Posts by Dan Slevin
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For smooth unattended playback I recommend Radiologik. It's pro-studio automation software but cheap-as for the features and supports Airplay. Software preps all your tracks for smooth transitions based on criteria you select.
Add iVolume and you get radio-style presentation of your own selection of tracks - also updates play counts in iTunes for smart playlists.
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I'm told that Peter Sellers chose In the Mood for his funeral:
Inspired by that, my good friend Richard said he'd rather this (and insist on everyone doing the actions):
As for me, this'll do:
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I met Craig Foss at a function once. Before I found out he was the guest speaker we had a good old chat about how to get a US iTunes account so he could watch overseas programmes on his Apple TV.
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If I may add some more When a City Falls links for your perusal:
The Cinematica podcast interview with Gerard Smyth is in the first of the episodes at this link
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Hard News: Like being there, in reply to Russell Brown,
Russell, if you have an iPad you really should be using that as your ATV remote.
I use the iPhone and can play music all night long without even turning the television on.
Makes entering text much easier, too.
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Fair point. I recall talking about them going in with guns blazing, but you're right they would have rallied support first.
I have it on good authority that there was no meeting of the general membership before the "don't work" was issued.
Actor's Equity member I spoke to called it the "fatwa" and said it hasn't even been confirmed to him whether it was issued by the NZ leadership or Aus.
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In my opinion, Simon Whipp has been grooming Jennifer Ward'Lealand and the rest of the NZAE leadership for this fight, for a long time. Whipp and Ward-Lealand presented the NZ situation to the FIA conference in Marrakech in 2008; Ward-Lealand and Tandi Wright talk about NZ actors being on inferior contracts in the 2009 Annual Report etc.
I think all the actors in AE have been gearing up for a scrap for a while. I recall sitting around a BBQ two Christmases ago as actor friends discussed the need for more clout and told me that (as an example) the day rate for performers on Legend of the Seeker was $1000. Ten years earlier on Xena it had been $1200. So the terms were getting worse over time not better.
And I sympathise greatly with the feeling that they had no option but to just take whatever was being offered and that eventually something snaps.
And I also realise that you can't go to ordinary New Zealanders and complain about only being paid $1000 a day so the argument becomes about less tangible (but equally painful) developments like the new market for Outrageous Fortune DVDs and ringtones which actors didn't get a cut of. Which ordinary New Zealanders also don't really have much sympathy for.
As I've said privately and publicly to actor friends, I don't have a problem with the goals. I just think that this campaign was the wrong battle, fought at the wrong time, led by the wrong people.
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It's probably worth noting that MEAA has previously employed eye-watering bad strategy in trying to get more money for Outrageous Fortune actors.
And it was over things like ringtones - exploitation of likeness and performance in new, previously unforeseen, media. All reasonable things to ask for.
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Also, are you suggesting that actors are being cheeky worldwide, demanding residuals?
Many creative contractors restrict the use of their work and negotiate further payment for further (often unforeseen) uses. It's entirely reasonable to expect further payments when a work is used in future editions or formats (or territories if specified).
I know a book designer who gets a fresh cheque every new edition of a book with that cover (hardback, paperback, international edition, e-book).
Crumbs, my mother still gets the odd cheque for acting work she did thirty years ago (Rumpole of the Bailey released on DVD - another payment). Perfectly reasonable.
Interestingly, I understand that John Barnett is partially responsible for the lack of residuals in NZ as they were traded away in favour of increased up front fees back in the early 90s when actors were negotiating with SPP. They used to be standard in NZ contracts (which is why no Gloss on DVD by the way).
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I know a number of actors on LOTR who took part in a class action to get a cut of the merchandise revenue - specifically those where their likeness featured on an action figure or some such - so this may well be behind part of it.