NZTECHOAUTUMN 2013 | ISSUE 56 - SPFX the 'old way' - alive and kicking! Keeping up with safety Industry guilt - juggling family with the workload ...
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NZTECHO
AUTUMN 2013 | ISSUE 56
The New Zealand Film and Video Technicians’ quarterly
SPFX the ‘old way’
– alive and kicking!
Keeping up with safety
Industry guilt – juggling
family with the workload
www.nztecho.com
Film experience that
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EDITORIAL CONTENTS
Word on the street seems to be 2013 has started off quietly for most
GUILD NEWS & VIEWS
techos. We’re not feeling the down time at the Guild though, where we’ve
certainly had lots to keep us busy. Great to see new member numbers 2 Behind the scenes
Executive officer Karla Rodgers – Call for action!
continuing to grow (keep the good word out there people).
3 President’s rave
Being a non-profit organisation (with the equivalent of one fulltime person
Pres Alun ‘Albol’ Bollinger’ – A bit about a lot
across Karla and me) there simply is never enough time or resource to do
everything … but there is an easy way for you all to take a little bit off our INDUSTRY
plates – pay your membership fees on time! It’s not a lot ($211 plus GST) 6 SPFX – keeping it real
and is income-tax deductable. Behind the scenes with physical special effects
Enough about that anyway, back to the magazine now. We thought it’d be 10 Keeping the home fires burning
interesting to look at two contrasting areas of our industry. Perhaps it could Working women in the industry share their stories
be summed up by the idea of blowing stuff up safely – an oxymoron in itself 14 Keeping NZ as a film destination of choice
really. Film Effects’ Brendon Durey talks to us about doing special effects What can the industry do to help?
the old fashioned way – that is, using real explosions, sounds and fires (not 17 Regional wrap
the CGI kind). Meanwhile Willy Heatley gives some insight on where safety 19 Special tributes
is at in our industry in our Safety Notes section.
TECHOSPHERE
We examine another artform also – juggling young children with a job that
4 Fine print: Pick your battles
is often all over the place (literally), perhaps another oxymoron. Dot Kyle,
Annie Weston and Sarah Cook tell Dara McNaught how they’ve balanced
5 Extreme close-up: Uma Singh
sole care of children with busy careers in production. 9 Safety notes: Safety above board
18 Overheads: Accounting for home office expenses
Sound recordist Ande Schurr talks to three producers about why overseas
20 Members with benefits: Your member benefits
filmmakers choose New Zealand as their destination. Perhaps more impor-
tantly, is how to keep them coming back.
On a sad note, the industry had a huge loss in December with the tragic
death of Oscar-winning sound editor and Techos’ Guild member Mike
Hopkins. Friend and fellow sound editor John McKay shares a celebration
of Mike’s life with us. On another very sad note, TVC and film director Adam
Strange also died very tragically in February. Many of you would’ve worked
or been friends with Adam. You can make a donation to help his wife Meg
and young daughter to James Bell Accounting Ltd Trust Account 06-0193-
0262946-03 (important to use suffix 03) with ADAM as a reference. Both
men will be dearly missed by friends and colleagues. Thoughts of course are
with the families.
Cover shot: Explosive times on Power Rangers. Photo courtesy of Brendon Durey.
Carolyn Brooke, editor
ISSUE 56 AUTUMN 2013
Editor Advertising
Carolyn Brooke Advertising queries, please contact Karla Rodgers on 09 302 2202,
Publisher/advertising advertising@nztecho.com or 0800 TECHOS. For a copy of our ad specs
Karla Rodgers and rate card, please visit our website.
Design
Justin Westgate / biote
Printing All contents are copyright New Zealand Film and Video
TP Printing Services Ltd. Technicians’ Guild, 2013, unless indicated otherwise. May not be
reproduced, copied or transmitted in any form without permission.
Contributors
Alun ‘Albol’ Bollinger The views expressed in this publication do not necessarily reflect the
We appreciate Tim Riley
Karla Rodgers
views of the New Zealand Film and Video Technicians’ Guild.
the support of: Joshua Dunn
Sioux Macdonald
Phil Gore
Dara McNaught
John McKay
Uma Singh
Ande Schurr
Graeme Tuckett www.nztecho.com
2 | NZTECHO Autumn 2013
BEHIND THE SCENES With over 20 years in the film industry,
Karla Rodgers is now executive officer for the Techos’ Guild.
Call for action
Kia ora all. In this issue I am going to focus on one major event on the happy to explain and discuss the April 2012 rule changes. The Guild needs
New Zealand 2013 film industry calendar. The September review of the support from members to be a part of this review.
immigration rules that were introduced on 28 April, 2012. These introduced In previous issues I have stressed that the members own the Guild and its
rule changes have had a massive impact on work that in the past would strength is determined not only by member numbers but the engagement of
have gone to resident New Zealand technicians. members. There is no guarantee we can get these rules overturned but I am
The most significant of these rule changes was the 14-day rule, allowing determined to give it a damn good go. But, if you passively do nothing when
technicians who are working 14 days or less in New Zealand to enter the the opportunity is presented, you lose the right to complain when work that
country and work on productions with no obligation to liaise with the Guild you are well qualified to do, goes to overseas crew.
or other industry representatives. So regardless of whether there are equally I cannot do this on my own. Call me!
experienced New Zealand technicians (or even more experienced ones on
some occasions) available for work, overseas technicians have the right
to work in New Zealand for up to 14 days. Not so great for those at home
waiting for the next job.
Additionally, these rules allow productions to enter New Zealand completely
unchecked or unsupervised by local line production or the industry as a
Thank yous
whole. The impact of this is a practised industry structure built and refined Big thanks to the following people for supporting and helping the Techos’
over many years being slowly eroded away. Guild.
