The 2013 Emmy Nominations are in and Local 44 members continue to get the recognized.
Here's this year's nominees:
Outstanding Art Direction For A Multi-Camera Series
The Big Bang Theory • The Date Night Variable • The Bakersfield Expedition • The Love Spell Potential • CBS
Ann Shea, Set Decorator
How I Met Your Mother • Farhampton • P.S. I Love You • The Final Page (Part Two) • CBS
Susan Eschelbach, Set Decorator
MasterChef • 3-20 • FOX
Heidi Miller, Set Decorator
Two And A Half Men • Avoid The Chinese Mustard • Grab A Feather & Get In Line • My Bodacious Vidalia • CBS
Ann Shea, Set Decorator
2 Broke Girls • And The Bear Truth • And Not So Sweet Charity • And The Silent Partner • CBS
Amy Feldman, Set Decorator
Outstanding Art Direction For A Miniseries Or Movie
True Blood • Whatever I Am, You Made Me • Let's Boot And Rally • Sunset • HBO
Ron V. Franco, Set Decorator
Outstanding Art Direction For A Miniseries Or Movie
American Horror Story: Asylum • I Am Anne Frank (Part 2) • FX Networks
Ellen Brill, S.D.S.A., Set Decorator
American Horror Story: Asylum • Welcome To Briarcliff • FX Networks
Ellen Brill, S.D.S.A., Set Decorator
Behind The Candelabra • HBO
Barbara Munch Cameron, S.D.S.A., Set Decorator
SEAL Team Six: The Raid On Osama Bin Laden • NGC
Wendy Ozols-Barnes, Set Decorator
Outstanding Achievement In Art Direction/Set Decoration/Scenic Design For A Drama Series
The Young and the Restless • CBS
Fred Cooper, Andrea Joel, Joe Bevacqua, Set Decorators
Outstanding Achievement In Art Direction/Set Decoration/Scenic Design
The Talk • CBS
Kristen O'Malley, Set Decorator
Hollywood Cinema Production Resources and West Los Angeles College have teamed up
to provide vocational training for careers in the Artists, Crafts and Technicians departments of the entertainment industry AND earn college credits.
For more information, visit the Hollywood CPR Training page here, or paste the URL below in the address bar of your browser.
http://hollywoodcpr.org/training/training.html
Lynn Elber, of the Associated Press, reports on the Academy of Television Arts and Sciences changes to the EMMY categories for Special Effects.
Read her article and get the full details here or paste the url below into the address bar of your browser.
Set Decorator Ron Franco was featured and interviewed by the L.A. Times for his work on True Blood.
Read the interview here or paste the link below in your browser.
http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/home_blog/2012/06/true-blood-the-authority-suzuki-ingerslev.html
California Senate Committee Approves Tax Credit Extension, Cuts Term to 2 Years
The state will continue to allocate $100 million per year to film and television projects but not for the five originally proposed by SB 1167, while a similar bill won't be reviewed by the State Assembly until Aug. 6.
A bill to extend California’s tax credits, designed to stop film and television production from fleeing to other locations, passed a key state Senate committee on Thursday -- but only after the term of the proposed law was cut to two years from the five originally proposed.
The Senate governance and finance committee approved SB 1167, the bill introduced by state Senator Ron Calderon (D, South East Los Angeles), which will continue to allocate $100 million per year in tax credits to movie and TV projects that meet certain criteria.
“I applaud today’s action by my fellow Senators,” Calderon said in a statement. “Protecting one of California’s threatened employment bases is an important step in helping Californians climb out of this prolonged economic malaise.“
The bill next goes to the Senate appropriations committee sometime after legislators return to Sacramento on Aug. 6 following their summer break. The tax credit program has been in effect since 2009 and is over-subscribed every year on the day applications are first accepted (June 1).
Out of hundreds of applications that flood into the California Film Commission offices in Hollywood, a CHP officer randomly selects which projects are to be funded until the money for that fiscal year has all been allocated. The projects that don’t get funded go on a waiting list.
