Departments

Amanda Beggs CAS

Even before graduating from college, Amanda began working as a Production Sound Mixer in Savannah, Georgia, and Costa Rica. She then relocated to Los Angeles where she has been mixing features and television for more than a decade. She serves on the Board of Directors for the Cinema Audio Society, and is a member of the Television Academy. She also serves on the Equity, Diversity and Outreach Committee for Local 695.

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. James is Co-editor of Production Sound & Video.

Jamie Gambell CAS

London-born and raised, Jamie Gambell CAS fell in love with motion picture sound the very moment a Star Destroyer flew into a shot at the Hackney Odeon Cinema. After working in the UK, he moved to LA to continue his career, becoming a Local 695 member in 2008. He currently lives in Glendale, CA, with his wife, two kids, and a crested gecko.

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.

Scott Marshall

Scott was born and raised in Northern Virginia, and with the encouragement of fellow members, decided to move to Los Angeles with the goal of joining Local 695. He accomplished that goal relatively quickly and joined as a Y-7A. Some of his work as a Utility Sound Technician includes Earth to Ned and Station 19. He can also solder a mean cable.

Welcome to the summer edition of Production Sound & Video. Television and feature production is close to pre-pandemic levels, and fourteen months later, Los Angeles is at the Yellow Tier, the lowest risk level in the Statewide
Color-Coded Tier System.

Scott Marshall gives us all the sound winners and nominees for the CAS, AMPS, BAFTA, and Oscars. Ron Hairston tells us how he pays it forward, and DaVinci Resolve is explained by Co-editor James Delhauer.

Amanda Beggs describes her adventures on Finding ’Ohana, and Craig L. Woods holds court on his career and life in the industry. Jamie Gambell expounds on the four-person sound crew.

Stay safe out there and enjoy.

Richard Lightstone CAS AMPS & James Delhauer

In late March and early April, I found myself glued to the news. The small town of Bessemer, Alabama, made made headlines when the workers in one industrial warehouse began a quest to unionize against Big Tech’s biggest employer: Amazon. Conditions within the warehouse had become grueling. Workers toiled for ten hours each day without adequate time for rest, all while being tracked and monitored by management via mobile phone apps. Their battle to unionize was a fight for more than just equitable wages; it was a fight for respect.

The news coverage of this battle was comprehensive as labor hawks on both sides of the aisle eyed the developing situation with keen interest. Celebrities and politicians came together to lend their voices to the cause. Senator Bernie Sanders made a personal visit to the warehouse in support of the impending vote. President Joe Biden also weighed in on this issue, praising the workers in a struggle many believed to be futile. The week-long vote was suspenseful for anyone following the prolonged battles of labor being waged in our country.

Then on April 9, the motion failed. Nearly eighteen hundred employees voted to oppose the effort to unionize, while less than eight hundred members cast their vote in favor. I was devastated. Bessemer vs. Amazon highlights just how difficult it is for the labor system to unionize any of the Big Tech companies, to say nothing of the largest and most anti-union among them. Those that opposed unionization created a narrative that a collective bargaining entity couldn’t deliver on the promise of pay rate increases and improved working conditions. They argued that Amazon already pays over minimum wage scales, provides a package of health care benefits, and matches 401(k) contributions. The Retail, Wholesale, and Department Store Union that tried to organize the Bessemer warehouse continues to assert that Amazon employed scare tactics to incite fear in those employees who were unknowledgeable about union practices or the legacy that the labor movement has in this country. It is easy to view the defeat in Bessemer as just that—a defeat.

However, this incident has raised attention in the press, leading to renewed union interest in other Amazon warehouses, as well as other areas of manufacturing. Awareness of unions in the American workforce and the good they represent are gaining traction. Our values resonate with a workforce that is overworked, underpaid, and looking for any recourse. This is especially true of our younger generations, who are staring down the barrel of one of the most inhospitable job markets in American history.

When faced with the decision to unionize or remain without representation, the question becomes, What Does the Union Mean to You?

