Author Topic: AEA LORT COSTUME FITTINGS  (Read 8427 times)

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MatthewShiner

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AEA LORT COSTUME FITTINGS
« on: Sep 25, 2014, 01:49 am »
I sent this to some people directly . . .

So, today, I went crazy, and realized I may have been doing something “wrong” per AEA.  And I wanted to see how you, the theaters you have worked at in the past, or your current theater deal with this particular issue.
 
I have a pending ruling with my current AEA business rep, who should remain nameless.
 
Issue – Costume Fittings

Contract LORT

Rule In Question:
(b) After the Beginning of Rehearsals.
In addition to rehearsal time, but within the maximum hours of the workweek as outlined in section (A), the Theatre may schedule a combined total of no more than seven hours for costume and/or photo and/or media calls per production.
 
Costume calls must be consecutive with the rehearsal hours as specified in section (A) and must be calculated in segments of no less than ˝ hour. Combined rehearsal and costume calls may reach a maximum of six consecutive hours without a break.
 
Current show:  I have a maximum rehearsal week of 42, with a work week of 45.
 
So, let’s just out line some important numbers . . .
 
I have 3 hours outside of rehearsal that count to the work week, these reset every week.

I have 7 hours for costume/photo/media calls per production.
 
The sentence that I am wrestling over is . . .

Costume calls must be consecutive with the rehearsal hours
 
I have always read that (and had a previous verbal ruling to back me up, from a business rep, who is no longer a business rep) as to mean all of the costume fittings scheduled prior to rehearsal, need to be consecutive to the call.  So, this rule would not allow you to do costume fittings from 8:00a – 10:00a and then do a rehearsal call from 3:00p to midnight.
 
 
So, for this example, let’s say the rehearsal day is 12:00n – 8:30p  (7 hours plus 1.5 hour break, the full amount allowed on a musical.)  Let us say for this example, the full cast is always called.
 
I get a request for 4, 30-minute costume fittings for Friday.
 
One reading of the rule would have me able to schedule
10:00a – 10:30, 10:30a – 11:00, 11:00 – 11:30a, 11:30a – 12:00n, and then rehearsal.  Since these costume fittings, as a group, are consecutive to the rehearsal hours, we are fine.  Each person would deduct 30 minutes from their “work week hours”, and 30 minutes from their “seven hours”.
 
The debate we got in today (and it doesn’t matter who the debate was with),  was as follows, “No . . . any fitting that is NOT right before the rehearsal, would be paid as over time”; so in my above example, the 10a, 10:30a, and 11a fittings would be paid as overtime.   Thus you can have only one costume fitting per day prior to the rehearsal.
 
How  do you deal with this – trying to serve the show, as well as being a good steward of the theater’s money?
 
My work around solution would be as following . . .
 
For the extreme example from my outline of the day would be - For the 10:00a – 10:30a fitting, we would deduct the 30 minutes from the work week, and the 30 minutes from their seven hours for press/fittings/etc.  And then the time between 10:30a and 12:00n – 90 minutes – we would deduct from their work week hours - so those get burned up.  (I feel pretty strongly it doesn’t come out rehearsal hours.)
 
Has anyone gone around about this? (and I am interested in west coast versus east coast in particular)
 
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DeeCap

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Re: AEA LORT COSTUME FITTINGS
« Reply #1 on: Sep 25, 2014, 08:53 am »
Wow. I've been scheduling fittings the same way for years and I never had a problem.   Would this mean you would have to let the actors who had the fitting leave early at another rehearsal in the work week to make up the time?
Could you do a fitting after rehearsal? (still, it's one, you have four)

Also, there's no concrete line saying what is "consecutive" with rehearsal hours, so this is really dependant on what the Rep believes.

I'm not much of a help here. It's just you blew my mind before 9am.


DavidA

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Re: AEA LORT COSTUME FITTINGS
« Reply #2 on: Sep 25, 2014, 09:53 am »
Calling someone for a 10am-10:30am fitting and then calling them into a 12pm rehearsal should not be a problem with the "six consecutive hours" part as long as they have the break by 4pm.

