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June Commentary from George Spiro Dibie Thanks
To Our Members for "No man is an island entire of itself; every man is a piece of the continent, a part of the main…therefore never send to know for whom the bell tolls; it tolls for thee." Those immortal words were implanted in our memories by Ernest Hemingway in For Whom The Bell Tolls, but they were actually written by John Donne, a 17th century English poet. Those words could be our mantra today. We are all angered and concerned about the attacks and threats by terrorists and their supporters who hate our way of life. Many members are also coping with the devastating effects of run-away production and a sluggish economy. In these uncertain times it is natural and even fair for us to ask, what can our Guild do for me? The answer is that our Guild is fighting to preserve our right to fair wages, benefits and safe working conditions. We are organizing every feature film, TV program and commercial that comes within our reach. We are counseling members and training them to keep pace with new technologies. We are vigorously challenging the dishonest marketers who are attacking our value as artists and craftsmen by claiming their products can or will make our talent and experience obsolete. We are collaborating with other Guilds in putting pressure on politicians to even the playing field with foreign governments that are offering producers tax and other financial incentives. But that is just part of the picture. As John Donne wrote more than 300 years ago no man (or woman) is an island. Every one of us IS the Guild. My message in this editorial is to say how proud I am of our many members and staff who hear the bell toll, and never fail to answer. I am thankful to the more than 50 members who unselfishly gave their time and thoughts as keynote speakers, panelists and in demonstrations at ShowBiz Expo and CineGear. Some 10,000 people who attended these events from every sector of the industry came away with a much better idea of who we are, what we do and why they should care. We organized a keynote discussion with leaders of various Guilds about run-away production and positive ways in which we can all answer the bell. We conducted an immensely popular Internet chat from the floor of ShowBiz Expo. One of our distinguished members delivered a remarkable keynote address with some 400 people present. There were panels and discussions about the art of lighting, the Super 16 revolution, HD acquisition, and the role of cinematographers in all aspects of the collaborative process, as well as the crossover between narrative and documentary filmmaking. The ICG Film Showcase was featured in a theater and in discussions. Many volunteers participated in making our Sixth Annual Showcase a hugely successful endeavor that raised the profiles of the finalists and our Guild. There are other members who produce our Heritage series, an incomparable treasure trove of our oral histories. I also want to thank the volunteers who help to produce and conduct workshops and screenings for our members in every part of the country. Other members are tireless participants in community out-reach programs. Let's not forget our hardworking staff at our magazine, newsletter and website who help keep us informed and bring our stories to our colleagues in the industry as well as to the public. Many thanks to our talented, dedicated executive staff and volunteers who successfully lobbied for the unemployment bill, which provides a temporarily lifeline for members in need. They are also educating and motivating the politicians in our local, state and national governments to put the interests of our industry and country on their agenda. Finally, our thanks to our
hardworking staff in all regions who never fail to answer the bell. All
of you are the heart and soul and the pride and joy of our Guild. As always, I look forward to your comments and suggestions. Please e-mail them to me. George Spiro Dibie, ASC |