Issue link: http://digital.copcomm.com/i/856624
28 S U M M E R 2 0 1 7 C A S Q U A R T E R L Y Boom operator David Raymond and Peter Devlin CAS help manage everything from payroll management to immigrant worker assistance to get your crew to its destination. They offer a 40 percent on-the- ground local rebate on production cash and a 10 percent business tax rebate program. So, get on your government representatives. Incentives in your area must compete or you will lose work. Also, while producers do receive monies for their work and role as the practical producers, their ability to collect on their participation shares (or backend payouts) and negotiate for good conditions of payout are what generally makes your producers profit greatly from a successful project versus simply getting a lot of attention and perhaps an award. Sadly, these types of backend profit-sharing agreements are very rarely extended to below-the-line personnel like sound. Perhaps this should change as many of us have seen a marketplace where budgets are sinking and projects we have lovingly completed for a song go onto levels of success that we could never have anticipated. Finally, there was much to be gained from "The Art and Craft of Pitching for Film & TV." I often see what I do on the dub stage as part engineering craft, part storyteller, part artist, and a huge chunk diplomacy and air traffic control. "Pitching" to me can be anything from convincing your husband/wife as to the benefit of making the bed each morning to convincing your producer that they can relax because you will walk through fire to make sure they have what they need and their ADR will sound amazing in just another few minutes. The ability to clearly and succinctly communicate ideas while engaging, quelling concerns, and open others' minds is a universally invaluable skill. Firstly, they describe how every idea needs to be developable in different ways: a cable version, a network version, a streaming version. Can you envision your idea morphing to fit the content for ABC versus CBS? Through the lens of each channel, your idea will naturally present itself differently. Stories can have political undercurrents but not opinions, example: The Handmaid's Tale. In other words, don't change your idea for your audience, be authentic, but know your audience and how it will be colored from their perspective. Additionally, Marshall Herskovitz, Partner, The Bedford Falls Company ( The Last Samurai, Thirtysomething), talked about something called "concentric circle theory." He said that both the pitcher and the executive or audience receiving your idea are on the spot. Understanding that there is Boom operator David Raymond and Peter Devlin CAS " " Above: Janet Brown, EVP, Distribution, Gunpowder & Sky, and Matt Kaplan, President, Awesomeness Films, speak on finding good stories. Top right: Surprise guest Jerry Seinfeld joins Ted Sarandos at "Conversation with Ted Sarandos." Middle right: Bruce Cohen, Oprah Winfrey, and Ava DuVernay talk creative partnerships at "Conversation with: Oprah Winfrey, Ava DuVernay, and Bruce Cohen." Bottom right: Marshall Herskovitz, Sarah Schechter, DeVon Franklin, and Gloria Calderon Kellett provide pitch feedback live to prospective producers at "The Art and Craft of Pitching for Film & TV" panel. Finally, there was much to be gained from 'The Art and Craft of Pitching for Film & TV.' I often see what I do on the dub stage as part engineering craft, part storyteller, part artist, and a huge chunk diplomacy and air traffic control. 'Pitching' to me can be anything from convincing your husband/wife as to the benefit of making the bed each morning to convincing your producer that they can relax because you will walk through fire to make sure they have what they need and their ADR will sound amazing in just another few minutes.