Production Sound & Video

Summer 2021 – LOCAL695.ORG 39 of the Local's Y-16A trainee position—a classification allowing for productions to hire individuals lacking roster status for the purposes of training. In fact, Ron's most recent job, the Lena Waithe comedy series Twenties for BET, hired two of the first trainee graduates, Y7-A Utilities Terrell Woodard and Britney Darrett—with Britney receiving her training from 695 members Jeremy Brill and Amanda Beggs while Terrell was trained by members Jamie Gambell and Ben Greaves. Ron also credits their success in part to Boom Operator Kevin Culligan, who took it upon himself to help continue their education while working together on Twenties. Britney's hiring in particular represented an important milestone for women of color within Local 695, as Ron pointed out. "Before this, I've known of one other Black woman in the sound union and that's Veda Campbell," he explained. "I met her a long time ago when my dad was doing craft services on a set and I just thought that was the coolest thing. Here was this Black female who was working on a set as a boss and I just remember it to this day. I didn't realize it at the time but that was life-changing to see something like that; to see her make it that far. And now there are five more Black women going through the trainee process. That's how I know that it's working and that it's getting results." When asked, Ron expressed optimism about future trainees and the push for diversity within the Local as a whole. "I think the union has a lot of tools to help women and people of color be successful. The Y-16A is a position, not a program. Now, we just need to get the knowledge out there. The more I have gotten involved, I've realized that a lot of people don't have the same resources and access that I have." When asked to elaborate, Ron praised his father, Ronald Hairston, Sr., a UCLA graduate with a master's in film who spent more than thirty years in the industry working in craft services. Though this was not Ron Sr.'s first choice, it was a career path he chose as it allowed him to work as his own boss and, by extension, side step the racial prejudices he encountered with previous employers. "It's kind of sad," Ron Jr. confided to me. "He was very accomplished for the childhood he had and was working on these shows where his education and his knowledge of film was greater than a lot of the people around him. But he was always trying to put us into a position to succeed. He spent all of his money on our education so I would be set up for success." Ron went onto credit his father as the reason that he found his calling in Hollywood. "He got me where I am today. It's just natural for me being on set. I saw the pirate ship on Hook being built. I got to feed lions on the set of George of the Jungle and meet Michael Jordan on the original Space Jam. That was all before I was even thirteen years old. Everything he's done, everything he's sacrificed to get me where I am today just made things so much easier than it could have been. Not everyone's been put in a position to succeed like me. I'm fortunate and I know that, which is why it's so important to give back." Ron expressed to me that he strives to provide his own children with the same opportunities for success that his father gave to him, though acknowledged the inherent challenges of such an endeavor. "Sound is easy but raising kids is hard. It's the best worst thing I've ever done. Until I got into this position of trying to raise kids and working the hours I work, I didn't realize how difficult it would be. When we welcomed our baby girl, I felt the need to get back to work to make sure I didn't lose my job." This feat would be impossible without the help of his partner and loving wife, Christina, whom he described as the MVP of their family. Nonetheless, he lamented the burden that his work in our industry has placed on her. "I couldn't imagine doing my job and raising my kids the way I would like to," he said. "I feel like it's unfair that she has to do so much because of the hours I work and not being able to miss work. I want to be there for her and them more than I am. And there are days when things are hectic at her job or she just needs a break, so I just have to be the one who is more tired and figure out a way to get things done." Ron's comments echo many made about the impact of long hours in Hollywood over the last several years. Though concerns centered on drowsy driving after periods of prolonged overtime, a phenomenon the industry has taken steps to counter, the impact on families remains a troubling issue. "It causes stress and concerns in the house," he explained. "Jobs are taken off the table. I don't feel like I can do a show out of town for a while with two young kids. A producer called me to go do Macgruber in New Mexico and my wife really didn't want me to go. It was a real dilemma. I was worried that if I turned it down, I'd have to go back to doing utility work for a few months after I worked my way up to mixer. That's the nature of this job." These issues and many more continue to plague On set working on You. ©Netflix

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