Michele Peterson

Just because you don't like or agree with it, does not make it illogical. Calling something illogical, does not make people unable to think for themselves and fall for it.

Discrimination is NOT understandable! These are just excuses. Many employers, in the US, don't even offer fully paid maternity leave (http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/32101.php). It counts as family or medical leave if they do offer it, so it isn't limited to women, men can take leave too and leave can be taken for a variety of reasons! Everyone who discriminates makes up some weak reason to make themselves feel better about it. Acting like maternity is a bigger drain on companies than other types of leave is unrealistic and a poor excuse.

If agree that this practice is a problem, then why are you arguing for it? Any company that is shut down by a leave of absence is not doing very well to begin with, and wouldn't likely be able to offer benefits 9of any kind, like leave or vacation) in the first place. An injury or discrimination suit would ruin them too. Millions of women work for many companies and never take a leave paid by their employer. Pregnancy is not always planned, anyone not careful can get pregnant the same as a man not careful can get hurt and take resources. Complaining about maternity is just and excuse to discriminate, it doesn't out weigh all the possible drains on a company that any man or woman can cause such as lawsuits or accidents.

Exactly. Too many people want to have their cake and eat it too. To able to not pay back the system, that they already used, or to not hire women, but not have to support them when they take away their means of self-support.

Men choose to have kids too, they can take paternity leave too, they might not come to work to take care of a child too. Women aren't the only ones. Your discriminating against women for taking maternity leave, but paternity leave exists too. It's not a cheap shot, it's cause and effect. If employers want to be able to not hire a women because she is of child bearing age, (not all women know for certain they want kids or when they might have them) then then those that can't get hired need an alternative way to survive economically, and not being able to be hired means that someone else has to support them. If everyone acted like you hiring women and assumed they are probably going to take leave, then women would find it near impossible to get hired before age 50.

This is very common in single camera video shoots. The alternative with multi-camera shoots is to set timecode as time of day so that the cameras are all synced to the same time. This can really help the editors because in ENG/Documentary style productions A & B cams are not shooting at the same time but will occasionally be shooting the same scene suddenly and matching timecode is beneficial. Most sound mixers will record to tape in one or both cameras if possible and to a backup drive, so a clapper may still be needed for the back-up drive. But if they are recording sound to multiple cameras, they may be comfortable with those tapes as backup and not record a backup sound separate, thus clapping will not be needed. Are you shooting tape in for a scripted film or for ENG/Doc/Reality? For scripted dramas, tape is pretty much the same as film without the film loading, just label the tape very similarly to film. ENG type shoots will require you to be running around on the fly even more so than features do, but then those don't have as many lens changes (a main zoom and a telephoto are usually all you get in ENG). Having batteries alwasy charged and in your backpack, along with blank tapes and your regular tools is necessary since you are following the action, and not getting to plan in advance for it. Tape labeling, in my experience, is much more varied depending upon what they production wants. Put Company, title, cameraman, camera designation & tape #. ENG shoots often label the interviewee (as mentioned by Brian), or main event on the tape to give an idea of what the scene is since there aren't scene #'s in ENG.

Then why not assume that it is just as likely that a young man will get hurt on the job and the company will have to pay for worker's compensation and disability, maybe even for the rest of his life? Young men are also statistically more likely to get in a car accident, on or off the job and be unavailable for work and draw on resources. Everyone who was born in the system took advantage of it's benefits where their mothers took leave, so giving back to it is only fair. Survival of the specifies is in everyone best interest. Is saving a couple months of insurance premiums worth hiring an inferior employee who would have brought the company less money over the long run better than a female who you don't know for certain if she even would have? Having happy employees who get many benefits makes more successful companies, look at Norway. If you want to go back to women not working, then men have to go back to being able to fully support women and kids and too many in society today cannot do that, which is what drives women, like me, to make a living and support themselves. I was raised to be self reliant, not expect a man to do so. You have to pay for it one way or another. You talk about it not being my fault being born female like it is some kind of disability. WTF? My ability to create life is something you can never do.

You're assuming all women will leave every job to have kids and only companies will pay for it, but many women don't have children so assuming they will is ridiculous. Private health insurance also is used to pay for it. Men also have the same legal right to take paternity leave.

