Taggart A Lee

AS long as it brings back 5245.

Anyone know if Christian Bale is available for IA contract negotiations?

At most Shane made a mistake. Period. My wife heard it. She's an ER nurse. Her question " Is he going to get fired?" I was shocked at my own response, "Who, Shane?" In her world, the real world, the one with real grown ups and relatively stable people, if you speak to someone like that you loose your job and probably get a thumping in the parking lot. In our world this pansy behavior will make him look 'colorful'. McG doesn't exactly clank when he walks either. You can hear him in the bg pretty much cowering in vv.

A bit like the few times I operated on reality shows. As opposed to finding and getting a decent composition it ws more like "Tag 'em and bag 'em". Apologies (and condolences) to anyone who is currently doing same, just not my thing. Hack mentality doesn't even begin to describe the productions...but then again what am I saying? Look at the product!

Just got back from Doubt. Although the cinematography didn't jump out at you (isn't that a plus?), Deakins and his gaffer deserve the award for the "How the hell am I going to light these bonnets?". Though faces seems a bit hot at times, mostly there was really nice falloff creating a a niche for the characters to hide. Just my take. Still waiting for Duchess, Slumdog and Milk

It's bad when anyone of the fatcats do it Ford, GM or AIG. Not sure I understand your point. Is it that were it not for the unions the big three would be thriving?

www.taggartlee.com Just finished a doc in Paso Robles wine country that included food prep, tabletop work. If I get material from that today will try to provide link.

For me?: Union producers = 0 Non-Union = lots

Local 600 doesn't find me work either. That's my job. But if I'm asked to go up in a bucket during a lightning storm, or accept a 7 hour turnaround after a 19 hour day I know there someone there. There's no perfect system. I might not be asked back if I grieve production. Oh well. And SAG is without a doubt a pain in the ass to indie filmmakers and should spend some of that dues $$ on a dept that makes it easier for indies to work with them. Maybe if unions were given a the benefit of the doubt a bit more often...

OK, now I got it...I'm fine...really...

Here's a question for you and every one else on the forum in fact...have you ever tried to deal with NABET, ACTRA, or SAG, as an independent filmmaker? They are a royal pain in the bum. But the opportunities for exploitation in this biz are innumerable. Were I am actor (and let's all take a moment and give thanks I'm not shall we...). I'd rather have a tough union behind me.

On another note...with the advanced labour laws that now exist in the USA and Canada what benefits do unions really provide other than restricting work from those that are not members of the union? Companies must pay overtime to non-union workers who work past 40 hours a week in every jurisdiction in Canada and the USA that I can think of. Walmart has been burned on this one a few times now. There are minimum wage laws in all 50 states and 10 provinces. Work place safety laws prevent employers from putting employees into harms way whether they are union or not. I can go on. *****OK, having trouble getting quotes added properly. Hit quote button but my text keeps adding to quote. What am I doing wrong???? Sorry Here's response. Points taken. What I was trying to say about "all they can get" is that if they are working for a company that is that myopic and irresponsible they have to cover their asses. Walmart - Marginal healthcare, hours, and each of Sam's kids worth $18 billion? Until the gov't begins to treat labor as they do business I'm going to see the necessity of unions. How about a trickle down economics where it all starts with the guys on the line? Kind of what I've always thought of national health care. Keeps your workers healthy and rested and they WANT to push to succeed. Otherwise you'll always be at loggerheads. But in answer to what benefits do they provide? In our industry the main one I can think of is that they keep the producers honest in terms of the workday, meals, safety etc. Granted, those are covered in the retail and other sectors but we're different due to deadlines, changing work environments etc. I've worked both starting with music videos in the 80's (23 hr days the norm) and there is a difference. Hope I used the quote button properly.

With regard to SAG. There's a lot of good points here. In my mind though, at the end of the day we're paid for our industry (Beware: Here comes the Pollyanna portion of the evening.). While I'm as anxious as the next guy, it's up to us to determine our worth, not producers. If I suck, I won't work (please note there how I restrained myself from the double entendre). If on the other hand an actor is sought after their worth is equal to that of any other performer and the internet is HUGE and getting bigger. On the other hand, I wonder what the chances are of the actors renegotiating for the internet in the future? I don't think the horse will have left the barn forever. Just thinkin' here

I wouldn't count the unions out yet. The economy we are in is a result of greed on the part of Wall St., Washington, as well as a pervasive mindset of deficit spending and living beyond our means. When things finally shake out unions could become more important that they ever have been by focusing on the basic needs of their workers and protecting those needs. If they're smart they'll see this time as a time to re-emerge as opposed to taking the continued beating from a mostly conservative population who's bought into the idea that unions are evil. If an Obama presidency supports them then more power to him. We've demonized unions like the UAW for too long and blamed them for the big threes' demise, but unions work in other parts of the world and see that their employees are well taken care of. Granted, these are mostly in countries where the populace doesn't insist that owning a Hummer is their God given right and "Gosh darn it, I'm going to take it." It's simple math. If the guys at the top are taking corporate jets to DC to beg for cash, the guys at the bottom deserve all they can get.

I once read an article with Bill Fraker where he said he learned long ago with certain night scenes where there is little source light (and I believe he was speaking about day/night too) to take a small head, say a tweenie, and have it off in the distance pointing straight at the camera. He felt it added to the selling of night. It also creates depth. That is if you can spare a tweenie. The car lights and garage overhead in Daniels shot do the same. Nice shot Daniel, reminds me of a shot in Road to Perdition.