IATSE, AMPTP Reach Agreement, Averting Strike

 

| ETCP Certifiable News: Fall 2021 |

The potential IATSE strike against the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers was averted on Saturday, October 16, when the two sides struck a deal. The tentative three-year agreement for The Basic and Videotape Agreements affects 40,000 film and television workers represented by 13 West Coast IATSE local unions.

The proposed contract addresses core issues, including reasonable rest periods; meal breaks; a living wage for those on the bottom of the pay scale; and significant increases in compensation to be paid by new-media companies.

“This is a Hollywood ending,” said IATSE international president Matthew Loeb. “Our members stood firm. We are tough and united.”

The AMPTP is a trade association that represents major employers and producers of television and film including Walt Disney Studios, Warner Bros., Paramount Pictures, Apple, Netflix, and Amazon, among others.

The tentative agreement, which still must be ratified by IATSE members, includes several issues. Many film and television workers had lamented how the workweek commonly ran into the weekend as Fridays and Saturdays became one long workday or a “Fraturday.” AFL-CIO president Liz Shuler, in remarks to the National Press Club in Washington earlier this week, said that IATSE members were “fighting for the weekend.” Under the terms of the new agreement film and television workers would now have a minimum of rest over the weekend.

Other key gains are:

• Achievement of a living wage for the lowest-paid earners

• Improved wages and working conditions for streaming

• Retroactive wage Increases of 3% annually

• Increased meal period penalties

• Daily rest periods of 10 hours without exclusions

• Weekend rest periods of 54 hours

• Martin Luther King Jr.’s Birthday holiday added to schedule

• Adoption of diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives

IATSE members will be briefed by their local leaders on full details and language of the tentative agreement early this week. A ratification vote will be held with members casting ballots online using a similar process that was used to conduct the recent strike authorization vote.

“Our members will see significant improvements, but our employers also will benefit,” said Mike Miller vice president and motion picture director for IATSE. “This settlement allows pre-production, production, and post-production to continue without interruption. Workers should have improved morale and be more alert. Health and safety standards have been upgraded.”

This agreement, and the contract campaign before it, should serve as a model for other workers in the entertainment and tech industries, for workers employed by gaming companies, and for so-called “gig workers,” explained Loeb. “We’re the original gig workers.”

“Like non-union, freelance workers, many of our highly-skilled members go to work at different times, for different employers, at different locations,” Loeb said. “The difference is, our people have healthcare and retirement benefits, can negotiate for better wages and conditions, and have a voice and power because they work together through their union.”

“Solidarity is more than a word,” Loeb added. “It’s the way to get things done.”

Reprinted with permission from the October 18, 2021 Lighting&Sound America online news

Fall 2018: Industry News

| ETCP Certifiable News: Fall 2018 |

Key Management Team Acquires Reed Rigging

Michael Reed, founder of Reed Rigging, Inc. has announced the acquisition of Reed Rigging by the company’s senior management team, Vince E. Cordero and Bennett Brian.

This change of ownership brings new leadership and a determined commitment to provide the best possible solutions for today’s entertainment rigging challenges.

“I could not have hoped for a better answer to the question of succession for the company I started 23 years ago,” said Michael Reed. “Vince and Bennett not only have the solid vision and experience to take Reed Rigging forward, but they are genuinely good people who care deeply about what they do and how they do it. I can’t think of two people better suited to continue our mission of providing the best rigging equipment and the most qualified riggers to our clients.”

Mr. Cordero and Mr. Brian added, “As new owners we are honored and excited to build upon Michael’s achievements and take this well-respected company forward. It is our intention to guide a great company forward, and with the support of our clients we know we will succeed.”

Reed Rigging, Inc. is based in Chicago, Illinois and is a leading provider of entertainment rigging equipment and services in North America. Reed Rigging sells and rents entertainment rigging equipment, and provides rigging designs and installation supervisors to concert tours, festivals, film and television, trade shows, and corporate events. The company also provides rigging techniques training and chain hoist service certification workshops annually – the 2018 Mega School was a success and they are in the planning stages for the 2019 event. 

