If anyone has any thoughts, experiences, feelings that they could share with me that could help me make a decision on this I would appreciate it.

Joshua Waaland

There is normally an apprenticeship phase before you can become a member as well (except in a bonifide organization drive) so it is best to find out about the local, as with any group, before you go further. You might find you like it or not.

As a member of two IA locals (and a former board member of local #224) I hope you find your local to be one that you would want to join.

Steve

She won't give any kind of firm dollar amount (that you would be earning after joining

She dosen't know what you are making, but thinks it's less, so she not in tune with things;

Wants your money, but won't let you go to a meeting as a guest.

I feel most unions want good, interested people, and would allow guests from time to time to attend a meeting.

So I think I'd might still consiter joining, but I'd stay away from her. Can you find someone else to talk with?

 |  IP: Logged

 |  IP: Logged

I have been more than pleased with my Local. But I really don't mind one way or another if others join or not. I think it is a personal decision.

As far as "already [making] that much per hour", it may be the same as in my theater. The Union contract states that employees hired by the theater as projectionists must be paid the contract rate. However, if they work over 30hrs/wk., they must join the Union within, I beleive, sixty days. I haven't read the contract in a while. However, this does not apply to Management in the projection booth. But Union workers are guarenteed a set number of hours per week. If you are part-time, this may be the case.

------------------
"And the monkey flips the switch."
- Major Don West, "Lost In Space"

But you're not missing anything anyway. Unfortunately, the union is on its way out, even in the bigger cities. I see it all over, it's not a pretty sight. For the most part, and I think others on this forum will concur, the places that still have union operators (like General Cinema) are working without contracts and are still at the wage scale they were when the last contract expired (many often years previous). The men and women left in these jobs have been cut back to part-time hours on top of that, by the hiring of scab labor, and can no longer make a liveable wage.

If you are planning on being a projectionist for any length of time, you will likely not need to join the union because they are already operating in shared booths (such as yours). If you are going into service work for one of the big service companies, you will need an IA card to work for them, plus, you can't get into some booths without one.

In some degree, the motion picture union has been busted by their own concessions over the years, but mainly it's been at the hands of the theatre circuits and a government bent on anti-union legislation. Working for chump change and in excessive conditions/hours now? Don't be surprised to find it going back in the direction of Ford's workshop boys in the 30s! Sweatshops! I know it sounds foolish, but who would've thought 20 years ago that a lackidasical, runny-nosed, button-pushing kid could be in charge of an 18 screen booth? (No offense to the bright, caring young people here on the Film-Tech forum of course, but you know the type I'm referring to.)

An entire industry has been de-professionalized.

 |  IP: Logged

Skilled trades often require several years of trade school or correspondence school, and then several years of apprenticeship working alongside masters of the trade to apply what you have learned and become skilled.

I sadly agree with Tim that "an entire industry has been de-professionalized" when it comes to projection. The SMPTE, BKSTS, Kodak, and too few theatre circuits provide some training material and support, but there is no true "school of projection". People are often expected to develop skills on their own, after minimal "hands-on" instruction.

Fortunately, I see many in the Film-Tech Forum who are willing to share their skills with others who hope to become skilled projectionists. A lucky few work alongside these skilled mentors. Others at least have a chance to learn when a skilled service technician pays an infrequent visit to their theatre. But for many, it's "the blind leading the blind" and having to learn by trial and error.

Some suggestions:

Learn what you can in school: math, science, electronics, optics, etc. There are some associate degree programs in AV and film.

Study on your own. Libraries can get you books on projection (although many are outdated, they do cover the basics). Film-Tech has many on-line resources and links to companies (like Kodak ) that have published information.

Take advantage of formal training programs offered by Dolby, Kodak, BKSTS, hopefully your theatre circuit, etc. Some (e.g., Dolby) may require some pre-requisite skills or experience however.

Find skilled mentors and learn from them. It might be the chief projectionist at your theatre, or the service technician, a well-run union training program, or someone at another theatre. Many of them participate in Film-Tech Forum.

Use every opportunity to learn and apply your skills, and then share them with others.

quote:

---

It is interesting to not that the other night on CNN there was a mention of a growing ecconomic concern of the loss of competent worker in North America and it was brought up that it was due mainly to the breaking up of trade apprentiship programs

---

The employers like to moan about the conditions they create. Broadcast chains have been whining that it's so hard to find broadcast engineers these days, but the fact is anyone with those skills doesn't want to work for the minuscule wages & killer workloads being offered by the broadcast monopolies when there are jobs using their skills that pay living &/or good wages instead.

 |  IP: Logged

 |  IP: Logged

 |  IP: Logged