IATSE Local 695

Production Sound, Video Engineers & Studio Projectionists

Departments

From the Editors

As the new year begins, I am pleased to announce that James Delhauer has joined our publication as Co-editor. James is a Video Engineer specializing in recording, data asset management, production, and post-production workflows. You have been reading James’ informative articles for over a year and he will be a valuable asset to Production Sound & Video.

In this issue, we look at both First Man and Vice, two very distinct feature films with challenging production sound from contributor Daron James. Scott Smith continues with “The Way We Were (Part 3)” and Mr. Delhauer delves into “Recovering a Failed Storage Unit.”

Eva Rismanforoush gives us “News & Announcements,” as well as the CAS, BAFTA, and Academy sound nominations. Tech Trends from Jay Patterson rounds out this edition.

Have a bountiful and healthy year and enjoy reading this edition!


Fraternally,
Richard Lightstone &
James Delhauer

From the Business Representative

2018 was a busy year for Hollywood and the membership of Local 695. The California Film & TV Tax Credit Program, with a five-year extension to 2025, continues to bring new and relocated shows to California. Three of the most recent examples are: new Star Trek series, Flowers of Helvetica, and Why Women Kill. California Film Commission Executive Director Amy Lemisch tells us “Our TV tax credits are in high demand, so we’re pleased to have ample credits available to bring these three large-scale series to California.” Amy continues, “So many producers tell us that California is their first choice because no other locale can match what we have to offer, especially at the end of the shooting day going to their own homes each night.”
 
In the last cycle, fifteen projects received a tax credit, including the big-budget Space Jam 2, which produced more than one hundred million dollars in qualified spending, resulting in over forty three million dollars in below-the-line wages. These fifteen projects are on track to produce a total of one hundred and ninety five million in wages for their crews. The California Film & TV Tax Credit Program is meeting our highest expectations, generating economic stimulus not only in Southern California but throughout the entire state. Many of the businesses that support the industry were on the verge of shutting down due to productions leaving California; now they are thriving as a result of this dramatic growth in production. The motion picture industry is a key economic driver for the state of California and it’s clear that our elected representatives understand this and support the work of our IATSE members.
 
Many members of our Local live in areas where fires devastated communities. This reminds us about what is most important and how union Sisters and Brothers share in the support and safety of our neighbors. If you ever find yourself in need of support, remember that you’re not alone. There are many services available to the members of Local 695. Contact the Local and the Motion Picture Television Fund (MPTF). The MPTF is there to help, whether it’s financial support, finding a caregiver for a child or adult, housing, job training, career changes and much, much more. All of these services are available to you free of charge from the MPTF. Local 695 will continue to support the MPTF with education and fundraisers to make sure that all these incredible programs remain available to our members. Join me and please consider making a monthly tax-deductible donation to MPTF. Visit their website at www.mptf.com to learn more about what they offer, how to make a donation, and also, how you can volunteer some of your time to help out at MPTF.
 
Now, let’s get back to doing what we do best, making entertainment…
 
In solidarity,


Scott Bernard
scottb@local695.com
Business Representative

From the President

Here we are in the new year, 2019. I always think of this time of year as a time to reflect on the past and plan for the future. I sit quietly and review my goals list from this time last year and draw from it a starting point for setting down my goals for this new year coming. I usually break it down into categories: Family, Friends, Health, Creativity, Projects, Continuing Education, Finances, etc.

My wife and I have this tradition of New Year’s Day being quiet, reflective, and not a day for social interaction. Rather, we have dedicated this time to look within. Over the years, it appears that actually writing down goals dramatically increases the likelihood of them coming to pass for us. I’m not sure why this is, but I know if I don’t perform the simple ritual of committing a goal to print, it just isn’t as probable to achieve it. It doesn’t seem to matter how large or small the goal is.

I suspect this may have something to do with the way our brains work. Different neural paths or connections are made when writing it down. I should probably do the research on this but, somehow I just enjoy the process and appreciate the outcomes.
 
I have a few guidelines that I try to apply with this process; I try not to judge others so much, I try to come from a loving place, and I try to remember that I am not responsible for the choices of others.
 
I also try to stay connected with what seems most important and it’s not a long list really. My kids, family and friends, and the work I’ve been passionate about in my life. My father had a saying that he lived by: he would say that he didn’t have a budget for a bad day. This has stuck with me as an important affirmation. The older I get, the more I see the wisdom in this as the precious gift of each day becomes more apparent. I remind myself of Spencer Tracy’s advice to not take myself so seriously but to work hard at whatever I’m committed to. I think it’s a good combo.

I recently saw a joyous documentary, If You’re Not in the Obit, Eat Breakfast. The plot summary states: “Carl Reiner presents the stories of people in the over-ninety age category who display exceptional success in combating common aspects of aging. Growing old is what you make of it. The stars of this show sing, dance, joke, and philosophize about how to stay young at heart.” This sticks with me and has added a few items to this year’s goals list…
 
Warm regards to all of you. May 2019 successfully reflect your heartfelt goals. Thank you all so very much for including my family and I in the special Local 695 community.


Mark Ulano CAS AMPS
President
IATSE Local 695

70th Primetime Emmy Winners

The 70th Primetime Emmy Awards celebrated the best in US primetime television programming from June 1, 2017, until May 31, 2018, as chosen by the Academy of Television Arts & Sciences. The ceremony was held on Monday, Sept. 17, at the Microsoft Theater in Los Angeles. The Saturday Night Live weekend update anchors Colin Jost and Michael Che hosted the show.

Local 695 congratulates the winners!

Outstanding Sound Mixing fora Comedy or Drama Series (One Hour)

Game of Thrones “Beyond the Wall”
Onnalee Blank CAS, Re-recording Mixer
Mathew Waters CAS, Re-recording Mixer
Richard Dyer, Production Mixer
Ronan Hill CAS, Production Mixer

Production Sound Team: James Atkinson, Jonathan Riddell, Jeff Welch,
Daniel McCabe, Conor McErlane, Andrew McNeill

Outstanding Sound Mixing for a Limited Series or a Movie

Genius: Picasso “Chapter One”
Bob Bronow, Re-recording Mixer
Mark Hensley, Re-recording Mixer
Tamás Csaba, Production Mixer

Production Sound Team: Gábor Máté, Norbert Szekeres

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

Barry “Chapter Seven: Loud, Fast and Keep Going”
Todd Beckett, Re-recording Mixer
Elmo Ponsdomenech, Re-recording Mixer
Benjamin Patrick CAS, Production Mixer

Production Sound Team: Chris Diamond, Corey Woods

Outstanding Sound Mixing for a Variety Series or Special

Jesus Christ Superstar Live in Concert
Thomas Holmes, Production Mixer
Ellen Fitton, Production Mixer
John Harris, Production Music Mixer
Brian Flanzbaum, Music Mixer
Mark Weglinski, Music Playback Mixer
David Crawford, FOH Mixer
Dan Gerhard, FOH Mixer
Mike Bove, Monitor Mixer
Jason Sears, Monitor Mixer
Christian Schrader, Sweetening Mixer

Outstanding Sound Mixing for Nonfiction Programming (Single- or Multi-Camera)

Anthony Bourdain: Parts Unknown  “Lagos”
Benny Mouthon CAS, Re-recording Mixer

Names in bold are Local 695 members

News & Announcements

Politics

The New Basic Agreement Is Ratified: New Provisions in 2018

In addition to adding two sources of increased funding to our Pension and Health plans, the newly ratified contract contains these items that you should be aware of:

