Union reqirements for still photographer

Tim Hall · October 19, 2004

I posted this same message on the www.cameraguild.com website but it seams that not very many people reply to the posts there so I thought I would ask here.

What is the requirement for joining the Local 600 as a still photographer? How many documented payed days on set are needed? How much does it cost to join if you meet all the requirements? Is there any required still camera equipment needed? Do you have to be able to juggle three running chainsaws at the same time while singing the "Star Spangled Banner?"

Thanks

Tim Hall

Mitch Gross · October 20, 2004

You should just call the Union Local 600 office and ask. Certainly you'd need a camera inside a blimped housing for silent operation, although I understand that many are moving to diital stills now.

Greg Gross · October 20, 2004

Hello Tim,

I'm working on this and will try to find some answers. Will post them when

I get some. I'm still photographer also but am also student cinematographer.

I shoot with 4X5,medium format,35mm,digital. Fine portraits,weddings,comm-

ercial,industrial,fashion. Staff photographer for Central Pennsylvania Jazz so-

ciety(phptograph all the jazz stars when they come to town). I imagine you'll

use film if you shoot on a set? I photograph stars when movies are shot on lo-

cation here.

Greg Gross,Professional Photographer

Student Cinematographer

David Mullen ASC · October 20, 2004

It's probably the same requirement for all the classications: prove 100 days of paid work in the specific job classification, counted over a 3-year period, for work done in the U.S. or its territories.

Tim Hall · October 20, 2004

It's probably the same requirement for all the classications: prove 100 days of paid work in the specific job classification, counted over a 3-year period, for work done in the U.S. or its territories.

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100 days over a 3 year period does not sound to bad. Do you have to have an application into the union first and then get your 100 days, or can you do your 100 days first then apply?

Tim Hall

David Mullen ASC · October 20, 2004

The 100 days over a 3-year period are counted BEFORE the date of application. You basically have to get any payroll companies to provide copies of paycheck info or collect it yourself, get letters from producers or production companies if you don't have the paycheck stubs, etc.

Luckily for me, one payroll company covered over 100 days of work for me on various jobs and promptly (and politely) sent a letter to that effect to Contract Services, because the other two payroll companies that handled my jobs were totally rude and flakey over the phone. And when Contract Services promptly lost the nice payroll company's letter, the payroll company sent another copy ASAP. So it was overall an pretty painless process for me... OTHER than coughing up $10,000! I'm just glad I didn't have to deal with producers writing me letters, etc.

By the way, my story should serve as a warning: send copies, not originals. Contract Services is not particularly organized.

Mitch Gross · October 20, 2004

Yes, and save ALL your call sheets. If you have difficulty proving otherwise, these documents that list you and your position on the crew can be considered in your application.

Tim Hall · October 21, 2004

Thanks David and Mitch thats the kind of info that truly helps those of us who are in the dark over this.

I'm going to e-mail the local 600 (now that I have found an address) and see what the fees are to join.

Thanks again

Tim Hall

shootist · December 3, 2004

Realize that the supreme court of the US ruled that membership in a union cannot be a prerequisite for employment.

If you are asked to work a job and then pushed out because of your lack of union membership, contact the NLRB. If you have employment offered and the union steps in, they are obligated by law to offer you membership. I was told this by an NLRB staffer.

You have the right to work on union productions in ALL 50 states. You have to play by the rules in the non-right to work states but so does the union.

Having said all this, ask to join first and document what the response is. Then take it from there.

Tim Hall · December 3, 2004

Shootist, thanks for the info.

Everytime I think I'm at the stage in my professional life where I can attemp to do something about this crazy desire to be a unit photographer I get a another wonderful job offer!

I have been growing tired with my chief photographer duties at a three paper news group in San Diego, shooting news can wear you down. But now my old employer goes out and buys a national magazine and wants me to come back and run the visual end of the business for both his newspaper and the magazine!

Oh well, one of these days I will shoot unit stills full time!

Tim Hall

shootist · December 3, 2004

Shootist, thanks for the info.
Everytime I think I'm at the stage in my professional life where I can attemp to do something about this crazy desire to be a unit photographer I get a another wonderful job offer!

I have been growing tired with my chief photographer duties at a three paper news group in San Diego, shooting news can wear you down. But now my old employer goes out and buys a national magazine and wants me to come back and run the visual end of the business for both his newspaper and the magazine!

Oh well, one of these days I will shoot unit stills full time!

Tim Hall

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Nice to be in demand!

Tim Hall · December 4, 2004

Nice to be in demand!

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Sometimes I wonder if the trust they have in me is a little bit misplaced! But this is the second time I have been hired away by another company. I can't remember the last time I had to apply for a job!

And even with all this, I still would like to shoot production stills. Go figure!

Phil Rhodes · December 4, 2004

Hi,

I've worked incredibly hard the last few months, constantly running around doing stuff. I could have worked about 12 days the last week. Unfortunately none of it is really the right KIND of work, but still. I think it's inevitable that you'll never quite get what you aim for.

Phil

Tim Hall · January 6, 2005

Phil;

You are right, as long as I'm able to pay my mortgage and have enough left over to buy some more camera gear, I'm happy. I am waiting for Nikon's new D2X camera to be released. I will be getting one of those as part on my salary. I can't wait!

Tim Hall :)

Ed Araquel · November 19, 2005

Interesting.

I'm a stills photographer here in Vancouver where not that many productions occur as in LA and it took proof of 120 days of on set experience and submission of my portfolio for those 120 days in order to get into IATSE 669. Plus, that on set experience can only be from theatrically released features or television dramas. No shorts, commercials, or music videos.

Way tougher than getting into IATSE 600!

e

Simon Wakelin · July 13, 2006

David, I spoke to you about 9 months ago about shooting stills on a non-union feature. It went well and actually turned union - giving me 2 weeks (13 days) of union at the end of the gig, plus 24 days non union before the show signed an agreement - however, upon applying to contract services to join the local 600 they refused to give me more than the 13 days union and had no knowledge og the 'grandfathered in' scenario...

Question to you is; should I still attempt to get in seeing the production turned union and I have 37 days under my belt?

thanks in advance for any thoughts/advice

Brad Grimmett · July 13, 2006

Hmm, that doesn't make sense to me. Every day you did on the movie should be considered a union day, no matter when it acually turned union. I would keep calling contract services and asking them. I would also call the 600 and see what they say. But honestly, I don't know if you should even bother joining yet, unless you have offers to work on other union pictures.