Local 44 News

Leigh Poindexter, an alumna of Savannah College of Art and Design (SCAD) is interviewed about her career and working on Glee.

Check out the video here.

Film Works L.A. is going statewide, as Film Works CA, delivering its message of the importance of Entertainment Industry jobs to all of California.   Film Works L.A. will continue its work locally.  This expansion is designed to generate support of the California Entertainment Industry across the state.  Check out the first part of the effort, get some facts about the costs of runaway production, and sign the petition as a Film Works Supporter here.

ENTERTAINMENT UNION COALITION (EUC) LAUNCHES OFFICIAL CAMPAIGN TO RECOVER CALIFORNIA ENTERTAINMENT JOBS, SENATOR DE LEON AND ASSEMBLY MEMBERS BOCANEGRA AND GATTO TO JOIN

Entertainment workers send a clear message that California needs to stop the loss of strong middle class jobs.

LOS ANGELES, CA—Today the Entertainment Union Coalition (EUC), a coalition of International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees, Moving Picture Technicians, Artists and Allied Crafts (IATSE), Teamsters Union, and other entertainment unions and guilds, will launch their campaign to recover California entertainment jobs by publically pledging their support for the Campaign to Recover California Entertainment Jobs. Introduced as Assembly Bill 1839, joint-authors Assembly Members Raul Bocanegra (D‐Pacoima) and Mike Gatto (D-Los Angeles) will be joined by Senator Kevin de León to support the EUC in their official launch.

With over 500 members of the International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees, Moving Picture Technicians, Artists and Allied Crafts (IATSE) and the Teamsters Union, along with affiliated unions of the EUC and Elected Officials, the rally will lay the foundation to increase film and television production in California while providing a stable environment for entertainment workers and their families. Members of the EUC plan to lay the blue print to urge California State Legislature to pass AB 1839.

With the passage of AB 1839 set to overhaul the state's current $100 million Film and TV Tax Credit program, the EUC hopes it will decrease the massive loss of critical middle class entertainment jobs in California while incentivizing blockbuster-scale pictures and network shows to film locally. In addition, the loss of TV and motion picture production in California has lead to much difficulty for the entertainment workers to provide a stable environment for their families.

"Until recently, I made my living for 10 years working in California. It is my home, and the place I would like to one day raise my family. Due to tax incentives in other states, I've been working in those other states 6-10 months at a time over the past 3- 4 years," said Set Lighting Technician, Phil Abeyta. "This separation from my home has had a negative effect on my life. Imagine yourself not being able to return home for 10 months, the strain on your relationships, both personal and professional."

"In the last 5 years, I have not spent more than 3 months at a time at my home in Los Angeles. I constantly lived out of hotels and temporary apartments," said production accountant Sharon Craig. "It has taken a real toll on my family and personal life."

"The current tax incentives in California have been helpful but they don't go far enough. People who have made their living in the entertainment industry for decades have been forced seek work away from home in the states that offer great incentives," said President of the Entertainment Union Coalition Thom Davis. "It has caused a great burden on their families and quite frankly, it just isn't right to expect families to be torn apart like that. The EUC will continue to bring those jobs back home, where they belong."

Anthony Portantino, host of "The Question is:", brings Business Agent Ed Brown and California Film Commission Director Amy Lemisch on the panel to discuss bringing entertainment jobs back to California. The three discuss the importance of the California Film Incentives program for employees of the Entertainment Industry, the support industries, and California as a whole.

Click here to watch the discussion.

The 97 votes have been counted.
The results have been released by the Election Committee.

SPECIAL EFFECTS REPRESENTATIVE
Timothy Graham - 49
George Zamora - 48

Local 44 Stickers found on body prompt Sheriffs to contact the Union and put out a call for information.

The Los Angeles Sheriffs Department has recovered a vehicle trailer that may belong to a member of Local 44.  If you were missing a trailer, or recognize this trailer from the images, please call Detective Stuart Michelson at (661) 940-7877.

Claire Kaufman, Set Decorator for ABC's 'Castle,' gives us a behind-the-scenes look as she and her team deck the halls of the apartment set for this year's Christmas episode, and offers viewers practical pro decorating tips to boot.

http://www.wetpaint.com/castle/video/castles-christmas-episode-behind-the-scenes-with-set-decorator-claire-kaufman-video

As reported on many occasions, the proposed Constitution and By-Laws

was mailed out to our membership on November 1, 2012 and counted on Friday November 16, 2012.

The results were reported by Miller Kaplan Arase, Certified Public Accountants, to Local 44's Election Committee, Executive Board and Constitution Committee.

The results are as follows:

For Ratification: 599
Against Ratification: 80

Our new digital and paperback Constitution and By-Laws will soon be available for the new year. The Editor wishes to congratulate the Constitution and By-Laws committee and Executive Board for all the hard work, late nights and hundreds of drafts to make our Union's rule book a comprehensive document for our entire membership.