Four other points to note are as follows: • Sioux Macdonald for ongoing support to both Karla and Carolyn,
• The attrition of the respectful and professional reputation we have along providing office space for Guild accounts and for the NZTECHO
regional wrap.
with good public relationships, by crews who do not necessarily under-
stand New Zealand (film/public) protocol. • Joshua Dunn, Graeme Tuckett, Ande Schurr and John McKay for
NZTECHO magazine contributions.
• The environmental kaitiaki, when there is no one to say “no” when a
• Dot Kyle for work on the Facebook page.
native branch or tree is cut down because it sits inconveniently in the
• Janet Cervin for ‘taking care of business’ over Christmas while Karla
way of a shot.
took a much-needed break.
• Council and location permits not being applied for.
• Aaron Watson for speaking about the Techos Guild, The Blue Book
• Lastly, but possibly most critical, established safety practises being and the Safety Code of Practice at the Dunedin Festival of Film and
completely disregarded. Television at the Dunedin Public Art Gallery, The Octagon (Saturday
This review is a vital path forward for the industry and will determine the 23 March and Sunday 24 March).
security of work for resident New Zealand technicians in upcoming years. • All the members that keep us updated with contact details and other
Get involved – I stress this, it’s your future at stake! It’s important that you information.
understand how these rules work and how they impact your industry. • All members who pay their membership fees on time.
Phone me on 09 302 2022 or email me at info@nztecho.com as I am
NZTECHO Autumn 2013 | 3
PRESIDENT’S RAVE Award-winning cinematographer and committed West Coaster,
Alun Bollinger has been president of the Techos’ Guild for an age.
A bit about a lot
So what’s to write about? In our last NZTECHO I made brief mention anything to share because they don’t know much. Most who work in our
of my hope that we can make a speedy transition to electric motor game are very generous with both their time and their knowledge. After
vehicles. Since then a cinematographer colleague has made contact all, that’s partly how we progress as a thoroughly innovative industry.
and given me a drive of a RAV4 which he has converted to electric. But where have all the crew reps gone? I’ve touched on this subject
He’s done a beautiful job of the conversion, the vehicle drives like a before, but it’s an important one. I hope that it’s not the fear of being
dream and it costs them four to six bucks a week to run. Seeing that outlawed or blacklisted that makes us wary of representing our co-
vehicle made me realise how much simpler such a vehicle would be if it workers. The crew rep is a vital conduit between crew and producers.
came off the manufacturing line as electric rather than having to convert To quote from the model contract for cinematographers in the IMAGO
an ICE-age vehicle (ICE = internal combustion engine). international directory of cinematographers:
While I’m on the subject of electrickery, our Government’s planned
“Spokesman scheme – Election of Spokesperson at initial crew meeting.
asset sales are going ahead. The competitive market model for energy
The appointed Spokesperson represents the crew and liaises with the
distribution, electricity or coal, must surely encourage more energy use
Producer and identifies areas of potential problems such as the basic
when I thought energy conservation would be a priority in this day and
working conditions i.e. overtime (especially when required at short
age of global warming.
notice), safety, transport etc. This is important for the running of an
I’m currently working on a television series. I have to say I’m a bit sur- efficient production. Disputes and misunderstanding can be avoided by
prised at how tight the budget is. Are television budgets getting tighter monitoring potential problems ‘up front’. This voluntary role of Spokes-
as the years roll by? Commercials take up about a quarter of commer- person is advantageous for the Producer and crew alike.”
cial television air-time and the shows fill the other three quarters of each
hour. Ads and shows – one can’t survive without the other in the com- It seems to me that there are less and less jobs that have a crew rep
mercial television model, but work on TVC shoots pays so much better appointed by the crew, this decline somehow parallels the changes
than work on the shows. Sure, I know why, but it still strikes me as an which made us all contractors under law. To take a cynical view point, it
anomaly. Maybe the ads aren’t paying so well these days either? would seem to be part of an ongoing process of divide and rule among
the workforce in general. Of course the less work there is around the
It’s been suggested that I write about mentoring in the Kiwi screen
more likely we are to sacrifice our working conditions and rates of
production biz. Once upon a time the New Zealand Film Commission
remuneration for the sake of work, any work under any conditions.
had a trainee scheme, but that was quite some time back and was at a
time when our industry was growing quite quickly. (There also used to Interesting to hear a little more about what was going on behind the
be apprenticeship schemes for the trades, something our society could scenes during what I call ‘The Hobbit hoo haa’. As you are all no doubt
well benefit from in this day and age.) I believe mentoring occurs quite aware the Techos’ Guild deliberately stayed out of the debates which
naturally in our business because of the generosity of the people who were raging at the time. We stayed out because our members were
work in it … although I’m not sure mentoring is the right word. There’s divided on what our stand should be, if any, and there was too little
simply a natural inclination among most crew to help others learn their accurate information to go on. Perhaps we will slowly find out more
craft and get ahead. At times I’ve called people overseas, people I’ve and be able to eventually get an accurate picture of what actually went
never met, to get advice and it’s been given it freely. I’ve had the same down. Not that it makes much difference now, except that some may be
happen to me on many occasions, people ring asking for advice and I able to say, “I told you so”.
generally try to help, if I can. From my experience, people who create So here we go, off into another year. Two months have gone ‘bye’
the impression that it’s all too mysterious or too complicated to explain, already. I hope the year is productive, constructive and fulfilling for all.
or are simply unwilling to share their knowledge, usually don’t have Albol
4 | NZTECHO Autumn 2013
FINE PRINT Tim Riley is a lawyer with Dominion Law, a specialist entertainment law firm that
recognises that creative people need creative lawyers.
Pick your battles
In the last NZTECHO issue Tim Riley looked at situations when you could be ‘liable’ to other people.
Or, to use the more technical legal term – ‘in the shit’. This time, Tim is coming in from the other side and
looking at when you are on the side of the good and the other person is in the shit (in your humble opinion
of course).