Chicago Flyhouse - Field Museum of
Natural History Stanley Field Hall Renovation

Chicago’s Field Museum of Natural History recently underwent a major renovation of their Stanley Field Hall. The motivation for this overhaul was to replace (and move to another location) the world-renowned SUE, a Tyrannosaurus Rex skeleton that had been on display since May 2000, with a cast of the largest dinosaur ever found, Patagotitan mayorum, more colloquially known as the titanosaur named Máximo. While the renovation on the ground took place, Flyhouse crews hustled 75 feet above in the ceiling to add additional touches to the exhibit by installing hanging gardens and flying birds.

The Field project consists of four hanging gardens with an internal irrigation system. The hanging gardens, created in a bio-polymer derived from plant material, supports plant life including those from a prehistoric era; each garden weighs anywhere from 5,000 – 18,000 lbs. Along with the gardens, a life-sized replica of the largest flying bird ever discovered, a Quetzalcoatlus, was suspended from the ceiling. The Quetzalcoatlus spans 35 feet across and weighs over 500 lbs. Two smaller birds, Pteranodons, weighing 90 lbs. each were also part of the install.

Early in the concept phase, the museum understood that specialty rigging would be needed to fulfill their imaginative dreams. They incorporated their artistic team along with Flyhouse’s automation design team to make sure ideas could become a reality. Flyhouse ensured them there was a solution.

Over the course of six weeks, Flyhouse worked in the ceiling of the Field Museum to create the infrastructure to support the weight of the display’s hanging items. The first step in any design is to determine how to install all the system components.

With the hall’s immense ceiling, hauling supplemental steel and automation equipment to the ceiling is a challenge. Flyhouse custom designed and engineered a massive OSHA-compliant working platform with a 14-ton working capacity that transported all the equipment from the ground to the ceiling. This kept all patrons, equipment, and museum aesthetics underneath safe from overhead dangers along with providing complete access to everywhere in the ceiling for the installation.

Flyhouse installed two large capacity and one medium capacity hoists with lots of supplemental steel and equipment to automate the four hanging gardens. The automation system is a fixed-speed system moving up to 16 feet per minute with the ability to set custom trims. To adhere to the museum’s LEED status, the braking system is a regenerative system that not only helps with heat accumulation in the ceiling, but also helps with power consumption by placing electricity back into the building. With a custom-designed touchscreen control created specifically for this space, museum staff can move the gardens into various positions dependent upon need.

By giving The Field Museum the possibility to design Stanley Field Hall to their unique specifications, Flyhouse has opened a world of possibilities to those who have large-scale dreams.

Spring 2018: Industry News

| ETCP Certifiable News: Spring 2018 |

United Center – Chicago Flyhouse

Walking into the recently opened United Center atrium reminds you of the history that has happened within the walls of the famous arena. A bronze statue of Bull’s legend Michael Jordan resides as the central focus point while Blackhawk memorabilia fills the background.

The atrium is a congregation area for game and concert attendees and also serves as a private event space. These private events may require specific lighting or sound equipment along with elaborate decorations and more. To make these events efficient and uniquely functional, the United Center requested four motorized grid systems, each with an 8,000 -12,000 lb. capacity to allow for hassle-free changeovers. With a recommendation by our friends at Upstaging, Flyhouse was ready with a solution.

The lifting mechanism normally used for this type of project would be a simple chain hoist. This would lift the grid structure until it reached a peak point – lifting until it hits the top. Simultaneously running four motors can create an unbalanced load when each lifting point moves at a different speed. This scenario causes a risk of the grid failing.

To avoid this issue, Flyhouse designed, built, and installed high-capacity motorized hoists that exceed all the requirements of overhead suspension. What sets this design apart is how it ensures a balanced load during its travel distance of approximately 50 feet. The Flyhouse system lifts all points at the exact same rate, up to 32 fpm, and is easily controlled using a handheld touchscreen pendant; a complex system made simple to use. The motors are built into the truss which has been custom painted white to match the aesthetic of the room.