The tax credit program is an effort to keep production in California at a time more than 40 states and numerous countries offer various kind of incentives to lure movie and TV projects away. Under the current law, there is funding for one more year of tax credits even if the current extension effort fails.
The Senate bill is similar to a proposed law in the State Assembly which was introduced by Assemblyman Felipe Fuentes (D, 39th district -- which includes San Fernando, North Hollywood). That bill, which extends the current program for five years, has already been approved by the State Assembly Arts and Entertainment Committee.
It was scheduled to be discussed on Wednesday by the Assembly Appropriations Committee, but that hearing was postponed at the last minute until sometime after the legislature returns Aug. 6. Gov. Jerry Brown, who ultimately would have to sign an extension, has yet to weigh in on either bill. He did sign a one-year extension at the end of the legislative session last year but has not said if he will sign the new extension.
State legislature this week approved a new budget along party lines -- with Democrats for and Republicans against -- that is meant to close a $16 billion shortfall between revenue and what was supposed to be spent. Due to the state’s ongoing fiscal problems, no bill that requires funding is a sure thing.
The tax credit program and bills to extend the credits have strong industry support -- from unions, guilds and companies -- but have been criticized by some. A report from the Senate legislative analyst last week raised questions about the value of the tax credits, but Hollywood supporter said that analysis was flawed.
In an article that appears on the Hollywood Reporter website (click here to view the original article)
The bill before California legislators would extend the program of $100 million in annual tax incentives for five years, to deter runaway production through 2020.
A five-year extension to the state of California’s tax incentive program to keep movie and TV production in the state unanimously passed the state Assembly Arts and Entertainment Committee on Tuesday morning.
The bill, introduced by Assemblyman Felipe Fuentes and others, is meant to provide stability to the program which grants $100 million a year in tax credits to qualifying movies and TV shows shot in California. Under the current law the last incentives would be awarded in July 2013.
The legislation, which passed this committee by a vote of seven to nothing, next moves to the Assembly Revenue and Taxation Committee for consideration. It would eventually require full Assembly approval and then move to the state Senate. If it passes there, it would have to be signed by Gov. Jerry Brown before becoming law.
If passed it would extend the tax incentive program through fiscal year 2020. The actual doling out of the incentives is handled by the California Film Commission.
First passed in 2009, the incentives are quickly over-subscribed each July but studies have shown they are effective in slowing down runaway production. A study last year indicated the productions drawn by incentives added about $3.8 billion to the state economy.
More than 100 projects have gotten incentives, which run to 20 percent to 25 percent credit on qualified production expenses (including offset of state sales or business use taxes).
One part of the program offers incentives to shows that move to California from other locations. For instance last year the ABC show Body of Proof moved to L.A. from Rhode Island.
“The California incentive program, since its passage in 2009, has lived up to its promise,” said Bryan Unger, Associate National Executive Director/Western Executive Director of the Directors Guild of America. “California-based DGA members have been among the direct beneficiaries of the thousands of jobs created by this program, enabling them to work in the State, remain close to their families, and in turn support local businesses and local economies. The $3 billion in direct production spending generated by this program is ample evidence of its importance to California.”
About 40 U.S. states and numerous countries offer incentives to attract productions and many are more generous than those in California. But California has the advantage of history, being the headquarters of many entertainment companies, extensive production and post-production infrastructure and a trained work force. The incentives provide a reason to keep the work close to Hollywood.
There was an earlier effort to extend the incentives for five years but that bill got caught up in the California state budget crisis. Last October, instead, a bill passed and was signed by the governor which extended the incentives for only one year. At that time backers promised to introduce another long-term bill.
Besides Fuentes, the principal co-authors in the Assembly of the incentive extension legislation are Betsy Butler, Nora Campos and Mike Gatto. In the state Senate, a principal co-author of similar legislation is Fran Pavely, joined by a number of others.
In an article that appears on the Hollywood Reporter website (click here to view the original article)
On Wednesday, June 27, 2012 in Sacramento, the State Senate Governance and Finance Committee will consider SB 1167.