So, what to do if you think someone has breached their contract with change such that the estimate has to be revised. However by then you
you or in some other way has incurred legal liability to you? When and may be well down the track and not willing to pull out, meaning you will
in what circumstances should you, in the words of Marcellus from Pulp have to accept the increased costs to complete the job. There are also
Fiction, get “medieval on their arses”? additional costs you will have to bear as the person initiating the action,
Just as a preliminary matter, there is one cheap (free!) option for resolv- being filing costs for the court documents, and what is called a ‘setting
ing simple legal queries, and that is to ring up 95bFM between 8.15am down’ cost that will be several thousand dollars and is payable when
and 8.30am on a Wednesday morning, where yours truly will be there the time comes for the hearing (which could well be a year after you
to answer your legal questions for free. For free! commence the process, given the gridlock that applies to New Zealand
courts).
The 95bFM option is obviously only useful for very simple problems
with clear answers that are both entertaining and that showcase my Also, you have to consider the emotional and time cost, as well as the
prodigious legal knowledge. If your legal problem does not fall into financial cost. Court proceedings can drag on for a long time and re-
that category, then hopefully the rest of this article will be of some help quire a significant involvement of your time. They are often very stressful
to you. and anxiety inducing, and can take over your life. Given the very narrow
focus of a court proceeding, you might find that the real issue that you
The problem with legal disputes is that they can very quickly become
need resolved does not even feature when you finally get your day in
very expensive. So the very first thing to do is a cost-benefit analysis.
court. Courts are blunt instruments with no ability to deal with anything
What is it going to cost you to sue this person and what are you going
other than strict legal rights (as opposed to say mediation).
to receive if you are successful? At a more fundamental level – why
do you want to do this? There are many reasons why people come to But having said that (and having just talked dozens of you out of
a decision to commence legal action against someone and not all of hiring me) there are certainly times when the only option is to sue their
them are good. If the desire to sue comes from a sense of hurt or anger arse! Sometimes the only way to make people address the issue is to
at the way you were treated and/or a desire for revenge, then my advice compel them to do it by issuing proceedings. The reality is that the vast
is don’t do it. The law, and in particular the law as expressed through majority of commercial proceedings are settled before they get to court.
the courts, is not a very effective tool for dealing with emotions. You are One of the great benefits of issuing proceedings against someone is
far better to spend the money on a good psychotherapist. it focuses the mind and forces the person to deal with you. However,
the courts do not take kindly to people using the court system just as a
In my opinion, the only really valid reason to pursue legal action against
threat to make people settle, so you really do have to be committed and
someone is to recover a financial loss (or at least a loss that can be
prepared to follow it through if you have to. Once the court proceed-
adequately compensated by a payment of money). I hear many expres-
ing is initiated you can only stop with the leave of the court and only
sions of principal expressed by clients such as “I just want to make sure
on the basis that you pay the costs that the other party has incurred in
they don’t do it to anyone else”. Aside from that hardly ever being true,
responding to your claim.
it is pretty much never a good reason to sue someone.
So before jumping in the deep end, make sure that not only can you
Getting back to the cost-benefit analysis, it is actually a very compli-
swim but you also have the stamina to go the distance. You need pretty
cated exercise you need to go through. It might be relatively easy to
deep pockets too. It’s like joining the church of Scientology really, once
work out what you will get if you are successful (particularly if you are
you start there is no going back.
recovering a set or pre-agreed amount) but then you have to fac-
tor in an allowance for the fact that you might lose (commonly called
‘litigation risk’). Even claims that appear on paper to be un-losable can
change dramatically when you actually get in front of a judge. If you do
lose, you will be liable for the other party’s costs, so somehow that has
to be factored in also. It is also often difficult for your lawyer to assess
what your costs are going to be. Lawyers cannot provide quotes given
the uncertainty involved in the job, but you should ask for and get an es-
timate. The problem is that a lawyer cannot guarantee that the estimate
will be correct, all they can do is agree to notify you if circumstances
NZTECHO Autumn 2013 | 5
EXTREME CLOSE-UP
PROFILE: Uma Singh – production (KURAN NZ Ltd)
How long have you been in screen production and how did
you get started?
KURAN NZ is a family-owned company, established in 1992 by my
late husband Kamal Singh. The aim was to attract the Bollywood
film industry and to promote New Zealand as a tourist destination for
Indians who lived and watched Hindi movies all over the world. Indian
student numbers also increased at the same time, hence growth in
the economy. KURAN has organised and managed more than 130
movies including Hindi, Telugu, Tamil, Karnataka, Kanada, and Malay-
alam ranging from feature movies to television series to TVCs to music
albums to billboards. KURAN hires New Zealand technicians, actors, Left: Producer Uma Singh runs
dancers etc. KURAN stands for: Kamal, Uma, Raajew, Atima and Nan- the show for KURAN NZ.
dini – being Kamal my late husband, myself and our three children.
their negatives processed at a lab in Auckland, while others might like to
What genre(s) does your work tend to come from?
have them processed in India.
About 65% of our business is repeat business, some is word of
mouth and some is new. What strengths do you think the New Zealand industry has /
what could contribute to a more sustainable industry?
How easy is it to make a living in this industry/how often
New Zealand – the whole world in one country, as we all know. Filming
do you work outside the screen production industry?
is a lucrative business and our country has a lot of potential. With some
It is not as easy. About eight years ago we would get 10 to 15 shoots help from our Government we could go a long way to bring back Bolly-
per year but we are now competing with other countries. Australia, wood! But please, be rest assured that Bollywood comes here to create
Canada, United States and most European countries have become jobs for Kiwis, not take them away!
film friendly by offering package deals like cheaper airfares, dis-
counted hotel rates, lower location charges etc. KURAN has lost out
on a number of confirmed shoots and us New Zealand technicians
(and others like talent/modelling agencies, dance schools, hoteliers,
moteliers, transport providers, restaurants, local governments and
the Department of Conservation, private property owners and so on),
New Zealand as a whole country is losing out on the economy.
