hour Barry: “ronny/lily” (Tie) Jason “Frenchie” Gaya, Aaron Hasson, John Sanacore CAS, Elmo Ponsdomenech CAS, Benjamin A. Patrick CAS

Production Mixer – Benjamin A. Patrick CAS
Re-recording Mixer – Elmo Ponsdomenech CAS
Re-recording Mixer – Jason “Frenchie” Gaya
ADR Mixer – Aaron Hasson
Foley Mixer – John Sanacore CAS
Production Sound Team: Jacques Pienaar, Corey Woods, Kraig Kishi, Scott Harber, Christopher Walmer, Erik Altstadt, Srdjan Popovic, Dan Lipe

Fleabag Episode #2.6

Production Mixer – Christian Bourne
Re-recording Mixer – David Drake
ADR Mixer – James Gregory
Production Sound Team: Tom Pallant, Guido Lerner, Josh Ward

Television Movies or Limited Series
Chernobyl “1:23:45”

Gary Rizzo, award winner Phillip Clements and presenter Italia Ricci pose at the CAS Awards at the InterContinental Hotel in Los Angeles, CA on Saturday, January 25, 2020. (photo: Tyler Curtis/ABImages)

Production Mixer – Vincent Piponnier
Re-recording Mixer – Stuart Hilliker
ADR Mixer – Gibran Farrah
Foley Mixer – Philip Clements
television non-fiction, variety, music series or specials
David Bowie: Finding Fame
Production Mixer – Sean O’Neil
Re-recording Mixer – Greg Gettens
Production Sound Team: Nicolas Fejoz, Margaux Peyre

Career Achievement Award

Tom Fleischman CAS

Award winner Tom Fleischman poses at the CAS Awards at the InterContinental Hotel in Los Angeles, CA on Saturday, January 25, 2020. (photo: Tyler Curtis/ABImages)

Filmmaker Award

James Mangold

Paul Massey CAS, Filmmaker honoree James Mangold, Harrison Ford (Massey and Ford presented)

Service Award

Peter Damski CAS

Honoree Pete Damsky poses at the CAS Awards at the InterContinental Hotel in Los Angeles, CA on Saturday, January 25, 2020. (photo: Tyler Curtis/ABImages)

Peter R. Damski CAS, Service Recognition Award recipient

Outstanding Product – Production

Outstanding Product – Production Sound Devices, LLC “Scorpio” L-R: Francois Morin, Paul Isaacs, Matt Anderson, Jon Tatooles

Sound Devices, LLC
Scorpio

Outstanding Product – Post Production

Izotope, Inc.
Dialogue Match

Student Recognition Award

Bo Pang
Chapman University – Orange, CA


Academy Awards

Best Sound Mixing
1917

L to R: Stuart Wilson AMPS, Mark Taylor. Photo by Nick Agro/©A.M.P.A.S.

Stuart Wilson AMPS, Mark Taylor
Production Sound Team: Hugh Sherlock, Thomas Fennell, David Giles, Tom Wilkin, Michael Fearon, Rob Piller, Thomas Dornan, Emma Chilton, Tim White, Peter Davis, Keith Morrison, Hosea Ntaborwa


BAFTAS

Sound
1917

L to R: Oliver Tarney AMPS, Rachael Tate, Mark Taylor, Stuart Wilson AMPS. Photo by Dave Fisher/Shutterstock/BAFTA

Oliver Tarney AMPS, Rachael Tate, Mark Taylor,
Stuart Wilson AMPS
Production Sound Team: Hugh Sherlock, Thomas Fennell, David Giles, Tom Wilkin, Michael Fearon, Rob Piller, Thomas Dornan, Emma Chilton, Tim White, Peter Davis, Keith Morrison, Hosea Ntaborwa


AMPS

7th AMPS Awards: Excellence in Sound for a Feature Film
1917

L to R: Oliver Tarney AMPS, Stuart Wilson AMPS, Mark Taylor, Rachael Tate, Hugh Sherlock, Thomas Fennell

Stuart Wilson AMPS, Hugh Sherlock, Rachael Tate, Oliver Tarney AMPS, Mark Taylor
Production Sound Team: Hugh Sherlock, Thomas Fennell, David Giles, Tom Wilkin, Michael Fearon, Rob Piller, Thomas Dornan, Emma Chilton, Tim White, Peter Davis, Keith Morrison, Hosea Ntaborwa


Names in Bold are Local 695 members

News & Announcements

Covid-19 News

The news of the COVID-19 pandemic swept the industry in mid-March, shutting down production completely, until further notice. The loss of work has affected all of us, from the Sound Department to Craft Services. This has also been felt by local businesses that support and service productions, such as dry-cleaners that work with Costume Departments, gas stations that supply camera trucks, and many other vendors that all are so important to our industry.

As a result of Gov. Newsom and Mayor Garcetti’s “Safer at Home” order, our Local’s office was closed. Business agents and staff have been working from home, but have jumped into action to offer guidance and assistance in answering the flood of phone calls.

The newly formed 695 FAM Committee offered grocery and prescription pickups for retired members and those in high risk categories. IATSE CARES created a drive-through grocery pickup, which served many of our members. The Motion Picture Fund offered assistance to members in need, and the Actor’s Fund helped SAG members during this unprecedented time.

The Local 695 Board of Directors has been holding meetings through Zoom, as well as communicating weekly to keep abreast of the changes that are bound to be introduced post COVID-19.

695 Service Pin Ceremony

Congratulations to the 164 Local 695 members who reached their ten, twenty, thirty- and forty-year milestones this year! To see the full list of names, please log on to the 695 website.

Communication Skills on Production

Communications Skills training In the Local 695 Boardroom (left to right): Perry Freeze, Alexander Hutchinson, Steven Harrod, Sara Glaser, and Michael Todd Reckson, learn new skills

Local 695 continues to conduct training for our members with a recent addition to our education program called “Communication Skills on Production.”  This class was created when instructor Blas Kisic came to us with the idea that effective communication is an important but often overlooked component to our overall success when working on production.  From there, Blas expanded the concept into a class that would touch on areas such as effectively relaying the needs of the Sound, Video and Projection teams to the producer, interfacing with other departments on set, such as Camera, Grip, Set Lighting, and Costume, and emphasizing the need to communicate appropriately with performers regarding wireless mic usage. The class incorporates lecture and discussion as well as role-playing exercises to help demonstrate some of the concepts behind improved communications in the film and television production environment. 

This class is conducted periodically and in small groups, allowing for lots of questions and discussion.  Normally we run it in the Local 695 Boardroom but with State and City stay-at-home orders still in place, Blas has done a fantastic job redesigning the presentation of this class so it could be presented as a Zoom teleconference. 

In case you’ve missed this training, we’ll keep running more of these classes in the future so watch your email for announcements about this and other upcoming classes from the Local.

At the Zoom Teleconference edition of Communication Skills training, Business Representative Scott Bernard spoke to the class: Top row: Ken Pries, Ian Zabuluyev, Paul Losada, Blas Kisic. Middle row: Noel Espinosa, Harald Emmert, Tony Smyles, Austin Peck.

