Caucus for Sound and Music Editors

Strategies for Survival

Guild members met in caucuses from June 17-20, 1996 to listen to a panel of speakers and discuss strategies for survival in the "new" Hollywood. To focus the talks, the evenings were arranged by classification.

Sound & Music Editors

Locked Picture, The Spotting Session and Other Endangered Species.

by Linda Dove

Steve Flick Photo

Sound Editor Steve Flick addresses the caucus.

There was a good turnout for the sound and music editors caucus although the empty chair on the platform spoke volumes for the many who were too busy working to make it. (Panelist Sandy Berman never arrived).

Cathy Repola, Lisa Berniker-Dosch, Adriana Iglesias, and Hank Schloss from the office were there to listen in, as well as several Board members. Guild V.P. Carol Littleton introduced the evening's moderator, sound editor, Scott Hecker; and Executive Director Ron Kutak began by reading the letter from I.A. President, Tom Short, reassigning digital audio workstation operators/sound editors to the Editors Guild (local 776).

Caucus organizer Mia Goldman spoke about the Creative Rights Committee's wish to get everyone together to hear each others' problems. "Picture editors didn't know how bad it was," she said.

Sound editor Steve Flick began the discussion of accelerated schedules and the digital revolution by saying, "No one ever, ever keeps to the schedule." He also mentioned the problem of "digitally illiterate picture assistants" and gave as an example of an assistant not knowing what pull-down ratio had been used.

Ken Karman represented music editors on the panel. He works almost exclusively for composer Alan Silvestri and said he felt music editors' problems pale compared to those of sound editors. "It helps that most producers don't know what we do," he quipped. The problem of compressed schedules arises because producers are "saving more money in interest payments than they have to spend on our overtime," said Ken and added that "Our problems are more to do with temp dubs."

Panelist sound editor Walt Newman described the incredibly short 'E.R.' schedule - "Friday turnover for a Monday and Tuesday dub" and Dave Weathers described the impossibly high expectations of TV producers nowadays. "They've seen 'Twister' and want all that on a budget and in a few days!"

Scott asked if anyone has ever said, "No, we can't do that" and how everyone copes with family and health. Steve Flick pointed out that marketing departments don't care and he doesn't see anything changing for the better. He felt temp dubs are the key to the problem.

Dave said his crew cuts 100 hours of TV in nine months and they cope by having two shifts "so you can almost have a normal life." The pressure doesn't feel so bad because Steven Bochco, for whom he works, shows his appreciation for the hard work.

Family? "I haven't seen my kids in three years!" Said Walt. He said he's had guys go into the hospital and the producers don't care.

The old methods are crumbling. Ken said he hasn't heard the word "locked" in years and from the audience Hudson Miller talked about "the dying spotting session." Walt drew gasps and laughs when he said, "On 'Eraser', the day before the final, the director said he wanted to spot. On 'E.R.' we spot with a bunch of doctors who want to talk about the heart rates."

From the floor, Judee Flick talked about "dubbing on three stages at once and they expect the sound supervisor to be everywhere." "You have no power until you're willing to say 'no,' she pointed out, and drew applause saying, "Remind them we deserve more dignity than they give us."

"You won't get it unless you demand it," Scott agreed.

"It's an extremely competitive business," Walt pointed out. "There's always someone willing to do what you refuse."

Many positive suggestions came out of the evening's discussion. Among them were involving the sound supervisor early on and having him or her oversee the whole sound; improving communications with the picture crew; delineating the assistant's role to clarify who does what; financial disincentives to time squeezing, perhaps sliding scales in a ratio to the shrunken schedule. "Double time on Saturdays!" Shouted someone in the audience. And, if you know a company's non-union, tell the Guild.

Audiotapes of the caucuses
are available from the Guild office.

Reprinted from
The Motion Picture Editors Guild Newsletter
Vol. 17, No. 4 - Sept/Oct 1996.