Please write a letter or an email today to these State Senators.
SENATE GOVERNANCE AND FINANCE COMMITTEE
Lois Wolk, Chair
(916) 651-4005 senator.wolk@sen.ca.gov
Counties – Sacramento, San Joaquin, Solano, Yolo
Main cities – Davis, Fairfield, Manteca, Stockton, Tracy Vacaville, West Sacramento
Bob Dutton, Vice Chair
(916) 651-4031 senator.dutton@senate.ca.gov
Counties – Riverside, San Bernardino
Main cities – Big Bear Lake, Grand Terrace, Highland, Loma Linda, Rancho Cucamonga, Redlands, Upland, Yucaipa, Crestline, Lake Arrowhead, Running Springs, San Antonio Heights, San Bernardino, Riverside
Mark DeSaulnier, Member
(916) 651-4007 senator.desaulnier@sen.ca.gov
Counties – Contra Costa
Main cities – Antioch, Brentwood, Concord, Danville, Martinez, Pittsburg, Walnut Creek
Jean Fuller, Member
(916) 651-4018 senator.fuller@sen.cal.gov
Counties – Inyo, kern, San Bernardino, Tulare
Main cities – Bakersfield, Barstow, Porterville, Ridgecrest, Rosamond, Taft, Tehachapi, Tulare, Twentynine Palms, Visalia
Loni Hancock, Member
(916) 651-4009 senator.hancock@sen.ca.gov
Counties – Alameda, Contra Costa
Main cities – Alameda, Berkeley, Livermore, Oakland, Richmond
Ed Hernandez, Member
(916) 651-4024 senator.hernandez@senate.ca.gov
Counties – Los Angeles
Main cities – Azusa, Baldwin Park, Covina, Duarte, El Monte, Irwindale, La Puente, Los Angeles, Monterey Park, Rosemead, West Covina
Christine Kehoe, Member
(916) 650-4039 senator.kehoe@sen.ca.gov
Counties – San Diego
Main cities – San Diego, Del Mar, Lemon Grove
Doug La Malfa, Member
(916) 650-4004 senator.lamalfa@senate.ca.gov
Counties – Butte, Colusa, Del Norte, Glenn, Nevada, Placer, Shasta, Siskiyou, Sutter, Tehama, Trinity, Yuba
Main cities – Chico, Crescent City, Grass Valley, Lincoln, Marysville, Orland, Oroville, Paradise, Red Bluff, Redding, Rocklin, Yreka, Yuba City
Carol Liu, Member
(916) 651-4021 senator.liu@sen.ca.gov
Counties – Los Angeles
Main cities – Altadena, Burbank, Glendale, Hollywood, La Canada Flintridge, Los Angeles, Pasadena, San Gabriel, Valley Village, Van Nuys
Click "next" below for a sample letter to Carol Liu
June ##, 2012
The Honorable Carol Liu
California State Senator, District 21
State Capitol, Room 5061
Sacramento, CA 95814
SB 1167 – Support
Dear Senator Liu:
I work in the motion picture and television community here in California, at least when I am able.
Tax incentives for features and television by other states and countries have damaged my livelihood and hurt my family. [give example of lost work, or working away from home for months at a time, etc.]
Studies have shown that the California Film and TV Tax Credit program actually generates net positive revenues for state and local government in California. I know that this program works [because I {or, friends of mine} worked on a tax incentive production].
I urge you to support, Senate Bill 1167, the full five-year extension of the current Film and TV Tax Credit. As a member of the Senate Governance and Finance Committee you hold in your hands the livelihoods of film and TV workers throughout California.
Please support SB 1167 in committee and on the floor.
Thank you.
Sincerely,
[Your Name]
[Your Address]
June ##, 2012
The Honorable Ed Hernandez
California State Senator, District 24
State Capitol, Room 4085
Sacramento, CA 95814
SB 1167 – Support
Dear Senator Hernandez:
I work in the motion picture and television community here in California, at least when I am able.