This incredibly intimate question is different for each member. Our Local has built its legacy over the course of ninety years. Diverse technicians from every walk of life have been a part of making it the force it is within the labor movement today. When I asked myself this very question, there were too many answers to count. But in light of the COVID-19 crisis, I have become more aware than ever of the importance of continuing healthcare and pension benefits of all members and their families. I am eager to fight for family services like paid maternity and paternity leave and I am grateful for the resources available for members to continue education in their skill sets in order to expand their knowledge and learn new technologies.

The union also means working towards safer working environments and better working conditions both during and after the pandemic. I appreciate the industry wide initiative to keep our sets as COVID free as possible. I am thankful to the AMPTP and IATSE for brokering policy that allows employees to be tested on a daily/weekly schedule. I have been covid tested over one hundred times since mid-August, on various shows. There is a comfort in knowing the certainty of my health during a pandemic, so I can concentrate on my work without the anxiety of infecting others. On the other hand, the issues of short turn around and meal penalties continue to persist. I do not appreciate the sixteen meal penalties amassed in a single day due to poor scheduling on behalf of production. The need for rest and mental breaks is imperative in our high paced, stressful environment.

The Amazon vs Bessemer Warehouse union vote is not over. As of the printing of this article, the future of this vote was resting on the laurels of a mailbox installed on the Amazon premises in February of this year. Amazon employees were encouraged to drop off their votes at this mailbox via alerts on their phone. Evidence of email exchanges between the USPS and Amazon’s top execs were used in overturning the election. The presence of the new mailbox on site is both confusing and intimidating to employee voters. We won’t know the decision of the National Labor Board to throw out this election for quite some time, but it has raised interesting questions about Unions in America today and more importantly, what our union means to us.

Be Strong. Stand Proud. Be Courageous.

Jillian Arnold
President

Moving Forward
As life continues to open up and live entertainment venues are once again operating and hosting shows, I look back and realize how our union made a difference in the lives of our members and their families during this pandemic. The IATSE and Local 695 joined with the LA County Federation of Labor to sponsor several food drives; handing out thousands of meals to union families. The IATSE donated $2.5 million to three entertainment charities: the Actors Fund, the Motion Picture and Television Fund, and the Actors Fund of Canada. This money was earmarked for IATSE members and their families to provide financial relief during this global crisis.

Many of our IATSE brothers and sisters who work in live entertainment have been out of work for sixteen months, so the West Coast locals joined together to raise money to support their families during this shutdown. We come together to make one cohesive production even though we may work in different crafts and jurisdictions, we also come together to support our fellow union family in such stressful times.

In our last publication, we talked about labor playing a pivotal role in the rebuilding of America. The current labor situation in the United States leaves a lot to be desired. The original purpose of the National Labor Relations Act of 1935 was to encourage collective bargaining. However, nearly every amendment to the law since 1935, and most egregiously, the 1947 Taft-Hartley Act, has made it more difficult for workers to form unions. The function of the Labor Relations Board is to uphold workers’ rights to unionize, collectively bargain, and to work together to improve their workplace. Yet, as it stands today, the Board has no ability to levy fines when companies have broken the law; such as when an employer fires an employee for starting a union campaign.

The way the laws are written today, if a union election is won, a company can drag out the negotiations and never come to an agreement. Between 1948 and 1973, the New Deal laws of 1933 were expanded and hourly wages rose by more than ninety percent. Over the next forty years (1973-2013), hourly wages rose by just more than nine percent while productivity increased seventy-four percent.

Research from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology shows that more than sixty million people would vote to join a union today if given the opportunity. We need to support the rights of nonunion workers and give them the opportunity to fair wages, health and pension benefits, and safe working conditions. We all benefit from unions made stronger through increased membership. A recent Gallup poll shows that union approval stands at sixty-five percent, which is one of the highest approval ratings in the past half-century.

We must seize on the current support for unions and strive to enact change. One way organized labor can help is to support the PRO Act (Protect the Right to Organize) which has made it through the House and is currently sitting in the Senate. Passing this bill would be a substantial step forward in achieving our goal to rebuild America.

The PRO Act is one of the most important pieces of labor legislation to be written in decades. The Act protects the basic rights of workers to join a union by introducing meaningful and enforceable penalties for companies and executives that violate workers’ rights. Not only does it give workers the right to choose a union and organize their workplace, but it also ensures that workers can reach a first contract quickly after a union is recognized by expanding collective bargaining rights and closing loopholes that corporations use to exploit workers.

