Year's End

That strange time of the year is here again - when some of us feel compelled to be nicer to our friends and families than usual, and wish it would all go away quickly; while some of us feel the joy of relaxation, for however brief a period… And some of us feel the need to say things we’re too busy or too thoughtless to remember to say at other times of the year. Well, I don’t feel the compulsion, but I definitely have a desire to throw out a few big End-of-Year Thanks to a number of people.

Feedback has always tended to be on the positive side for NZTECHO. But this year, the positive feedback has grown considerably in volume - and I thank all our readers for that. But I really want to express my deep gratitude to the particular bunch of people who have helped in a practical ways - the most essential of course being the writers, photographers and interviewees who have given generous amounts of time to create articles for us to enjoy. Then there’s the Committee people throughout the country, but especially the 3 or 4 who regularly come up with ideas for stories, questions to be pursued, and who then search out contacts and assist in making them a reality. Most particularly, I want to thank our Exec Officers and our President for never flagging in encouraging and supporting me, never complaining at my constant demands for material - and also for providing stuff that’s so easy to proof!

Finally a heartfelt thank you for the Blue Couch (yes, the colour appropriately matches the cover of the Blue Book!) in the Guild Office - a lovely haven for short breaks during those long nights when publishing deadline is falling in on us!

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But let me step back and contemplate for a moment the Guild from a wider perspective…

Quietly sitting in his AGM Treasurer’s Report for 2008 was David Madigan’s explanation of the need to raise our subs for the first time in over ten years. It was this sentence that snuck out and grabbed me: “Given the very low amount of time given by the wider membership to the governance and operations of the organization, expansion of activities will require additional funds…” This led me to think about the (completely voluntary) time that committee members, and a few others, give to the Guild - dealing with on-set issues, organizing events, visiting film schools to promote the Guild, attending meetings, and so on… So I’d like to propose a Xmas Toast of Thanks on behalf of us all - Huge thanks for everything you do for us, Folks!

Searching through the office archives, I came across an interesting comment in the newsletter of Feb 1994. It reads: “Almost everyone works to it, refers to it, complains about it or argues over it. But what everyone should remember is that the Production Code of Practice (the Blue Book) is an agreement between the NZFVTG and the IPDG (now SPADA, sort of) for use by their MEMBERS. So if you’re not a member of either guild, you don’t actually have the right to use the Code… Think about it.”

This prompted me to make a Xmas Appeal this year - on behalf of the Guild. To all the non-member crew out there making a living from screen production: Let the Xmas spirit of Love and Generosity overwhelm you, and give a little to support those who have over the years created the support you receive by the very existence of the Guild - Join us! I’m particularly fingering that quite large number of mates of mine from various projects who say to me so very often, “I’ve always meant to join up…” or “Yes, I’ll do it next week…” Now is a very good time!

But to everyone in the screen industry - writers, directors, producers, actors and crew (including pre-prod and post), whether members of your particular guild or not: We at the Techos office really do wish you all a fantastic time for the rest of December - and may the joy of the season rain/reign over you all!

Cheers,

Tony F.

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