Tax incentives for features and television by other states and countries have damaged my livelihood and hurt my family. [give example of lost work, or working away from home for months at a time, etc.]
Studies have shown that the California Film and TV Tax Credit program actually generates net positive revenues for state and local government in California. I know that this program works [because I {or, friends of mine} worked on a tax incentive production].
I urge you to support, Senate Bill 1167, the full five-year extension of the current Film and TV Tax Credit. As a member of the Senate Governance and Finance Committee you hold in your hands the livelihoods of film and TV workers throughout California.
Please support SB 1167 in committee and on the floor.
Thank you.
Sincerely,
[Your Name]
[Your Address]
Why did the IATSE negotiate early?
- There are several reasons for this strategy. First and foremost is the fact that early negotiations promote industry stability and prevent work slowdowns and stoppages.
- These negotiations didn’t begin until March and concluded on April 12th. This is the latest start and latest conclusion to negotiations in recent history.
- There is value to the producers in being able to plan and budget past July and we use that value to our benefit.
Why did the negotiations break off in March?
- The negotiations broke off in March due to a dispute related to premiums in the health plan and how they would affect the membership, including whether single participant members or members with no one else in the plan would be required to pay premiums.
Who negotiated this contract on behalf of the Union?
- The bargaining committee was led by International President Matt Loeb and consisted of International officers and representatives, Local Union officers and committee members from each of the West Coast Studio Local Unions. This committee was supported by staff and hired professionals including actuaries, lawyers, health care consultants, and pension consultants.
What did we achieve in this contract?
- We were able to prevent the employers from changing any of the conditions of the Local Union agreements. This means no changes to staffing, no reductions to overtime or meal penalties or any other working conditions in the Local contracts.
- A three year contract (through July of 2015) that will provide for employment stability as this challenging economy continues.
- Wage increases of 2% in each year, compounded.
- Retirees will continue to receive their 13th and 14th checks for the duration of this agreement. This will continue provided there are 8 months of reserves in the Health Plans and the Pension continues to be in the “Green Zone”. These checks are provided to those that retired prior to August of 2009, many of whom did not benefit from the pension increases that have been negotiated since 1996.
- The employers will increase their contributions to the health plan by approximately $250 million dollars. (This is over and above the wage increases.)
- A pension funding plan that continues to insure the safety of your pensions and maintains safe “Green Zone” status.
How does the proposed agreement compare to inflation?
- According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (www.bls.gov) the Consumer Price Index (CPI) in Southern California for the first quarter of 2012 is 2%. Our negotiated wage increase alone is 2%. However, it is important to recognize that in addition to the wage increase the employers will be contributing an additional $1.00 per hour into the MPIPHP. For a member making $33 per hour that equals an additional 3% on top of our wage increase.
What about the Health plan?
- An increase of $1.00 per hour beginning on August first of this year. This will result in NEW and additional employer payments to the plan of approximately $225 million.
- This contract contains a reallocation of $.305 (30 ½ cents) per hour from the Individual Account Plan into the Active Health Plan. This reallocation helps to insure the Pension checks for the retirees and the stability of the health plan by keeping the plan adequately funded.
- Members will recall that in the past, money was reallocated from the Health Plan into the IAP. This reallocation is on a going forward basis after August 1, 2012.
- There will be an additional employer contribution of $1.50 per hour for Non-Affiliate participants in the health plan worth almost $20 million.
- There will be no employee premium payments for the primary participant.
- There will be no premium payments for retirees or the dependents of retirees.
- For active participants that have 1 additional person in the MPIPHP there is a $25 per month premium. For two or more dependents in the MPIPHP the premium is $50. These payments will be made quarterly and electronic payment will be accepted.
When does the IAP reallocate to the Health Plan?
- The reallocation will begin August 1.
Will money be taken from my IAP and put in the Health Plan?
- No. The money that is in the IAP is yours and will not be used to pay for the health plan. The IAP contribution of 6% will remain unchanged. Only the 30 ½ cents per hour currently being paid by the employer is being shifted to the health plan.