In addition, the Act would stop the abuse of misclassifying some workers as Independent Contractors. What the PRO Act does not do is take away the rights of Independent Contractors, as the proponents against the Act would lead you to believe. Legitimate Independent Contractors can still take advantage of the state tax laws when filing their taxes.

A fundamental right of every working woman and man should be the right to organize. What can you do to help everyone achieve this right? You can write your senator
and ask them to support the PRO Act of 2021. Go to the AFL-CIO website for information on how to get involved. https://aflcio.org

The PRO Act is about giving workers a voice, not taking away freedoms. Without unions, workplace discrimination continues to increase, wages continue to stagnate, and the gap between the rich and the poor exponentially increases. Now more than ever, we must support labor organizations in order to move toward closing that gap and creating a system in which people can lead balanced lives and not have to choose between eating or taking vital medication because they aren’t being paid a wage that has increased with productivity and inflation. I urge you to call your senator to support the PRO Act.

In solidarity,

Scott Bernard
Business Representative, IATSE Local 695

TRAINING

Network Crash Course:
Essentials of Audio and Video IP Networks

by Laurence B. Abrams

A new class offered by Local 695 called “Network Crash Course: Essentials of Audio and Video IP Networks,” has been in high demand, with eight sessions conducted in just two months. Instructor and Production Sound Mixer James Hunt designed the course to prepare more members to work with the kinds of networks that Local 695 Audio and Video Engineers are already installing and operating in nearly every area of film and television production, whenever audio and video signals need to be redistributed over copper, Wi-Fi, cellular networks, or the internet.

James explains that “for film & episodic productions, AoIP (Audio over IP) allows the Sound Mixer to develop truly creative solutions while maintaining complete control of their system. RF receivers can be hidden close to set, while the mixer sets up near video village. Multiple program feeds can be duplicated as needed and pulled off of any nearby network switch. The multitrack rig is reduced to a small laptop that can be placed anywhere convenient. The only cable to coil at the end of the day is a thin fiber-optic cable.”

On live broadcasts such as the Oscars or the Grammys, James describes how an entire performance group or orchestra can be offsite, and even miles away. “Dark fiber paths from your network provider can transmit more than sixty-four channels of Dante or AES67 audio from anywhere they have infrastructure. On the Oscars, we use a fiber-optic network that terminates in a wiring closet beneath the middle of Hollywood Boulevard, tying together the Dolby, Jimmy Kimmel, the International Press in the parking lot behind El Capitan, and all the media on the red carpet. Likewise with the Grammys, Local 695 members set up a fiber-optic network to connect across the sprawling Staples Center campus, providing pre-show, post-show, press feeds, and special performances anywhere the producers deem fit. On a production as spread out as LivePD, where multiple cities and control rooms were all providing input to the same broadcast, we used a solution from Unity to send low-latency audio over the public internet for multi-channel audio and intercoms.”

In this new age of social distancing, James says, “We’re finding the increased flexibility and reach of IP Technologies to be indispensable in our new workflows. Local 695 Video Engineers and Video Assist Technicians are using H.264 cloud services such as QTake and Sienna Cloud to allow encrypted remote viewing of takes and dailies for an almost unlimited number of local and remote users on a multitude of devices. Solutions from Unity and LuciLive enable broadcast quality multi-channel audio over the public internet. While cloud-based production switchers like vMix and Livestream enable multiple video villages to be set up far from the set, off the stage, in the office, or even at home. Audio console manufacturers across the board are releasing network protocols to control their products remotely, such as Lawo’s R3PLAY and Calrec Assist.”

Effective usage of IP networking allows us to be more flexible and more efficient in a wide variety of production applications and opens the door to new ways of working. This training helps more of our members master the core framework and principles that lie beneath all of these audio and video networking environments.  

This training was funded with support from Liz Campos and Alex Weyman at the IATSE Training Trust Fund. Keep an eye out for future announcements about more Local 695 training opportunities like this.  

