Addressing Skills and Safety
This quarter has shown absolutely no signs of slowing down, and even a little Auckland Level 3 hiccup didn’t stop the international productions front sticking around.
One thing that has been seriously highlighted in the last 12 months is the lack of training within departments which would have allowed some extra jobs to take place during busy times. We have a serious shortage of sound recordists, grip department and 2nd Assistant Camera crew with real experience. There is no overnight fix, and this busy period has signalled the need for heads of departments to perhaps read those CVs and emails of young up-and-coming wannabes, sift through them, and make the time to have them come and meet you (whether it’s on set, in your homes, or at your place of equipment storage) so that they can get a feel of what would be expected of them on a real job.
Another standout point that should be discussed is that all electrical equipment that is on set needs to have appropriate electrical appliance test tags, and that these tests have been carried out by a qualified portable appliance tester. If equipment is not up to standard or has not been tested within the 12 months prior, please do not plug it in or use it. There has been a recent case of a crew member being shocked by equipment that was well out of its test period and this is not good enough. The company who hired this equipment is lucky that there wasn’t a more catastrophic ending to that day.
Sioux Macdonald, Guild vice president and executive committee member
