Below-the-Line Film and Television Workers - Conseil des ...

CHRC BTL TGA - 11/14/2008 -Page 314.4.5. ElectricsProvincial regulations, permits, and certifications can be a challenge for Electrics inthe film and TV business. Supervisors themselves could sometimes benefit fromupdating their skills to stay current with changing safety regulations, and there aregaps in workers trained in “aerial lift” or other provincial certifications.Best Practice - IATSE BC Local 891 and British Columbia’s SHAPE programcollaborate by offering courses so workers can achieve various certifications.Contrary to most Department Heads, one said film school graduates often makegood Lamp Operators because they know more about all-round filmmaking, have akeener interest in the final product, and are more cooperative with otherdepartments.4.5. Camera4.5.1. CameraFar and away the biggest challenges in Camera is High Definition and digitalproduction. Several new cameras are now coming on-line and the landscape ischanging again. DOPs and Operators have to know, not only how to operate andcompose a shot with this new equipment, but also its inner workings, manipulatingimages for maximum creative value. The learning cruve is huge - almost everycategory is affected. Canada has fallen behind other countries. Sometimes whenour best shooters master the new equipment, they are stolen away overseas.Best practice - Sheridan College and IATSE 667 have partnered in a programspecifically to elevate entry level workers. Without the partnership, the newworkers would fall behind in a demanding field where you have to get it right thefirst time, or you’re gone.Best practice - As they promote their new Camera technology, Red Camera haspartnered with IATSE 667, 669, and 856 among others to give Camera crews achance to familiarize themselves with the equipment, and moreover, to “play” withit. One can have a fundamental understanding of new equipment without beingable to be creative with it. “Play” time can be important.Training Gap - Panavision has a revolutionary new camera, the Geneses. IATSE667 could get their hands on one for no more than 12 hours - and no instructor.Then local members had to sit by and watch a US crew take their jobs becausethey did not know how to use the camera. We have some of the most creative andtalented people in the world working in Canada, but they are hobbled by ourinability to give them the training they need. Training is piecemeal and reactive. Ithappens when it can and often on a shoestring.CHRC BTL TGA - 11/14/2008 -Page 31