Re: A&E Tesla coil, and Mind Freak. (fwd)

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Moderated and approved by: Gerry Reynolds <greynolds@xxxxxxxxxx>



---------- Forwarded message ----------
Date: Sun, 24 Dec 2006 20:33:41 -0600
From: Harold Weiss <hweiss@xxxxxxxxxx>
To: Tesla list <tesla@xxxxxxxxxx>
Subject: Re: A&E Tesla coil, and Mind Freak. (fwd)

Better yet!!  Just tell them to talk to your local IATSE business 
administrator.  They rarely try to cross us.  If they do, more than likely 
they'll never work in the industry again.  It's nice to have a union to back 
you up.  We have left them to pack their own trucks in the past when they 
try to pull crap.(and where do those trucks have to be in the morning?)

At least that works for me.

David E Weiss

>
>
>
> And, believe me, the folks in the TV and film industry, who are
> remarkable for their degree of "moral elasticity", would have no
> hesitation in *hiring* an ambitious amateur to use their coil in
> exchange for the proverbial "case of beer".  And then, when something
> went wrong, they'd have even less hesitation in suing the poor schmoe.
>
> There are a lot of enthusiastic assistant producers who would do
> almost anything to try and get ahead, and if you and your coil happen
> to be a handy stepping stone, they'll use it, and never look
> back.  They'll talk a good line before.
>
> IF you are ever approached by someone for this sort of thing, a few
> words of advice from someone who spent half a dozen years in the
> physical special effects industry (fire, rain, smoke, etc.):
>
> 1) If it's not written down, it does not exist. (Really.. ignore
> everything they say, look at what's written in the contract).
>
> 2) Very, very carefully consider the potential downside if something
> goes wrong, and make sure that those written things spell out in
> excruciating detail what happens.  Check your insurance and theirs
> (ask them if they'll make you a named insured).  Your homeowner's
> liability insurance may not cover you for "professional activities".
>
> 3) Use the traditional special effects bidding method to negotiate
> the price.  Figure out how much it's going to cost you to do the
> work.  Double that, stay firm on the price. Get a deposit for half up
> front and CASH THE CHECK.  Then, when inevitably, the assistant
> producer comes to you at the end of the job and says "Gosh, we ran a
> bit short, can you help us out here by discounting.  If you can't, we
> won't be able to pay you at all, and you can just sue us for it,
> because after all, that 5 minutes when your coil didn't work cost us
> thousands of dollars in crew time standing around." you'll still have
> covered your costs with the up-front payment.
>
> Do NOT take "just cut us a deal this time, and we promise to hire you
> next time" as an excuse.  With rare exceptions, each production is
> essentialy a separate company, formed for that production, and which
> will go out of existence at the end of it (with zero or negative assets).
>
>
> I don't want to discourage anyone from working with entertainment
> types.  It's a heck of a lot of fun in a glamorous industry.  Just go
> in with your eyes WIDE open and be a bit cynical for your own protection.
>
>
>
>