How does your department work as part of the ‘whole’
that other crew probably don’t realise?
KURAN has an excellent reputation in the industry locally, nationally and
internationally. About nine years ago an inexperienced group, having no
knowledge or ‘know how’ of filming in New Zealand tried getting in, but
did not succeed. They even dumped a busload of Indian film crew (after
taking their money) on the kerbside in Rotorua – KURAN was called
to rescue them! A recent experience in Auckland was when film crew
were driving vehicles all over the place and even left the country without
paying the locals. As far as I know and to the best of my knowledge
KURAN has never left footprints and we make a point that every service
provider gets paid for carrying out their tasks.
How have your rates changed/improved over the years?
Yes, due to inflation, we have had no option, but to increase our daily
charge out rate etc.
What sort of changes have you noticed? Have you noticed
any trends?
We have noticed that every Bollywood film crew would have their
own way of doing things, usually depending on the budget. The use
of filming equipment and technology vary from crew to crew. We are
fully focused on the demands and needs and with our wide range of
contacts, we are able to fulfil the same. Some would prefer having
6 | NZTECHO Autumn 2013
FEATURE
SPFX
keeping it real
Rain, storms, snow… there are certain things that even Weta Digital can’t fake.
The art of physical special effects will likely be around a while longer, despite
the increasing presence of digital visual effects on our screens. Film Effects’
Brendon Durey talks to Carolyn Brooke about what goes on behind the
illusion, keeping the team safe and adapting to change.
“It’s about getting Largely thanks to Richard, Sir Peter and the that are later layered into a shot. This tends
rest of the team at Miramar, digital visual to look better then something 100% digital,
performance out of effects (VFX) for screen production has created in full by a CGI operator.
an actor also, much advanced hugely in recent years. We marvelled For the time being however, Durey has plenty
at Terminator 2: Judgement Day back in 1991 of work on the go the old fashioned way espe-
harder when nothing and were astounded at 2009’s Avatar and now cially with setting scenes weather wise.
is actually happening.” nearly four years on, the technology just keeps
A large part of SPFX is atmospherics – making
getting better. No one knows this more so scenes misty, foggy, rainy, snowy, windy and
than Film Effects’ Brendon Durey, who says stormy. “People say ‘can I come in and pick
his craft’s future is about adaption. up a rain machine’, there is no such thing as a
“VFX is starting to look a lot better, for years rain machine. It’s a huge collection of hoses,
it didn’t look good,” Durey says. “In many pumps, towers and spinners, you need guys
ways, especially in the film and TV side, physi- who know how to use the gear, it’s not a turn a
cal special effects are a dying art.” key, push a button and away she goes environ-
Although, he says, there will always be a place ment. People just don’t get what is involved.”
for the live element of shots that you can’t Of course there is also the dangerous stuff –
VFX. “It’s about getting performance out of the fires and the explosions, like managing a
an actor also, much harder when nothing is house burn safely for six hours during film-
actually happening. Another problem is that ing, yet not actually letting it burn. Only done,
you can still kind of tell 100% digital people he says, through much experience, communi-
and the audience doesn’t end up having much cation, testing, planning and management.
empathy for the character.” The concept of scale can be hard for people to
The plates and composites (comps) required get their heads around. “Every now and then
for VFX create another type of work also. someone will want some smoke machines out
It’s all part of the process of shooting real in the crater of Rangitoto Island to try to fake
elements against a black, blue or green screen it erupting and you explain to them that an
NZTECHO Autumn 2013 | 7
eruption is hundreds of thousands of tons be- SPFX crew work closely with both the direc- Above: Long-running shows like Power Rangers
gave a chance for better processes around
ing shot thousands of kilometres in the air. It’s tor and safety officers, at the end of the day
safety and SPFX to develop.
a volcano and a smoke machine, it’s not going everyone tends to agree that no scene is worth Photo: Coutesy of Brendon Durey.
to work, it’s just physics.” someone getting hurt. “You’ve got directors
Long-running shows like Power Rangers and who sometimes act like spoiled children and
Spartacus have been huge for Durey’s team, that’s when we get the safety guy to back us up
but then sometimes it might be the safety guy
especially Spartacus as no one expected it to be
saying ‘I’m uncomfortable with that distance,
so big. “You’re in an age where everything is lit
can we push it back a bit’ and then there will
by fire, everything is cooked on fire and there
be a negotiation.”
is no electric lighting.” A lot of time was also
spent against green screens squirting blood. While it’s rare to do something completely
new, there is always an unknown element to
Safety is a huge part of SPFX with the biggest
special effects. Especially when often what
factor usually proximately of the activity to
someone says they want doesn’t marry up
people and equipment. An exclusion zone for
with what they actually want. “It’s a visual
safe distances and parameters for people to be medium, so with special effects you have a
in must be established and hazard identifica- much greater chance of failure onset than
tion must be done. virtually any other department. You may’ve
People often have no concept of danger, Du- built and tested a rig for a camera angle and
rey says, or sound – a huge explosion happen- then the director says I want to show this from
ing too close can literally be deafening. somewhere else and you tell them it doesn’t
8 | NZTECHO Autumn 2013
Above left: Large scale snow dressing for film work and then it doesn’t work, but half the Explaining to production that the old ways
30 Days of Night. Above right: Brendon Durey crew don’t understand what’s happened and are just not possible under the new laws is all
(centre) at work on a TVC shoot.
why it didn’t work.” too familiar for him. Also, you can’t simply
Photos: Coutesy of Brendon Durey.