  • Term of the Contract: This contract runs from August 1, 2018, through July 31, 2021.
  • Three Percent Wage Increase: The three percent wage increase is retroactive to August 1, 2018 and applies to all work covered under the Basic Agreement. The payroll companies are now calculating all back payments owed since August 1 and will sending out checks soon.
  • Increased Rest Periods: This change will take place ninety days from the 10/10/18 date of ratification: For local and nearby daily and weekly hires, there will be a ten-hour turnaround (increased nine hours) on miniseries and on one-hour and 1/2-hour single-camera series beginning with the second season.  For features and long-form productions, ten-hour turnaround will apply after two consecutive fourteen-hour days worked.
  • Mandatory Courtesy Housing or Transportation: For work in excess of fourteen hours in the Thirty-mile Zone and twelve hours in the Secondary Zone, courtesy housing, or transportation home and back to work the next day, must be provided upon request.
  • Mid-Budget New Media Productions Are No Longer “Fully Negotiable”: For productions where previously the wages, terms, and conditions were “fully negotiable,” the New Media sideletter now provides wages, terms, and conditions on “mid-budget productions” made for initial exhibition on a Subscription Video-On-Demand (SVOD) platforms such as Netflix, Hulu, Amazon Prime, etc. The new Mid-Budget Tier is defined as:
  • 20–35 minutes    $900,000–$1,300,000
  • 36–65 minutes    $1,750,000–$2,500,000
  • 66 minutes +     $2,100,000–$3,000,000
  • On these productions, the following mid-budget terms and conditions apply:
  • Special conditions for Long-form Television Motion Pictures Sideletter with staffing and roster requirements as per the existing provision for the sub-high-budget SVOD new media productions.
  • Wages shall be long-form wages with a two-year lag.
  • Higher Budget New Media Productions Follow the Full Basic: On New Media SVOD features budgeted at over $30 million (which previously followed the Long-form Sideletter), the wages, terms and conditions of the full Basic Agreement will now apply. Paragraph 106 applies. Three-person crew now included on Mid-Budget Tier productions.
  • The Rest of Huntington Beach: The Secondary Zone will now expand a few blocks to include all of Huntington Beach.
  • Canadian Holiday Swap: If you’re working in Canada, the Producer can now, at their option and with advance notice, swap Victoria Day for Memorial Day, and swap Canada Day for Independence Day.
  • New Media Roster Is Eliminated: In addition to eliminating the New Media Roster, all qualified workdays that were listed on the New Media Roster have been moved over to the Industry Experience Roster
  • Diversity and Inclusion Taskforce: The Taskforce will consist of representatives from the IATSE and the AMPTP and will review existing initiatives and develop new ones aimed at increasing employment of underrepresented groups.
  • Stipend for Safety Pass Training Will Increase: Beginning August 4, 2019, the stipend for Safety Pass training taken both in-person and online will increase to $20 per hour. NOTE: As of now, ALL Local 695-required Safety Pass training is available online.
  •  More Time to Complete Safety Pass Training: The deadline to complete required Safety Passport is now extended from ninety days to six months.
  • No Givebacks, No Concessions: This contract contains no reduction in terms and conditions.

Education

Fisher Boom Training: Long Arm for Long Takes

The production sound crew has a limited toolbox—fishpole, plant, wireless mic. Add a fourth tool by taking advantage of 695’s free Fisher Boom Training: One-on-One. Whether you’ve never been on a Fisher or you just need a refresher, this personalized training on Model 2 and Model 7 booms covers prep, safety, applications for the Fisher, movement of the perambulator, and hands-on operation using our dialog simulator.

Production Sound Mixers – Learn what you need to know to add a Fisher as a tool in your arsenal.  
Boom Operators – Go to any job with confidence that you can set up and operate a Fisher.  
Utility Sound Technicians – Learn to prep, cable, and operate a Fisher, add Boom Pusher for multi-camera productions to your skill set and be ready when needed to jump on the Fisher as a 1st or 2nd Boom Op.

Training Requirements – Must be on the Roster, up-to-date on Safety Pass classes, and have valid I-9 on file at CSATF.

Contact fisherboom@local695.com to schedule this training.

Community

Day at the Races: A Special Thanks!

Thanks to all who came out to Santa Anita Park on October 21 for the annual MPTF Day at the Races fundraiser. It was a spectacular day full of horse racing, food, silent auctions, lots of family fun, and “giving something back.” Much appreciation goes to all the sponsors and all the guests for helping make the day such a great success. This year, over $177,000 was raised for the benefit of MPTF, an organization dedicated to serving the entertainment community in times of need. MPTF is committed to helping thousands of industry members like you by providing essential financial and social services. We hope you join us again next year!

New Members

Local 695 welcomes its new members!

Rolando Arenas    Y-7

Joseph Bourdet    Y-8

Joseph “Crow” Duemig    Y-8

Joseph Gjura    Y-4

Thomas Larsen    Proj.

Kyle McLane    Y-1   

Rachel Schroeder    Y-7A

David Scobbie    A2

In Memoriam

James Emswiller
Y-1
January 4, 1957 – October 11, 2018

Walter Gest
Y-9
March 13, 1928 – November 13, 2018

William Tucker
Projectionist
November 26, 1943 – September 24, 2018

Lance Wandling
Y-7
February 20, 1953 – April 22, 2018

Young Workers in Action

On Nov. 4, Local 695 members Heather Fink, John Wassel, and Nathan Whitcomb joined the IA Young Workers of Los Angeles to canvass for Katie Hill, the pro-labor candidate for California’s 25th Congressional District. Katie would go on to win her tightly contested race in this traditionally conservative district.

IA Young Workers of Los Angeles canvassing.

In September 2018, Local 695 Young Workers Committee Co-chairs Nathan Whitcomb and Aaron Eberhardt had the privilege of attending the 3rd Biennial Young Workers Conference in Silver Springs, Maryland. This year’s two-day conference was packed with educational seminars on US labor history, rhetoric, and political action. The co-chairs made excellent connections during networking opportunities and had tremendous positive takeaways for our Local as a whole. Here is their report:

This last September, Nathan Whitcomb, along with Aaron Eberhardt, had the honor of representing Local 695 at the IA Young Workers Committee Conference in Silver Springs, Maryland. This was the second time that the 695 YWC has attended this conference, with Tim O’Malley and Eva Rismanforoush having attended the previous conference in 2016 in Atlanta, Georgia.

We partook in a full slate of workshops on a range of topics, including the long history and structure of the IA, a rundown on current national labor issues, the importance of union solidarity in our national economy, proper copyright law, and strategies for making pro-labor arguments and when speaking to politicians and other nonunion audiences. We learned many useful tips and tricks on how to relate to these audiences and how to establish a safe and more neutral environment for these often charged conversations. We also acquired the answers to mysteries like what really goes on at IA Board meetings, and the logic behind assigning Local numbers (there is none).

IA member & Charlotte City Councilman Braxton Winston spoke before the YW Conference 2018
Local 695 YWC Co-chairs Nathan Whitcomb, IA President Matt Loeb, and Aaron Eberhardt

We were also able to hear from several inspiring guest speakers from across the country. The first, Braxton Winston, is an IA member who was recently elected to the Charlotte City Council. He spoke heavily on the importance of becoming involved in your city’s local politics and representing your local union with pride. IA President Matthew Loeb also stopped by to address the conference and congratulate us on becoming the leaders of the future.

While the official programming was truly outstanding, we felt the most valuable part of the conference was the chance to meet and network with many YWC chairs from across the country. We took home a lot of valuable ideas for future Young Workers events. Several of the other Southern California locals were represented as well, and together we made plans for future collaborations between all our YWCs, including fundraising events for the I.A.T.S.E. Political Action Committee. We thank our Local 695 Board of Directors for sending us to this year’s conference, and we look forward to integrating our newly acquired knowledge to help our Young Workers Committee and our Local thrive.

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.

Daron James

Daron James is a veteran journalist having written about the film and television industry for over a decade.

Steve Morrow

Steven A. Morrow began his career in sound in 1997 and has recorded sound on over 130 film and television projects. Morrow is known to enjoy technically challenging movies that require creative solutions. He received the CAS Award for Motion Pictures – Live Action for his work on La La Land in 2017, and was also nominated for a BAFTA and an Academy Award.

Chris Munro

Chris has collaborated with some of the most respected filmmakers, winning two Oscars and two BAFTAs; Steven Spielberg, Ridley Scott, Paul Greengrass, Ron Howard, Alfonso Cuarón, and M. Night Shyamalan. Notable credits are Black Hawk Down, Captain Phillips, United 93, Mission: Impossible – Rogue Nation, Ready Player One, Wonder Woman, Mission: Impossible – Fallout, Spider-Man: Far from Home. He has also been Production Mixer on five James Bond films.

Eva Rismanforoush

Eva began working in sound while attending college in Northern California. Shortly after graduation, she joined Local 695 and is working as a Utility Sound Technician in Los Angeles. She has been the Co-chair of the Young Workers Committee since 2014.

Scott Smith

A forty-five-year veteran of the film and music business, Mr. Smith has recorded sound for more than forty film and TV shows. He received the first CAS Award for Best Feature Film Sound for his work on The Fugitive in 1994, and has been twice nominated for an Academy Award. Mr. Smith writes extensively on the history of film sound recording.

Photos courtesy of the respective contributors.

From the President

Dear Friends

Our heart goes out to our colleagues impacted by the unprecedented fires here at home and up north. If you are directly affected, please make sure to keep the Local informed of your situation so that we can direct you to any appropriate assistance available. You and your family’s well-being are of paramount importance to us and we want to hear from you if you are in need.
 
