Jim Goodman has announced a public and open meeting for visual effects artists on March 13th at the Johnnie Carson Park in Burbank. In an email sent to interested parties, Jim writes:
In light of the great turnout for our last picnic at the beach (in spite of the fog rolling in), numerous shout outs during awards season acknowledging the important role Unions and Guilds have played in advancing the careers of the winners, pilot season, increased traffic in the blogosphere (and the soon-to-be-unveiled IATSE sites); we will be holding another picnic on Sunday March 13 at 1:00 pm at Johnny Carson Park in Burbank. The park is located on Bob Hope Drive; equidistant between Alameda and Riverside Drive; just to the east of NBC.
The IATSE is specifically inviting visual effects artists working at Warner Bros., Disney, NBC/Universal, Stargate, and all independent visual effects studios in the San Fernando Valley/Burbank/Glendale/Pasadena area. Artists working at the six major motion picture studios should be aware that by signing a union authorization card, and the IATSE achieving majority status at your employer, the IATSE BASIC AGREEMENT would automatically go into effect. That's why we really want to see YOU there.
If you have friends who live or work in the San Fernando Valley, or at any of the Major Studios, please let them know that we really want to see them there. There will be a simultaneous meeting in Vancouver and we hope to coordinate our requests for recognition to eliminate any incentives for employers to move work from the US to Canada.
Should you have any questions, you can contact the IATSE at jgoodman@iatse-intl.com
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You can find the location of the park at this link. Look forward to seeing you there!
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12 comments:
(insert cricket sound effect here)
There have been several postings regarding the organizing of the VFX industry, and there's been virtually no feedback/talkback or apparent interest among the readers. Why is that?
Because they are all too busy picketing in support of their Wisconsin union buddies?
(insert cricket sound effect here)
I'm missing your point Anon. Are you concerned that no body is saying anything? Do you feel this isn't the venue for it? Are you just trying to reach out because your forums aren't busy either?
Please enlighten me.
Steven....isn't my comment self explanatory? This is a union website for the animation industry. You guys are reaching out with the hopes of enlisting more members and perhaps protect the animators on the VFX side. I would have thought your current membership would have at least vocalized some kind of support and/or enthusiasm. But every single one of these posts over the last few weeks hasn't even stirred a peep. Just seems strange to me. Hard to build up excitement and momentum when nobody is talking about it. Right?
Anon,
Never underestimate the power of ambivalence and apathy... even among existing union members. Just look at the attendance of some of the guild meetings. This is a culture problem. A bubble culture where people think someone else, the rabble-rouser, will fix the problem. We all need to be rabble-rousers. People who post here criticising the efforts should perhaps think about a more constructive way to stimulate discussion. Because if its artist who are complaining about the "lack of excitement" are really just shooting themselves in the foot, vfxisHell style.
This is not supposed to be something that can be measured by "excitement". The motivation is to take action to help control the quality of your life. Its about forming an organization that's sole purpose is to help plan your professional growth and welfare. Its about thinking as a group and community, not just "I've got mine, screw everyone else". This is the ultimate "...those who help themselves" as well as "...but what you can do for your country" kind of moment. That should be motivation enough.
I tend to agree. I follow this blog as well as the ones run by VFX Solider and TK1099 and they are as absent of "fire/passion" as this one.
(Queue the dead horse)
The only way to raise passion on this blog is to say that you love Pixar movies, or that you think Disney is a great place to work. That'll bring the posters out of the woodwork to question not only your taste in animated film but also you sanity.
This is not a serious blog, its just one step up from fan boys over at Aint-It-Cool-News who get no small satisfaction for posting first.
This blog is, as many have pointed out, a place where we post the goings on in the industry. Steve Hulett's observations and interpretations have been well read here since this blogs inception.
Since the meetings are "going on" and since 839 has interest in seeing visual effects organized, we post about it here.
We appreciate the comments on the current effort and welcome more.
Why would someone post such negative comments on an open forum such as this blog? The announcement was an invitation for a vfx union get-together. One has the choice to show up or not show up. What constructive reason is there for commenting negatively about that, especially anonymously?
Hopefully, the meeting will bring up some valid ideas, and have a good turn-out.
This organizing drive is not just for animators; it's for all visual effects artists, some of whom are in the camera local, the editors local, art directors, etc. We hope to establish a division of the IA, or a new local, to represent all these diverse classifications. This meeting is for the convenience of those who live in the Valley. Meetings in Santa Monica and Culver City have been well attended. And the blogosphere has been crowded with commentary, pro and con, about the benefits/disadvantages of unionization of this "struggling" industry.
Jimmy Goodman
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