Ira Goldman

There are union minimums, but certain production companies pay different rates.

Have you contacted the police?>

Be fearless.

I went to film school. i learned more on an actual union set for a big budget movie, in four weeks, than i ever did in my four years as an undergrad, and 2 years as a masters student. experience trumps book study 1000 fold.

alas film is alive!

I'll ask. I don't remember a single word of English on the packages/invoices except for KODAK.

i can't read or speak thai, we had a thai resident that acted as our guide, one of the focus pullers working on the second hangover movie introduced us to our contact, i wish i knew how to pronounce or read their language--i know that doesn't help you a lot.

there are camera shops all over bangkok since they dont have too many customers during the off seasons, you can actually haggle the prices down with the shop owners

we make trips out there to buy up certain stocks when they have sales, and ship them airmail to the US. you have to be careful on what courier you use, if they don't pack them right, they get ruined. but you're talking about 1/4 price of the stuff here. worth it if you're shooting a feature and you need like, 50k feet of film.

film stock in thailand is SUPER cheap.

the preservation of film would mean more people would keep their jobs. the labs, the processing, the telecine, stock shops, camera shops, rental places, they won't need to buy digital cameras, even if film is more invovled and cumbersome at times, the people of the industry would be protected somewhat. the technology is at an adolescence, we might see improvement, opinions are polar to say the least.

what can you say on here that you can't in other forums? corporate disparagement? because they're on product forums? i'm not here to waste your time or split hairs. in any case, i understand.

my boss told me to check this site out, so i'm here. in any case, im not here to argue with you brother, so i see your viewpoints, let's discuss productive topics =)

off topic, but i loved that movie, super 8, the scene where those kids are filming a home-movie at the train stop.

when i was pulling cable on a pilot for HBO, i asked the DP this same question, and he told me that you should really get your feet wet on as many sets you can as a camera assistant (i guess a focus puller or an operator), but he also said that there is no real "chart" to follow. a lot of DPs start off at the bottom, but a lot of them work on indie projects and get noticed that way; if you meet a producer with enough pull, he can get you a union card without all that fuss (minimum hours, the catch-22 of working on union projects versus being in the union, or not being in the union and having a mentor that will pay you so that you can reach your goals--then join the union) i can't say for sure, i've only been a lowly runner and cable puller, i just finished my MFA and i'm taking any cabling / camera assistant / clapper job that comes my way. my father said that's important to develop a body of work, know what good looks like, know what poop looks like, and have the wisdom to understand how a certain project under your belt might damage your reputation in this business. *shrug* i'm just a kid, so i'm taking it day by day, but looking at the careers of top DPs working on big budget projects, it looks like a best bet to keep your nose on the grind stone 16 hours a day, and learn everything you can about it, and then start getting involved with talented people that will push the limits of your knowledge and hopefully help you evolve artistically.

i agree, like those 120hz flat screen tvs.... it's a weird feeling, almost unwatchable if you don't turn off the "high refresh" rate sampling. i wonder why tv manufacturers are pushing that technology.

thank you for the tip, i never knew that you could go directly to kodak without a resellers lisc.

It's not intentional antagonism. I think free speech is granted anywhere in the U.S. People ask questions on forums, and even if it doesn't take place all the time, i think people would enjoy simple answers, they don't expect some lecture about how you should include a copy of your drivers lisc and social security card on a random internet forum because the forum users feel threatened by the anonymity of the internet. you won't go far with that paper thin skin of yours. i'm just saying. you take it as disrespect because you're insecure. why can't everyone just get along? am i being too abrasive here?

as per your previous statement in another forum post, you do take yourself way too seriously, no offense. but since you do outrank me somewhat in seniority--despite the lack of solidarity exhibited by brothers and sisters of any trade union--i will nonetheless respect your views, regardless of whether or not i see them to be false or otherwise indicative of a forum troll. much love nonetheless.

just picked up a copy, thank you!!!!!!

It's interesting that you're obsessed with this rule. This is twice that I read this same post from you tonight... Perhaps it's better to focus your time on productive things than to police a silly internet forum, hmmm?