I'm not worried about people not liking me because I'm a strong woman. I didn't get where I am by backing down and giving in to sexism. Richard, if you want to go your own way as you said, then just let it go, but continuing to personally refer to me in response to posts that weren't even referring to you in the first place is just instigating a response. As I said before, if you don't like it, don't read it. Voicing my opinion is my prerogative as much as it is anyone else's. But "Blah, Blah, Blah" and "shut up" are not mature responses to something/someone you don't like. As far as the maternity leave comment goes, that just proves the need for these types of programs that are being criticized. Thankful there are people in the world who understand this and are not sexist and racist.

And someone like you who tells people to shut up because you can't handle someone else having an opinion is a "joy." I have no fear of standing up and saying what I believe, so stop trying to intimidate and insult to get me to back off, it isn't going to work and it only makes you look childish for not being able to handle other people's views. It doesn't get any more childish than telling someone to shut up.

I'm supposed to shut up because you try to tell me to! Yeah right. I wash' t even repling to you. It's not all about you and what you want. If you can't take the heat get out.

If helping people who are economically disadvantaged is acceptable, as some have mentioned on here, why is it not ok to recognize and help those you are social disadvantaged? I'm more than willing to speak up for those that these programs are here to help. None of these programs are instituting quotas! They offer training to people who don't have as much training available to them. You aren't being fired from a job you have to put a minority in your place, so stop acting like you are being so wronged. There are enough jobs to go around, so why complain about others assisting those who are disadvantaged? Look at comments made on this thread and others against women, so how can anyone deny that their is discrimination. If it is harder to get a job at one place, why can't someone create training to help make it possible to get another job? This isn't about giving jobs to someone who hasn't earned it, it's about helping compensate for discrimination by helping people by providing training so they have a slightly better fighting chance out in the world where discrimination still exists. Before assuming that this program strictly prohibits white men, why don't you white males who assume you are facing reverse discrimination apply and see what happens? The program I did let many white men in, but the goal what clearly stated as helping minorities. If they then say no men, take them to court, but until then, you have not been discriminated against, so don't act like you have, yet Helping minorities does not mean that they are hurting you in anyway, so let them be! There is nothing wrong with helping others.

I also work as an EMT, where it is my job to help people in need. Should I pull up in my ambulance on scene to an amputated arm and tell the guy to "just work harder and stop the bleeding yourself, look I got a paper cut earlier and I stop bleeding"? No it's not the same thing, the world is not a even playing field for all people.

"You harbour a very typical view that white males have all the wealth and all the opportunity so it needs to pried from our hand with a crow bar. " When I said wealth I was referring to amount of jobs available. Not currency, you are assuming that I think all whites have money, I'm white and don't, so I know. "Sure that's fine, I'm all for training programs that help financially disadvantaged people so long as race or gender is not used as a "pre-screening qualification. " That's fine in theory, but in reality there is a specific disadvantage of social status. Dening discrimination doesn't make it go away. "I feel that I'm better able to compete in the market place because I am 100% self reliant." I never had a job given to me. You're assuming I did. Every job I have gotten I earned. And I had to fight sexism to earn that, you didn't. "Eh? Not really sure what you're talking about?" No surprise there '"Did you ever contact the program or are you making racist accusations merely on assumptions?" I just posted for you from the ACTRA website in my previous post that visible minorities need three credits to join, whites need six. That is from their web site, not mine. Did you not read that?' That wasn't referring to you. It isn't all about you! That was referring to the original program that started the thread. "I am not contributing to racism at all by saying that there should not be hiring quotas". Again you are making wrong assumptions because no program list here has hiring quotas. The program in question does training, seminars, then tries to find jobs for their trainees. They don't and can't force anyone to hire anyone. So your stance about not helping someone who faces racism, is suporting racism, therefore is racist. You can deny it, but that doesn't change it. "If you keep up with this "I'm the victim" BS, you're not going to get any where, especially in the film industry." I never aid I was the victim of anything! Where did I say I deserve anything? Where did I say anyone owes me a damn thing? Stop being stupid yourself. No one handed me anything. No one ever gave me a job. There was never a quota I came across in my life for anyone to hire me. I worked harder than you will ever know to get where I am. I lost more jobs that you will ever know without even giving anything but my name. And I HAVE gotten far in the industry. You're assuming is making an as* out of you and me! If my mentioning being woman makes you think I am playing the victim card, then so are you for mentioning being poor. I paid my own way through college, without even any financial aid. But I think financial should be available, otherwise those form impoverished backgrounds will rarely ever advance and then we go back to a social class system. "Women are breaking through more and more every day into the directors chair, none of them need a gov't support program, they have talent and drive. Which is far more effective than any gov't hiring scheme." That's the whole point and you are missing it! Creating opportunities (not quotes, which again no one is making quotas, you are assuming again) allows for people to advance and then that breakdown stereotypes. Breaking down steeotypes is what will get rid of discrimination once and for all. The government sees the need to make it feasible for more minorities who are already working toward it to make it. Otherwise look at how few are able to. People who don't face racism, can't possibly understand it, that's why you are so pigheaded about it. Some people will give you a fair chance at a job, but someone won't. It's as hard for someone being discriminated against to get 3 as someone not to get 6. Deny it all you want, but saying just work harder, is stupid on your part. White culture has pushed minorities and kept minorities down to their low social status, so it is up to white culture to aid in getting them back up to par. Not do it for them, but AID. You are all assuming that jobs are handed to the first ethnic person seen on the street with on a silver platter and they have done nothing to earn it. That isn't the case1 You guys are all doing this poor me song and dance because you can't get on these programs, and then saying people who mention the need for these programs are playing the victim. There is social injustice going on in the owrld and somehting needs to be done about it. These programs are blatantly looking for minorities that have proven they are ont he right track to getting where they are going. The racism is not so blatant, but going on jsut as much! Stop pretending it doesn't exist and let these programs be! One stil has to work to get out of the program the same success that anyone out of film school has to do to succeed. It's a another means to an end, but not a free pass to the end, stop trying to justify your racism but making it out to be quotas and what not that it isn't.