Women’s March LA 2020

January brought thousands of women, the LGBTQIA community, allies, and friends together for this impassioned march through downtown LA. Our IATSE family was well represented by many different locals and craftspeople. Participants marched from Pershing Square to Grand Park/LA Civic Center, keeping with the tradition that started on Inauguration Day 2017. Let’s keep up the good fight for equality and democracy for all!

The Hollywood Commission Survey

Assessing the needs and experiences of workers across the entertainment industry.

Last winter, The Hollywood Commission on Eliminating Sexual Harassment and Advancing Equality, chaired by Anita Hill, announced the launch of “The Hollywood Survey.” This internet survey was designed to gage the ethical climate and culture of the entertainment industry. The survey was aimed at people working in all aspects of the film industry, including film crews, actors, directors, writers, stunt people, and more, from past and present. The mission of this anonymous survey was to gather critical data on subjects of workplace harassment. The data will be used by The Hollywood Commission to develop programs that will address harassment and discrimination of all kinds. We look forward to the positive changes implemented by information gained through this survey.

Young Workers Committee

Whitcomb Family 2019

Congratulations to Sara and Nathan Whitcombe (YWC Chair) on the arrival of baby Wyatt! We invite any YWC members to share their newborn baby pics with us here. For more info, contact Jennifer Winslow, Chair of 695 Family and Member Support Committee @695FAM2local695.com

Local 695 Retirees Outreach Covid-19 Help

Many thanks to Linda Skinner, Office Manager/Membership Specialist, and Heidi Nakamura, Assistant Business Representative, for reaching out to our 695 Silver and Gold Retirees, in this time of need. They spent many hours on the phone with our most cherished members, finding out what they needed, be it groceries, prescription pickup, or just a friendly ear to listen to their concerns. During this outreach, we discovered some of our retirees had passed away. Please take a moment as we honor these members.

Retirees Special In Memoriam

Gene Ashbrook
Y-8
March 10, 1929 – Feb. 23, 2014

Allen Black
Proj.
April 30, 1938 – Dec. 30, 2018

Robert Dubuque
Proj.
May 27, 1942 – July 10, 2018

Juri Kauk
Y-4
Jan. 24, 1923 – May 5, 2013

Norman Pringle
Y-7
Dec. 9, 1923 – March 17, 2012

Clem Sheaffer
Y-8
July 11, 1920 – Nov. 1, 2019

Jeff Strailey
Maintenance Engineer
April 15, 1955 – Nov. 8, 2018

In Memoriam

Howard “Bud” Hogarth
Y-7A
Aug. 4, 1931 – Dec. 2, 2019

Steven Grothe
Y-1
June 11, 1968 – March 18, 2020

Steven Prichett
Proj.
Feb. 28, 1954 – May 4, 2020

Matthew D. Yerke
A2 & Sports Broadcast
Sept. 26, 1975 – May 5, 2020

Vic Carpenter
Y-1
Oct. 26, 1926 – May 5, 2020

Our Contributors

John Bauman CAS

John Bauman CAS began his production sound career nearly thirty years ago. His mixing work has been recognized by the Television Academy and Cinema Audio Society. His most recent credits include Hollywood, Ratched, and The Boys in the Band.


Steve Morantz CAS

Starting as a PA in the mid-’90s on commercials, I had the opportunity to work in each department and I was fascinated with sound. I signed up for an “Intro to Sound” classes through UCLA Extension that Jim Tanenbaum was teaching. In 2001, I was on the feature 13, starring Holly Hunter and it turned union. In February 2006, I got a call for the HBO series Entourage that they were looking for a mixer. I said to myself, “What do I have to lose.” I’ve been nominated for three Emmys and two CAS Awards. Life is good.


Ben Patrick CAS

Ben Patrick CAS is a Production Sound Mixer in Los Angeles working primarily scripted film and television projects. His work includes TV series The Office, Silicon Valley, Barry, and films Crazy Stupid Love, Whiskey Tango Foxtrot.


Jay Patterson CAS

Jay Patterson’s career in sound started in 1967 as a professional child voice for radio drama. He started mixing for film in 1986. He’s been Production Mixer on more than forty Movies of the Week, winning the Cinema Audio Society Award in 1997 for the ABC Movie of the Week Into Thin Air: Death on Everest, shot entirely on the Pitzdal Glacier in the Austrian Alps. A five-term Vice President of IATSE Local 695, he is currently a Trustee of the Local.


Mathew Price CAS

Mathew is a NYC-based Production Sound Mixer for more than thirty-five years (but who’s counting?). He believes there are two kinds of mixers: high school science nerds and frustrated musicians; he’s the latter. Some of his credits include The Sopranos, Living in Oblivion, and The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel.


Jennifer Winslow

Jennifer has been a member of Local 695 since 1990 and is currently serving as an Executive Board member and Trustee. A Utility Sound Technician and Boom Operator, some of her feature credits include Problem Child, Lone Star, and Be Cool. Her work in TV includes Star Trek: Deep Space Nine, Chicago Hope, and Dear White People.


Photos courtesy of the respective contributors.

From the Editors

In the spring edition of Production Sound & Video, we offer a look at five episodic shows: Barry, mixed by Benjamin A. Patrick for HBO, Steve Morantz describes his work on Netflix’s Dead to Me, John Bauman writes about his experiences on Hollywood, also for Netflix, and Mathew Price delves into the logistics of The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel, streaming on Amazon. Lastly, Jay Patterson tells us about his work on Showtime’s Penny Dreadful: City of Angels.

As we go to press, our industry is at a standstill as we spend our days in lockdown during the COVID-19 pandemic. Over the last several years, we’ve been working and enjoying all of the streaming programs that have given many of us gainful employment.

Who knew how important this form of entertainment would prove to the world during these times?

We hope you are all doing well and staying healthy and neither you, your family, or friends have been stricken with the coronavirus.

We will be back in production soon enough. Stay strong and supportive of everyone in your family and friends. We’ll be hearing “Roll Sound!” very soon.

In the meantime, enjoy this issue.

Wishing you all the very best.

Fraternally,
Richard Lightstone & James Delhauer

From the President

Dear Colleagues,

Along with the regular operations of our Local, the Board of Directors, and staff, contributing members have been extremely busy taking the following important steps necessary in light of COVID-19.
 
We are developing guidelines and policy for our unique workflows in this virus-driven reality. We have been working on this since the coronavirus began impacting our community and we have established a very focused Post COVID-19 Practices Committee, chaired by Local 695 Trustee and longtime Board member, Jay Patterson.

We’ve invited members from Narrative, Video Assist, Sports, Documentary, 24-frame VA, Projectionists, ENG, as well as manufacturers and consultants with specialized training, to contribute ideas on areas of concern. We are doing this in conjunction with our parent union (IATSE), sister union Locals, and the employers’ representatives (AMPTP). We are also including international contributions in the scope of our research.

Management has stated the need for mutual respect and cooperation in a spirit of enlightened self-interest. We’re hopeful that this will continue and we will remain fully engaged in this dialog. As IATSE members, we have rights under the law that cannot be waived, and the IATSE is standing behind us.

Each project, entertainment format, and individual craft has unique aspects and requires a fully committed collaboration between production and us, their expert crews, to coordinate best practices. This partnering needs to begin in pre-production, as together; we define hygienic workflows that reflect the actual nature of the particular environment our members will encounter.