The craft is not for the faint hearted and you contract out of liability, he says. “Under the
don’t learn it at a film school, rather it is years new laws, with all the flammable liquids
of training. “You have to have a thick skin, being used by an art department, you actually
your chance of failure on set is high, half the need a ticketed person on site otherwise it’s
time especially with low-budget stuff, you’re
“It’s a visual rushing, you’re under crewed and sometimes
completely illegal and not insured, yet I’ve
had confused looks from producers who have
medium, so with you’re even testing on camera.” no idea this compliance is required.”
You need a good knowledge of rigging,
special effects pneumatics (using pressurised gas to produce
If something went wrong, the producer would
need to demonstrate that all practical steps
you have a much a motion), hydraulics, physics and electron- had been taken to minimise harm or damage
ics helps along with the appropriate licenses
greater chance of and usually some first-aid training. For Durey,
to crew or cast. Insurance can be a good gate-
keeper, he says, because if someone can’t get
failure on set than training came with following his father Ken
insurance then they shouldn’t be doing it.
Durey around film sets. His brother Jason is
virtually any other also in SPFX. SPFX budgets tend to be low in New Zealand,
yet content expectations are usually high.
department.” Continuity of work in SPFX is usually more
Even the producers who understand what’s
difficult than other craft areas and Durey
thinks it’ll only get worse. He’s not expecting behind SPFX still don’t budget enough.
a busy 2013, although he says he had the same “When you’re doing things at break-neck pace
feeling last year and it turned to be a cracker. with lesser crew than normal, with a limited
One never quite can tell. amount of prep and testing time – you have
Increasing compliance costs continually to be very conscious that the corners being cut
cause headaches too. The licenses required aren’t around safety.”
for pyro and flammable goods alone are in
the thousands.NZTECHO Autumn 2013 | 9
SAFETY NOTES
Safety above board
Where there is a need for danger, there is a need for safety. Thankfully for us, the television and film industry
is on the less-risky end of safety officer Willy Heatley’s workload, with a much better track record than other
areas he works in like boat racing, water skiing and triathlons. By Carolyn Brooke.
People working in risk management or at the Department of Labour would
say the key to a safe workplace is repetitive manner day in and out. Well,
good luck to that in the film and television industry.
“We do different things every day in different places – you might be in a
studio for a week and then be on the side of a mountain,” Lifeguard and
Safety’s Willy Heatley says. “If you talk to the theoretical people, they’ll
say go and do a familiarisation course in the snow and do training with a
helicopter but there is never enough time or resource for that.”
Ironically, the mishaps are more likely to happen during routine tasks.
“We very rarely have accidents on the big stunt days or during the big
explosions, we’re more worried that we’d be shooting on Ponsonby Road
and the production coordinator answers her phone, wanders out onto the
street and gets run over.”
Along with traffic, it might be keeping a clear thoroughfare to ensure the The perfect shot – blockbuster film Castaway pushing boundaries on safety.
Photo courtesy of Willy Heatley.
public doesn’t end up walking on the road or checking that all gear and
cables are tidy so no one trips over. The use of height access equipment Despite this, safety practises have improved over the years, following
like cherry pickers is another issue. “It makes us really nervous, they are plenty of leeway during the 1990s after new legislation was introduced
quite dangerous and people get quite blasé about them.” but things now seem to be at a plateau.
Heatley and his team work closely with 1st ADs, stunt coordinators, “Filming a big ad in New Zealand and complying 100% with health, safety
locations and special effects (SPFX) crew. Understanding the wants of and employment legislation would impact hugely on time and budget so
the director and the DoP is also important. “On a film job everyone has quite often there are compromises.”
something to do except us, we can actually stand back and think I wonder
Most producers would agree it is an issue at the moment and it’s not
if they realise what they’ve done wrong.” One small angle change and going to change for a while, he says. “If I was a producer I would be
the resulting camera move could mean the stunt person doesn’t have the tougher about it, I wouldn’t want the responsibility, especially in times
space needed to do the job safety. when budgets are hard to come by, do you want to be writing a cheque
Safety plans become much more systematic on longer running produc- for $80,000 to the Department of Labour because the contractor who
tions like Spartacus and Power Rangers, although the challenge can be in was driving the cherry picker who was earning pretty good money
keeping good practises up when time pressure is on or if weather condi- couldn’t get a ticket to drive it.”
tions change. Overtime can be another issue, on one hand there might be make-up and
“Spartacus was great, there was a very proactive approach to safety wardrobe people who have been on set since 5am and need to go home
right from the producers down, there were probably 500 people over four but then you also may have other crew who want the overtime.
or five pre-production facilities and four studios, from stunts to special Heatley encourages crew to approach the safety person on set with any
effects, there was lots of open flames, lots of dirt, horses galloping and concerns, no matter how big or small. It can be kept completely anony-
dust as part of the set building – we were monitoring dust levels.” mous too. Safety, he says, can’t be addressed by one person alone, as
In theory, New Zealand’s rules are similar to Australia’s, he says, but in crew buy-in is definitely needed for a safe set. “Ultimately, people are re-
practise there is less compliance here due to less enforcement. sponsible for their own safety, if they are not happy about what is going on
A lot more TVCs are being shot here with no safety at all, and it just then there is probably a reason for it. Crew always have this feeling that if
wouldn’t have happened five years ago, he says. “If something goes wrong they rock the boat or cause trouble they’ll get on some imaginary black list.”
and you haven’t identified the hazards and done a safety plan then you’d be The black list is a myth he says, when it comes to safety. For the most
in default of the law and the Department of Labour will probably prosecute.” part, he finds it to be people friendly industry. Everyone has the right inten-
He says there are almost certainly people in the industry driving height tions but budgets and time put huge pressure on.
access equipment unqualified or untrained to do so, if someone got hurt “With the exception of maybe one or two production companies, we’ve
or killed and it was investigated, the producer would almost certainly face never found a production company where a producer, after we’ve pointed
a prosecution. “In the construction industry, you wouldn’t be allowed to out something dangerous, says that’s okay we’ll do it anyway,” he says.
it, Fletchers would never take on the liability to let someone drive if they “Some of the other areas we work in, we deal with fatalities. We’ve been
weren’t ticketed to. The industry is slightly different in that everyone is a to jobs where people have been killed but not on a film set and I hope I
contractor but ultimately the producer would probably be tied to it.” never see it.”10 | NZTECHO Autumn 2013
CLOSE-UP
Keeping the
home fires
burning
In an industry constructed around short-term freelance contracts, there’s an
underlying basis of insecurity for even the most skilled and experienced people.