In turbulent times, it seems to me that fear rears its head to tempt us into impulsive responses to a dangerous world. But for me, it strikes another chord, one of collaboration with our community, an opportunity to keep a steady head and to stay aware, informed, proactive, and mutually supportive.

We are a trade union. We represent the ability of working people to come together in common interest to improve the lives and security of our family and profession.

This is a reality and not lip service.

Daily, we are witnessing a kind of chaos in the national discourse. Many examples of authoritarianism are on the international stage. It is up to each one of us to stay grounded and be respectful of each other during this time and avoid the trap of dehumanizing each other. We are an interdependent community and must never lose sight of it. If flames of anger, fear, and fury are burning in you, please consider taking a beat and hitting the pause button for a stretch. Our skill to agree to disagree, while maintaining our friendship and mutual regard needs nurturing around now.  

As we move into the holiday season, I’d like to express my warmest wishes for a safe and happy time for you and your families. A reflective time of year, a time to consider what we have achieved, and for what we can be thankful for.

Mark Ulano CAS
President

From the Business Representative

Happy holidays!  Wishing all our Local 695 Sisters and Brothers and your families a wonderful holiday season. We have ratified the Basic Agreement with a return of thirty-nine percent of the ballots, which is four percent higher than the previous vote three years ago. I’m happy to see the increase in return ballots, but I encourage our members to be active not only in voting but attending meetings and getting involved in our many committees, and the Local’s sponsored activities.

The new Basic Agreement has significant improvements and it’s important that we take advantage of these new benefits.

So, what has changed? If your workday is more than fourteen hours in the Studio Zone or twelve hours in the Secondary Zone, the employer must provide you either a ride home from production and a ride back to work the following day or a hotel room for the evening when you request it. As part of your package, we suggest putting together an overnight bag with all the essentials. Our hope is that you never need to utilize this new contract requirement, and that productions generate efficient shooting schedules.

You also have an additional hour of turnaround when working in television and new media productions after the first season. This is a step in the right direction, and in the next round, we will propose the inclusion of pilots and first-season productions. We were successful in getting rid of the new media Roster, and the next goal will be to get rid of the term “New Media” altogether.  It’s all the same work just different ‘broadcast’ platforms. Mid-tier new media productions will now have an established set of wages and working conditions, completely removing the words “to be negotiated” from these contracts.  

An across-the-board three percent pay raise is now in effect. Payments for back pay retroactive to August 1 will be sent to you if you haven’t received by now. If you have questions about provisions in the new contract, just contact Joe or myself at the office.

Important: If you’re traveled under a 695 contract outside of the state and are being paid through Cast & Crew, your disability insurance is not being sent to California. To receive proper credit for these hours, you can ask Cast & Crew for a form you can fill out to have your disability withholding sent to California.

We plan on addressing this with the CIC with the possibly of introducing a bill that would make it mandatory for the employer to send your disability insurance back to California. There are six states including California that have state disability insurance, they are New Jersey, New York, Hawaii, Road Island and Puerto Rico. If you work in one of these other states that have SDI you will not be able to have your SDI sent to California.

I’m very happy to announce a new addition to our team, Heidi Nakamura, with 18 years of experience representing IA members in Hollywood. Heidi will now be working in the Field alongside Joe Aredas. Welcome Heidi!

I wish you and your family a wonderful and prosperous 2019. If I can be any help, please, don’t hesitate to give me a call or stop by the office. This is your union and I’m honored and proud to be your Business Representative.
 
In solidarity,

From the Business RepresentativeScott Bernard
scottb@local695.com
Business Representative

From the Editor

Welcome to the fall edition of Production Sound & Video. We are now in the thick of “Awards Season” and I imagine that your email inboxes are filled with screening invites and if you are a member of another guild, you are receiving DVDs. Take advantage of the opportunity to attend a screening and see and most importantly, hear how they were intended. Support your fellow brothers and sisters and applaud their tireless hard work.

You can read about some of our members’ hard work right here. Steve Morrow describes how he mixed A Star Is Born. Chris Munro on his innovative methods in capturing the sound of Mission: Impossible – Fallout and Daron James contributes on Drew Kunin in BlacKkKlansman.

Scott D. Smith delves into the advances in mixing panels during the ’70s and ’80s in “The Way We Were (Part 2).”

Finally, many of you have been severely affected by the multiple fires raging in California. I wish you all the best, and hope that you and your family and friends are safe. I express my sorrow if you have lost your home and wish everyone a return to normalcy.

As we approach the end of 2018, a Happy Thanksgiving, best for the holidays, and a Happy New Year!

Fraternally,
Richard Lightstone

The Technical Trends Committee

FCC Update

At the beginning of June 2018, T-Mobile announced that they are ahead of schedule in the testing of their Extended LTE operations in the 600 MHz band, and they expect to have active testing of the C, D, and E bands on line by the last quarter of 2018, in almost a thousand counties across the USA. This will render the bands between 627 MHz and 642 MHz, and between 673 MHz and 688 MHz unusable and against the law to operate in. This equates to approximately the upper half of Lectro Block 24, and most of Lectro Block 26.

A list of areas expected to be up and running in these bands, listed by state and county, is available via the T-Mobile web pages at: https://howmobileworks.com/spectrum/

The 600 MHz band is no longer referenced by UHF TV stations 38 through 51 (614 MHz to 698 MHz). 614 MHz to 617 MHz is the GUARD BAND between UHF 36, reserved for radio astronomy, and the DOWNLINK bands, 5 MHz each, A through G (617 MHz to 652 MHz). An 11 MHz band, the DUPLEX GAP, is between 652 MHz and 663 MHz, followed by the UPLINK bands A through G (663 MHz to 698 MHz).

What does this mean for wireless microphone use?

First, a reminder that any transmitter working at 698 MHz or above has been unlawful to use for over a decade. Do not go there…

In 2020, it will be unlawful to operate transmitters in the 600 MHz band, with a few exceptions—limited use of the GUARD BAND and limited use of the DUPLEX GAP. Note that areas in the old VHF band have been made available for wireless mic use, along with a few slices of the 900 MHz band (941 MHz and 944 MHz). An in-depth review of these new areas will be the subject of an upcoming tech trends column. It is important to note that a good chunk of the DUPLEX GAP will be reserved for licensed users.

Till then, transmitters operating between 614 MHz and 698 MHz are allowed unless T-Mobile is testing operations on those frequencies. Scan the bands intended to be used before turning transmitters on; if the cell system is operating in one or more of the cell bands, it will be obvious in the scan. If a cell band is active, it may not be used for wireless mic operation.

If you hold a Part 74 license, continue to operate, but be aware that operation in 600 MHz could go away overnight. If you do not hold a license, don’t get caught operating where you shouldn’t. No one has been fined for unlawful operation yet, but the penalties can be significant—$11,000/transmitter/day with a cap at $82,000, and up to six months in jail.

Currently, the Local 695 web pages for applying for a Part 74 license are down. We are in the process of vetting new applications under the new “post incentive auction” rules; when we are sure the process is working, the web pages will go back online.  

In other news from the Local 695 Technical Trends Committee, plans are underway for an up-to-date reboot of the Local’s Survival Guide pages, where one can brush up on the operation of unfamiliar recorders, mixers, and control surfaces.

Also, the Technical Trends Committee is participating in the growing cross-departmental “Voluntary Stewardship of the
2.4 GHz and 5 GHz Bands” program that aims to establish protocols for interdepartmental coordination of the Wi-Fi bands in the production environment, and to make the AMPTP and producers aware of the need for coordination in these bands during pre-production.

Questions or comments – TechTrends@Local695.com

2018 Dinner Cruise

2018 Local 695
Dinner Cruise Under the Stars

Fundraiser for the MPTF

by Laurence B. Abrams

“Weigh anchor! All engines full!”

OK, not quite that dramatic but it was still pretty darn cool when the 145-foot “Entertainer,” the flagship yacht in Hornblower Cruises’ Marina del Rey fleet, pulled out of the slip an hour before sunset on a mild June evening with a big “IATSE LOCAL 695” banner lashed to the forward rails. 695 heading out to take on the wide open seas! Or, well, just kind of making slow turns round and round in the dead quiet waters of the harbor …  but it was still loads of fun!

