Issue link: https://digital.copcomm.com/i/1525020
16 PRODUCTION SOUND & VIDEO – Fall 2024 by Josh Levy Earlier this year, I was approached by Local 695 about joining them at the upcoming AMPTP negotiations. They were looking for a member with real-life on-set experience to sit at the table and speak to the producers about why now, more than ever, we need to address additional staffing of the Video-Assist Department. My mind immediately flashed back to a conversation I recently had with Sound Mixer Steve Nelson about what actually takes place at these meetings. He told me the negotiations are actually a fairly daunting experience. When you enter the "Big" room, you see the room filled with lawyers and studio representatives all dressed in suits, staring at you face- to-face across the table as you try to get your point across. My Last Monday I thought to myself, "Hmm, I think I might sit this one out." However, this did not sit well with me. I asked myself, "What if this is the only time to really get the point across to the 'higher- ups,' the decision-makers, the ones that have the power to remove you from the call sheet?" I started speaking to fellow Local 695 members; a mix of Video Operators and Sound Mixers to get their opinion on whether or not this would be worth my time. I wanted them to tell me, "You will be wasting your time; they won't listen to you." However, I found their responses to be anything but the answer I was expecting or hoping for. Over the last few years, I have dedicated time and effort into forming a national video-assist group. It is a peer group of Video-Assist IATSE members across the nation with various backgrounds, personalities, and skill sets. Wonderful people who all share a common bond and share a common goal. This has been rewarding and inspiring, especially with the momentum and current gains that have been made regarding Non-Record Video-Assist. But helping unite members across the nation to become a strong voice for the issues we face is truly something I enjoy doing. I would say this is in my comfort zone. I feel at ease speaking with all the members, which is a far cry from sitting in a stuffy room across from a bunch of suit- and-tie seasoned executives who have spent a majority of their lives in professional negotiations. Then I thought to myself, "Who has ever made a difference Josh Levy 8 Camera playback day