Our team is producing important results and has moved far along in developing this WHITE PAPER. We are distilling the best of currently available information.

Naturally this is a “living” document, evolving as we constantly learn more. We continue to welcome your ideas and contributions. Please call the Local.

I believe in the strength of our common purpose, and in the strength of unified action taken by you, the membership of our Local 695 and our sister communities.

Let us pull together in controlling our fears and act on the facts. We are working to restore our industry; it is up to all of us to lend support; and we will succeed.

From the Board of Directors and myself, thank you again for the privilege of serving IATSE Local 695. Please stay safe.

With deepest affection and fraternally yours,

Mark Ulano CAS AMPS
President
IATSE Local 695

From the Business Representative

A Day Longer, a Day Stronger

Perhaps we didn’t see it coming, but now that this pandemic is with us, I think that Local 695 members are taking it on like a film or TV crew might face a production challenge. Figuring out what needs to be done and making it happen.

I’ve been speaking with a lot of our members, and many throughout the industry. They are asking two questions; When do we get back to work? And, what is it going to look like when it does?

Safety is the key, and the answer to those questions requires the creativity and participation of everyone involved in film and television production, including crew, actors, writers, and producers. Everything will need to change. The process of figuring out those changes is bringing together leaders from each organization. At the Industry-Wide Labor-Management Safety Committee, we’ve been bringing together all of the unions and guilds across the country with all the major production studios. To keep everyone on track, an epidemiologist from UCLA has been brought in to review all safety recommendations and ensure that no one is cutting corners or taking undue risk.

To provide Local 695-specific input to this process, we formed a working group consisting of roughly forty-five members from all of the crafts we represent, and all of the production areas where we work, including live broadcast, sports, narrative, reality, sitcoms, and projection, to focus on their unique disciplines, to develop recommendations for protocols and workflows that will enable us to get our work done without compromise to safety or to the integrity of our crafts.

The eventual goal for the combined committee is to develop a single set of guidelines that will apply to productions shooting throughout the US and Canada, allowing us to return to work in a safe and productive workplace. Production companies have always relied on Local 695 and the IA to find innovative ways to do our work, which is not entirely new to us. We’re accustomed to change and always willing to adapt every day to meet the needs of production. Big changes lie ahead, but we can do it.

Anxious as we are to get back to work safely and quickly, we also need to take care of ourselves right now. The Local has been working with many of our members to help them get their severance pay and to provide guidance in signing up for unemployment insurance. We also have been working with our membership to help guide them through programs such as the MPTF, offering both financial and emotional assistance to our members.  

The MPI’s new COVID Hardship Assistance Program allows our members to apply to withdraw up to $20,000 or twenty percent (whichever comes first) of your 2018 IAP balance. Although normally taxable, there is no ten percent early withdrawal penalty—that would be on retirement accounts, and you can avoid the tax altogether if you are able to return those funds to your retirement account within three years of withdrawal. If you want to take advantage of this program, you must apply at www.mpiphp.org on or before July 31, 2020.

MPI is also providing our membership with a waiver of health premiums, telemedicine with no co-payments, and no-cost COVID-19 testing. If you have questions about these or any of the other available assistance programs, please be sure to reach out to us at the office.

The one thing we can be sure of is by the time this goes to print, much of what we know now, will have changed. But what will remain unchanged is the commitment of our membership and your union to protect our families at home and our union family as well. We stand together, and together we will bring back the magic!

In Solidarity,
Scott Bernard
Business Representative

News & Announcements

COMMUNITY


Day at the Lanes MPTF Fundraiser

Jennifer Winslow, Jordan Kadovitz, Noel Espinosa, and Heidi Nakamura enjoy MPTF Day at the Lanes

On a beautiful Saturday in October, IATSE had a great time at PINZ Bowling Alley. Colleagues, friends, and families gathered to celebrate another year honoring the Motion Picture Television Fund (MPTF). The day was filled with fun, family, and charitable giving to help benefit the MPTF, which provides much-needed assistance to Local 695 members at times when it is needed the most. Balloons, banners, and booths helped to convert the parking lot into a country fair-like setting. There were brightly decorated tables and photo booths, catering trucks, mini cupcakes, and even frozen cereal puffs that emitted smoke! A wonderful lunch was served to the almost three hundred members, families, and friends in attendance.

Thomas Popp and family have fun bowling at PINZ

The bowling alley was open for free play for four hours of pin smashing fun … and Local 695 took full advantage of it. Gutter balls aside, there were some excellent strikes, spares, and splits, 695 Boom Operator Noel Espinosa had a great game. The arcade was jumping with game play,  including air hockey, foosball, along with new and classic video games. Numerous raffle tables were full of highly sought prizes, including Dodger tickets, a Bose sound system, an Apple iPad and tickets to events like the Magic Castle Sunday Brunch and Burbank Winter Wine Walk. Local 695 member Jordan Kadovitz won some of the top prizes. The event raised more than $180,000 for the Fund. Much thanks to  Heidi Nakamura, our Assistant Business Representative, for sitting on the committee, and to all of the committee members who helped to organize such an excellent event. For more information on the MPTF, call the Local.


Autism Support

Local 839 Animation Guild Lunch and Learn Panel

Many thanks to Local 839 for inviting Local 695 to be a part of this groundbreaking panel discussion held on October 23. The topic was autism awareness and education. The discussion was organized and moderated by 839’s Family Member Support Committee, chaired by Kristin Donner, and members Megan Kreiner, and Sandra Equihua. This was a knowledgeable and informative panel.The discussion started with a definition and brief history of Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) known also as Autism, Aspergers Syndrome, and HFA (High Functioning Autism).

Autism is estimated to affect one in every sixty-eight children in the United States; one in every forty-two boys and one in every 189 girls. No two individuals with autism are the same. There is a wide spectrum of symptoms that range from mild to severe. Autism occurs in children of all racial, ethnic, and socioeconomic backgrounds. Autism may be accompanied by language impairment and/or intellectual disability. Research suggests that the causes of autism are complex and include genetic, biological, and environmental risk factors. Increased prevalence in autism has been influenced by greater awareness, improved expertise in diagnosis, and an expanded definition. However, a true increase in the number of children with autism cannot be ruled out.

Symptoms of autism can often be detected at eighteen months or earlier, and some of the early warning signs may even be recognizable within the first year of life. When parents first suspect their child is developing differently, they should discuss their concerns with their pediatrician and ask for an autism screening, or referral to a qualified autism counselor or professional. Early identification and intensive early intervention can result in significant positive outcomes for many children with ASD.

Individuals with autism can make gains throughout their lives with the support of evidence-based educational and therapeutic programs tailored to meet their challenges and strengths. Eighty-four percent of individuals with autism in California are under the age of twenty-two. There is a significant need for services to help young people successfully transition to adulthood with the greatest levels of independence possible. Carrie N. Dilley, PhD, a Psychologist, spoke about the importance of a comprehensive, formal diagnostic exam to assess the child or adult. She touched on the importance of seeking out a skilled professional to administer a series of tests, often called a Psycho-Educational Evaluation.

Professional Behaviorist Juan Corral MS BCBA spoke next on the educational and practical steps parents need to take to help their child succeed in the public or charter school setting. He talked about the IEP (Individualized Education Program) process and parent empowerment, learning the best way to get help, understanding their child’s rights. Sometimes this is best realized through the hiring of an educational advocate, often a wise investment.  