Long hours, locations, intense shoots and workplace pressures are a given.
So what is it like for women juggling all that plus the sole responsibility of young
children? Dara McNaught spoke to Annie Weston, Dot Kyle and Sarah Cook, all
three are mothers freelancing in production.
“It’s hard to have For the first five years of being the sole par- night. A shoot can be 16 to 18 hours with an
ent of a small child while doing production average of 14 hours. “The worst thing is when
a routine for your management and line producing, Queen- you have a job and sole responsibility for a
child when you stown-based Annie Weston found herself child. It’s okay when it’s one or the other.”
paying a nanny $400 a week. It was a struggle! When working days extended past 6pm until
have to drop every- Especially as there wasn’t much work around, 7 or 8pm she would worry about Isabella and
needing to make extra arrangements. So now
thing for work.” sometimes she was paying simply for the op-
she sends her eight-year old to stay with the
portunity to be available for contracts.
nanny, whose extended family seems to have
Now on the board of Film Otago Southland,
embraced her. Sometimes for three weeks at
Annie started in the screen industry over 20
a time.
years ago. Most of her work is on TVCs for
international clients. Taking on a feature film There is a need to be constantly available by
isn’t an option as it would require several phone and email for queries, which may be
for the next contract or for giving the most
months shooting. Each TVC takes anywhere
efficient service possible for a current one.
from a week to two or three months and will
“It’s hard to have a routine for your child
require one to two hours each day upwards.
when you have to drop everything for work,”
Once the job is confirmed she has to be con-
Annie says.
stantly available.
Annie, who is acutely aware that her location
Timing is tight. Plus there’s the lawns and
in Queenstown and the nature of her work
housekeeping to do. When Isabella started
keep her more isolated, misses the company
school, she says “it was like a light – it gave me
and stimulation of co-workers. She is wary of
six uninterrupted hours every day.” mentioning to production companies that she
Sometimes Annie works two or three jobs has a child, even once she’s employed, as she
at once and has to plan a 10 to 12-hour day finds there’s an assumption her daughter will
around her daughter, usually late into the be a distraction for her.NZTECHO Autumn 2013 | 11
Even with couples, she says, when both are “I’ve had disgruntled carers because I couldn’t Left: Sarah Cook.
working, the men may help but they rarely finish at 7pm, there might still be three pack Top, right: Dot Kyle.
have the same responsibility as women. It is shots to do. Nine times out of 10 when you try Above, right: Annie Weston.
the woman who has responsibility for organ- to commit to a finish time it will never hap-
ising the childcare. “She fills out the forms, pen.” While filming Evil Dead she worked 11-
packs the bags and makes the phone calls.” hour days plus 80 minutes return travel daily.
When Annie became a sole parent she wanted The solution for Dot and husband Sven, who
to have more time with her daughter and works in special effects, has been to have a
followed her long interest in studying script live-in au pair for their two children aged four
writing. In 2009 she was selected to attend the and 12. “The children still need to attend their
New Zealand Film Commission’s 1st Writers own activities such as Scouts and swimming
Initiative with her script and is now on the lessons.” This has been the most economical
second draft. She enjoys learning the craft, and stable way for the family to function.
mostly online, but the nature of the creative
The au pair was especially useful last year
process requires blocks of uninterrupted im-
when Sven worked on location in Namibia for
mersive time and is radically different from
nine months (during that time they met up
a production manager’s focus on tasks and
in Thailand for their wedding). “I encouraged
organisational detail and the need to be con-
him to go. I had had nine months working in
stantly available to producers.
Prague on Narnia before I met Sven and knew
Sharing the load what an invaluable experience that kind of
Like Annie, Dot Kyle, who is an Auckland- location shoot could be … but it was certainly
based production manager and co-ordinator, very tough not having his support while he
has found childcare a problem at times. was away.”12 | NZTECHO Autumn 2013
Dot has noticed a change in attitudes to being She’d like to produce her own movies one day.
a parent. While being interviewed for a major “But I only have 10 years experience and I’m
production in 2004, she said it was going well still learning and will be for a few years yet.”
until she mentioned she had a child and was
The bigger picture
a single parent. Her interviewer’s face said it
all and her intuition that she wouldn’t secure Auckland-based Sarah Cook has 14 years
that job was right. In 2007 she went to Prague experience as a production manager and
to work on The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince producer and is sole parent to a four-year-old
Caspian. She was only able to do this with daughter. Commitment to work is para-
the support of her family who cared for her mount, she says. “You’re only as good as your
young daughter. Yes, she took some flak from last job so you need to give 110%.”
outsiders, but found comfort with her peers in Her ex-partner works in the industry and
film as there were many in the same position. does even longer hours than she does.