However, I don't believe you can just erase that 90-minutes in between the end of the costume fitting and the start of rehearsal from the AEA actor hours. Those hours would count in the overall daily hours. That's always been my understanding of the spirit of that rule, otherwise you're making that day go from 10am-8:30pm.

Anytime I've had multiple AEA contracts on a LORT, I've always managed to fit them in and have never had any OT issues come up for costume fittings. This keeps everything in accordance with the consecutive part, it just may take a little longer to do so.

It's always interesting to see how rules like this are viewed by SM's, deputies and the various AEA reps, so I'm curious to hear what the end result from the union rep will be. Anytime I call or write AEA, I make it quite clear that items like this should be clarified/simplified so it's much more cut and dry. We all have better things to do than drive ourselves crazy trying to appease everyone when there's so much room for interpretation.








RuthNY

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Re: AEA LORT COSTUME FITTINGS
« Reply #3 on: Sep 25, 2014, 11:05 am »
Rule 51 A (3) Except for days when there are early student performances, the span of the work day shall not exceed 12 consecutive hours.

So you can add costume fittings/photo calls to rehearsals, up to a 12 hour span of day, as long as breaks are proper....

Calling someone for a 10am-10:30am fitting and then calling them into a 12pm rehearsal should not be a problem with the "six consecutive hours" part as long as they have the break by 4pm.

However, I don't believe you can just erase that 90-minutes in between the end of the costume fitting and the start of rehearsal from the AEA actor hours. Those hours would count in the overall daily hours. That's always been my understanding of the spirit of that rule, otherwise you're making that day go from 10am-8:30pm.

<snip>
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lsears

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Re: AEA LORT COSTUME FITTINGS
« Reply #4 on: Sep 25, 2014, 02:05 pm »
I've had this question come up on the East Coast a few times but we've never gone to the rep, just talked it out between myself the actors who asked and the deputy.

The last time it happened was for a five hour rehearsal beginning at 11a, with 1 person getting a 10a fitting and some one else getting a 9a fitting.  The 9a person asked for OT since it wasn't consecutive to the rehearsal call.  We explained our reasoning that since all the calls added together were consecutive to the start of rehearsal (and the shop could only see one person at a time), that we were following the rule.  The other part of this ruling allowed the 10a fitting to have 6 consecutive hours of work without a meal break and without counting their day as a straight six.

So - I'd say your proposed schedule was according to the rules as long as you are within span of day regulations.  But again, I've gone to a business rep with the situation.

MatthewShiner

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Re: AEA LORT COSTUME FITTINGS
« Reply #5 on: Sep 25, 2014, 02:19 pm »
What's tricky is full AEA company (but two), and an ensemble based show . . .

I asked this of 12 people privately, and go basically six different answers . . . its a vague area.

And - this seems to be a different readings of the rules based on the East Coast versus West Coast, as well, as individual business reps.  Vague rules are normally open to various interpretations . . . which is often good - this is getting tricky.

I don't think the union actors should bear the brunt of understaffed costume fittings or a designer's schedule . . . but I don't want to end up with a ruling that hinders production.



« Last Edit: Sep 25, 2014, 02:31 pm by MatthewShiner »
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MarcieA

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Re: AEA LORT COSTUME FITTINGS
« Reply #6 on: Sep 25, 2014, 07:23 pm »
I believe that Ruth is right here, and this is how I've always scheduled fittings as well.

So:
10-10:30am Fitting
10:30am-12pm Break
12 - 5pm Rehearsal
5-6pm Break
6-8pm Rehearsal

This makes for a day with the appropriate break schedule and is less than 12 hours. The only 'hours' issue would be whether or not this falls in the allotted 3 extra hours a week and 7 hours for costume/photo/media per production.

Yeah it kind of stinks to have a 90-minute break at 10:30am, but presumably the contract compensates the actor for this, and also, it's one day.

Rule 51 A (3) Except for days when there are early student performances, the span of the work day shall not exceed 12 consecutive hours.

So you can add costume fittings/photo calls to rehearsals, up to a 12 hour span of day, as long as breaks are proper...