The motorized grids are a permanent installation for the United Center providing them the benefit of a system that can be operated regularly by staff trained by Flyhouse. The United Center can run the grids in and fly them back out using the custom control system operated by one person.

Whether it’s a game, concert, or a special event, the next time you walk through the atrium, scan the ceiling and tell us what you think.

iWeiss Projects Theatre Restoration:

We are excited about our most recent restoration work on the Tampa Theatre in Tampa, FL.  The team of DRL Group | Westlake Reed Leskosky, EverGreene Architectural Arts and the entire Tampa Theatre team along with many others, produced an amazing transformation of this historic movie palace that was built in 1926. The drapery portion of the project consisted of recreating the goods as close to the original as possible while still allowing for the full view of the movie screen. 

The Main Valance fabric was a custom dyed 26oz Prestige Velour that was painted by EverGreene and finished in our shop in Fairview, NJ. We installed a hand crank winch for the hard framed valance, which was created in (5) pieces to provide the ability to be removed when needed. The House Curtain was painted with vertical stripes strategically placed within the pleating. This was also finished and hung in in our New Jersey shop for its final touches. In the house we installed drapery to match the grand treatment.

We are always very proud of how close the end result looks to the original photos and concept renderings.  Take a look below at the finished product along with other detailed images.

Theatre Restoration:

iWeiss Modernizes The National Theatre with Align™ Rigging

Washington’s historic National Theatre, founded in 1835, has operated as a hemp house for 182 years. Thanks to a dedicated crew of talented stage hands, countless Broadway productions were successfully mounted and run for all that time. However, Executive Director Sarah K. Bartlo-Chaplin realized that in today’s cost conscious competitive producing environment, efficiency was going to be key in landing not only longer running shows but also one and two night stands. “We need to load in and load out quicker and more cost effectively”.

So in preparation for Tina Fey’s Mean Girls opening, the decision was made to convert the theatre from hemp to counter-weight rigging. iWeiss Vice President Richard Parks and Project Manager Russ Dusek made a presentation to their Board, guaranteeing the work and the time frame and iWeiss was contracted to take on the job.

Under PM Russ Dusek and local foreman John “Chip” Daley, demolition began on July 10th. Before installing the new rigging – iWeiss’ Align Equipment - modifications and additions were made to the structural steel, electrical conduits and sprinkler lines were re-routed and a new load bridge was installed. (60) Double Purchase sets were installed on 6” centers with the rail above the stage floor allowing for maximum stage space. In addition we installed a new Clincher Winch and trip system for the fire curtain. The new Align rigging was commissioned 69 days later on Sept 17th.

E.D. Bartlo-Chapin wrote “…what a sincere pleasure it was to work with your PM Russ Dusek. Even given the unique circumstances of this project, Russ was always incredibly responsive and respectful…He (and the iWeiss team) are the reason the system got completed on time”

Trivia fact – During demolition 8 tons of sand were removed from the theatre’s sand bag system of counter weight.

“Brand new Wire Tension Grid, Curtain Track, Roll Drop and Drapery installed in the Studio Theatre at New Trier High School  in Illinois.”

The Field Museum Nature Clouds – Chicago Flyhouse

The Field Museum of Chicago began its 125th-anniversary preparations in early 2017 with an ambitious endeavor of renovating Stanley Field Hall. The renovations are meant to bring together the inanimate matter and living elements of the museum by incorporating a live hanging garden known as Nature Clouds to showcase plants living from the prehistoric era.

A successful anniversary celebration requires a collaborative approach to bring the concept to reality. Flyhouse was contacted by The Dobbins Group through the recommendation of Ravenswood Studios to provide insight into the feasibility of suspending four Nature Clouds with weights ranging from 5,000 – 19,000 lbs. From this consultation, steps were taken to move forward with a full-scale prototype with Flyhouse providing the rigging solution. Along with Branch Technology, Impresa, The Dobbins Group, and Ambius, this prototype was fabricated successfully at Ravenswood Studios.