Is this a non-nyon bag? If so would please let me know which bag or where you got it. I've never been able to find a good bag for carrying misc grip stuff like clamps. I'm allergic to nylon and hate having to awkwardly carry a bag to avoid large bags from rubbing against my arms or legs when carrying them. I have a rolling, nylon tool bag from a local store, but the pockets don't work well.

Your very welcome.

Thank you for backing me up. I have come across one old thread that was completely ridiculous and proves how far there still is to go. And what stupid comments some people are willing to make in public and how few people have the balls to say something against it. No one ever thought twice about me working in medicine and lifting patients carrying 150+ lbs patients (or 2 women carrying a 250lbs patient on a 65lb gurney that had to be lifted up off the ground), but I carry a 25lb camera and jaws drop. No one thinks twice about a woman carrying a sleeping child weighing 50lbs up a flight of stairs to put him to bed, but carrying a camera is questioned. When men carry the ever-growing weight of about 40lbs for 9 months without putting it down EVER, then you can call yourself strong. When men stretch their penis 10 time their normal size to pass a human being through, then you can call yourself tough. Discrimination against women is just a pathetic attempt for men who feel inadequate to compensate for the inherent power women have from sex, controlling procreating/passing of genes and raising children.

Are you against welfare too? Most decent human beings help each other out, not try to keep each other down. Certain people face more discrimination in every single job they apply for, so they give them one opportunity where they don't have to face that. Come on now, it's not putting you completely out of a career. Share the wealth. Most programs that I know of (and I participated in a training program to help people of low socio-economic status) don't FORCE anyone to hire anyone else. They offer training and pre-screen people then through their professional connection get people they trained hired. It's not affirmative action/quotas like many are trying to claim. Do you turn down any job that someone you know referred you to because they did not consider enough minorities? Did you ever contact the program or are you making racist accusations merely on assumptions? For the people who say that minorities are not working hard enough if they accept help, that is BS!!! A black person has to work twice as hard, especially if coming from a poor background, than you do just to get half as far. They apply for twice as many jobs just to get fairly considered for one. If they are anywhere, they are working harder than you will ever realize. It's easy for you to deny that amount of racism and sexism that exist, but it still exists!!! You are contributing to racism by saying that people shouldn't be helping minorities. Your excuses of them not working hard enough are BS. It's no different than when people said women and blacks were incapable of things because they were female or black. Everyone who has discriminated and tried to hold someone back has created some excuse to justify it and you are doing the same!