Raffle winner Jake White

Guests came aboard on the main deck of the ship, greeted by our first bartender, as well as by the musical stylings of DJ Evan Freeman (aka Production Sound Mixer Evan Freeman) and DJ Bobby “Nice” Arredondo (aka Utility Sound Technician Bobby “Nice” Arredondo) filling the night air with a bit of cool funk and some Electric House. Local 695 members had a chance to take a close look at the product displays set up by our Dinner Cruise Premiere Sponsor, Blackmagic Design, represented by Cinematography Product Specialist Tor Johansen and by our two Gold Sponsors, Sennheiser with Thom Salisbury, Customer Development/Applications Engineering-Americas  and AJA Video Systems Regional Manager Western US & Canada, Mark Pinkel. We thank each of them and the Silver Sponsors, Audio Department, Cinema Audio Society, JL Fisher, K-Tek, and Tentacle Sync for their generous support.

Beau Baker won four Dodgers tickets with seats right behind first base

Also on the main deck were Aaron Eberhardt and Nathan Whitcomb, Chairpersons of Local 695’s Young Workers Committee, on hand to answer questions about the IATSE PAC Fund, which helps energize and organize IA members who wish to support candidates and legislative initiatives that advance the safety and security of working IATSE members and their families.

Auction winners for a night at the Magic Castle: Steve Weiss with his girlfriend Gail, and Jon Ailetcher with his wife Dawn

The upper deck was pretty much what you’d hope for in an upper deck … another bartender and a nice quiet space with soft comfortable chairs, beautiful harbor views, pleasant evening breezes, a great opportunity to chat with old friends and new friends and an opportunity to watch Boom Operator Brion Condon’s very cool kid, Chance, dancing up a storm.

Shane Hoyt and Young Kim; 5. VanAn Tranchi from MPTF

But the mid-deck was where most of the action took place. The folks at Hornblower refer to this part of the ship as having “swanky lounge areas, dazzling light fixtures, and plush modern carpets in metallic tones” but Local 695 members seemed to be paying more attention to the big Italian buffet dinner, to yet another bartender and to Michael Gutenplan, the roaming Comedian/Emcee/Magician. Jokes? We got jokes.

VanAn Tranchi from MPTF

And then there were the raffle tickets. $1 apiece or $20 for the number of inches you are tall. Yes, Brandon Loulias was there and for twenty bucks, it seemed as though he got, like, maybe a thousand tickets? Raffle winners took home an iPad, some Tentacle Sync timecode generators, gift certificates from our friends at Audio Department, Location Sound, Sound Devices, and Trew Audio, a Denecke Mic Power Supply, a K-Tek Dinner Cruise Care Package, four Dodgers tickets, seven pairs of very cool Sennheiser Bluetooth headphones, as well as items from Warner Bros. Imagine Products Inc., and Blackmagic Design. Utility Sound Technician Jennifer Winslow somehow managed to come up with THREE winning tickets and Production Sound Mixer Josh Wilkinson won the big prize, walking off the ship with a Sharp 43” HDR 4K Roku television. Congrats to all!

Triple raffle winner Jennifer Winslow

But the big winner of the night was the Motion Picture Television Fund (MPTF). VanAn Tranchi, who is the Annual Fund Manager at MPTF, was on hand to speak with Local 695 members about the essential programs and services offered to our members at no cost by MPTF, providing much-needed assistance to 695 sisters and brothers and others in our industry when they find themselves in times of need. We’re very happy to say that when Van An left the ship, she took with her a donation of $7,267 raised from the sale of cruise and raffle tickets. “Helping Our Own” is not just the motto at MPTF but also something they do very well and Local 695 members are proud to have been able to contribute to that. If you want to learn more about how MPTF can help you, and how you can help MPTF with their many different volunteer opportunities or just by making a donation, please visit their website at www.mptf.com.

Chris Howland and his wife Yalda

Much appreciation goes to Linda Skinner, from our 695 office, for all the great planning and organizing that went into this event and of course, lots of thanks to all the Local 695 members and families who came out and joined us on this 2018 Local 695 Dinner Cruise Under the Stars. Next year? Stay tuned…

Josh Wilkinson doesn’t know it yet but in a couple of hours these two go home with the 4K HDR TV right behind them
Brion Condon with his son Chance
Tino Liberatore and Brenda Klemme from K-Tek, along with Janna Lopez, Thomas Popp and his wife Natalie, and Noel Espinosa

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70th Emmies

70th EMMY Award Nominations for Sound Production

Nominations for the 70th Primetime Emmy Awards were announced Thursday, July 12, 2018. The awards show will be held on Monday, September 17, at the Microsoft Theater in Los Angeles. The Saturday Night Live weekend update anchors Colin Jost and Michael Che will host the ceremony.

Local 695 congratulates all the nominees!

Outstanding Sound Mixing for a Comedy or Drama Series (One Hour)

Game of Thrones “Beyond the Wall”

Game of Thrones
“Beyond the Wall”
HBO

Nominees:
Onnalee Blank CAS, Re-recording Mixer
Mathew Waters CAS, Re-recording Mixer
Richard Dyer CAS, Production Mixer
Ronan Hill CAS, Production Mixer
Production Sound Team:
James Atkinson, Jonathan Riddell,
Jeff Welch, Daniel McCabe, Conor McErlane,
Andrew McNeill

The Handmaid’s Tale “June”
The Handmaid’s Tale “June”

The Handmaid’s Tale  
“June”
Hulu

Nominees: Joe Morrow, Re-recording Mixer
Lou Solakofski, Re-recording Mixer
Sylvain Arseneault CAS, Production Mixer
Production Sound Team: Joey Siracusa

Mr. Robot “Eps 3.4_runtime-error.r00”
Mr. Robot “Eps 3.4_runtime-error.r00”

Mr. Robot  
“Eps 3.4_runtime-error.r00”  
USA

Nominees:
John W. Cook II, Re-recording Mixer
Bill Freesh CAS, Re-recording Mixer
Joe White, Production Mixer
Paul Drenning, ADR Mixer
Production Sound Team:
Jason Benjamin, Robert A. Sacchetti

Stranger Things “Chapter Eight: The Mind Flayer”
Stranger Things “Chapter Eight: The Mind Flayer”

Stranger Things
“Chapter Eight: The Mind Flayer”
Netflix

Nominees: Joe Barnett, Re-recording Mixer
Adam Jenkins, Re-recording Mixer
Michael P. Clark CAS, Production Mixer
Bill Higley CAS, ADR Mixer
Production Sound Team: Allen Lee Williams III,
Joey Meyerhoff, Dennis Sanborn

Westworld “Akane No Mai”
Westworld “Akane No Mai”

Westworld
“Akane No Mai”
HBO

Nominees: Andy King, Re-recording Mixer
Keith Rogers, Re-recording Mixer
Geoffrey Patterson, Production Mixer  
Production Sound Team:
David F. Raymond, Zachary Wrobel

Outstanding Sound Mixing for a Limited Series or Movie

The Assassination of Gianni Versace: American Crime Story “The Man Who Would Be Vogue”
The Assassination of Gianni Versace: American Crime Story “The Man Who Would Be Vogue”

The Assassination of Gianni Versace: American Crime Story
“The Man Who Would Be Vogue”
FX

Nominees:
Doug Andham CAS, Re-recording Mixer
Joe Earle CAS, Re-recording Mixer
John Bauman CAS, Production Mixer
Judah Getz, ADR Mixer
Production Sound Team:
Chris Quilty, Scott Farr, Ace Williams,
Kris Wilcox, Kevin Cerchiai, Mark Weber

Fahrenheit 451
Fahrenheit 451

Fahrenheit 451  
HBO

Nominees:
Tom Fleischman CAS, Re-recording Mixer
Henry Embry CAS, Production Mixer
George Lara, Foley Mixer
Production Sound Team: Pat Cassin

Genius “Picasso: Chapter One”
Genius “Picasso: Chapter One”

Genius
“Picasso: Chapter One”  
National Geographic

Nominees:Bob Bronow CAS, Re-recording Mixer
Mark Hensley, Re-recording Mixer
Tamás Csaba, Production Mixer
Production Sound Team: Gábor Máté,
Norbert Szekeres

Twin Peaks “Part 8”
Twin Peaks “Part 8”

Twin Peaks
“Part 8”
Showtime

Nominees:
Ron Eng, Re-recording Mixer
Dean Hurley, Re-recording Mixer
Douglas Axtell, Production Mixer
Production Sound Team: Gunnar Ted Walker,
Anna D. Wilborn, Kelsey Wood

Waco “Operation Showtime”
Waco “Operation Showtime”