“People get close Much of Dot’s support as a parent now Sarah has had sole care since Isabella was
comes from within the industry. “Working 18-months old.
quickly … you can on a shoot is like having a film family as All three women spoke of guilt at having to
share the guilt distinct from, say, your blood family. People work so hard at a job that kept them away
get close quickly … you can share the guilt from their children. Sarah, who has just
and triumphs with and triumphs with other parents!” produced the Escalator feature Fantail, has an
other parents.” She says there is subtle change when work- excellent day care close to home, two regular
ing with producers who also have children babysitters and sends her daughter to her
as they have a level of understanding about mother’s in Wellington when she is shoot-
that – it doesn’t affect the hours you work ing. Sarah enjoys the people she works with
or the requirements of the job, but there is and the problem solving, but finds being a
an acknowledgement of the added pressures producer is stressful at times. “The produc-
involved. “Except I haven’t been able to do a tion manager role has responsibility just for
school camp yet, I do feel guilty about hav- the organisational aspects where the producer
ing to leave that to other parents.” Attending has to be across everything.”
industry events, such as Women in Film and She says “it’s an industry where people see
Television evenings is hard, tough going when you at your best and worst, you form close
networking is crucial. relationships quickly.” She finds people are
Dot is also part of a small Facebook forum willing to help out with her child when she
for friends in the industry and they compare comes in to the office, but does worry in case
notes about – yes, their guilt – and childcare she is distracting others.
arrangements, they try when they can to get Oddly enough, when her daughter was born,
the kids together. she actually started stressing less on the job as
But she loves the work because every job is she realised there was more to life than work.
different. Dot loves the challenges and need- “She’s bigger and more important than film-
ing to be resourceful and respond quickly. ing and I love having her.”
For all your
Physical
Effects
Requirements
166 Railside Ave, Henderson, Auckland. Tel: +64 9 837 8641 www.filmfx.co.nzNZTECHO Autumn 2013 | 13
NON-GUILD MEMBER CARD
I choose not to be a member of the NZFVTG as the Guild does nothing for me.
Therefore, I am exempt to all the benefits previously determined and agreed to between
producers and the Guild throughout the years.
7 Alterations to Engagement Rules 7 Production Travel Allowances
I am so grateful to have been chosen to work that I have no problem with being unable to I am prepared to fly, walk, drive or swim to any destination at my own expense and in my
charge cancellation even if I am driving to the job. I additionally have no problem with other own time.
work that may have been lost during this time. I will additionally pay for my own accommodation, and do not expect any per diems for out
7 Duration of the Working Day and Week of town expenses.
There is no limit – I will work till I drop. 7 Fees and Expenses
7 Overtime Allowances I am prepared to allow the production pompany to pay without limitation when they can.
I will work for 24-hours at a standard daily rate that I will independently set, and which will The production company may also deduct any additional charges from my invoice as they
have no alignment with other industry rates. see fit without consultation.
7 Public Holiday Payments 7 Health & Safety Policies
I am prepared to work on Christmas Day and Good Friday at no additional charge. I accept being personally placed into any situation the production company chooses to put
me in – albeit burning buildings, the middle of motorways, high-rise ledges, and I do not
7 Turnaround expect to be provided with any fire protection equipment, reflective jackets or harnesses.
I will work for the duration of the contract without sleep or rest. I require no safety support personnel.
7 Meal and Refreshment Breaks 7 Dispute and Resolution Services
I will bring my own flask and sandwiches. There will never be a problem as I am prepared to be flogged.
Out of respect for my fellow work colleagues who are paid up members of the
Technicians’ Guild, I am prepared for this declaration to be forwarded to all
production companies so they can adjust the contractual conditions of my work. 7 Your signature here
Go it alone –
or sign up for the support and benefits of the Guild
As a member you’ll get all the benefits and support that the Guild provides, as well as the
satisfaction that you’re helping to support a safer and more productive industry for all techos.
Membership is just $243 (incl GST) per annum Join the New Zealand Film and Video Technicians’
or $20.25 by monthly AP. You will receive a Guild today – online at www.nztecho.com or
membership pack including The Blue Book, the email info@nztecho.com
Safety Code of Practice, a Techos’ Guild member-
ship card (to access all our wonderful benefits)
along with ongoing support and advice.
www.nztecho.com14 | NZTECHO Autumn 2013
IN FOCUS
Keeping New Zealand as the filming destination of choice
The film industry in any country needs to watch carefully how it treats international guests. News spreads like
wildfire. Large cities making it difficult for filmmakers with too many conditions and high costs end up being
stung for years and years. TVC companies simply choose another country to film in next time. In a two-part
NZTECHO series, sound recordist Ande Schurr talks to producers Anzak Tindall, Iris Weber and William Grieve
about how to keep New Zealand as a top filming destination, and what we as an industry can do to help.
In New Zealand, we are fortunate to have strong awareness of our filming
values by the many producers who maintain our image carefully. It helps
the world to see who we are and to showcase our openness, flexibility and
generosity of spirit towards all visitors wishing to film here.
These are the line producers whose production companies service the
large number of television commercials brought to New Zealand. As Batch
Film’s Iris Weber says, “the bread and butter of the industry that keep
many of us entertained”. They are critical to keeping our crews and actors
constantly working.
In the pursuit of learning what the reality of our film industry is versus the
perceived image, I interviewed three line producers who each bring to our
shores international commercials. The topics they raise would form an all- Above: Freelance sound recordist Ande Schurr.
rounded education for anyone wanting to delve deeper into the business
solve problems. We speak English – which isn’t a bad thing – and we can
and considerations of line production, or simply to understand the larger
give off-shore visitors a pretty good time. The hotels are good, restaurants
forces that lie behind the workings of the New Zealand film industry.
are good and getting better all the time, the wine is great. We just have to
We know that one’s image is a frail thing, it’s built over a long period of keep working really hard to get that story across to the rest of the world,
time and sometimes ruined in an instant – often thanks to the speed in because you can bet every other country is.
which an inaccurate story can travel around the world.
What’s your background?
