Absolutely speechless

When I heard of the untimely passing of Steve Irwin yesterday, I was both saddened and speechless. But, in memory, instead of my own words, I think it would be much more fitting to use his.

Follow the link for some of his quotes.

So long mate.

We’ve gotta get the band back together

Okay, I need filler. And thanks to MCF (yet again), he found this cassette generator to which I have now recorded this soundtrack. Okay, just created the jpeg of my cassette. Oh, the eighties are coming back again.

Enjoy.

That is all.

Union or Non-Union

Sometimes I feel like I’m in the Twighlight Zone (the older, good ones in B&W with Rod Serling, not the newer ones from the 80’s/90’s). In one weekend, on my blogroll, there are two seperate posts having quite contrary viewponts. To wit

Peter, my dear friend from Michigan (sadly a Red Wings fan, but I’ll forgive him for it), stands opposed to the unions. Michigan is in the midst of a public school teacher’s strike, started just before the first day of school. Striking, however, by public employees is illegal, though rarely enforced due to being required to arrange hearings for each teacher. The other side of the coin shows teachers rejecting the new contract which bore a 5.5% pay cut. So what does that say about the board of education? Hold out long enough and allow a technicality to force the teachers to work. Well, you can see where this is going. Still, in all the beauracracy, who gets hurt the most? The kids.

Naomi over at Martian Anthropologist is much more in favour of unions. She has posted a two-part item showing the positive apsects of the union system, and what we stand to lose if unions are taken out. Most importantly, fighting for labourer’s rights. Exempli gratia, in the US, laws that existed within the last 150 years that made unions unconstitutional (in the face of legal assembly), being allowed to shoot and lynch strikers, no maximum hour regulations or minimum turnaround legislation, and having no child labour laws. Needless to say, unions have provided a strong voice to reverse said injustices.

Myself? I’m in an awkward spot for it. Growing up, with an academic and entreprenurial attitude, I saw nothing but dollars and cents. We were taught about the labour movements in history class, but that’s where it stayed. It really didn’t hit any nerves with me. It wasn’t until my entry into the film industry that it really hit home.

Even in IATSE (or the DGC or WGC for that matter), all us filmies and techies are all still freelancers. A film comes, we get hired on, work the show, have a cool wrap party, then wait for the next film. There is nothing in that equation that indicates any stability or longevity. And in my case, no supplementary health plan. You see, I follow into a philosophy of “working to live”, not “living to work” as it is well become here in North America.

Though admittedly, I still have a major fundamental difference with the union. I can’t work on indies (well, in my department for any significant level of pay). Though they are low paying, they can advance my film career in different directions. You see, I harbour probably highly unwarranted desires to be an editor and even perhaps a director. Unfortunately, IATSE doesn’t allow much flexibility in that avenue. Added to this, I remember my film school days where we were told about the vastly improved quality of digital video and the higher cost-effectiveness of shooting on 24p as opposed to film. So indie directors had hope. Then I worked on digital shows with IATSE (Dead Zone, Stargate: Atlantis being two). With all the extra gadgets and video playback operators, the overall cost impact is more per show. We still have a way to go before the real impact of the digital revolution.

But whether we are union or non, I do think there is a single issue that really needs to be addressed. Minimum wage. In 2001, minimum wage in British Columbia was $8.00 per hour. Gas prices in 2001 were around 70 cents per litre. Housing rental costs (in Vancouver) were an average $796 per month. All on $1280 per month (before taxes). Pretty harsh eh? Now consider this. Gas has gotten as high as $1.20 per litre, and housing rental costs average $1,004 per month. Minimum wage? Still $8.00 per hour (still $1280 per month before taxes).

Sounds to me like something needs to change in a big hurry.

That is all.