Support for the Guild

Kia ora all – from me Karla Rodgers – your new Executive Officer

Many of you will already know me, but for those who don’t, I have been in the film industry for more than 20 years chipping away at the coalface. I’ve been fortunate to experience a good number of the ‘factories’ in our industry from advertising agency work, production company commercial work, TV drama, feature-film, documentary and TV studio work, predominantly as a production manager, line producer and producer… but I have also been the coffee girl!

Contrary to how the outside world views our industry, it is a ‘ga-zillion’ miles away from the perceived image of movie stars and swimming pools. We do it tough. We work in an industry which is stressful and pressured but we do it smartly, guided by an amazing document called The Blue Book which sits beautifully alongside that other fine document the Safety Code of Practice. The Blue Book gives fair and workable guidelines. It wasn’t created casually on the back of a beer coaster over a quick beer. It took some years of careful, thoughtful collaboration between technicians and producers – who in all honesty should be placed in a hall of fame for the foundation they created. It continues to be discussed to reflect any industry changes.

In the short time I have been at the Guild I have been surprised that many technicians are unaware of how vulnerable they really are under the current New Zealand labour laws. Self-employed contractors (which is the majority of technicians in the New Zealand film industry) are not protected by the New Zealand labour law. As a self-employed person in New Zealand it is up to the individual to independently negotiate the terms and conditions of engagement. Basically, by law, you are on your own.

Whilst The Blue Book is not a legal document, it is, so to speak, a ‘gentleman’s agreement’ between freelance technicians and producers alike, and continues to be upheld due to the solidarity and existence of the Guild. The Guild upholds the conditions you work under: your travel, your lunch breaks, your right to be paid for certain public holidays, your overtime, turn-around hours… and so on.

Whilst speaking to various people in the industry I despair at the numbers who say “but the Guild doesn’t really do anything for me”.

Sadly, our Guild membership has been declining in recent years, due in part to the perception that the “Guild does nothing for me”. I need not preach to the converted, but for those who do not believe how important it is to support the Guild, or assume that it is set in stone that you are ‘entitled’ to a catered ¾-hour lunch or a craft table with on-tap coffee and cold drinks, think carefully and ask yourself what other self-employed industry offers such conditions? Without the Guild there would be no one to uphold the provisions as set out in The Blue Book and_ Safety Code of Practice._

So my goal as executive officer is to try and raise awareness and Guild membership numbers so that the Guild can remain a sustainable organisation. This, however, must be a team effort – I cannot do this on my own as I do not work in the field. You, as members, are the Guild, so this is where you must do a little of the work. I will support you in any way possible. If you need resource material let me know. Give me your ideas on how we can work towards increasing members. Think member benefits, friends who have businesses who may be able to offer benefits to technicians. Or just call me, keep in touch and, if we’ve never met, introduce yourself.

So, get familiar with the Blue Book and the conditions agreed within it, start talking to other crew on set, ask them if they are members and encourage them to contact me to discuss joining up. Make it a goal to find five crew who are not members and get them to join – I challenge you!