SIGANZ Mid-year Update

Kia Ora All,

Well, can you believe it, we are already half way

through the year.

This gives us cause to do a six month re-cap.

So, just over six months ago we renamed and re-brand- ed ourselves as the Screen Industry Guild of Aotearoa NZ Inc. (SIGANZ). By now over 50% of members will have received their new membership cards displaying our new name and logo. This is a bit of a slow roll out as we replace your cards as your renewal date comes up. By the end of November everyone should be on their new card and if you haven’t received it by then, let me know.

Also just over six months ago we released the revised version of the Blue Book and the reception of our updated Blue Book has been incredible, by both crew and producers. To meet demand we are already into our second print run. This is very positive as it indicates that industry players are keen to know what the guide- lines for the engagement of crew are. If you weren’t bothered, you wouldn’t bother. Although available free on line, there still appears to be a preference to have a hard copy of this little “Blue Bible”.

Another new initiative to help promote the Guild early this year was the idea of a Screen Industry Guild “Call- ing Card”, a small credit sized card giving a snapshot of what the Guild does, why screen industry crew should be members and how to join. After consultation with the National Executive, it was an idea unanimously sup- ported and this card has now been created and is ready to go out and do its work.

So, if you would like to do your bit to help promote, recruit and educate non-members, let us know and we can send you a handful of cards.

Remember the Screen Industry Guild works on behalf of all screen industry crew so getting this message across is important. Simple equations, the greater our member- ship the stronger our voice. Upfront I thank those who have already put their hands up in getting these wee cards out.

I know they will be doing the rounds on Mulan and Guns Akimbo and a number have already gone to guild members who have them on hand ready to hand out to help support our SIGANZ growth.

The Screen Industry Guild’s position in the industry is significant and our voice is being heard. The recent Film Industry Working Group is a point in case. To remind

those who may have forgotten, a group of representa- tives from the Screen Industry Guild was sitting in front of the Minister of Workplace Relations, Iain Lees Gal- loway before he had even unpacked his boxes in his first week in office. From that initial meeting and successive meetings, the Film Industry Working Group, made up of other guilds, organisations and major industry players was formed by invitation of the Government with the undertaking to make recommendations on the review of the Employment Relations Act 2010 (colloquially known as the Hobbit Law).

This group is about to enter its fifth month and has made progress as it works hard towards recommenda- tions soon to be put before the Minister. Sioux Macdon- ald, the Guild’s Vice President and representative has put in a huge amount of voluntary time to be our voice. Sioux’s voice is not solely Screen Industry Guild-centric though, as one fix does not fit all and the final recom- mendations have to encompass all who work within the screen industry.

On another positive note, the Guild membership contin- ues to rise. In the past year we have had close to a 30% increase in membership. The Screen Industry Guild works with and supports other guilds and organisations within the NZ screen industry. The stronger our combined memberships puts us all in a better position to collectively influence a well-structured industry.

It is important to not become fragmented as an industry and think along the lines of “them” and “us” but realised that it is a “we”. If we go down that road we become fragmented. When things are fragmented they become isolated, disjointed and dysfunctional. We need to work together to ensure the industry grows in a healthy and collaborative manner.

Well informed producers are as important as well in- formed crew. Together we collectively should be on the same page. The damage comes when we are not.

We all need to be walking away with a balloon. So as we enter the sixth month of the year work con- tinues to streamline SIGANZ. It is a process that may never, in fact should never end.

An area of focus is to try and get all members to under- stand how the Guild is structured. Who is responsible to who and the chain of command so to speak. Richard Bluck and I are working on an article which we hope to publish in an upcoming issue to shed some light on the inner mechanics of the Guild from you as a member to the National Executive.

Currently the Guild is running very smoothly with some fantastic initiatives, changes and strides forward. This has been possible due to the support of dedicated members who have stepped up, shared their wisdom and experi- ence but we need a succession plan so if you, in particu- lar as younger members would like to take a greater role in the Guild maybe now is the time to consider perhaps standing in some capacity at the next AGM in September.

For those who are not members of the Screen Industry Guild, please recognise the work we do is for the benefit of technical (below the line) crew with a wider vision for the health of the entire NZ screen industry.

The Screen Industry Guild is a non-profit organisation

supported by paid up Guild members and run predomi- nantly by passionate volunteers and the kind koha of professional advisors.

If you are not a member I hope this gives you cause to reconsider your position, you can go to our website and just click on “Join the Guild” to become a member of this very special and necessary organisation.