A lively meeting this evening.
I reported that overall employment is fairly robust, and divided equally between feature and television work. Out of 2550 in active membership, approximately 76% are working in staff or freelance jobs. ...
A member asked about tests, and I went into a long dissertation about testing in various studios (much as I did here) and how I believe long tests are A) unnecessary, and B) borderline abusive, because more often that not they don't land candidates the job they're testing for, and a one page test is more than enough to see if an artist can do the work.
There were questions about possible remedies, and I said that we'll have proposals regarding overlong tests on the table in the Spring negotiations. I asked for active members to consider volunteering for service on the negotiation committee, stating that it's good for us to have as much input.
The meeting concluded with a discussion about uncompensated overtime. Members agreed that artists in the studios need to build awareness of the problem and a culture that nips it in the bud. I said that some departments at some studios have cohesiveness and make sure nobody works unpaid overtime, while other departments have an "every artist for him/her self" attitude. I pointed out that this is (in general) a problem more prevalent in tv work, but I had reports of uncomped o.t. going on during some recent Disney features.
The meeting adjourned at 8:30. A panel discussion about Motion Capture and Animation followed.
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4 comments:
"76% are working in staff or freelance jobs."
Of that 76% who are working do you know how many are working on staff vs. how many are freelance or on-call temp jobs ?
I actually misspoke at the meeting. Checking records this morning, 87.6% of active members are working.
Current actives total 2491 members.
There is no way to break out who is a freelance employee and who is staff.
(Individuals who are "on call" would be staff employees who are over scale. They would be making at least 10% above minimum rates.)
Hope this helps.
However, if you are active you are employed at a union signatory studio. If you are inactive then you are not working or elsewhere. It makes sense then that most people who are active are working- 87.6 sounds right.
A better indication of the health of animation work would be- How many members have been active or not active over a timeline of twenty years.
You can remain an active member by paying dues, even if you aren't working at a union studio. So the statistics you seek wouldn't be so easy to sort.
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