Join the Editor's Guild? Pros? Cons?

Hi everyone, I'm a longtime lurker here and first time poster.

So myquestion for you all is, are any of you member of the Editor's Guild.

I've had enough hours to join for quite a while and recently have been trying to decide if it's worth joining and hope some of you might be able to shed some light on the issue.

As far as I can see it, the pros are: medical coverage, pension, getting on their talent directory and the ability to work on union productions.

The cons seem to be the entry fee (which for pension and medical coverage doesn't seem so bad).

Anyone know what you have to do to maintian membership in guild? Can you still work on non-union jobs? Do you have to work on a certain number of union gigs per year?

Finally any advantage to joining as an assistant editor versus editor?

Thanks,

Shawn

I AM A GUILD MEMBER.

The benefits you listed are the pros. The Guild will not look for work for you, all they do is give you great coverage, allow you to work on Union jobs and get that pension. Oh, and you get too see free movies at the DGA every month, and free film during the oscar season at the theatres.

To maintain your membership, just pay quarterly fees. And yes, you can work on non-union stuff. Don't join unless you have a Union job lined up, for to get the health benefits, you need to work a certain number of hours (600 for the first 6 months, 300 hours each one after that to maintain your standing). If you don't work on a Union show, you don't get health benefits. Mine ran out a while back.

Joining as assistant or editor? Well, if you are an assitant on a union show, you must be a union assistant, if you are to edit a union show, you must be signed up as an editor. You cannot edit a union show if you are an assistant until you upgrade your status.

I find it a necessary evil to work on union shows. But that's about it.

My IASTSI memship is on hold. I don't work in LA any longer, that's why.
If you live in LA the there are more opportunities with the all of the studios, which are all union shops. Cool atmosphere, lots of work usually. However, you will probably make more money on the non-union jobs (corporate, infomercials, etc). Assistant editor fee is lower than the editor fee, but again if your going to cut as an editor on a union show you only have 30 days to sign up from the time you start on the show. They don't negotiate either, they are sticklers about getting their money.

Good luck

I have had a really good experience with being in the guild, though after working at a museum that exclusively uses a different union, I put my membership on hold.

In NY, there are fewer union gigs than in LA. When I move back I will definitely re-activate. They also have equipment you can use to brush up on skills. I don't know if LA has this, but in NY there's a fund that allows editors to take professional classes and get re-imbursed for the tuition - I think up to 3 times a year.

I have had producers call me out of the blue for work, because of my listing, even though it's out of date.

Does anyone know how it works if you are on "honorable withdrawal" and looking for a union gig? Can you wait till you get the gig to re-instate? Or do you have to be re0instated before the job begins?

Marla

I think the general rule is you can take the job, start working, and then after 30 days if you are still on the Union gig you must reactivate. Your union will confirm "the rules" though. Good thing you put the membership on hold, otherwise you might have to pay a boat load!

The only thing with putting it on hold, is that when you go active again, you have to pay all your back dues, up to a maximum of one year (4 quarters).

That hit me when I upgraded from Assistant to Editor, and had my membership on hold.

Yeah, that sucks. I think I actually indefinitely suspended my membership vs. holding it or something like that, I can't really remember but it's not actually technically "on hold". They changed their rules several years ago so now If I ever reactivate I think I pay the initiation fee again. Either way they take as much money as they can get from you when you reactivate!

As I recall when I organized the "honorable withdrawal," I will have to pay $900 bucks to reactivate. Flat fee, no more. It's a chunk of change, but much less than 3 years of annual dues with zero union income.

Let me tell you guys, after being forced to join a dysfunctional and corrupt union in order to work where I currently do, the MPEG looks really really nice...

Is there a post-production specific job site (apart from Mandy.com) or magazine for work, both union and non, out in LA?

Marla

Marla, there's the production hub where you can put a listing in for free and also job search. There's also craigslist.com but I'm not too sure about the quality there...Other than that I would just start meeting with production managers, directors, etc. Good luck!

Forgive my ignorance, but what's "the production hub?" a site?

Marla

Here's the link: www.productionhub.com