Panelist Marjan Kermani, Esq. of the Lanterman Special Education Legal Clinic, talked about laws and legal responsibilities of public and charter schools since the implementation of IDEA (Individuals with Disabilities Education Act) and FAPE (Free Appropriate Public Education), two federal laws that provide for students with special needs. Occasionally, a lawyer is needed to move forward with due-process proceedings against a school district to gain disability services.

Kristin Kucia, from Exceptional Minds Academy, spoke about their cutting-edge technical school for young adults on the Spectrum, in a computer-based educational setting. They work with and teach ASD teens and adults the craft of animation, visual effects, and other computer-based technical work. Their goal is one hundred percent graduation and placement in the motion picture industry. Many adults do very well in visual effects, often because working with computers in a controlled setting can be soothing and lead to a successful career. Repetitive behaviors (a trait of ASD) are an asset in this type of work. Computer and technical work can also be beneficial for ASD workers with social skill deficits.This school and similar training studios can prepare individuals to enter into the motion picture and television workforce.

In conclusion, it was agreed that children and adults (of any age) with autism can succeed in our world and specifically our industry. Working together, we can help put together the pieces of the autism puzzle and help create a more inclusive and equitable world.

Well done, 839!

For more information, visit
www.thehelpgroup.org
For information on joining the new 695 Family Member Support Committee, get in touch with the Local.


Young Workers Committee

695’s toy donations box runneth over!

The toy drive is a huge success! Local 695’s YWC, the Hollywood IATSE Young Workers Coordinating Committee, and the Los Angeles Federation of Labor participated in the 2019 Annual Toy Drive for working families in Los Angeles. Boxes were overflowing with donations! Thank you to all who participated. IATSE Local 695 cares about our community.
 


NEW MEMBERS


Local 695 Welcomes its New Members

Jose Alcantar    Y-4
Alex Auvenshine    Y-1
Nicholas Kelly    Y-1
Ryan McGuigan    Y-1
Aron Siegel    Y-1
Radoslav Stefanov    Y-1
Todd Reckson    Y-1
Victoria Carrillo    Y-7A
Dejan Milovanovic    Y-4 
Dalmar Montgomery    Y-1
Sean Fluster    Y-4
Stephen Loiacano    A1
Casey Wright    Proj.
Sylvan Grimm    Y-1
Stephen Harrod    Y-8
Luis Hernandez    Y-4
Scott Marshall    Y-7A
Alexandra Dent    Y-1


EDUCATION


Utility Masterclass

Panelists answer questions about the position of Utility Sound Technician

On Sunday, October 20, the 695 family participated in an educational seminar organized by LA Sound Mixers (LASM) and generously sponsored by K-Tek. A large contingent of students and professionals met at Local 80 to participate in the second year of this amazing Masterclass. The morning started out with six hands-on flash classes, ranging in topics from 2nd Boom Skills and Wiring Techniques to Transportation/Tailgate Safety. After these small group classes wrapped up, a panel of top experts convened to discuss their careers and share wisdom about the 695 position of Utility Sound Technician. The panel, moderated by Carrie Sheldon CAS, included Heather Fink, Patrushka Mierzwa, Thomas Popp, Jennifer Winslow, and Kelly Ambrow. Many prospective members were in attendance to understand that the job of Utility has become indispensable on all productions. Local 695 and LASM are working together to bring educated new talent into the union workforce.


In Memoriam

Christopher Banninger
Y-1
Dec. 26, 1955 – Oct. 30, 2019

Ernie Chacon
Proj.
Sept. 4, 1930 – Nov. 27, 2019

Don Coufal
Y-4
Sept. 24, 1949 – Nov. 19, 2019

J. Scott Hammar
Y-7
June 17, 1969 – Dec. 14, 2019

Robert M. Rosales
Y-1
March 18, 1966 – Dec. 8, 2019

Jeff Strailey
KTLA Maintenance Engineer
April 4, 1955 – Nov. 8, 2019

Our Contributors

James Delhauer

James Delhauer was born in Southern California and never made it very far from home. Since 2014, he has worked as a television engineer specializing in Pronology’s mRes platform. He joined Local 695 because he desperately needed friends.


Simon Hayes AMPS CAS

Simon Hayes mixed his first feature film at twenty-seven years old in 1997. Since then, he has mixed more than fifty-five features in a career that has spanned twenty-two years.
He is a great believer of early collaboration between sound production and post. Simon is passionate about the creative process and enjoys teaching and passing on his experience to film students whenever possible between movies.


Steve Morrow CAS

Steven Morrow started his career in Seattle, Washington, at eighteen and moved to Los Angeles a year later to pursue his dream of Sound Mixing. He joined Local 695 in 1998 and has now been mixing for over twenty-two years.


Mark Ulano CAS AMPS

Mark Ulano is an Oscar-winning Production Sound Mixer (Titanic) and multiple Oscar and BAFTA nominee (Iron Man, Kill Bill Vol. 1 & Vol. 2, Inglorious Basterds, Super 8, Django Unchained, The Hateful Eight) and a veteran teacher, author, and international lecturer/speaker. He is currently the President of IATSE Sound Local 695, Past President of the Cinema Audio Society, member of the Sound branch Executive Committee of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS).


Stuart Wilson

Stuart Wilson is a Production Mixer working in film. His adventures in sound have found him mixing with secret agents, wizards, and Jedi knights. Most recently, he was dodging the bullets in Sam Mendes’ war film 1917.


Jennifer Winslow

Jennifer has been a member of Local 695 since 1990 and is currently serving as an Executive Board member and Trustee. A Utility Sound Technician and Boom Operator, some of her feature credits include Problem Child, Lone Star, and Be Cool. Her work in TV includes Star Trek: Deep Space Nine, Chicago Hope, and Dear White People.


Photos courtesy of the respective contributors.

From the Editors

Due to the accelerated scheduling of the Academy Awards about three weeks earlier than we have all been used to, you are receiving this edition almost a month earlier, Happy New Year!

This edition features four complex motion pictures that all required lots of out-of-the-box solutions to facilitate their amazing production sound. Simon Hayes continues his deep dive into the sound mix of Cats with “Mixing Live Singing Vocals on Cats” Part 2. Steve Morrow writes about his team’s work on Ford v Ferrari. Mark Ulano explains his enduring relationship with Director Quentin Tarantino and the multilayered sound mix on Once Upon a Time … in Hollywood and Stuart Wilson reveals the imaginative ways of mixing the dialog on the physically demanding 1917. Stellar work by all involved.

There is “Nonlinear Editing Platforms: Avid Technology” by James Delhauer and the Cinema Audio Society Award nominations compiled by Crow Duemig.

Congratulations to all the nominees of the Cinema Audio Society, and in advance to AMPS, BAFTA, and Oscars!

Wishing everyone a bountiful year ahead and happy reading.

Fraternally,
Richard Lightstone & James Delhauer

From the President

THE AWARDS SEASON IS HERE! CAS, AMPAS, AMPS, and BAFTA nominations and awards are in process and many people in our community participate in these organizations year-round as an extension of their professional involvement.