Companions whom I loved and still love, tell them my song.

MatthewShiner

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Re: AEA LORT COSTUME FITTINGS
« Reply #7 on: Sep 25, 2014, 07:40 pm »
Not getting a clear answer from my business rep - - - seems to be an on going conversation . . . will let you know when I get a clear answer.

But, I think, from all my conversations is this is a deliberately vague rule to allow interpretation . . .

A gray area on purposes.



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RuthNY

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Re: AEA LORT COSTUME FITTINGS
« Reply #8 on: Sep 26, 2014, 09:46 am »
Um, I wouldn't do it this way at all. I'd butt that fitting up to the rehearsal call, 11:25-11:55a, give a five minute break, and then proceed with the five hour call, shown in your example. Because, the actor can work up to six hours in a row, if one of those hours is a costume call. I would not, unless it was more convenient for the actor, call them at 10am, and then have them sit around for an hour and a half. This way, the actor has accrued only one hour against his "outside hours" for the week/run.

I believe that Ruth is right here, and this is how I've always scheduled fittings as well.

So:
10-10:30am Fitting
10:30am-12pm Break
12 - 5pm Rehearsal
5-6pm Break
6-8pm Rehearsal

This makes for a day with the appropriate break schedule and is less than 12 hours. The only 'hours' issue would be whether or not this falls in the allotted 3 extra hours a week and 7 hours for costume/photo/media per production.

Yeah it kind of stinks to have a 90-minute break at 10:30am, but presumably the contract compensates the actor for this, and also, it's one day.

Rule 51 A (3) Except for days when there are early student performances, the span of the work day shall not exceed 12 consecutive hours.

So you can add costume fittings/photo calls to rehearsals, up to a 12 hour span of day, as long as breaks are proper...


Post Merge: Sep 26, 2014, 10:00 am
Most theatres I work in, with one notable exception, can only accommodate one fitting at a time. Costume shops, much of the time, have only one fitting room, and Designers and Costume Shop Managers are loathe to run between multiple fittings. And, most costume shops, especially ones with union employees, close down before the rehearsal day is over, so fittings after the rehearsal call are out of the question. And, in many LORT theatres, the designer makes a limited number of trips into town, for a certain number of hours or days, and this is when actors must be fitted.

I expend much scheduling energy negotiating my way around designer's schedule's, understaffed shops, and long standing institutional procedures that sometimes make it more difficult to rehearse the show. This, sadly, is what I have found to be be "business as usual."

The best directors understand that the actors have to have clothes on their backs, and they help engineer schedules that get it done.


<snip>

I don't think the union actors should bear the brunt of understaffed costume fittings or a designer's schedule . . . but I don't want to end up with a ruling that hinders production.

« Last Edit: Sep 26, 2014, 10:00 am by RuthNY »
"Be fair with others, but then keep after them until they're fair with you."
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MarcieA

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Re: AEA LORT COSTUME FITTINGS
« Reply #9 on: Sep 26, 2014, 12:28 pm »
That was in response to the need that Matthew originally stated that there would be more than one costume fitting in a given day (at 10, 10:30, 11 and so on). I was just writing out the call of that one particular actor. Of course, if there was only one fitting request for the day I'd make it as close to the start of rehearsal as I could.

Um, I wouldn't do it this way at all. I'd butt that fitting up to the rehearsal call, 11:25-11:55a, give a five minute break, and then proceed with the five hour call, shown in your example. Because, the actor can work up to six hours in a row, if one of those hours is a costume call. I would not, unless it was more convenient for the actor, call them at 10am, and then have them sit around for an hour and a half. This way, the actor has accrued only one hour against his "outside hours" for the week/run.

I believe that Ruth is right here, and this is how I've always scheduled fittings as well.

So:
10-10:30am Fitting
10:30am-12pm Break
12 - 5pm Rehearsal
5-6pm Break
6-8pm Rehearsal

This makes for a day with the appropriate break schedule and is less than 12 hours. The only 'hours' issue would be whether or not this falls in the allotted 3 extra hours a week and 7 hours for costume/photo/media per production.