So you've now had ONE experience of discrimination and it obvious how angry you feel about it. No imagine that you are a miority and this has happen more like once a month!!!! If you want someone to be angry at, get angry at the white males hiring their sons & nephews all the time. You didn't get those jobs either. Do you think it is better to tell people "yeah we know you're being discriminated against a lot, but we can't get rid of ALL discrimination right this minute, so we aren't going to do anything at all to help you." You may not want to admit, it but you get more help than you will likely ever realize form the "good old boys club," so something else has to be created to help others in another way. WHITE MALES DO HAVE MANY MORE OPPORTUNITIES!!! It's more to level the playing field.

For one, Gels get creases in them. I've never personally tried putting lighting gels in front of a lens, but I would predict that it will screw up your focus.

There is a 6x6 silk, but a 12 x 12 frame! A 12x should be on combo stands and the list only has c-stands You'll want some wedges with the dolly track and also some light stands (only a few lights say "with stand"). I'm not sure what that shop exactly means by "mounting kit," but you might to add a variety of clamps. Furni pads too. Expendables (maybe you already have that from another shop though) of tape, gels, foamcore, etc would be good. Really, you need to think about what you'll be doing and then make sure for yourself that you have what you need. Only you will have enough time/desire to focus on it for long enough to think of everything.

I worked on a shoot using HPX-2000's. I hadn't used them before, so I looked up the manual online and printed out specific pages, for easy reference that I thought I would need, such as a breakdown of the menus. I also made sure to pick up a copy of the full manual from the rental house. If you are going to be be taking on the data wrangling responsibilities, make sure you set up a system to keep track clear cards and those to be downloaded. Be careful of others trying to help you out with the cards, and your system getting mixed up and something doesn't get downloaded or backed-up. For me, in addition to locking the card, I liked to put a small piece of tape on a full card (leaving a piece of the tape hanging off the side of the card as a tab) so it was obvious at a glance which cards needed to be downloaded, and the tape tab prevented it from being put back int he camera and accidentally reshot. Be careful to use only paper take and not leave a residue on the card.

I was working for a company in staff position when my boss turned very passive aggressive (she was never very reasonable or realistic in things to being with, like saying I only had 2 days to deposit my paycheck because they can't possibly keep a checkbook/accounting with 2 producers accessing one account!). Some of it was very blatant, like my name being crossed off production reports for shoots I did and then the report left on my desk for me to find. It all stemmed from me asking my boss for raise. I knew she didn't have the authority to grant me it, but I went to her first out of respect. She then told me to wait until the new year and she'd set up a meeting with the exec producer/president for me to talk to him about it. As I later found out from another employee, she told me to wait and then went to the exec and asked for a huge raise/bonuses for herself and threated to quit if she didn't get it. Well, the exec threatend her that he would just give her job to me, so she decided to try to make i look like she did everything (which I assume, is why my name got crossed of the production report). It was all pretty stupid, because I wouldn't have wanted or taken that jobs anyway. As this was all happening, I made up my mind to quit and gave notice and said I would remain on as staff until they found my replacement, but then remain with the company as a freelance camera op. But still my boss kept pulling BS like saying I wasn't allowed to take other freelance jobs unless I could still guarantee them that I would work whenever they wanted me. Even though they never guaranteed me days (as I was freelance). I was freelance for them to hire me only when they needed, but not freelance (in their diluted minds) to take another job when they didn't have enough work for me! After over a month, and all the replacements for my staff position, wouldn't take their offers (they saw the truth a lot faster than I did), I was getting sick of the adding BS and ended up quit all together one night when they called me at 9pm the night before for a shoot in San Bernadino (from LA) at 8am the day and weren't paying OT for the holiday. Of course, they tried to bad mouth me, and tell people I was only an intern with Per Diem (because I started out a couple YEARS before as an intern). But that was also because they got caught for not paying taxes on their employees, not paying unemployment insurance, and not paying OT, so they tried to lie about people's jobs to get out of that. It taught me that 1) I don't want a production office job again and 2) any time I see red flags, get out right away, it's only going to get worse.

If they are shoots for separate production companies, then they each expect you to finish until they wrap or be ready for the call time you committed to. I once worked with someone on a shoot that went 8 hours over until 4am and he had another call the next AM and had to decide whether to try to make it or call in someone to replace himself. I believe he went to the shoot. It's a risk many people have taken booking 2 back to back shoots, but you have to decide for yourself if that risk is worth giving up a job you may very well be able to make. That's why is is always good to have friends who do the same job as you to call up at 5am.