Guild Milestones

It’s alive!!

We appreciate the support of:

Kia Ora All. Firstly “woohoo” to our new website!

If you missed it, I sent out notification through the Techos Rushes on the 2nd and 9th June that we were to go live on the weekend of the 10thJune. So the update is, WE ARE LIVE!

It’s a fresh new look but oh boy, what a journey, tweaking, reviewing, checking and updating the many layers of information and processes that were contained in the old website. I expect we will still have the odd teething problem and I have to learn to drive this new machine but basically we are there!

I have to thank Peter Parnham for all his help and patience in getting us over the line.

Our new website allows you to individually access and update your own profile details, so if you want to change your address, your name or your job description, you can access the site at any time and do so. All existing information was exported from our old database so it is advised you log in and check your information and update anything that may be out of date.

To log in you just need to enter your email address (for those of you who have more than one email address, it must be the email address that the Guild holds, this will be the email you receive your rushes on) or Facebook.

So log in (top right hand corner) and if you wish to update your profile, go to the button to the left of the log in button and click on your name. It is pretty straight forward but call me if you are having difficulties and I will do my best to assist.

The new website will initially continue to run under NZ Film & Video Technicians Guild until we have our branding and Constitutional changes signed off and put in place. All Constitutional changes will be put to you as members at the next AGM which is tentatively scheduled for the 13th September, 2017.

As to our branding, a fairly extensive branding brief was sent to three top designers around the country to canvas their vision for the Guild. All three designers responded with some incredible designs. This in turn was sent to the National Executive whose job it was to decide which designer they felt had best met the brief and reflected the Guild’s new name. The designs were so good and the final decision on designer was very close between all three. The favoured designer is Auckland based designer Wayne Gillies from Brand Assist.

Wayne has been a designer for over 35 years in the advertising industry and put a lot of thought into the designs he provided. Apart from reflecting who we are as a “screen industry” the new branding also has to work with our website, letterheads, business cards, blue book, membership cards etc. So there was a great deal of consideration for the National Executive to take on board.

At the time of writing I have no idea what the final choice will be but I am sure the National Executive will make a considered choice.

A deadline date has now been set to sign off on the revised Blue Book and we are pretty close. Currently we are in a process of consultation with experienced long form feature, advertising, and television producers reviewing the changes.

It is worth noting that the Blue Book Committee took on board comments provided over the years by guild members and producers and spoke with members from different branches, in particular Queenstown, as there was an understanding that conditions can vary depending what part of the country or what time of the year you may be shooting.

Also well-thought-out were the changes to the new WorkSafe legislation which has required a shift in attitudes and work practises to ensure everyone gets home safely at the end of every production.

We have asked that any feedback from the producers who have been engaged to review the Blue Book be accompanied with supportive reasoning. Once this process is completed it will go to both SPADA and the NZAPG, and again any objections will require supportive examples and reasoning. We believe we have created a document which is practical and rational to all parties and stands fairly as a starting point for negotiations.

So with all these wonderful changes for the Guild we’ve decided we really need to have a celebration.

So Guild members, time to mark a “save this date” on your calendars for the big launch will be a “glitz” evening with a chance for everyone to dress up, sup some champagne (or beer), nibble on nibbles, catch up with old and new friends, salute and celebrate our Guild.

Throughout the evening we will unveil our new branding, release the updated Blue Book, toast our new website and much more. This is to be an event not only to celebrate our recent changes but an opportunity to celebrate the past 30 years of the Guild, (yes it has been around that long) it’s achievements and it’s future, but mostly to celebrate you as crew members who without, we would not have an industry.

If any of you have old footage or photos of behind the scenes of how we worked back in the day to current, please let us know as we are keen to put a memory AV together. Which branch we will be at on what date is yet to be decided, but in the meantime put a big red mark on your calendars for the 23rd, 24th and 25th October. It’s been a while since the Guild has had an exclusive Guild shindig so we are hoping you can all make it to our (your) party.

Keep an eye out in your rushes and the next issue of NZTecho (Issue #74) for further details confirming regions and dates.

Until then, to all of you on the coalface, stay safe and stay warm.