Recently, a TAG member expressed the concern that if Visual Effects were unionized, he would no longer be allowed to utilize his sub-chapter S Corp. Or a loan-out.
That's simply not the case.
As a studio business affairs for attorney for thirty years, I drafted hundreds of contracts for Directors, Writers, Actors, Producers, Directors of Photography, Production Designers and other IATSE represented employees which allowed those individuals to be paid, by the Studio, through their corporation.
The principal benefit is to allow the individual to set up their own pension plan and contribute tax-deductible money to it. The good news is that the money earned is not taxed until withdrawn from the pension account. The bad news is that you can't touch the money (without penalty) until you're 59 1/2. Another benefit is the ability to deduct "business expenses" more easily. That new HD tv-set, your cable bill, travel and entertainment, may be easier to deduct.
But, there's nothing in any union contract which limits your use of the corporation.
Okay, what's your next excuse for not joining???
Jimmy
vfx@iatse-intl.org
I will not join a union until:
ReplyDelete1. There's a website dedicated to the vfx community branch of IATSE
2. IASTE clearly states how they will prevent the vfx houses from going under when forced to comply with high costs from the union without the studios willing to pay more for the work they ask.
3. IATSE states what they are going to do to prevent work from leaving the US to other countries based on tax incentives.
4. IATSE can show that they have talked to all the heads of SONY, ILM, DD, R&H, Method, etc. and any other US based studio with more than 200 employees.
5. When I can talk to any artist at any major vfx house that has actually talked to or knows about the IATSE union drive.
So, until that happens, I see no point in joining IATSE. I see no benefit for our industry. All I see from this blog is a lot of rhetoric and very little actual action. People can demand overtime and healthcare all they want, but when there's no work it doesn't mean anything.
I have to agree with the comment above. I would love to see a VFX union happen, but we have heard promises for so very long now that the ball is rolling and a website is just around the corner. Yet... Where are we? Are we any further than we were more than a year ago? No... We are not...
ReplyDeleteI want this. I really do. And I know I'm not the only one. But we need to see action. We need to see things happen. No more empty promises.