Issue link: https://digital.copcomm.com/i/309120
11 MAY-JUN 14 / CINEMONTAGE The committee knows that working in television has slowly become more and more difficult over the years for a variety of factors. So in order to get a more detailed idea of the working environment and editorial workflow in television, we conducted a survey of West Coast television picture editors and assistants. The results of the survey represented the opinions and professional experience of almost 600 members and confirmed what most of us had already known: Ever-advancing technology is creating more digital footage, which encourages producers to consolidate more workloads and expect more from editors and assistants. The producers are also generating unreasonable workflow demands by expecting non-picture editorial tasks to be performed by editors and assistants, such as working on music, visual effects and sound effects. Needless to say, this has also caused much confusion in the chain of command. Who exactly is in charge of the editing room? We now have more concise information as to how these changes have affected our members: Lower morale, social friction, quality-of-life changes and reduced productivity. Once the survey was complete, we felt it imperative to conduct roundtables, broken down by classification, with the various members who responded to the survey, in order to start a more in-depth discussion of the results. Everyone was told in advance that these discussions would focus not so much on contractual or wage issues, but about what members could do to solve the problems identified in the survey — within the bounds of the contract. The complete survey results will be posted in the Members Only area of the Editors Guild website on May 1. From these roundtable discussions, "The Post Principles" concept was born. We are excited to facilitate the creation and distribution of these principles written by the professionals that know this business best — us, the membership of Local 700! Look for information on the Facebook page and the Members Only area of the website in the near future. Let us collectively define what is "reasonable." Let's create a layer of confidence for each other so that when we stand up for ourselves and say, "Enough is enough," we can say it with complete assurance and the backing of the most knowledgeable, well- respected post-production professionals. Some key principles developed so far include establishing a clear understanding of your deal before you start a job (wages, timelines, workload expectations, etc.), opening a line of communication within your crew, and knowing what to do in an uncomfortable situation, just to name a few. This discussion is coming soon to our Facebook page, I AM THE UNION. It is meant to be an ongoing, evolving conceptualization of post-production etiquette and the principles and values we should all work under and bestow upon each other. We look forward to conducting additional surveys and conducting future roundtable discussions with television and feature music and sound editorial, as well as sound technicians, Foley artists, mixers, story analysts and lab technicians. The goal is to not just identify the problems, but to develop workable ways to mitigate these problems based again upon collaborating with each other. We are very excited to launch the I AM THE UNION campaign as a reminder to all that the power of our union comes from each individual member. We can build from each other's strengths, grow from our collective creativity, and remain strong through our commitment to ensure that our contracts are upheld. Though many of us work in either solitary situations or with a small crew, we have access to a large community. Take advantage of this force. Make it known that you have your fellow member's best interest in mind by not only standing up for yourself, but standing up for the contract. Please visit the I AM THE UNION Facebook page to get involved and be a part of our membership's ideas. Comment, agree or disagree; all opinions are valued. Do you have an idea for the Membership Outreach Committee? Please do not hesitate to contact us at outreach@editorsguild.com. We look forward to hearing from you and perhaps assisting you in how to make a difference. f Here is a list of your colleagues currently serving on the Membership Outreach Committee. PRATT NEW GUILD FIELD REP P lease welcome Jessica Pratt as the Editors Guild's new Field Representative in our Los Angeles office. Jessica has been a member of the union for a dozen years. In addition, she has served on the Board of Directors representing assistant editors for the last decade. Her primary work has been in episodic television. Her background in the field has provided her with great insight into what our members face every day on the job, and her technical expertise will be of great added value to our staff. Jessica started with the Editors Guild March 31. Upon embarking on this new chapter, Jessica says, "I am thrilled to be a part of the Editors Guild team. The Guild was such a positive force throughout my career as an assistant editor, and I look forward to providing the guidance and representation to our membership that I have received for the last 12 years." Stephanie Brown, Co-Chair John Vitale, Co-Chair Ara Ashjian A.J. Catoline Robert Cotnoir Sharon Smith Holley Dave Jackson Charles Kramer Rob Kraut J.J. Moore Glenn Morgan, MPSE Randy Morgan, A.C.E. Christy Richmond Richard Sanchez John Trask CineMontage_May-Jun_14-3.indd 11 4/15/14 2:43 PM