2012Legal / Business Practices forum
Credit eligibility and union requirements for crew working on union film productions in the United States
14 years old. Gear and prices may have changed since.
What the thread found
- A crew member may be denied screen credit for work performed if production has a specific agreement with the union that restricts crediting for certain roles, even if the work was completed.
- Producers retain the right to withhold screen credit for work performed, as specified in deal memos, regardless of union membership status.
- In union filming locations, a crew member cannot simultaneously hold two positions such as key grip and camera operator under an IATSE contract.
- Non-union crew members working in union jurisdictions may require a shadow crew member to staff the same position to satisfy union requirements.
- International crew members brought to the United States for specialized roles may need visa sponsorship and local union membership, which involves extensive paperwork and bureaucratic processes.
- A key grip from one IATSE local working in another local's jurisdiction may need a shadow crew member or local union card from that jurisdiction.
- Production companies may hire specialized crew from outside their local union area to fulfill creative requirements, but must comply with local staffing rules.
Depends on
- The thread discusses one specific production and may not reflect current union rules or procedures.
- Some participants express uncertainty about the exact reasons for union decisions and credit denials.
- The discussion focuses on one jurisdiction's union rules and practices, which may differ elsewhere.
- International visa and union membership requirements change over time and were particularly complex at the time this occurred.