To make this experiential space a reality, Flyhouse will use two large and one medium capacity custom hoists to suspend the four Clouds and move them. Each Cloud will have a speed of 16 fpm with variable speed in acceleration and deceleration and the ability to travel to three pre-set positions using a wireless pendant on the main floor. While the Clouds will remain in a higher fixed position when the museum is open to the public, the three pre-set positions will allow museum staff to lower or raise the Clouds for special events and maintenance.

Flyhouse will spend six weeks installing the mechanics and commissioning needed for the project and will use a custom-designed temporary access solution with a capacity of eight tons onsite as the main means of hoisting and safety.

Flyhouse is excited to be a part of this new Field Museum venture and looks forward to sharing updates with you as the project progresses.

Houston’s High School for the Performing and Visual Arts

The Oxford dictionary says that art is “the expression or application of human creative skill and imagination, typically in a visual form such as painting or sculpture, producing works to be appreciated primarily for their beauty or emotional power.” Wikipedia expands that definition to include technical skills, as in, “Art is a diverse range of human activities in creating visual, auditory or performing artifacts, expressing the author’s imaginative or technical skill, intended to be appreciated for their beauty or emotional power.”  Houston’s High School for the Performing and Visual Arts (HSPVA) expands on that definition even further, proudly identifying themselves as a place “Where Learning Is an Art.” But that’s not all that’s expanding for HSPVA. The school is on track to open the doors to a brand new, five-story facility that’s located smack in the middle of downtown Houston in January 2019. 

Part of the Houston Independent School District (HSID), HSPVA is one of 40 schools designated to be rebuilt or renovated as part of the HISD’s 2012 Bond Program.  Houston based McCarthy Building Companies, Inc. was brought on by the school district to serve as Construction Manager for the project. McCarthy subcontracted JR Clancy to provide an 1800+ square foot SkyDeck™ in the new facility’s black box theater. And JR Clancy, in turn, subcontracted InterAmerica Stage, Inc. (IA Stage) to manufacture and install the SkyDeck™. 

IA Stage’s Jay C. Hurt, one of several ETCP Certified riggers on the project, was tasked with getting several oversized SkyDeck™ panels into the black box space via second story window. Hurt is known for his expertise in specialized material handling. He says that in order to maintain the highest safety standards on a busy job site – especially one sandwiched inside a busy city’s arts district – knowledge and the ability to communicate that knowledge is key. Hurt has held his ETCP certification for over 10 years. “I was in one of the first groups to get the certification,” he says.

Due to the construction site’s close quarters, Hurt wasn’t able to get his forklift closer than 30’ from the building. “We had to [lift the SkyDeck™ panels through the window] over the weekend,” he explained, “because part of my forklift was sticking out in the road.” JR Clancy’s Project Manager, Ryan Cole, also an ETCP Certified rigger, added, “The city wants to maintain traffic flow through the area. We set aside time on an early Saturday morning to off-load the panels and avoid major traffic.” The appropriate lanes were closed and traffic flagged around the construction. The operation required a boom attachment on the forks with a crewmember on the ground attaching panels to the boom one at a time and handling the tagline, while two crewmembers on the second story received the panels as they came through the window at an angle. “All my guys were in retractable harnesses,” Hurt stated emphatically.

Consultants: Jaffe Holden (Acoustic)

                     Wrighton, Johnson, Haddon and Willams, Inc. (San Antonio)

Architect: Gensler, globally-recognized architecture firm and designers of the renowned

                Houston Ballet Center for Dance, designed HSPVA’s new 168,000 square foot

                building. 

HSPVA was founded in 1971 and has been located in Houston’s Montrose area since 1981. It is Houston’s first magnet school. Groundbreaking for the $88 million facility took place on December 14, 2014.