Waco  
“Operation Showtime”
Paramount Network

Nominees: Craig Mann, Re-recording Mixer
Laura Wiest, Re-recording Mixer
David Brownlow, Production Mixer
Production Sound Team: Rob Hidalgo

Outstanding Sound Mixing for a Variety Series or Special

60th Annual Grammy Awards
60th Annual Grammy Awards

60th Annual Grammy Awards
CBS

Nominees: Thomas Holmes, Production Mixer
Mikael Stewart, Production Mixer; John Harris, Broadcast Music Mixer
Eric Schilling, Broadcast Music Mixer; Ron Reaves, Front of House Music Mixer
Thomas Pesa, Stage Foldback Mixer; Simon Welch, Stage Foldback Mixer
Eric Johnston, Playback Music Mixer; Pablo Munguia, Pro Tools Mixer
Josh Morton, Post Audio Mixer; Bob La Masney, Sweetening Mixer

Jesus Christ Superstar Live in Concert


Jesus Christ Superstar Live in Concert
NBC

Nominees: Thomas Holmes, Production Mixer; Ellen Fitton, Production Mixer
John Harris, Production Music Mixer; Brian Flanzbaum, Music Mixer
Mark Weglinski, Music Playback Mixer; David Crawford, FOH Mixer
Dan Gerhard, FOH Mixer; Mike Bove, Monitor Mixer
Jason Sears, Monitor Mixer; Christian Schrader, Sweetening Mixer

Last Week Tonight With John Oliver “Episode 421”
Last Week Tonight With John Oliver “Episode 421”

Last Week Tonight With John Oliver
“Episode 421”
HBO

Nominees: Steve Watson, Production Mixer
Charlie Jones, Music Mixer; Patrick Smith, Music Mixer
Steve Lettie, FOH Mixer; Anthony Lalumia, Monitor Mixer
Jason Dyer Sainsbury, Pro Tools Music Mixer
Max Perez, Pro Tools Mixer

The Oscars

The Oscars

The Oscars
ABC

Nominees: Paul Sandweiss, Broadcast Production Mixer
Kristian Pedregon, Re-recording Mixer; Tommy Vicari, Music Mixer
Michael Parker, Monitor Mixer; Tom Pesa, Orchestra Monitor Mixer
Mark Repp, Orchestra Monitor Mixer; Patrick Baltzell, House PA Mixer
Christian Schrader, Supplemental Audio Mixer; John Perez, VO Mixer
Pablo Munguia, Pro Tools Mixer

The Voice “Live Finale (Part 2)”
The Voice “Live Finale (Part 2)”

The Voice
“Live Finale (Part 2)”
NBC

Nominees: Michael Abbott, Broadcast Production Mixer
Randy Faustino, Broadcast Music Mixer; Kenyata Westbrook, Reality Supervising Mixer
John Koster, Production Reality Mixer; Robert P. Mathews, Jr., Production Reality Mixer
Brian Riordan, Re-recording Mixer; Ryan Young, Re-recording Mixer
Tim Hatayama, Re-recording Music Mixer; Eric White, Re-recording Music Mixer
Shaun Sebastian, Monitor Mixer/Music Mixer Reality; Michael Bernard, Music Sub Mixer
Carlos Torres, Interstitial Music Playback Mixer; Christian Schrader, Supplemental Audio Mixer
Andrew Fletcher, House PA Mixer

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

Barry “Chapter Seven: Loud, Fast and Keep Going”
Barry “Chapter Seven: Loud, Fast and Keep Going”

Barry  
“Chapter Seven: Loud, Fast and Keep Going”
HBO

Nominees:
Todd Beckett, Re-recording Mixer
Elmo Ponsdomenech, Re-recording Mixer
Benjamin Patrick CAS, Production Mixer

Family Guy “Three Directors”
Family Guy “Three Directors”

Family Guy
“Three Directors”     
FOX

Nominees:
Jim Fitzpatrick CAS, Re-recording Mixer
Patrick Clark CAS, Production Mixer

Modern Family
“Lake Life”   
ABC

Nominees:
Brian R. Harman CAS, Re-recording Mixer
Dean Okrand CAS, Re-recording Mixer
Stephen Alan Tibbo CAS, Production Mixer
Production Sound Team:
Srdjan “Serge” Popovic, William Munroe, Jacques PienaarMozart-in-the-Jungle-S04E06-06e8c849035cd05ce1acd935aa6f40a7-full.jpgMozart in the Jungle “Domo Arigato”

Mozart in the Jungle
“Domo Arigato”
Prime Video | Amazon Studios

Nominees: Andy D’Addario, Re-recording Mixer
Chris Jacobson, Re-recording Mixer
Ryotaro Harada, Production Sound Mixer

Silicon Valley “Fifty-One Percent”
Silicon Valley “Fifty-One Percent”

Silicon Valley
“Fifty-One Percent”  
HBO

Nominees:Todd Beckett, Re-recording Mixer
Elmo Ponsdomenech, Re-recording Mixer
Ben Patrick CAS, Production Mixer

Outstanding Sound Mixing for Nonfiction Programming (single or multi-camera)

Anthony Bourdain: Parts Unknown “Lagos”
Anthony Bourdain: Parts Unknown “Lagos”

Anthony Bourdain: Parts Unknown  
“Lagos”
CNN

Nominee:
Benny Mouthon CAS, Re-recording Mixer

The Defiant Ones “Episode 1”
The Defiant Ones “Episode 1”

The Defiant Ones
“Episode 1”  
HBO

Nominees:
Christopher Jenkins, Re-recording Mixer
Gabriel Andy Giner, Production Mixer

Jane  
National Geographic

Nominees:
David E. Fluhr CAS, Re-recording Mixer
Marc Fishman, Re-recording Mixer
Lee Smith, Production Mixer
Derek Lee, Scoring Mixer

The Vietnam War “Episode 6: Things Fall Apart (January 1968-July 1968)”
The Vietnam War “Episode 6: Things Fall Apart (January 1968-July 1968)”

The Vietnam War
“Episode 6: Things Fall Apart (January 1968-July 1968)”
PBS

Nominee:
Dominick Tavella, Re-recording Mixer

Wild Wild Country “Part 1”
Wild Wild Country “Part 1”

Wild Wild Country
“Part 1”
Netflix

Nominee:
Chapman Way, Production Mixer

Names in bold are Local 695 members

News & Announcements

POLITICS

Janus v AFSCME

(American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees)

On June 27, 2018, the Supreme Court ruled that nonunion members no longer have to pay their “fair share” for union representation in collective bargaining negotiations. The case—Janus v AFSCME will impact public sector unions in twenty-two states and aims to permanently defund organized labor in the United States. In a 5-4 decision, the court rescinded the right of public sector unions to collect administrative fees from non-members, ruling it was inconsistent with the First Amendment. Meaning unions will lose fees from non-members but also lose members who are content with the union’s work but do not want to pay for it. Lee Saunders, AFSCME President, called the ruling a “unprecedented and nefarious political attack—designed to further rig the rules against working people.”

EDUCATION

3 Safety Pass Training Deadlines Have Passed

For those who are required to take the Safety Pass “A” and “A2” refresher classes, and for those who haven’t taken the HP1 or HP2 Harassment Preventation classes, THE DEADLINES HAVE PASSED. Failure to complete this training can jeopardize your eligibility to work on jobs subject to the Safety Pass training requirements.

To enroll for online courses, individuals eligible for Safety Pass training can go to http://www.csatf.org/safety.shtml and click on “Click here for On-Line Registration.”

YOUNG WORKERS

Spring Hike 2018

The 695 YWC thanks everyone who joined us on our annual Spring Hike this year! Spirits were high and Stough Canyon Nature Center in full bloom!

HEALTHCARE

Urgent Care After Hours Are Changing

Effective July 1, 2018, extended care hours (evenings, weekends, and holidays) currently offered at the UCLA Health-Motion Picture & Television Fund (UCLA-MPTF) Jack H. Skirball Health Center in Woodland Hills, CA, will transition to the UCLA-MPTF Toluca Lake Health Center.
 
Located at 4323 Riverside Drive in Burbank, CA, the UCLA-MPTF Toluca Lake Health Center will be open Monday through Friday, 7 a.m. to 8 p.m., and Saturday, Sunday and holidays from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.

The UCLA-MPTF Jack H. Skirball Health Center will remain open Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., and Saturday, 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. The health center is located at 23388 Mulholland Drive in Woodland Hills.

Participants who use the UCLA-MPTF Jack H. Skirball Health Center for extended care may also use the Exer Urgent Care (“Exer”) clinic in Calabasas, California, for urgent care as an alternative. The Exer clinic in Calabasas is open seven days a week from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. Participants who use the Exer clinic will be required to pay a $15 co-pay.

