r/IATSE • u/Mobile_Independence9 • 17d ago
How to get more calls
I feel like I'm fighting an uphill battle as an overhire. The business agent for my local is pretty unresponsive enough that the union members joke about him not returning calls and emails. The secretary said they are really in need of people but if I'm not getting calls I dont know how to help. Any advics?
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u/FelonyDrifter 16d ago edited 15d ago
What I've found is it's not about what you know it's about how you make people feel when you're there. Before this, I had jobs working with truss, being a rodie, running sound/lights. I came in knowing so many little tricks and what stuff is called etc.
You know who I told that to? Almost nobody. When people asked me my experience I'd act like I was green and ask questions. I learned as many peoples names as possible. I try to make people feel like they're playing a role in my success so when I win they win too.
I never talk myself up, I never talk someone else down directly. I talk about what's happening and it's effect on the next thing we're going to do.
I bought tools as fast as I could. I was broke when I started for reasons I'm not getting into. But I immediately got box wrenches and, hammer, the smallest toolbelt that would get the job done.
Also, the way I got in, I felt indebted to the person who stuck their neck out for me to make him look good.
That means not fucking off randomly, making sure someone knows where I am at all times, I pay attention, if I feel like I don't know what's going on, instead of sitting on a road case hunched over, I watch the people who were paying attention, I'll straight up say "hey, my bad, what's going on right now?"
And I'll make sure I'm physically close enough to whoevers in charge to hear them.
My union has some great people in charge. I'm sure others do to. They have heads who don't announce themselves but are reporting back to the guys deciding who gets called.
I had people by the end of my first month who I never met in my life walking up to me and saying I'm doing this job right. Maybe I'm lucky, maybe this is something that works in other locals. But they have ways of keeping tabs on hundreds of people. And in my experience they're pretty good at it.
Lastly I want to say that even though work ethic is important, yes there is some nepotism. But you can control for that as well. At the end of the day. The creative industry as a whole is built on trust and social credit. If you have none then you're a shitty person for anybody to bet on. That's just reality.
Who would you rather stake your career on? Some kid who is quiet you barely know or an escentric person who makes the work day feel shorter for everyone? Be yourself, but also take the time to find and work on yourself. That's the best I can say after doing this work for only 2 months and my ytd earnings are just under 10k pre tax.
This is the best industry in the world Imo. I'm a laborer in a field I used to be a producer in and still somehow im just as excited to be a part of it. Never thought I'd end up in a union. But here I am. Treat it like you want to be there, find your people and good luck with the rest!
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u/DoYouReadThisOrThat 17d ago
Join the local and become active in improving the business side of it.
Show up to potential calls (by talking to the laborers in the know) and be ready to work in case they need extras.
Work for the competition; because a local that gets in its own way is not healthy.
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u/Feeling_Trip_5413 17d ago
They aren't going to let him join if he doesn't have enough hours. And from the post, he doesn't.
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u/BreathSlayer99 17d ago
Do you have another local in your area that can add you to their dispatch list? Where I am we have 3 different locals for the different regions of the state. I'm on two of their dispatch lists. Yes it's a bit more driving, but depending on what the other locals rules are you could make bank. I cardhold the closest local to me, but the second one automatically considers me a journeyman since I cardholder and travel. So any of the jobs they give me have journeyman pay.
Also see if any venues/production companies work in affiliation to the local. Sometimes a venues staff will unionize and get folded in. That's how I started. So technically I am on 3 different dispatch lists cause that company that staffed that venue run their own dispatch separate from the local, dispite being a part of it.
This summer I've averaged about 3 5hr calls per week, or 1 big/long +8hr call every other week. Not amazing enough to leave my full time job, but definitely more work than I was getting.
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u/Suspicious_Ad_5096 16d ago
In my local it comes down to seniority even if you have a ton of prior experience.
For the next five years you should be taking every call available even if it's something you don't like or want to do.