Fall 2017: Industry News

| ETCP Certifiable News: Fall 2017 |

City of Chicago’s ETCP Rigging Ordinance

Too often, outdoor special events and music festivals are planned with little thought to safety. Too often, the bottom line takes priority over hiring a qualified crew to assemble, operate and load out events which typically have thousands of pounds of portable A/V gear rigged over the heads of the general public, performers and stage crew. Too often, unskilled labor is expected to know complex math formulas, industry standard practices and be familiar with quick changing weather conditions such as strong winds, storm fronts or be able to implement a bad weather plan, all of which are needed to do the job safely. Too often, these events compromise safety and place the public, talent and crew at risk along with destroying gear, prevailing wages and work conditions of qualified ETCP stage riggers. 

Chicago is a world class destination city that hosts hundreds of outdoor special events, music festivals, concerts and more. Chicago takes very seriously the safety of those that attend, perform and work on events which help showcase Chicago’s rich and diverse cultural arts. Therefore, on May 24th Chicago adopted the following ordinance to help ensure safety and mitigate risks on all such outdoor events that use portable A/V equipment.   

Section 10-8-335 of Chicago’s Municipal Code reads as follows:  

“All rigging of portable audiovisual equipment and systems must be performed by a person holding a valid riggers certification from the Entertainment Technician Certification Program (ETCP). No person may employ, direct or allow a person to perform the rigging of portable audiovisual equipment and systems for an outdoor special event unless the person performing the rigging work holds a valid rigger’s certification issued by the Entertainment Technician Certification Program (ETCP).”

Ultimately, this ordinance will help ensure safer Chicago events by mandating that ETCP Certified Riggers do all rigging on these events. This is a tremendous safety measure implemented by a great Mayor and City Council. 

Craig Carlson

Business Manager, Stagehands Local 2

International Vice-President, I.A.T.S.E.

Chicago Flyhouse – Wintrust Arena

Popcorn in hand, soda to the right, the sound barrels through the speakers and the lights dim to near blackout levels, the ambience of the room is perfect to escape from reality for a few hours. 

The right environment can make or break an event instantly for those in attendance. When your favorite musician is about to play their first note, the mood set right before they play is of the utmost importance and light leaks can interrupt that mood and spoil the environment.

Wintrust Arena, new home to the DePaul University Blue Demon basketball teams and entertainment events, considered this exact scenario and focused on reducing light leaks it would receive throughout its new building.

To achieve this, installation of different blackout style curtains was needed. Using a mix of manual bi-part and one-way draw curtains along with numerous motorized roman shades, Flyhouse delivered on its promise to create an efficient and suitable atmosphere for all types of future events.

For the upper bowl seating and arena-ends, Flyhouse installed a series of remote operated roman shades to reduce light spill. The roman shades are of varying heights and widths, some upwards of 100 wide, to cover the expansive areas of windows and in hard to reach areas where a manual system would not be possible. The motorized component allows the shades to raise and lower at a variable speed of 20 feet/minute and uses a wireless controller that is able to operate at several locations within the arena. However, should the wireless controllers become inoperable, the system also has a hardwired pendant allowing the system to remain operational through another control point. 

An added benefit of installing blackout curtains throughout the arena are the acoustical properties they inherit. The heavier fabric used in these curtains helps absorb and dampen the sound emitted from the event and those in attendance. 

The manual curtains are hand-operated at vomitory and aisle entry locations of the venue which will provide a reduction of ambient light seen by fans and performers. It required the use of 1,700 feet of I-Beam style tracks and nearly 1,800 curtain carriers to complete this portion of the installation. 

Wintrust Arena is now in position to offer the environment needed for each event; darkness or light depending on what is desirable to set the mood.

BackStage Pass: Reflections on Life in the Theatre

A new video program for the live event entertainment industry

Bill Sapsis is proud to announce the launch of BackStage Pass, a series of interviews with leading professionals in the live event entertainment industry. BackStage Pass videos offer a look back into the careers of people who have spent a lifetime working on live performances and shaping the future of the entertainment industry.  

“The entertainment industry doesn’t do well at holding on to its history,” noted Bill Sapsis, BackStage Pass executive producer. “We tend to be too preoccupied with what’s right in front of us to look at the past when, truth be told, the past often provides insight into solving present day problems”.   