Peer recognition can truly evaluate the effort and outcome of the challenges we face; it is profoundly meaningful to be acknowledged by your colleagues.

Although the mixers are named and nominated and their creative leadership is essential for this honor, they achieve success through the committed collaboration with their specialized teams: Boom Operators, UST’s, Video Engineers, Playback Operators, Y-16A trainees, and all the other support classifications encompassed within the Local 695 super-skilled membership.

Much of this amazing work goes unnoticed by the rest of the industry, as we are excellent at “dancing between the raindrops” without complaint or seeking special attention. Yet, without our craft’s work, the entertainment industry would come to a standstill. So, hats off to all the women and men carrying the load.

How do we keep up with the ever-growing demands on production? We protect the production by utilizing the contract provisions for additional members as needed: Our Utility Sound Technicians’ job has grown to include the almost constant wiring of actors, 2nd boom operating, managing inventory of supplies and wireless headset distribution, and managing timecode syncing of multiple cameras. Our Video Engineers are in a constant evolution of tool application and approach. Our trainees, the Y-16A classification, allow for training in the real workplace, under the guidance of seasoned professionals solving real-world challenges, while learning and earning. We protect the community by protecting the craft and this is a “learn-under-load” prospect.

It delights me to see the seasoned members of our professional family take the time to teach both in and out of the trenches. Teaching preserves our collective impulse to maintain the high standards of our craft.

Heartfelt congratulations to Local 695 crews across the industry being recognized by the nominations of their peers.

Warm and safe holidays to all,

Mark Ulano CAS AMPS
President, IATSE Local 695

From the Business Representative

Wishing our brothers and sisters happy holidays. As we end this decade and start a new one, this is a good time to take stock of where we are as a union and our industry. 2019 started off slowly but as the year ends, we are looking at another record year of work hours being reported to the Motion Picture Pension and Health Plans. We are on track to surpass one hundred million hours (again) by the end of this year.

Looking beyond our industry, we have seen a lot of news reports that the low unemployment rate points to great promise for middle-class jobs. That data might suggest that we’re in a period of economic prosperity, but a closer look reveals a darker reality. The truth is, many of these are low-paying gig-economy jobs—such as Uber, Lyft, and DoorDash drivers; jobs that lack safety protections, insurance, workplace standards, and a path toward advancement. Some of these jobs don’t even meet minimum wage requirements because they have been classified as Independent Contractors where the companies have zero liability or responsibility for wages and benefits. We must support all workers who are disadvantaged by employers who exploit them only to enhance their company’s bottom line.

That’s why the California IATSE Council (CIC) lobbied this past year for Assembly Bill AB5 to stop the abuse of corporations misclassifying workers as Independent Contractors. It’s not just how many jobs are available, but the bigger issue is what kind of jobs are they? More than 55 million women and men, from ages 18 to 64, representing 44 percent of all U.S. workers, earn hourly wages too low to support a family. Since 1990, the available jobs have significantly declined in quality, as measured by the income earned by workers. These low-wage, low-quality jobs are not just coming from the gig-economy but also from the service sector, such as healthcare, leisure, hospitality, restaurants, and others. This trend coincides with the decreased need in the once-flourishing skilled labor and manufacturing sectors. These low-quality jobs offer an average of only 24.6 hours of work per week at $14.65 an hour. That’s just $360 per week.

The middle class is indeed getting squeezed. The question is, what happens next? People are pushing back. More progressive candidates are running for office. Union membership is growing. New union members are younger and more energetic, with over seventy-five percent under thirty-five years old. More women are joining Local 695, as well as all the other locals and unions. The voice of working women and men is growing louder and stronger. That means we have more impact over policy, and laws, and what happens next. Unions do make a difference and that’s why I’m very optimistic about how we can help to make things better. I’m looking forward to a very good year ahead and I sincerely wish prosperity and good health to you and to your family in the new year.


In Solidarity,
Scott Bernard

News & Announcements

695 Casino Night Fundraiser for MPTF

by Laurence Abrams

Andrea Bianchi, Jasmine Morantz, Beau Baker, Steve Morantz, Paul Pouthier, and Veronica Kahn enjoy a fun moment at Casino Night.

Picture this. It’s a beautiful warm August evening at sunset. You’re outside under a tent at Sportsmen’s Lodge in Studio City. Some of your best Local 695 friends are there, along with wives and husbands. There’s great food and cold drinks and the music is just right. A sound mixer masquerading as a magician is walking around performing tricks that could be easily confused with actual magic. Seriously (Thank you, Thi Dinh!).

Blas Kisic shows off his tickets for the opportunity drawing.

Over two dozen great raffle prizes are just waiting to be given away, from a 55-inch Samsung 4K TV to Dodger dugout seats, multiple Orca bags, a Mini CMIT DPA shock mount, and quite a lot more. There are stacks of chips (all from play money, of course) to use at poker, craps, roulette, and blackjack tables. If that’s not enough, the Young Workers Committee is there to give everyone a chance to donate to the IATSE PAC Fund. Well now, that’s beginning to sound a whole lot like Local 695’s Casino Night Fundraiser for the Motion Picture Television Fund (MPTF)!

Fun was had by all. Big thanks for the night go to Linda Skinner at Local 695, Arlene Glassner and VanAn Tranchi at MPTF, and to all the great sponsors who came out to support the event, including the Cinema Audio Society, First Entertainment Credit Union, Orca, Keycode, Avid, 16×9, and Warner Bros. Production Sound & Amp Video Services.

Thanks to everyone who joined us for a great night and for a great cause. Every year, the MPTF provides much-needed assistance to Local 695 members at times when they need it the most. It’s our way of saying thank you MPTF!


Family Picnic

Anna Wilborn and daughter with Sara Glaser

The Local 695 Family Picnic kicked off the fall season at the Van Nuys Sherman Oaks War Memorial Park with a bang, or rather a run, play, and jump! Children jumped and played as parents enjoyed much-needed family fun!

Two bounce houses, hot wheels tracks, a catered lunch, Kona-shaved ice, face-painting, henna tattoos, bubble making, lawn games, super-sized games of Checkers, Jenga, Connect 4, video games for tweens/teens, and a voter registration table made for a wonderful time with family and colleagues, on a beautiful Sunday in September. We showed our 695 spirit, as more than one hundred and twenty members and families came out to enjoy our day! Everyone enjoyed lunch, catered by Bruce’s. Of course, as is after any healthy lunch, mounds of candy rained down upon our children after they finally broke open two piñatas! Many thanks to Executive Board member Juan Cisneros CAS for proposing a family picnic to the Board, and making this a reality. We are very grateful to our many volunteers who came out and helped set up, and then break down the picnic.

New member Ash Sutton and family

Chris Howland CAS and Jennifer Winslow, Picnic Co-chairs, along with the Guild Activities Committee, planned the event, with expert guidance from Dorothea Sargent. Business Rep Scott Bernard spoke on the importance of voter registration, and urged every union member to vote in March 2020.
The best part of the day was being together with our families who often sacrifice so much to make it possible for us to go to work.