Covid-19 News

Developing a Safe Path Back to Work

In June, the Industry-Wide Labor-Management Safety Committee delivered its White Paper report, a broad, high-level review of on-set safety recommendations for film and TV production. That was followed up by The Safe Way Forward, a much more detailed, on-the-ground look at how the production environment must be adapted in order to create a safer workplace. That document, submitted by the IATSE, DGA, SAG-AFTRA, Teamsters, and Basic Crafts, still awaits approval by the AMPTP. The final piece of this is Local 695’s Craft-Specific Safety Guidelines, an ambitious review of safety measures to be taken for each of the crafts and job skills represented by Local 695. The Chairperson of our COVID-19 Safety Protocols Committee was Jay Patterson who says, “Gathering together more than 50 members of Local 695, representing so many job skills, from Video Technicians and Mixers to Talk Show A-2’s and Utility Sound Technicians, was at first very challenging but then proved to be a hugely gratifying experience, with so much great input and participation from everyone, and I want to say thanks to all involved.” Local 695’s Craft-Specific Safety Guidelines, along with the White Paper and The Safe Way Forward can all be downloaded from our website, where you’ll also find updates and more COVID-related info. If you are on a job that does not follow these safety guidelines, call the Local.

695 2nd Quarter Membership Meeting

Due to Covid-19, Local 695’s General Meeting was held virtually, on the increasingly popular Zoom platform.

We had a great turnout at the 2nd Quarter Informational Membership Meeting on Zoom. For those who missed it, the meeting featured three presentations, all of which can be viewed online at www.local695.com/html/may-15-2020-meeting.html (log-in required).

The first presentation featured four representatives from MPI’s Pension & Health Plan. They answered questions from our members about some of the new Covid-19 member benefits added to the Plans, including the three-month waiver of monthly premiums (for those who pay them), access to Tele-medicine, without the usual $5.00 co-pay, a new extension of hours now available to those who qualify, and the new IAP Hardship Withdrawals that give members access to up to twenty percent or twenty thousand dollars from their IAP if applied online before 12/31/2020. Complete information can be found at www.mpiphp.org

The second presentation was from MPTF‘s Naomi Rodda and was called “Coping in Chaotic Times,” looking at some of the emotional issues many of us have been experiencing over these last few months. Naomi offered specific and practical coping strategies and encouraged members to take advantage of resources that are available to help members in this difficult time, including MPTF’s Intake Line at (323) 634-3888, Optum’s COVID-19 24/7 Emotional Support Hotline at (866) 342-6892, Kaiser’s COVID-19 24/7 Emotional Support Hotline at (800) 900-3277.

PRIDE

Many of our usual activities were canceled due to the pandemic, however, it is notable that 2020 marks the 50th anniversary of the LA Pride Parade! Although we had to sit this year out, we’re looking forward to the Pride Parade returning in 2021. Pride month was still observed, social distance style; we honor our LGBTQ members.

Members In Action

Many members of Local 695 showed their community spirit and pride as they participated in the recent peaceful protests happening around Los Angeles.

The protests brought sisters and brothers of 695 together over the weeks following the killing of George Floyd. Our members peacefully marched, voicing their concerns in this time of great unrest. Many of the marches included participants taking a knee and holding it for eight minutes, forty-six seconds, to show solidarity for racial justice.

Tim Song Jones, recently retired Boom Operator, arrived at a peaceful protest in Glendale with his wife. He says, “My wife really felt compelled to participate, however, I didn’t want her to go alone. When we arrived, I was pleased at how the demonstration was very peaceful. The crowd took a knee for eight minutes and forty-six seconds to commemorate the memory of George Floyd.”

Cheyenne Wood, VTR Operator, participated in two demonstrations. She went first to City Hall and joined the protest against DA Jackie Lacey over alleged inequality. Protestors again took a knee and sang together in solidarity. Later in the week, Cheyenne joined the march through Hollywood. She wanted to be involved in creating real change from the streets up. When asked if she felt at risk to COVID-19, she said, “I didn’t really feel fearful of catching the virus, we were practicing social distancing as best we could, and most everyone was wearing masks.”

Mixer Chris Polczinski arrived, sign in hand, at one of the largest protests on Hollywood Boulevard. He and his wife joined the enormous group that marched through the streets of Hollywood. There were so many people there, that, he says, “Even as we left to walk to our car, we could still see and hear the crowds from many blocks away.”