Yeah it kind of stinks to have a 90-minute break at 10:30am, but presumably the contract compensates the actor for this, and also, it's one day.

Rule 51 A (3) Except for days when there are early student performances, the span of the work day shall not exceed 12 consecutive hours.

So you can add costume fittings/photo calls to rehearsals, up to a 12 hour span of day, as long as breaks are proper...


Post Merge: Sep 26, 2014, 10:00 am
Most theatres I work in, with one notable exception, can only accommodate one fitting at a time. Costume shops, much of the time, have only one fitting room, and Designers and Costume Shop Managers are loathe to run between multiple fittings. And, most costume shops, especially ones with union employees, close down before the rehearsal day is over, so fittings after the rehearsal call are out of the question. And, in many LORT theatres, the designer makes a limited number of trips into town, for a certain number of hours or days, and this is when actors must be fitted.

I expend much scheduling energy negotiating my way around designer's schedule's, understaffed shops, and long standing institutional procedures that sometimes make it more difficult to rehearse the show. This, sadly, is what I have found to be be "business as usual."

The best directors understand that the actors have to have clothes on their backs, and they help engineer schedules that get it done.


<snip>

I don't think the union actors should bear the brunt of understaffed costume fittings or a designer's schedule . . . but I don't want to end up with a ruling that hinders production.

Companions whom I loved and still love, tell them my song.

MatthewShiner

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Re: AEA LORT COSTUME FITTINGS
« Reply #10 on: Sep 28, 2014, 02:03 pm »
Okay, I have received three answers from various LORT Business Reps, and none perfectly line up.

One says, the as long as the "Block" of costume fittings is consecutive to the rehearsal block, and all other break rules are followed you are fine.

One says, that ANY fitting that isn't immediately consecutive to the rehearsal block is billed as overtime.  But see below for the work around.

What I have proposed to my business rep, and he has tentatively agreed, has to do with the work week - and I think i's a fair compromise.

In the case of the 10:00a fitting, that last 30 minutes, we deduct the 30 minutes from both the work week and the seven hour pool.  No one disagrees with that.

Then the 90 minutes downtime we deduct from the work week hours.  This keeps some accountability for the long pause, and keeps a SM from doing it multiple times.

THE MORE EXTREME OPTION - which was proposed as a work around, but no business rep seems to want me to go to this extreme - would be for the 10:00a - 10:30a Costume to be scheduled as a two hour fitting - 10:00a - 12:00n (so it's now consecutive) - but oops, the fitting let out 90 minutes early.  In that scenario, you have just burned out 2 hours out of the week and 2 hours out of the pool of seven.

Confused . . . well, as I said, the rule seems to be written to be vague.

Still waiting for an official answer from my business rep team . . . but, we do agree that there are ways to do this without overtime.
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SMMeade

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Re: AEA LORT COSTUME FITTINGS
« Reply #11 on: Sep 29, 2014, 12:24 pm »
Matthew, I think you just caused three business reps to knock on the door of their senior business reps. Hope you get a solid answer soon.

MatthewShiner

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Re: AEA LORT COSTUME FITTINGS
« Reply #12 on: Sep 29, 2014, 02:46 pm »
i had no idea there were senior business reps.

are the ultimate business reps?

supreme business reps?

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Re: AEA LORT COSTUME FITTINGS
« Reply #13 on: Sep 29, 2014, 03:33 pm »
(there are senior reps in each office - in LA it's Joe Garber - but as to ultimate and supreme reps? Well, we each have our opinions, but I believe we have a few unofficial ones....)

SMMeade

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Re: AEA LORT COSTUME FITTINGS
« Reply #14 on: Oct 06, 2014, 10:52 pm »
Matthew- Yeah, there are a couple (maybe three? I can't remember) in the NY office. The pyramid is basically like Executive Director -->regional director -->senior business reps -->business reps. The senior reps over see a few different contracts for the entire region, whereas the reps we would contact are usually for one or two contract types in select states. The senior reps don't get involved in the day-to-day as much, as that's what the reps and contract associates are for.