Juan Cisneros CAS and family with face-painter
Juan Cisneros CAS and family with face-painter

Pride Parade

Sara Glaser and Heidi Nakamura march with IATSE in LA Pride Parade
Sara Glaser and Heidi Nakamura march with IATSE in LA Pride Parade

695 supports LGBTQIA community and marches in the Pride Parade. A warm sunny day lent an air of excitement as our 695 members joined with other IATSE locals to raise the banner and represent! 695 member Sara Glaser and field rep Heidi Nakamura marched in solidarity with co-workers, friends, and family whose lives are impacted by the dawn of a new era. At the Convention, new language was introduced in the resolution committee whereby LA locals’ language will become gender-neutral in mailings and at meetings. Together, are promoting a more inclusive and understanding world, one step at a time. Well done, IATSE and 695!.


Dodgers Night

Lincoln Morrison, Carrie Sheldon, Kelly Ambrow, Chris Howland CAS, and Jordan Kadovitz

2019 LA Sound Mixers (LASM) Dodger Day took place on Sunday, July 21, 2019. Many Local 695 members attended with their friends and family to enjoy a beautiful evening at Dodger stadium.

Our good luck brought the Dodgers a win and sent the Florida Marlins back to sea! Many thanks to Chris Howland CAS and LASM for organizing the event! We hope to have twice as many 695 baseball fans join in next year, to enjoy this day of fun, food, baseball, and camaraderie.


New Members

Local 695 welcomes its new members

Alex Lowe    Y-7
Martin Spencer    Proj.
Ash Sutton    Y-1
Austin Peck    Y-7
James Nolte    A2
Daniel Martinez    A2
Jason Feller    A2
Danny Cheung    Y-4
Jabob Sedlar    Y-1
Stuart Stilwell    Proj
Benjamin Maus    Y-8
Taylor Umphenour    Proj.
Jeffrey Leemon    Y-1
Julio Rocha    Y-4
Jerremy Dell’Ova    Y-1
Michael Dunwoody    Y-1
Christopher Harris    Y-1
Ashley Beliveau    Y-9
Sam Ozrifaioglu    Y-4
Jose Smith III    Y-1
Connor Solomon    Y-4
Paul Berry    Y-7
Colin Parks    Y-4


Young Workers Committee


The Young Workers Committee (YWC) would like to thank everyone who came by our table at the Casino Night and donated! Your contributions are going toward the important work being done by the IATSE PAC heading into this very important election cycle.

The YWC would also like to express our gratitude to Aaron Eberhardt for his two years of service as co-chair, and wish him the best of luck in his future ventures.

Our committee has more events coming up this fall, including a Get Out the Vote Night in November, in conjunction with the other Hollywood IATSE locals. If you’d like to get involved, send an email to nathan.whitcomb@gmail.com to get on our list. Members under thirty-five, new to the Local, or simply young at heart are welcome to get join. We’d love to have you!


In Memoriam

Dean Champlin
PROJ.
October 26, 1969 – July 8, 2019

Lee Alexander
Y-1
August 16, 1939 – July 25, 2019

Robert Heizer
Y-8
January 27, 1933 – October 13, 2018

Mark Sheret
Y-1
July 11, 1959 – August 29, 2019

Richard “Pat” Walsh
Y-7
February 15, 1954 – August 16, 2019

Our Contributors

Bryan Cahill

Bryan Cahill began his career in San Diego as the mixer on a documentary in Mexico with then-President Jimmy Carter. He moved to Los Angeles in 1990 and currently serves as Production Sound Administrator at Loyola Marymount University.


James Delhauer

James Delhauer was born in Southern California and never made it very far from home. Since 2014, he has worked as a television engineer specializing in Pronology’s mRes platform. He joined Local 695 because he desperately needed friends.


Simon Hayes AMPS CAS

Simon Hayes mixed his first feature film at twenty-seven years old in 1997. Since then, he has mixed more than fifty-five features in a career that has spanned twenty-two years.

He is a great believer of early collaboration between sound production and post. Simon is passionate about the creative process and enjoys teaching and passing on his experience to film students whenever possible between movies.


Richard Lightstone CAS AMPS

Richard began his career in Montreal, and continues to mix in Los Angeles. He is the co-editor of Production Sound & Video, served on the Executive Board of Local 695, and President of the Cinema Audio Society for two terms.


Jim Tanenbaum CAS SMPTE Life Member

Jim’s half-century-plus career runs from Avatar to Zodiac, The House Of. Not wanting to “take his secrets to the grave,” he teaches at Local 695, UCLA, USC, AES, Art Center of Design, and in China, Japan, and Viet Nam. He writes articles for Production Sound & Video, The Coffey Files, and Mix.


Jennifer Winslow

Jennifer has been a member of Local 695 since 1990 and is currently serving as an Executive Board member and Trustee. A Utility Sound Technician and Boom Operator, some of her feature credits include Problem Child, Lone Star, and Be Cool. Her work in TV includes Star Trek: Deep Space Nine, Chicago Hope, and Dear White People.

From The Editors

Welcome to Production Sound & Video’s Fall issue.

We are beginning the ramp up to ‘Awards Season’ and you should take the opportunity to see as many industry screenings that you can avail yourself of.

In this edition, Simon Hayes gives a deep dive into his meticulous planning for his second live-recorded musical with Director Tom Hooper, and the feature Cats. We salute this year’s Creative Arts Sound Emmy winners and Co-editor James Delhauer gives his insight into “Non-Linear Editing Platforms.”

Bryan Cahill writes “The Comeback: Recovering from Rotator Cuff Surgery” and Jim Tanenbaum concludes “How I Got My Godlike Reputation Part 3.” We have “News & Announcements” from Jennifer Winslow and we begin the first in a new series on niche American companies creating innovative products for the sound industry. This installment is “James Demer & the DemerBox.”

Happy reading.

Fraternally,
Richard Lightstone &
James Delhauer

From The Vice President

The following is a guest column written by Jillian Arnold, Vice President of Local 695, by invitation from President Mark Ulano CAS AMPS.

It is the week before the Primetime Emmys, as I write this editorial and I’m talking with the Pronology technicians as they install the record decks onto the broadcast truck at NEP’s Denali field shop. The Oscars and Emmys are the pinnacle award shows that honor our industry’s top arts in the film and TV industries. There is a lot of prep that goes into making these shows before the trucks even power and park at location.

As I’m looking over paperwork and listening to conversations regarding our install, I am reminded of the hundreds of people who make an awards show happen. I am consistently in awe of the talented labor that delivers these shows into living rooms across the country, year after year. I can confidently say, as the viewership numbers decline, the level of dedication and high level of talent continues to rise.

On September 14, the Creative Arts Emmys honored artistic and technical achievements in a variety of categories not broadcast during the Primetime Emmys. I was happy to see the audio departments of our Local honored for their immense talents. Congratulations to all the nominees in their respective fields.

There is, however, a fraction of our Local that is part of these award shows, but are not eligible for TV’s highest honor. Many of our sisters and brothers who work on these shows will never receive the credit they deserve for their years of dedication and hard work on the awards show circuit. I want to shine light on the talent that our Local provides and the vendors that support them.

To all the Tech Managers, Truck Engineers, Playback Operators, Recordists & Tape Operators, Projectionists, Screens and LED Technicians, Front of House Audio, Comms Engineers, Fiber Techs, RF Techs, Transmission Specialists, Technicians, Prep Techs, Utilities…

To all the vendors that serve our members with the development, testing, preparation and installation of gear, and overall support…

To all those who are not in our Local, but also find themselves in the same position—Graphics, Teleprompter, Power Technicians, Transpo, Craft Services, and so much more…

To all who work tirelessly on these shows, but whose families will never see their name on an Oscar or Emmy statue (or in the show credits), thank you for all your hard work.