Boom Operator Ben Greaves and Mixer Amanda Beggs went a step further in their volunteer efforts and actually worked with the protest organizers, providing their equipment and on-set skills to help with audio reinforcement at many of the events. To help support these events, Ben has been working hand-in-hand with a diverse group of filmmakers and says, “This is an inflection point in our society. COVID-19 and Black Lives Matter are shining a bright and uncomfortable light on our society. As members of Local 695, it’s important to remember who we are, what we are, and who we represent. Setting up speakers is the easy bit. What we do once the news cameras have disappeared and attention is directed elsewhere is going to be the real challenge.”

Notable were the Local 695 members who hit the streets with sponges, brooms, mops, and paint brushes to help clean up after the unruly night of violence and looting in their neighborhoods. Mixer Shawn Holden, 695 Trustee, and her partner, cleaned up in their neighborhood near the Fairfax District. They helped remove graffiti by painting fences and tending to buildings that had been hit hard by vandals. She was compelled to help clean up, and to see what was needed. Shawn wound up at their local post office, feeling it was a small gesture to help her community.

Shawn says, “We went to help because we live here! We were right in the middle of things as they were getting bad. One block to the north and another to the south, there were flash bombs and tear gas canisters going off. We had to close the windows because the smoke was getting into the house. The next morning, it seemed like the whole neighborhood was out to help clean up. We got out around 9 a.m. and lots of things were already taken care of. A great show of community support.”

695 Equity, Diversity & Outreach Committee

On June 28, 2020, President Mark Ulano AMPS named Steve Nelson, Board of Directors, chair of the newly formed Committee for Equity, Diversity & Outreach. Steve has since been joined by Jamie Gambell, Production Sound Mixer, as co-chair.

The co-chairs will oversee a committee of Local 695 members working toward three concrete objectives: a platform for essential dialogue, an entry-level training program, and academic outreach.

The committee will also address the Local’s broader integration agenda, working with established community organizations to ensure equity and diversity are incorporated in a smart, thoughtful way as we move into the future.

About the Committee for Equity, Diversity & Outreach

Recognizing the value in a diverse and inclusive community, the Committee for Equity, Diversity & Outreach works to create an environment where members of all genders, cultures, and socioeconomic backgrounds can thrive in the workplace, and focusing on improving access to mentorship, giving our new members a chance to forge a career path for themselves.

On August 1, 2020, the ED&O Committee hosted its first public event, “Diversity in 695: A Conversation.” The two-hour webinar featured some of our most accomplished members of color in conversation with Professor (emeritus) Anna Everett.

Dr. Everett is Professor of film and media studies at the University of California, Santa Barbara. Her many publications include the books Returning the Gaze: A Genealogy of Black Film Criticism, 1909-1949; Learning Race and Ethnicity: Youth and Digital Media, for the MacArthur Foundation’s Digital Media, Youth and Learning Program; her award-winning book Digital Diaspora: A Race for Cyberspace, and the edited volume Pretty People, among others. She is also a two-time recipient of the Fulbright Senior Scholar Award.

Our panelists included Willie D. Burton, Veronica Kahn, Susan Moore-Chong, Chauncy Godwin, Anthony Ortiz, Douglas Shamburger, and Yohannes Skoda. Thanks to all who participated and attended!

IATSE Food Drives

The West Coast IATSE held three food drives for members and their families to drive through and pick up boxes of food supplies. Very important service during this difficult time.

Bryan Cahill

Bryan Cahill began his career in San Diego as the mixer on a documentary in Mexico with former President Jimmy Carter. He moved to Los Angeles in 1990 and currently teaches and 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.

Shawn Holden CAS

Shawn began her sound career as a network news Sound Technician. In 1995, after ten years of traveling the world doing ENG-style work, she moved to Los Angeles to transition into narrative filmmaking. Shawn is a member of CAS, the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS) and currently serves as a Trustee on the Executive Board of Local 695.

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.

Steve Nelson CAS

Steve Nelson CAS is enjoying his third tour of duty on the Local 695 Executive Board. When not mixing (looking forward to season two of Stumptown), he may be found on a bicycle, often in the mountains above Santa Barbara; he is president of Echelon, the area’s largest bike club (echelonsantabarbara.org). Check us out!

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.