When will I have to start paying the premium if I have dependents?
- The premium payment will not start until January of 2013.
Why did we bargain for premiums instead of a wage freeze?
- A wage increase is a better deal for the overwhelming majority of the IA members in the plan. The wage increase begins at the end of July and compounds each year. The premium payments begin in January of 2013.
- If you have no dependents in the Health plan, you pay nothing and will see the full benefit of the 2%wage increase immediately.
- If you have 1 additional dependent in the plan you will have a premium of $300 for the whole year. Therefore the wage increase negotiated into the agreement will have paid for the premium once you have earned $15,000 per year.
- If you happen to have a family with 2 or more dependents in the plan your premium will be $600 for the entire year. The 2% wage increase will pay for that premium once you have earned $30,000.
What does it cost the Health Plan to cover me and my family??
- The cost to the MPI is $5,800 per year for singles, $12,000 per year for 2 people and $19,000 for families.
How do these premiums compare with the other Industry Unions and Guilds?
- SAG premiums are $273-$477 per quarter for single, $315-$477for Plus 1 and $342-$519 for a family.
- AFTRA’s premium is $381 per quarter for single, $668-$2612 for Plus 1 and $668-$4249 for a family.
- The DGA quarterly premium is $195 for Plus 1 and $300 for a family.
- The WGA quarterly premium is $150 for Plus 1 and $150 for a family.
How will the premium payments be collected?
- The premiums will be due quarterly, starting in January of 2013. Automatic and electronic payments will be accepted.
Are there any increases to the Prescription Drug co-pays?
- No. The prescription drug co-pays will remain as they are.
What do the employers pay into our Health and Pension Plans?
- First, they pay an hourly contribution of approximately $5.00 per hour. The $1.00 increase represents a 20% increase in that hourly amount.
- In the term of this agreement is it estimated that the employers will pay approximately $900 MILLION into the Health Plan through hourly contributions, not counting the residual obligation.
- They also pay residuals. Residuals fluctuate each year and are dependent upon DVD sales, download to own, pay TV, etc. The residual estimate for this agreement is $322 Million per year or almost $1 Billion over the term of the new agreement.
- The employer also will continue to pay 6% of wages into the Individual Account Plan.
Did the eligibility hours go up?
- No. There will be no increase in the qualifying hours.
- The employers proposed to increase the pension hours from 400 to 1000 to earn a qualified year under the pension and retiree health plan but that proposal was rejected by the Union.
Will my benefits be cut?
- No. There are no benefit reductions in this contract.
How were Basic Cable and Home Video Production dealt with?
- Home Video projects may use the Movie of the Week (MOW) or Low Budget Agreements.
- Basic Cable TV Productions shot in Los Angeles will continue to be treated the same way as they have since 2003. The first year will be Movie of the Week rates the second year rates will lag one year and in the third year the rates will lag one year. In the fourth year of a basic cable series the full Basic Agreement will apply.
Why were Basic Cable and Home video negotiated now?
- These areas were specifically addressed because they are either not being produced in LA (Home Video) or they are at risk of leaving Los Angeles. This was designed to keep Basic Cable Television in LA.
Do other Unions have this Basic Cable deal?
- Yes. The Teamsters, Electricians, Plumbers, Plasterers and Laborers all negotiated this into their agreements.
What concessions were granted to Network TV and Feature Films?
- None. The Employers proposed massive rollbacks in TV that would have resulted in wage cuts of 20% or more. These proposals were rejected by the union.
How was the Studio Zone expanded?
- The Studio Zone was expanded to be consistent with the other Industry Unions and Guilds that already consider these locations within the Studio Zone. They are Agua Dulce, Castaic (including Lake Castaic), Leo Carillo State Beach, Ontario Airport, Piru and Pomona.
How does this deal compare with other Industry Guild agreements reached since our last negotiation?