Jillian Arnold
Vice President

From the Business Representative

American Factory…

American Dream…

I’m second-generation IA. My dad was a Local 695 member … a proud union man … for more than fifty years, working as the Sound Mixer on Gunsmoke, A Christmas Story, Star Trek: The Next Generation, and many others. The “factories” my dad went to work in every day were the film and television studios of Los Angeles. What he wanted for his family … for my mom, my sister, my brother, and me … was to bring home the American Dream. And he found a way to do that working on stage in Hollywood’s Dream Factory.

At factories across the country, it’s been a similar story for seventy-five years, with Moms and Dads working union jobs and taking care of their families all the while reaching for their own personal American Dream. Decent pay, job safety, a path toward advancement, quality healthcare, and a pension to retire on … these were the hallmarks of good American union jobs which for many prosperous decades built a middle class that made the country strong.

But things have changed. Families are losing their foothold in a changing world economy where income inequality is sharply rising at the expense of a shrinking middle class.  Working Americans are getting squeezed by corporations on one side, and by legislation paid for by corporations on the other. These are complex issues with many moving parts, some of which are on display in a newly released Netflix documentary featured as the first episode of Michelle and Barack Obama’s Higher Ground Productions, called American Factory. It tells the story of a shuttered Dayton, Ohio, automobile parts factory that comes back to life as the production facility for a Chinese automotive glass manufacturer. We watch as they turn the factory lights back on and gear up to become a modern, high-tech competitor. And we watch as some of the same automobile workers who were laid off eight years earlier are now being re-hired … except eight years ago, they were members of the United Auto Workers union and were getting $28 an hour, and now there’s no union and they’ll get $14.

The filmmakers ultimately witness an event they weren’t anticipating when shooting began two years earlier. A clash of Chinese and American cultures, along with conflicts between labor and management, eventually push some of the workers to request a federally protected election run by the National Labor Relations Board on whether to bring in representation from UAW Local 696.

The company was staunchly anti-union from the very beginning and in the run-up to the election, they spend more than $1 million for a “union avoidance” company to come in and mount a campaign against the union. Workers are required to sit through hours of “mandatory training” from hired union-busters brought in to spread fear and doubt. To win over the workers, the company quickly offers a $2 raise but fails to mention that if the union is turned away, $16 an hour is here to stay and the chances of finding the American Dream in this American factory would vanish. Those workers in the Dayton glass factory were force-fed a bucket load of disinformation and pressured toward acting against their own best self-interest. This has happened in other factories and in fact, all across the country we’ve seen the same cynical tactics used in public elections, as well.  

But we are not helpless to stop this. With hard work, we really can get this right. The antidote is information, education, and engagement … activism. We need to devote ourselves to making sure that working women and men know the facts whenever they cast their ballots, whether on the factory floor or on their election ballot for local, state, and federal office holders. Labor-friendly civic leaders create labor-friendly legislation. And under the protection of law, the middle class can grow once again toward the prosperity we knew.

We’re only twelve months away from an election that may be more important than any other in our lifetimes. When it’s over, we may find ourselves with representatives who work for our best interest or representatives who work against them. We may end up with leaders who support the rights of working women and men or ones who want to crush those rights even further. Leaders to build an environmentally sustainable future or ones who would destroy it. Leaders who champion healthcare and human rights for everyone or ones who turn their backs on all but the rich. The choice will be made by American voters.

We can’t afford to sit back and watch to see how it all turns out. The next time you’re handed a ballot, vote like your future depends on it. But don’t stop there. Convince ten friends to vote, and when they do the same, you’ve just leveraged that one vote by a factor of a hundred. But don’t stop there. Engage, participate, volunteer in every way you can. But don’t stop there. Through our activism, we have the opportunity to give our kids what our parents worked so hard to give us … a better, safer, healthier world to live in. But don’t even stop there because there’s more that needs to be done. Nothing less than the American Dream is at stake.

In Solidarity,

Scott Bernard and Laurence Abrams

News & Announcements

POLITICS

75th Annual District 2 Convention

The 75th Annual IATSE District 2 Convention was held at the Sheraton Waikiki Beach, Honolulu, June 2019. District 2 represents forty-nine locals, more than fifty-three thousand I.A. members from a variety of crafts with jurisdiction in Arizona, California, Hawaii, and Nevada. Every year, elected officers and delegates from these four states meet to strategize activism and political legislation. Our five elected delegates spent four days networking with other locals in the West Coast Bargaining Group under the IATSE Basic Agreement.

Malia Arrington from The Hollywood Commission addresses the delegates of the District 2 Convention about the work the Commission is doing to end harassment and bias in the entertainment industry.

Throughout the conference, our Local 695 delegates chaired and joined individual committees, including Constitution & Bylaws, Financial, Education, Safety & the Resolution Committee.

Scott Bernard, Business Representative, chaired the Constitution & Bylaws Committee in 2019. Joe Aredas, Assistant BA and Field Representative, participated in the Financial Committee. Devendra Cleary CAS, Executive Board, sat on the Safety Committee, where he discussed health hazards and long-term ergonomic injuries of working excessively long hours. Chris Howland CAS, Sergeant-at-Arms, took part in the Education Committee’s discussion on how to organize and provide support to crews on strike.

Local 695 Business Representative Scott Bernard speaks before the convention.

Jennifer Winslow, Trustee, joined the Resolutions Committee. Together, the committee passed thirteen resolutions expanding the coverage for reproductive care, improving the memberships’ understanding of the health and pension plans, making sure that emergency medical care includes “in-network” services (California Assembly Bill 1611), ensuring members who work out-of-state and need medical care can draw from the California State Disability Insurance program (Senate Bill 271), and to promoting committees that support LGBTQ issues.

A resolution submitted by Local 600, ensures that District 2 “will actively participate in an internal campaign to educate members about their benefit plans, including information about the funding sources and status of the plans.”

International President Matthew Loeb challenges the delegates of the District 2 Convention to get involved in their communities and in politics. “We have to be the people who make this country better for working folks.”

IATSE President Matt Loeb reported on the contracts ratified by IATSE nationwide in 2018, including the Basic Agreement in Los Angeles. “This is the greatest union in the American labor movement,” said Loeb. “And that’s because of all of you and all your members who buy in, who stand together, who fight for what’s right. That’s what brings this organization the power to help the working families that we’ve obligated ourselves to represent.”

Loeb’s address to the convention mentioned the rapid expansion of the streaming industry. “We’ve got Netflix now with almost two hundred new projects,” he said. “Amazon, YouTube, and Hulu combined have another almost two hundred productions slated. All this production means increased hours into our health and pension plans, more residual payments and, of course, jobs for our people.”

Our delegates proudly represented Local 695 at this year’s convention and reported their progress at the monthly Board of Directors meeting in June 2019.