New Health Plan Benefits for Anthem Blue Cross Enrollees
The following benefits through the Motion Picture Industry Health Plan (MPIHP) are covered, effective March 1, 2018.

  • Shingrix Vaccination – The Shingrix vaccination is a CDC-recommended two-shot vaccine series against shingles that can replace the Zostavax vaccination. It should be given to people over the age of fifty years old, whether or not they have a history of chicken pox, shingles, or a previous Zostavax vaccine.
  • Elective Termination of a Pregnancy: The elective termination of a pregnancy is covered. 
  • Generic to Replace Brand Medications: If any of the following rare circumstances exist, brand-name medications may be fully covered: The physician documents an allergy, decreased effectiveness of the generic medication, a drug shortage of all generic alternatives, anti-seizure medications that meet all of the requirements.

NEW MEMBERS

Grant Greene    A2
Zachary Porter    Y-1
Hunter Grey Carlson    Y-4
Melquan Williams    A2
Ramiro Saldivar    Y-7A
Lumiere Hayes    Y-1    Spencer Lee    Y-7A
Samantha Cowan    A2
Trevor Arenas    A2
Albert Aucoin    Y-4
Jackson Bramlette    A2
Eric Enroth    Y-1
Behnam Ghahramani    KTLA
Joaquin Martinez    Proj.
Kevin Owen     Y-4
David Santos    Y-4
Fernanda Lage Starling    Y-7
John Wassel    Y-8

In Memoriam

Hans Michael Pickel

Y-7
July 16, 1965 – May 27, 2018

Our Contributors

Crew Chamberlain

Crew Chamberlain started his sound career in 1976 after graduating from USC School of Cinema. A proud member of Local 695 IATSE for forty years and counting.

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.

Aaron Eberhardt

Aaron has highly enjoyed working as both a production and post-production mixer in Los Angeles since 2009. He works primarily on feature films, commercials, and television for such companies as CBS, NBCUniversal, Disney, ESPN, and many others. When he’s not sound mixing, he enjoys writing product reviews for Sound and Picture magazine, strolling along with his delightful wife and fluffy white dog named Samwise Gamgee, mountain biking and performing in theatre around the greater Los Angeles area.

Eva Rismanforoush

Eva began working in sound while attending college in Northern California. Shortly after graduation, she joined Local 695 and is working as a Utility Sound Technician in Los Angeles. She has been the Co-chair of the Young Workers Committee since 2014.

Scott Smith

A forty-five-year veteran of the film and music business, Mr. Smith has recorded sound for more than forty film and TV shows. He received the first CAS Award for Best Feature Film Sound for his work on The Fugitive in 1994, and has been twice nominated for an Academy Award.

Mr. Smith writes extensively on the history of film sound recording.

Nathan Whitcomb

Nathan grew up in Colorado and moved to SoCal to attend film school. He has worked in production audio for ten years and is Co-chair of the Young Workers Committee.

Photos courtesy of the respective contributors.

From the Vice President

Editor’s note: The following is a guest column written by Jillian Arnold, Vice President of Local 695, by invitation from President Mark Ulano CAS AMPS, in response to the television and film industry’s cultural change on equal pay and leadership within the work environment.

The first six months as the Vice President of Local 695 have been an unexpected journey of learning and discovery. They have been filled with daily challenges that have given me new perspective and insight into the unique crafts of our members. I have striven to become intimately acquainted with the needs of all the sectors of our Local—Sound, Video, and Projection. With the rise in cultural awareness of gender discrimination and sexual harassment in our industry, I have looked to other locals and other tech-based industries to gain inspiration and guidance in building a new foundation for members within our own Local.

In June, I had the privilege to attend my first District 2 Convention—an annual event where the IATSE locals from Arizona, California, Hawaii, and Nevada come together to address the needs and well-being of their members on a localized scale. In both formal and informal conversations throughout the conference, the topic of gender roles in TV and cinema came up repeatedly, specifically about the work being done by Local 871 (Script Supervisors, Coordinators, and Accountants) and their “#ReelEquity” campaign.

The campaign, which seeks to end gender pay bias within the film and television industries, conducted an in-depth study into compensation trends that found strong evidence of gender-based discrimination when it comes to pay in Hollywood. The topic of gender equality has long been institutionalized within their Local, as women predominantly fill their crafts.

The analysis, which can be read in the article “Script Girls, Secretaries, and Stereotypes: Gender Pay Quality on Film and Television Crews,” compares compensation rates of Local 871’s female-dominated roles, such as Script Supervisors, Production Coordinators, and Art Department Coordinators, with more male-dominated jobs, such as the various Assistant Director positions and Key Location Manager jobs of other union jurisdictions, and draws three main conclusions:

Conclusion 1: A long history of gender segregation and stereotyping—and a current culture of gender bias and sexual harassment in film and television production—affects the work opportunities available to members of these female-dominated crafts and how the industry values their contributions.

Conclusion 2: These Local 871 crafts are paid hundreds or even thousands of dollars per week less than counterparts in comparable male-dominated crafts, even though California’s Fair Pay Act generally requires equal pay for men and women performing substantially similar work and federal law bars gender discrimination in pay.

Conclusion 3: The industry should undertake a thorough review of pay for male- and female-dominated crafts in light of its obligations under California and federal law and correct any inequities.

Upon reading this report, I began to reflect upon gender roles within our own Local and the challenges women face in our technical fields. Local 695 currently has one thousand eight hundred and eighty-five active members, with women accounting for only one hundred and forty-eight (or 7.8 percent) of them. Though Local 695’s minimum wage scale does not have its roots in gender discrimination or pay inequality the way that other locals do but, in talking to the women within our Local, the perception is that we are all still susceptible to this systemic issue. Many feel that the letter of the California Equal Pay Act may be intact but the spirit of it remains to be found. Our Local does not traditionally have classifications thought of as female-based positions. Discrimination still simmers within the perception that women in technical fields are unqualified to hold leadership positions within their departments. Women are still undervalued, undermined, and “mansplained” to on a daily basis. Oftentimes, they are regarded with disbelief and skepticism. To borrow a quote from Peggy Names, an early woman pioneer in the production sound arena, “We look forward to the day when people stop saying, ‘I’ve never seen a woman sound person before.‘”

We need to improve.

But we should also be commended. Although the ratio of female to male members may be low, women do occupy strong leadership roles within our ranks. Four of our fifteen (or just over twenty-six percent) elected members of our Board of Directors are women. Two of our three Trustees are women. Our Local has just sworn in its first female Vice President since its charter in 1930. Furthermore, of the one hundred and forty-eight active women in Local 695, forty-two of them are classified as Y-1 Production Mixers. Three of them are classified as Y-3 Supervising Engineers. Ten of them are classified as Y-4 Operative Supervisors/Video Engineers/Maintenance Engineers/24-Frame Video Recording/EVS Technicians. Altogether, thirty-seven percent of the women in our Local hold leadership classifications.

This raises the question: Why do we still have a perception issue with regards to women holding leadership roles in technical fields?

If we, as a local and then as an industry, could combat this misconception, we could combat multiple societal issues. To start, a woman who receives equal pay for equal work is less likely to be the victim of gender discrimination or sexual harassment. A woman with a strong financial base is more likely to stand up to a perpetrator and can prioritize her own safety and well-being over the fear of losing her means of income. And this is only the beginning. The benefits of financial solvency extend beyond any one woman and create opportunities for the pursuit of higher education, more stable retirement planning, family planning, and a more confident self-image.

As Chair of the Gender Discrimination and Sexual Harassment Advisory Committee, I invite you to explore the future with me and to help me tackle these issues both on the local level and on a global front. What are some of the issues our members are facing in their work environment that the local can become more involved in? How can your local’s leadership best help with concerning or unsafe work environments? Are there issues specific to Local 695 that we need to address?

If you would like to be a part of the discussion and join this committee, please reach out to me at jillian.h.arnold@gmail.com. I encourage and invite both men and women to be a part of this effort. Every comment and concern is of importance in this pursuit.

For more information on Local 871’s #ReelEquity analysis, please visit www.reelequity.org and sign the open letter in support of pay equity.


Jillian Arnold
Vice President

From the Business Representative

Everybody had a wonderful evening on June 16 aboard the Hornblower, “The Entertainer,” on our first 2018 Local 695 Dinner Cruise Under the Stars. Thanks to all our sponsors and the office staff for helping to make this such a memorable evening.

