A Location Manager's Perspective on the Golden Globes

This post was written by regular UH contributor John Jabaley, Location Manager and member of Teamsters Local 399.

This is the first awards season in my career where a film I helped make is getting consideration for any of the major awards.

I worked 7 months on the road and sank my heart into a film, and it was nice to see it win an award last night, even it’s one I can safely say I helped earn in no way whatsoever.

When I say “see it win an award” I don’t really mean that at all. What I really mean is “read about it on deadlinehollywooddaily.com,” and that’s of course because there was no Golden Globes Ceremony last night, or at least one I’d care to watch.

The SAG awards will go on as planned, as will the DGA awards. The WGA, in a move I understand but disagree with, will make announcements along the lines of the Golden Globe Presentation unless the strike is settled before the ceremony.

I understand the reluctance to appear to be celebrating when so much of the town is suffering. But I also understand that the WGA has been waiting at the bargaining table. I understand that the WGA has made deals with four different companies, and is in the process of making more.

I understand that this strike could have been over a long time ago if the AMPTP wasn’t dead-set on keeping the internet for themselves.

Much has been made of the suffering of us “below the line workers” and while it is true that I haven’t worked since Thanksgiving as a direct result of the strike, it is also true that I’ve been unemployed before, and I will be unemployed again. It’s show business. Work comes and goes, just like it did when I started off and like it will when I finish. There are assistance funds. There are ways for people to get help.

What doesn't exist are ways for us to individually stand up and say: excuse me, General Electric, AOL/Time Warner, Sony, NewsCorp, CBS, Viacom, I’d like a share of the internet revenue when you make money off something I made for you. Something I wrote, something I directed or was in. I’d like you to make a contribution toward my retirement because I worked 16 hours a day hauling cable, dealing with the neighbors, loading the camera, running background, building 20X frames or feeding the people who did.

I can’t do that. My neighbor the propmaster can’t. My neighbor the actor can’t. Even my neighbor the Production Designer can’t. None of us can do it alone. To do that, it takes all of us to stand up.

I understand that people at every level of this business pour their lives onto pages and into moving pictures. And I believe that's worth rewarding.