“I really enjoy attending D2. Every time I attend, I meet new delegates and enjoy putting a face to some of the representatives our Local deals with day-to-day on various contract issues.” said Joe Aredas

“Despite the beautiful setting of this year’s conference in Hawaii and the island spirit that flourished on social media outlets, I must emphasize the importance of the work that was done. The three days we spent in the convention hall were scheduled to the brim with officer training, speeches and committee sessions; concluding in after-hour networking and solidarity events. However, beautiful the setting was, the resolutions we passed are crucial to the health and well-being of more than fifty-three thousand IATSE members in the Western United States and provide a fundamentally important setup for the coming round of contract negotiations in 2021,” said Devendra Cleary.

For detailed information about the 75th Annual District 2 Convention, please contact the Local 695 office.

IATSE Local 695
5439 Cahuenga Blvd.
North Hollywood, CA 91601
(818) 985-9204
(818) 760-4681 fax
info@local695.com
local695.com


NEW MEMBERS

Local 695 welcomes its new members

Tyler Bender    Y-1
Chris Formanek    Y-3
Yohannes Skoda    Y-7A
Dwight Schneider    Y-4
Robert W. Naughton    A2
Angel Cifuentes    Y-7A
Wm. Gray Thomas-Sowers    Y-1
Mike Skrzat    Proj.
Michael McGrath    Y-1
Daniel A. Lira    Y-3 Jose Smith Jr.    A2


COMMUNITY

Heartbeat of Hollywood Lite

The 9th Annual Heartbeat of Hollywood Lite was held on Monday, June 3, 2019, at Castle Park in Sherman Oaks. Every year, Local 695 co-sponsors this vital fundraiser for the Motion Picture & Television Fund (MPTF). We would like to thank Jennifer Winslow (Trustee), Ed Moskowitz CAS  (Board of Directors), and Cindy Vivar (Administrative Assistant) for proudly representing Local 695 in this year’s competition.

Jennifer Winslow, Cindy Vivar & Ed Moskowitz CAS compete in the annual Heartbeat of Hollywood Lite mini-golf competition—a fundraiser for the MPTF, co-sponsored by Local 695.

What Is MPTF?

In 1921, cinema pioneers created MPTF (then the Motion Picture Relief Fund) to act as a safety net of health and social services. Many workers in our business don’t always know where their next paycheck will come from, thus MPTF was created by Hollywood’s earliest entertainment luminaries such as Charlie Chaplin, Mary Pickford, Douglas Fairbanks, and D.W. Griffith. Having realized the need for reaching out to those in the entertainment industry who fell upon hard times, it began with a simple coin box in Hollywood where entertainment industry workers would deposit spare change for fellow colleagues.

Today, with the engagement and generosity of thousands of people from within the entertainment industry, the fund serves more than 150,000 people each year with healthcare, services, and retirement living.

MPTF belongs to everyone in the entertainment business and our successes are embodied in the spirit of stepping up and giving back—just as the founders envisioned.

For more information, please visit mptf.com

MPTF—Motion Picture & Television Fund
The Wasserman Campus
23388 Mulholland Drive
Woodland Hills, CA 91364

M–F, 8:30 AM – 5 PM
Saturdays, Sundays & Holidays,
9 AM – 4 PM
Toll-free | (855) 760-MPTF (6783)
Donor Relations | (818) 876-1977
Email us at info@mptf.com


Attending the 75th Annual District 2 Convention

by Jennifer Winslow

From left: Jennifer Winslow, Devendra Cleary CAS, Chris Howland CAS, Joe Aredas, and Scott Bernard


I was honored to attend my first IATSE District 2 Convention and represent Local 695. I was impressed by the solidarity in the room, and that despite our differences, we all came together to meet for a common goal.

The five delegates from 695 sat front and center, right next to the microphone! (Thanks to Scott Bernard.) We were all welcomed with a traditional Hawaiian blessing, and then the serious business began.

The first speaker was Art Pulaski, Executive Secretary-Treasurer, California Federation of Labor, who spoke on multiple assembly bills and how they could affect workers. One is aimed at dismantling the less-than-minimum-wage “gig economy.” He summarized Assembly Bill AB 5 and State Bill SB 271. Two potential laws that will help laborers,  especially in this economy.

Erika Dinkel-Smith was another impressive speaker, a lobbyist for the IATSE in Washington, D.C. She spoke about the Political Action Committee (PAC) and the importance of their work on Capitol Hill. She was dynamic and passionate about her role and position and, in my opinion, we are lucky she is part of our team.

During this three-day Convention, all of the speakers stressed the importance of strong labor unions, urging members and their leaders to continue pushing forward with our political involvement.

There was a timely speech by Malia Arrington, who talked about all forms of harassment, not just sexual harassment in the workplace. She informed us of steps being taken by “The Hollywood Commission,” spearheaded by Kathleen Kennedy and chaired by Anita Hill, to devise a protocol to replace the current gaps in protection of those who fall into this category. She reported that due to the “fluid nature” of our business, there isn’t a real protocol. There is a new “Report and Response System” being put in place industry-wide. Melia stated for there to be true safety from harassment in the workplace, a code of conduct, training, education, and practices are essential.

She stressed that “Systematic Cultural Change” takes time, however, this is a strong beginning and serious steps are being taken to protect workers in all aspects of the industry. Her speech was pretty heavy stuff, but ultimately, by continuing the discussion, we will all be able to recognize bad behavior when it happens, and step in to stop it before it causes any harm, as in the past.

At the end of the day, I was filled with information and exhausted.

On Day 2, IATSE President Matt Loeb took to the podium, you could hear a pin drop! He updated us on the work the International is doing in Washington, D.C., on behalf of labor, which is too extensive to elaborate in this column.

I was placed on the Resolutions Committee, to suggest new resolutions for the IATSE to implement. We were a group of about thirty-five, where we discussed, and then our committee voted on thirteen resolutions. We passed most of the resolutions, combining two and sending one back to the drawing board.

One of them was creating gender neutral language in the Constitution, and another was on healthcare; educating members about their health plans.

After this long day, we were treated to a fabulous luau at The Royal Hawaiian Garden, generously put together by our sisters and brothers of Hawaii Local 665. I got to try some new (to me) Hawaiian food, chat with fellow delegates, hear great live music, and see Polynesian fire dancers. But the most fun was watching our leaders try to hula. Scott and Joe were great sports!

Overall, the camaraderie and unity of the delegates from four very different states that comprised District 2 was remarkable. The powerful messages and the goals of this Convention will not be forgotten. We came together, in solidarity to empower workers and continue the fight to make unions stronger, especially in this anti-labor political climate.

The District 2 Convention was such a memorable and valuable experience for me personally, as a Local 695 member, an Officer of our Board of Directors, and as a Trustee. I definitely feel that my participation at the Convention has helped me to become a better leader and increased my ability to serve the membership.

I would urge every member to run as a delegate and attend a District 2 Convention.


IN MEMORIAM

Theodor Schelling
Y-7
March 22, 1948 – April 27, 2019

Stephen Dickhute
proj.
June 1, 1950 – April 2, 2019

Peter A. San Filipo
Y-1
August 12, 1931 – April 15, 2019

Dean Champlin
proj.
October 26, 1969 – July 8, 2019

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IATSE LOCAL 695
5439 Cahuenga Boulevard
North Hollywood, CA 91601

phone  (818) 985-9204
email  info@local695.com

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