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Maxim Ford for president!


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My understanding is that in order to be a grip you have to apprentice under a grip for two years.

 

This obviously requires the existing grip's approval.

 

Therein lies the problem, because, of course, it is directly in the interests of existing people to keep others out.

 

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Not necessarily, like many jobs there will be a need for new grips, if only because the older ones are retiring or leaving the industry.

 

The key to a good apprenticeship scheme is that it's openly advertised and there is an open selection process with set criteria that they aim to fulfill. However, to be worth anything, you need someone involved who knows the requirements for the job, although, there often is an subjective element to recruitment in any job. For all the HR talk, bosses tend to recruit those who are most like themselves.

 

In past years they have advertised for 10 trainee grips for the Skillset Film Trainee Scheme, plus allowing for a few relatives etc also getting into the business outside of the scheme, that would seem be roughly the right number of trainees for the number of grips around. Although, by no means comprehensive, there are approx 40 listed in the Guild of British Camera Technicians and 114 grips seem to be listed in The Knowledge.

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My concern in the first instance is not over numbers.

 

Well, OK, let's be completely accurate here: there are clearly far, far too many people trying to do this work. I fully support Maxim's objections to people running expensive courses training people to do work that doesn't exist. Obviously the best solution is to increase the amount of work available but that's impossible. What I would propose is that people actually start being honest about how much of a film industry we really have (practically none) and how much work there is available (likewise). The RAF doesn't spend its time promoting fast-jet aircrew as a mass employment opportunity, and it doesn't seem to hurt them. They're honest about the fact that it's hard to get into. And there are, even now, probably more than 114 fast-jet aircrew in the UK. We need to start being honest. That's how we solve the problem, not by giving existing workers the keys to the city.

 

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Who are these workers that have keys to the city?

 

You want to stop nespotism? Then lets have all freelance jobs advertised so that all can apply for them. Stop employing your mate the loader cause he makes a great cup of tea, employ the one that knows how many lumem per watt and HMI gives.

 

It may well be a better industry.

 

Can we create more jobs? Well if you came to union meetings you would know that BECTU commissioned a report on the financing of the French film industry and is proposing raising money by a levy on those that use film, cinemas, tv and dvd makers, say about a billion pounds a year to fund a British Cinema.

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Who are these workers that have keys to the city?

 

Presumably you, for a start, which is why I'm talking to you.

 

 

 

 

Stop employing your mate the loader cause he makes a great cup of tea, employ the one that knows how many lumem per watt and HMI gives.

 

I do. What you're proposing would make it more difficult to do that, because it will be impossible to employ a loader who hadn't been approved by the royalty of the camera branch. In fact, someone wouldn't even be able to employ their mates, they'd have to employ your mates, Maxim. You're arguing directly against your own point here!

 

 

 

Can we create more jobs?

 

Nope.

 

 

 

Well if you came to union meetings you would know that BECTU commissioned a report on the financing of the French film industry and is proposing raising money by a levy

 

 

Good luck with that.

 

You don't need a report to tell you that's the solution. My cat could have told you that's the solution. The solution is not controversial. The problem is getting it past the government, which has been impossible since the end of the Eady levy and remains impossible now.

 

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