Hey ho, another Friday.
Hit the library and ran into B. We chatted about the Getty and he said that he hasn't had the opportunity to get back in since it reopened. The librarian, G, was arising and she practically begged me to get her in. Blimey! Will have to see if I can do anything with the tickets.
Picked up some drinks and headed to U TV in Santa Monica. Dropped it off (with a promo sticker on each bottle - gotta do it, people. They forget who you are after a week). RUSHED up PCH to the Villa. On stage today and worked thru the new songs and the dialogue. The counting issue in 2b is totally mastered and the MD was very impressed - especially after we nailed three times in a row!
More dialogue added and it is very funny!
Sat in our break and talked about how bad things were with the unions and the fact that the production companies and networks are playing one off the other to try and squeeze the most out for the least money. With technology changing all the time, there's a lot of gray areas surrounding what contract goes with which job, how it's filmed, where it's played, etc. and the production companies are taking full advantage to the detriment of the union members, There's also a ton of companies using non-union talent which, I suppose, is always going to be a problem for union workers. Basically, the companies don't want to pay pension, health and worker's comp so they go with non-union talent. Also, there's trouble brewing on the agent front whereby the frachised agents are trying to put through a 'general agreement' whereby represented talent would owe them 10% of EVERYTHING they EVER have and EVER will do, even before joining or after leaving their books. Sounds mad, yes? Well, you'd be surprised. People are signing them. Actually, that's hardly surprising given that most of the 125,00 US based union members are as thick as two short planks and are as trusting as a small puppy, with an equivalent IQ. Oh, and if you're a union member and you're signed with a non-franchised agent, you may end up without representation very soon or, of course, without a union card if you don't find a new agent.