On June 27, Gov. Jerry Brown signed the new state budget which included an extension of the current California Film & TV Tax Credit Program, adding $330 million in annual incentive tax credits through 2025. This is important because it allows producers to plan their television production budgets further in the future, allowing them to commit to shooting more episodic television, as well as relocating television series back to California. We have already seen quick benefits from this extension with two television series relocating, NBC’s Good Girls (season two) from Atlanta and Lifetime’s You (season two) coming to California from New York City. These two shows alone will employ about four hundred and twenty crew members, four hundred and twenty-nine cast members, and seven thousand and sixty background (including stand-ins, measured in days of work) and bring in $61.4 million in qualified expenditures.

Aboard the 2018 Local 695 Dinner Cruise (l-r): Jay Patterson, Laurence Abrams, Joe Aredas Jr., Mark Ulano, Devendra Cleary, Scott Bernard, Chris Howland, Eva Rismanforoush, and Jennifer Winslow
Aboard the 2018 Local 695 Dinner Cruise (l-r): Jay Patterson, Laurence Abrams, Joe Aredas Jr., Mark Ulano, Devendra Cleary, Scott Bernard, Chris Howland, Eva Rismanforoush, and Jennifer Winslow

We are seeing growth in the use of video walls on feature, television, and live/recorded broadcast productions for Local 695 members. The technology is evolving significantly from earlier forms of video playback and front/rear projection and is now capable of efficiently replacing still digital backgrounds printed on vinyl (the Translux) with moving video images. This form of video projection has been the long-standing jurisdiction of Local 695 Video Engineers and we’re happy to see our members introducing this technology on more and more productions. Local 695 Representatives have been in the field to assure that producers are hiring Local 695 members to perform this work and we want to remind all of our members to let us know if they observe otherwise. If you are hired to perform video wall work but are asked to do so as a nonunion hire on a union production, call me at the Local. When you are employed on an IATSE production, we want to make sure that you receive the Motion Picture Industry Pension & Health Plan contributions you’re entitled to.

At the halfway point in 2018, we’re happy to report that the industry is enjoying yet another record year, with April’s record box-office grosses topping $1 billion for the first time ever. Thanks to the extension of the California Film & TV Tax Credit Program, and to the growing new avenues of streaming distribution, the future looks bright for production in California and for the members of Local 695.

Fraternally yours,

Scott Bernard
scottb@local695.com
Business Representative

From the Editor

It’s another hot summer and what could be better than this edition of Production Sound & Video while you try to stay cool.

Our Vice President, Jillian Arnold, gifts us with a guest column on equal pay and leadership. Crew Chamberlain gives us his insights on his life as a Commercial Sound Mixer.

“The Way We Were (Part 1)” by Scott Smith is an engaging look back at our industry. Aaron Eberhardt and Nathan Whitcomb, the Co-chairs of the Young Workers Committee, give us an update.

Laurence Abrams writes about the Local 695 Dinner Cruise and James Delhauer, “Adapting to 4K & Beyond,” educates us about new developments for Video Engineers.

There is also Jay Patterson’s “Technical Trends Committee” report (formerly “FCC Update”) and the sound Emmy nominees.

Lots of good reading while you gather around your air conditioners.

Fraternally,
Richard Lightstone

Production Sound Award Winners

2017 Awards

Local 695 congratulates the winners of the Cinema Audio Society Awards, the Academy Awards, the British Academy Film Awards and the Association of Motion Picture Sound Awards

ACADEMY AWARDS

The 90th Oscars ceremony aired live on ABC on Sunday, March 4, 2018. Local 695 congratulates the winners!

DUNKIRK

Alex Gibson, Richard King, Gregg Landaker, Gary A. Rizzo CAS, Mark Weingarten CAS
Production Sound Team: Tom Caton, Lawrence L. Commans, Tim Surrey, Dominic Happé, Gautier Isern, Zach Wrobel

Mark Weingarten with Gary A. Rizzo and Gregg Landaker (Photo: AMPAS)

BAFTA WINNERS

The EE British Academy Film Awards took place on Sunday, February 18, at the Royal Albert Hall, London. The ceremony was hosted by Joanna Lumley and broadcast in all major territories around the world. I.A.T.S.E. Local 695 congratulates the nominees.

DUNKIRK

Alex Gibson, Richard King, Gregg Landaker, Gary A. Rizzo CAS, Mark Weingarten CAS
Production Sound Team: Tom Caton, Lawrence L. Commans, Tim Surrey, Dominic Happé, Gautier Isern, Zach Wrobel

Alex Gibson, Gregg Landaker, Gary A. Rizzo and Mark Weingarten (Photo: Guy Levy)

AMPS

The Fifth Annual AMPS Awards for Excellence in Sound.

MOTION PICTURE

BABY DRIVER

Production Sound Mixer – Mary H. Ellis CAS
Supervising Sound Editor – Julian Slater
Lead Re-recording Mixer – Tim Cavagin
Production Sound Team: James Zardos Peterson,
Thomas J. Doolittle, Alexander Lowe, Michael P. Clark,
Dennis Sanborn, John Maskew

Mary Ellis, Tim Cavagin and Julian Slater (Photo: AMPS)
Mary Ellis, Tim Cavagin and Julian Slater (Photo: AMPS)

TELEVISION DRAMA

BLACK MIRROR “USS Callister”

Production Sound Mixer – John Rodda AMPS
Dialogue Editor – Matthew Skelding
Supervising Sound Editor – Kenny Clark
Lead Re-recording Mixer – Tim Cavagin
Production Sound Team: Kyle Pickford, Emma Chilton

tvdrama.jpg

Black Mirror “USS Callister” (Photo: Jonathan Prime)

CINEMA AUDIO SOCIETY AWARDS

The awards were presented at a sealed-envelope dinner on February 24 in the Bunker Hill Ballroom of the OMNI Los Angeles Hotel at California Plaza. During the awards, the highest honor of the CAS, the CAS Career Achievement Award, was presented to Re-recording Mixer Anna Behlmer, the CAS Filmmaker Award was given to Joe Wright and the Edward J. Greene Award for the Advancement of Sound will be presented to Tomlinson Holman CAS.

MOTION PICTURES LIVE-ACTION

DUNKIRK

Production Mixer – Mark Weingarten CAS
Re-recording Mixer – Gregg Landaker
Re-recording Mixer – Gary Rizzo CAS
Scoring Mixer – Alan Meyerson CAS
ADR Mixer – Thomas J. O’Connell
Foley Mixer – Scott Curtis
Production Sound Team: Tom Caton, Lawrence L. Commans,
Tim Surrey, Dominic Happé, Gautier Isern, Zach Wrobel

Mark Weingarten, Gregg Landaker, Gary Rizzo, Scott Curtis and Alan Meyerson for Dunkirk, Motion Pictures - Live Action (Photo: Alex J. Berliner/ABImages)
Mark Weingarten, Gregg Landaker, Gary Rizzo, Scott Curtis and Alan Meyerson for Dunkirk, Motion Pictures – Live Action (Photo: Alex J. Berliner/ABImages)

MOTION PICTURES – DOCUMENTARY

JANE

Production Mixer – Lee Smith
Re-recording Mixer – David E. Fluhr CAS
Re-recording Mixer – Warren Shaw
Scoring Mixer – Derek Lee
ADR Mixer – Chris Navarro CAS
Foley Mixer – Ryan Maguiref

Ryan Maguire, David E. Fluhr and Chris Navarro for Jane, Motion Pictures - Documentary (Photo: Alex J. Berliner/ABImages)
Ryan Maguire, David E. Fluhr and Chris Navarro for Jane, Motion Pictures – Documentary (Photo: Alex J. Berliner/ABImages)

MOTION PICTURES – ANIMATED

COCO

Original Dialogue Mixer – Vince Caro
Re-recording Mixer – Christopher Boyes
Re-recording Mixer – Michael Semanick CAS
Scoring Mixer – Joel Iwataki
Foley Mixer – Blake Collins

animated.jpg

Vince Caro, Joel Iwataki, Blake Collins and Michael Semanick for Coco, Motion Pictures - Animated (Photo: Alex J. Berliner/ABImages)
Vince Caro, Joel Iwataki, Blake Collins and Michael Semanick for Coco, Motion Pictures – Animated (Photo: Alex J. Berliner/ABImages)

TELEVISION MOVIES & MINI-SERIES

BLACK MIRROR “USS Callister”