BackStage Pass videos are available on YouTube for free and run about 60 minutes. The videos focus on what an individual has brought to the industry and on the effect the industry has had on them. There’s also some crystal ball gazing to see what may be in store for the next generation of theatre practitioners. 

Neil Mazzella, President and Owner of Hudson Scenic Studios and Richard Pilbrow, Lighting Designer, Producer and Founder of Theatre Projects Consultants are featured in the first two releases of the BackStage Pass series.

BackStage Pass videos can be viewed here. 

Please visit  http://sapsis-rigging.com/backstagepass/  for updates on future releases, to recommend someone for an interview and to discuss sponsorship opportunities.

IATSE Local 417 - Dedicated to the Advancement of Rigging Skills

Great things are happening in the Research Triangle area of North Carolina, as experts have determined by looking at such yardsticks as medical and high tech business startups, foodie-friendly cuisine, and livability. That’s according to the US Chamber of Commerce Foundation, Bon Appetite, and livability.com.

It should be no surprise that excellence in rigging safety is following suit. Here are some highlights of how ETCP has helped to make this happen, with training and measurability of skill and proficiency, and how a few more ETCP certified technicians are making a difference.

IATSE Local 417 (Raleigh, Durham, Chapel Hill, & Fayetteville) established a rigging committee, a group of riggers and riggers-to-be, in 2016 that is dedicated to the advancement of rigging skills in the local labor force. Matt Tippett, a co-chair of that committee, is a leading example. He passed his arena rigging test in August, and his certification helps ensure that the right way to do things is being passed on to new technicians, and that experienced stagehands continue their education.

On August 14th and 15th, ETCP certified arena and theatre rigger (and recognized trainer), and owner of To The Moon Rigging, Justin Argenio held a 2 day training session for IATSE Local 417. It was attended by over 30 stagehands who enthusiastically received the program, which stressed safety and best practices throughout a rigorous look at arena rigging concepts and hands on exercises.  The adjacent jurisdiction of Winston-Salem and Greensboro’s Local 635 was able to enhance this event with the loan of Eddie Blue to help with the hands-on segment of the training. Mr. Blue is an ETCP Subject Matter Expert for Arena Rigging. 

Congratulations are due to Mr. Tippett and Jeremy Jackson for passing their ETCP examinations in Arena Rigging within the last year.  Along with Mr. Argenio, they make up one third of the qualified arena riggers in the state, all located in the Research Triangle area. More technicians are to follow, and the Research Triangle will continue to advance the ideals set forth by ETCP.

Ex-Offenders and Unemployed Youth Gain New Skills as Stage Technicians

Live event production companies in Las Vegas soon will be able to fill the void with newly trained employees. The Stage Technician Education and Development Intensive (STEADI) certificate program and entertainment electrics course offered by UNLV Continuing Education provides participants with an entry-level, intensive education in live event production.

Eleven students participated in the inaugural class through Foundation for an Independent Tomorrow’s (FIT) re-entry initiative program, including some residing at Casa Grande, a Las Vegas work release program, and Goodwill of Southern Nevada’s unemployed youth program. The seven-day course concluded recently and prepared students to work in entry-level jobs in live event production.

FIT and Goodwill of Southern Nevada paid the tuition to train the students with funding from the US Department of Labor and Workforce Connections. “Students were selected based on their interest and motivation to work in an industry that embraces diversity, creativity, and second chances,” said Jodi Gilliland, program coordinator with UNLV Continuing Education.

Students gained applied experience within a state-of-the-art production facility at 4Wall Entertainment in Las Vegas and studied with two titans of live event production. Instructors Roy Bickel and Richard Cadena have had long careers in live event production rigging and electrics.

STEADI was held at 4Wall Entertainment. For course schedules, visit continuingeducation.unvl.edu/catalog or call 702-895-3394. There is also custom training available for employers on their own premises.

For more information, visit https://youtu.be/PGd3REsUCEA to see a video of the instructors discussing the course and its expectations.