I will let our panel of Anzak Tindall from Joyride Films, Iris Weber from
Anzak: I’ve been a musician and an aircraft engineer for 11 years, then
Batch Film, and William Grieve from Big Pictures to take over and explain
I joined Silverscreen Productions as a director’s assistant because I
the issues that concern them and what we might do to help.
wanted to further my career in the creative arts. At Silverscreen I went on
Summary to become a production manager and then a producer for eight years. I
Anzak: Lately it’s just felt a lot harder than it used to be to secure work. started Joyride, a small production service company, in 2003 about three
I’ve seen what’s happened in Australia, it’s a disaster. Yet we appear to be years before the collapse of Silverscreen. I could see the signs coming that
heading in that direction and need to reconsider our strategy. There is no they didn’t have long. I got out in time and followed a dream that had been
strategic outlook for the whole industry at our own peril. We need a forum growing to set up my own company.
where people can come together and look at some of the trends in the Iris: I’m Austrian and started off as a stills photographer, camera assis-
industry, where New Zealand is sitting in terms of the international service tant then DoP. I’d seen a bit of the world and realised New Zealand was
sector and re-evaluate. special. After being here for three to four weeks on a job I had an incred-
Iris: ‘No’ is not something that exists in this industry. The more we can get ible urge to come back. I came in 1996 for a test year to see if the reality
the people involved on the outskirts of the industry to understand this, the matched my image and it did. Brad Avery and I opened our first company in
better for all of us. The image of New Zealand is prestige locations and here in 2000 – which is now Batch Film.
great crew. If any of that gets damaged the impact is huge. So we need William: After studying law and political science at university naturally I
to put more effort into preserving that. The image created in Sydney of not went straight into the film business. This was in the early 1980s. Initially I
being a film-friendly city has spread world-wide and it’s very hard to undo, worked on feature films as a production manager. Then one day, about 20
even if it’s no longer true. years ago, I responded to a call from a Hong Kong production company
William: We can’t be complacent about our locations. Other countries who needed someone to assist them in New Zealand with a shoot for
have some great locations too. Or crew or equipment – we used to think United Airlines. As it turned out the director, Louis Ng, was one of the most
we had an edge over places like Argentina or Brazil in that regard, but successful in Asia and it was the start of a very long relationship – his
I am not sure that is true anymore. But we do have the whole package company still shoots here with us once or twice a year. From that initial job
here – wonderful and diverse locations, great talent, great art department our contacts have spread around Asia, Europe and the United States so
and some really innovative crew, the sort of crew who can build things and that line production work is mainly what I do now.NZTECHO Autumn 2013 | 15
Left: River to the Maelstrom,
Milford Sound, New Zealand.
Photo: Trey Ratcliff.
Do crew understand how important the international service Since The Lord of the Rings came out, New Zealand was seen as being
sector is to New Zealand? the place to come and shoot. We did very well off the back of those
Anzak: I think the average crew member is looking to many different places movies – it was The Lord of the Rings ’effect’. So now we have to get a
to earn their living. However I think this particular sector is becoming more new string to our bow and find new ways to ensure that we still impress
important to New Zealand and for crew and suppliers to survive and pros- our overseas clients with our capability. Not just that but since the global
per they are increasingly looking to the sector. recession it’s becoming increasingly about value. Thailand, Malaysia, East-
ern Europe and India are strong players in our sector and I’m losing work
Iris: I think they do, although overall they have no appreciation of what we
to them. It is not bad though. The United Kingdom guys come here every
do and how much work there is before and after the bringing in a job, and
second year and they know what they’re going to get when they get here.
the aftermath and issues like immigration, the Department of Conservation,
But it’s not just the regulars that we need to keep happy, it’s the new busi-
Actor’s Equity or Film New Zealand. That is a never ending battle and has
ness we need. I just feel that there are certain factors that are influencing
quite an impact on what kind and what quantity of jobs we are going to
people to look elsewhere.
attract to New Zealand in the next five to 10 years.
Iris: Our work mainly comes from Europe and the United States. We’re not
William: Yes, I think crew do. I think most actors and agents also get it –
overly keen on a Chinese or Korean market. Other companies have figured
with one or two notable exceptions. Sometimes the only reason overseas
out dealing with them much better. It is good to know your strength. Places
companies come here is because of the reasonable rates and residuals
like Argentina do have beautiful landscapes but at the end of the day ours
they can get for talent here. We should be grateful for that – and careful
are more out-standing. It comes down to how far the particular location
not to lose that competitive advantage. It is not just the volume of work but
needed is away from the crew. In Argentina, in order to travel your crew
also the type of jobs. Recently we shot a job for the Audi A8L for China
down to Bariloche, it ends up being more expensive than being able to
in 3D – at the same time another service company was shooting a car
shoot it here. So overall it may be more expensive, but because the loca-
job using a Russian Arm (stabilised remote arm) and someone else had
tion is just an hour outside of Queenstown, New Zealand can compete.
brought in a Stab C Super Gyro heli mount – local commercial makers just
The savings come in the execution and distance to location.
don’t get to play with those sorts of toys that often. It is important that our
crews get the chance to work with this sort of equipment and with some William: Most of my work seems to come from the United Kingdom,
great overseas directors, DoPs and so on, of course who, all come with Europe and Asia, particularly China. For European and United Kingdom
their own perspective. It’s interesting. jobs we have a hard time getting them to travel past South Africa as it
is closer, apparently cheaper and in the same time zone as the United
Who are our competitors and where do your clients come from? Kingdom. South America is also a big competitor for jobs from Europe and
Anzak: Our work comes from all over the world. Our real competitors in the the United States – not just Argentina but also Brazil and Chile as well.
service sector are the likes of South Africa, South America and Australia. Companies from Europe or the United States have to have a pretty good
Australia has somewhat dropped out of the game because it’s already gone reason to fly twice the distance and pay more. South America has most
down a ruinous path and so my biggest concern is that we don’t become of the same locations we have, as well as older more European looking
like them. Thailand, Malaysia, Eastern Europe and even India now are also cities and some truly stunning modern architecture. Eastern Europe has
strong players in our sector and we’re losing work to all these regions. also been a favourite location for commercial makers from all around theYou can also read