Production Mixer – John Rodda CAS
Re-recording Mixer – Tim Cavagin
Re-recording Mixer – Dafydd Archard
Re-recording Mixer – William Miller
ADR Mixer – Nick Baldock
Foley Mixer – Sophia Hardman
Production Sound Team: Kyle Pickford, Emma Chilton

John Rodda, William Miller, Tim Cavagin, Dafydd Archard, Sophia Hardman and Nick Baldock for Black Mirror “USS Callister” Television Movies and Mini-Series (Photo: Alex J. Berliner/ABImages)
John Rodda, William Miller, Tim Cavagin, Dafydd Archard, Sophia Hardman and Nick Baldock for Black Mirror “USS Callister” Television Movies and Mini-Series (Photo: Alex J. Berliner/ABImages)

TELEVISION SERIES – ONE HOUR

GAMES OF THRONES “Beyond the Wall”

Production Mixer – Ronan Hill CAS
Production Mixer – Richard Dyer CAS
Re-recording Mixer – Onnalee Blank CAS
Re-recording Mixer – Mathew Waters CAS
Foley Mixer – Brett Voss CAS
Production Sound Team: James Atkinson, Jonathan Riddell, Jeff Welch, Daniel McCabe, Conor McErlane, Andrew McNeill

Brett Voss, Foley Mixer (Photo: Alex J. Berliner/ABImages)

TELEVISION SERIES – HALF-HOUR

SILICON VALLEY  Episode 9 “Hooli-Con”

Production Mixer – Benjamin A. Patrick CAS
Re-recording Mixer – Elmo Ponsdomenech
Re-recording Mixer – Todd Beckett

Elmo Ponsdomenech and Todd Beckett (Photo: Alex J. Berliner/ABImages)

TELEVISION NON-FICTION, VARIETY, MUSIC SERIES or SPECIALS

ROLLING STONE: STORIES FROM THE EDGE

Production Mixer – David Hocs
Production Mixer – Tom Tierney
Re-recording Mixer – Tom Fleischman CAS

Tom Tierney, Production Mixer

Names in Bold are Local 695 members

STUDENT RECOGNITION AWARD & $2,500 PRIZE WINNER:

Xiang Li – Chapman University

News & Announcements

COMMUNITY

Save the Date! JUNE 16, 2018, 7-11 PM, MARINA DEL REY, CA

Local 695 invites you to the Dinner Cruise Under the Stars, benefiting the Motion Picture Television Fund. Local 695 members plus one guest are invited to enjoy a relaxing habor cruise out of Marina Del Rey, complete with sunset dinner and entertainment. Thanks to our generous sponsors, tickets are only $49 per person. Space is limited, so reserve your seats today. “Don’t miss the boat!”

Winter Lunch 2018

Kevin Cerchiai, George Flores and Scott D. Stolz

On February 25, 2018, sound mixers Chris Howland, Devendra Cleary and Steve Morantz held their annual Winter Lunch Mixer at River Rock Lounge in Studio City. Sound and video professionals from Los Angeles and across the nation got together for this post-CAS Awards annual gathering.

Yalda Sharif Howland and Chris Howland

EDUCATION

Safety Pass Deadlines Have Passed

If your job requires placement on the Roster, failure to complete all required training will make you ineligible for work. The deadlines have passed for Rostered 695 members to complete the following training:

Safety Pass Refresher Training:
A and A2
This training can be taken ONLINE.
(If you took this after 7/1/15, you’re NOT required to repeat it now.)

Harassment Prevention:
HP1 or HP2
This training can be taken ONLINE.
To check the status of your training and verify that you are current, go to www.csatf.org and on the left, click Online Roster/General Access and then enter your last name and Local number.

Info about Safety Passport:
www.csatf.org/safety.shtml
Online registration:
https://portal.csatf.org/auth/login
Refresher Training FAQ:
https://csatf.org/refresher_train ing_faq.pdf

Contact Contract Services: 818.847.0040 ext. 1200

POLITICS

IA Solidarity Bowling

On March 25, 2018, thirteen Hollywood Locals and Local 839 (The Animation Guild) came out in support of #IASolidarity at our first Bowling for Solidarity event. The International Cinematographers Guild Local 600 thanks everyone who came and bowled alongside their fellow IA Sisters and Brothers.

#IASOLIDARITY

IATSE locals in the motion picture film and television industry have come together to build strength and unity to:
Support each other in negotiations;

  • Build a strong, unified IATSE;
  • Protect our standard of living;
  • Maintain sustainable health and retirement benefits;
  • Ensure our safety at work;

WHEN WE STAND TOGETHER,
WE THRIVE TOGETHER.

Harrison “Duke” Marsh on the set of Seal

To find out more,
visit IASOLIDARITY.COM

YOUNG WORKERS

Charles Hamyak, Aaron Eberhart, Paul Gonzales, Nathan Whitcomb, Evan Freeman, MaryJo Devenney, Danny Maurer and Sam Bedard. (Photo: Megan Duquette)

LA River Cleanup 2018

On April 14, 2018, members of Local 695 and the Young Workers Committee joined Friends of the LA River on their annual cleanup day at Glendale Narrows Riverwalk.

Since 1986, the Friends of the LA River has been devoted to restoring the LA River’s natural habitat and is fueled by the dream of a river free from concrete and to transform it into a swimmable, boat-able, fishable, bike-able river for all. Thank you to all Local 695 members who dedicated their time to clean up our river!

NEW MEMBERS

Local 695 welcomes its new members

Aaron Martz
Wyatt Bartel
Erika Sampson
Nicholas Stuebe
Kari Aiya Barber
Tyler Blythe
Jacob Varley
Cassiano “Casey” Pereira
Arik Freeman-Anderson
Thomas Duarte
Nick Amico
Mark Lyons
Jaime Sanchez, Jr.
Russell Walbert
Douglas V. Monson
Jade Carter
Jason Denagy
Chris Dahlstrom
Arran Murphy
Patrick Hanlon
Nelson Cruz
Danny Maurer
Kendra Bates
Michael Flores
Robert “Marty” Warren
Boramey “Mey” Chan

IN MEMORIAM

BARRY THOMAS
Y-1
June 8, 1932 – October 3, 2017
 

CHARLES HOUSE
Projectionist
May 19, 1935 – February 16, 2018

From the Business Representative

2017 was a banner year for production in Hollywood, supported by the Film & Television Tax Credit Program 2.0 that was passed in 2015. This five-year program infused $1.5 billion into production in California over a five-year period. A portion of the funds was slated to bring television series that went to other states back to California. To date, twelve television series have relocated back to this state. The employment in the motion picture industry increased 12.38 percent from 162,300 jobs in 2015 to 182,400 in 2016. As of the end of 2017, there have been 131 film and television projects resulting $1.9 billion in wages, $1.6 billion in non-wage spending. We have proven that this Tax Credit Program works. The production does not receive the tax credit until after the production wraps and the members have received all their wages and benefits.  

Scott Bernard at the State Capitol on his visit to support the new tax credit bill.

This Tax Credit Program has been an overwhelming success, but we must extend the program beyond 2019 to keep productions in the state of California and not go to a competing state with their own tax incentives. As the Co-chair of the California IATSE Councils Legislative Committee, myself, along with other IATSE West Coast Business Representatives have made several trips to Sacramento to support Sen. Holly Mitchell’s bill, SB 951 and Majority Leader Ian C. Calderon’s bill, AB 1734. These bills will extend the current program and add some new improvements that will continue to support a robust production schedule in California.

Willie Burton CAS, Majority Leader Ian C. Calderon, Joanetta Stowers of Local 706 and her husband Charles Stowers.

State legislators were treated to a special screening of A Wrinkle in Time from Disney Studios as a way to thank them for their support of the motion picture industry and the successful Tax Credit Program. The feature was shot in Northern California, as a result of the tax credit. Willie Burton CAS, Local 695 member who was the mixer on A Wrinkle in Time, was a special guest at the screening and was asked to address the audience on the importance of the Tax Credit Program. Willie had the opportunity to meet with one of the bill authors, Ian Calderon, and thank him for his continued support. Willie also met with other key supporters of these new bills. Willie proved to be the perfect ambassador for all IATSE working men and women in our historic film industry.

In the coming months, we will be in Sacramento again to help our supporters push through the bill that will keep productions in California.

On June 16, 2018, Local 695 will offer a Dinner Cruise to benefit the Motion Picture Television Fund. Please go online and purchase your tickets. This looks to be a wonderful evening to enjoy some good food, music, dancing and friendship while supporting an organization that does so much for the workers in our industry.

Fraternally yours,

Scott Bernard
scottb@local695.com
Business Representative

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