- Many will recall that the Industry pattern set after the IA negotiated last time was 2% wage increase and 1.5% increase in the benefits contribution. This agreement is richer than that pattern. Our increase of 2% and $1.00 per hour into the benefit plans is worth roughly 5% in the first year. The overall value of this contract for a member with a $33.00 wage rate is over 9%, front loaded, which means that all of the benefit increase go into the plan starting in the first year, rather than being spread out over three years as has been done in the past.
When do we get to vote on the proposed contract?
- The memorandum of agreement is being reviewed and finalized right now. It will be sent to the membership for ratification as soon as it is finalized.
Will I get a copy of the proposed changes before I vote?
- Yes, each member will receive a memorandum of agreement that will contain all of the details of the new contract, along with a ballot and voting instructions.
Do I even need to vote?
- The answer is YES!
- The vote is determined by the number of ballots that are returned. So if you don’t vote you’re not counted.
- Historically, the membership returns less than a third of the ballots that are sent out. That means that 2/3 of the membership are turning over the decision making regarding this contract to less than 1/3 of the members.
Is a no vote a strike vote?
- Yes. If you elect to vote no, you will be electing to authorize a strike.
Why is a “No” vote electing to authorize a strike?
- This tentative agreement represents the best offer from the employers. In order to demand more and not have the employers view a return to the table as an opportunity to take back, your bargaining committee must have the authority to call for a strike in the likely event that the employers are unwilling to increase their current offer.
What is the recommendation of the Committee?
- The bargaining committee unanimously voted to recommend this contract for ratification by the members.
In an email to all members of the IATSE Hollywood Locals, President Loeb announced a tentative agreement with the AMPTP
for the next Basic Agreement. Below is the text from that email.
In an email to all members of the IATSE Hollywood Locals, President Loeb announced a tentative agreement with the AMPTP
for the next Basic Agreement. Below is the text from that email.
Dear Brothers and Sisters,
I am pleased to announce that the IATSE has reached a tentative agreement with the Producers represented by the AMPTP for a successor Basic Agreement.
Our goals going into these negotiations have been met. We were successful in maintaining the pensions of our retirees. We achieved wage increases in each year of the agreement of 2%. The health and pension benefits that we have worked so hard for over the years have been protected and will not be reduced. As you are aware, our benefit plans faced a staggering shortfall that threatened the stability of our pension and health plans. We have closed that shortfall with an impact on the participants that is as minimal as possible. The MPIPHP will continue to provide the best health benefits in the industry with no premium for you, the member. For participants with one dependent the premium will be $25 per month and for those participants with 2 or more dependents in the MPIPHP the premium will be $50 per month, payable quarterly. The employers have agreed to a $1 per hour increase to the Health Plan contribution which is a 20% increase over the current hourly contribution rate of $5 per hour.
In exchange for closing the deficit of over $400 million and annual wage increases of 2% in each year, we agreed to an expansion of the Studio Zone consistent with other industry unions and guilds. Productions made for home video will be budget based and we agreed to confirm our long standing practice of promoting basic cable TV production in Los Angeles. We also agreed to re-allocate thirty and one-half cents per hour from the Individual Account Plan to the Active Health Plan in order to help stabilize that plan during this national health care crisis. Moneys have been moved from health to IAP in the past and it was necessary to do this to rebalance contributions since the health plan is now suffering.
These negotiations lasted over three weeks and broke off once, due to disagreement on the premium structure. The second round of negotiations has resulted in a fair deal that will provide employment stability, protect our health and pension plans and provide for wage increases in a fragile economy. The Bargaining Committee consisted of the committees of each of the West Coast Studio Local Unions, Officers and Representatives of the IA, attorneys, and pension and healthcare experts. The committee was unanimous in its support for this tentative agreement. I would like to thank each of them for their commitment to act on your behalf in participating in these negotiations.
More specific details of the agreement will be forthcoming and as soon as specific contract language is drafted this agreement will be sent to the members for ratification.
In solidarity,
Matt Loeb
IATSE International President
Copyright © 2012 IATSE, All rights reserved.