Author Topic: LORT Ratification  (Read 2407 times)

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hbelden

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LORT Ratification
« on: Jun 25, 2009, 12:13 pm »
I of course voted "yes" to ratify the new LORT contract.  I've read both the summary of changes that came with my ballot, and the committee's report from the producers as well.  Overall, I'm very happy with the changes - I didn't really expect any wage increase, and I'm pleased that AEA held the line on health costs - but I did run across a couple of unclear rules.

I don't have the summary in front of me, so I can't quote exactly.  Could someone explain the 401(k) contributions with regards to the use of reproductions?  If the producer has to contribute to my 401(k), does that mean that I have to set one up?  Do I have to do a weekly contribution myself in order to maintain one?  Or is it like the health fund - if I don't have one set up, LORT has to put in to the 401(k) anyway and that helps out everyone else who does take part?

And does the 401(k) kick in every time there's a recording of a rehearsal or show?  The wonderful new allowances for use by stage management, choreographers, sign interpreters and the like - if we do those but only those, does the producer still have to contribute?

Separate questions about the practicality of the videotaping - It seems like each recording must be tagged for a separate use - I can't record a rehearsal and use it to clean up my blocking, then send that recording to the dance captain to drill moves, then send the same recording to the lighting designer in lieu of a rehearsal hall run-through, then keep the same recording on hand for the sign language interpreter to review.  The way I read the rule, that's four different recordings that can't be copied and must be destroyed or surrendered to AEA after their use.  Are we going to have three or four cameras going during the first run-through?  Relatedly, is there a reasoning behind whether the recording is destroyed or surrendered in each case?

For the actors - we now must announce the recording of a performance the day before, AND at half-hour.  Does this now mean that we can't post a "hidden" announcement for the benefit of actors who don't want to know which performance is videotaped?  (It's been my practice to post an "If you want to know the date of the videotaping, please lift this flap" signs on the callboard.)

And finally, a confirmation - the first few rules about producer's use of material include specifications about which rehearsals can be recorded and for how long.  I understand all those.  Then, in the section about production use (tapes for SMs, Choreogs, Designers, etc.) it says "there are no time limitations" for those recordings.  So I'm understanding that to mean that recordings for our purposes are unlimited and could be concurrent with production recordings - if I wanted to, I could set up a webcam that recorded all of every rehearsal to a hard drive so I could review any tricky sections of rehearsal after it was over.  Am I mistaken about that?

Thanks for your thoughts.
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Heath Belden

"I'm not good, I'm not nice, I'm just right." - Sondheim
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