Guild Home | Newsletter Home | Top of Page

Copyright © 1996, All Rights Reserved by The Motion Picture Editors Guild, IATSE Local 776


	*Strategies for Survival* Guild members met in caucuses from June 17-20, 1996 to listen to a panel of speakers and discuss strategies for survival in the "new" Hollywood. To focus the talks, the evenings were arranged by classification. Sound & Music Editors Locked Picture, The Spotting Session and Other Endangered Species. by Linda Dove
	Sound Editor Steve Flick addresses the caucus.	There was a good turnout for the sound and music editors caucus although the empty chair on the platform spoke volumes for the many who were too busy working to make it. (Panelist Sandy Berman never arrived). Cathy Repola, Lisa Berniker-Dosch, Adriana Iglesias, and Hank Schloss from the office were there to listen in, as well as several Board members. Guild V.P. Carol Littleton introduced the evening's moderator, sound editor, Scott Hecker; and Executive Director Ron Kutak began by reading the letter from I.A. President, Tom Short, reassigning digital audio workstation operators/sound editors to the Editors Guild (local 776). Caucus organizer Mia Goldman spoke about the Creative Rights Committee's wish to get everyone together to hear each others' problems. "Picture editors didn't know how bad it was," she said. Sound editor Steve Flick began the discussion of accelerated schedules and the digital revolution by saying, "No one ever, ever keeps to the schedule." He also mentioned the problem of "digitally illiterate picture assistants" and gave as an example of an assistant not knowing what pull-down ratio had been used. Ken Karman represented music editors on the panel. He works almost exclusively for composer Alan Silvestri and said he felt music editors' problems pale compared to those of sound editors. "It helps that most producers don't know what we do," he quipped. The problem of compressed schedules arises because producers are "saving more money in interest payments than they have to spend on our overtime," said Ken and added that "Our problems are more to do with temp dubs." Panelist sound editor Walt Newman described the incredibly short 'E.R.' schedule - "Friday turnover for a Monday and Tuesday dub" and Dave Weathers described the impossibly high expectations of TV producers nowadays. "They've seen 'Twister' and want all that on a budget and in a few days!" Scott asked if anyone has ever said, "No, we can't do that" and how everyone copes with family and health. Steve Flick pointed out that marketing departments don't care and he doesn't see anything changing for the better. He felt temp dubs are the key to the problem. Dave said his crew cuts 100 hours of TV in nine months and they cope by having two shifts "so you can almost have a normal life." The pressure doesn't feel so bad because Steven Bochco, for whom he works, shows his appreciation for the hard work. Family? "I haven't seen my kids in three years!" Said Walt. He said he's had guys go into the hospital and the producers don't care. The old methods are crumbling. Ken said he hasn't heard the word "locked" in years and from the audience Hudson Miller talked about "the dying spotting session." Walt drew gasps and laughs when he said, "On 'Eraser', the day before the final, the director said he wanted to spot. On 'E.R.' we spot with a bunch of doctors who want to talk about the heart rates." From the floor, Judee Flick talked about "dubbing on three stages at once and they expect the sound supervisor to be everywhere." "You have no power until you're willing to say 'no,' she pointed out, and drew applause saying, "Remind them we deserve more dignity than they give us." "You won't get it unless you demand it," Scott agreed. "It's an extremely competitive business," Walt pointed out. "There's always someone willing to do what you refuse." Many positive suggestions came out of the evening's discussion. Among them were involving the sound supervisor early on and having him or her oversee the whole sound; improving communications with the picture crew; delineating the assistant's role to clarify who does what; financial disincentives to time squeezing, perhaps sliding scales in a ratio to the shrunken schedule. "Double time on Saturdays!" Shouted someone in the audience. And, if you know a company's non-union, tell the Guild.
	Audiotapes of the caucuses are available from the Guild office. Reprinted from The Motion Picture Editors Guild Newsletter Vol. 17, No. 4 - Sept/Oct 1996. Guild Home \| Newsletter Home \| Top of Page Copyright © 1996, All Rights Reserved by The Motion Picture Editors Guild, IATSE Local 776