PRODUCTION ASSISTANTS WANTED

*PRODUCTION ASSISTANTS WANTED*

Meospect Media has 4 On-Set PA positions available for this year’s recordings of our TV Sitcom Series.

*Project Specifications*

“Call me Oscar” -- Episodes 103 to 106 - TV Sitcom

Independent; Non-Union; Insured; Toronto Studio Set

Production Schedule: must be available from November 07 to November 17, 2014, 12.5-hr days (10 hrs work + 2.5 hr meals & breaks)

*Minimum Qualifications*

Recent Graduate or In-Progress relevant Post-Secondary Education in film, television, broadcasting, or theatre.

Hands-on experience (in addition to school and non-profit projects) on film, TV set or in theatre in any of the areas listed below would be preferable. Please, indicate specific experience and area of interest in your cover letter:
- general PA/ runner
- stage management assistant
- continuity
- craft services
- wardrobe/ hair & make-up
- set décor & props

*Compensation*

Volunteer
3 meals x day

*HOW TO APPLY*

Deadline: Friday, July 25, 2014 by 5 pm
Email: jobs(AT)meospect(DOT)com
Subject: CMO-S1-PAS

Instructions:
- Do not use any form on the posting site
- Paste cover letter, resume, and links in body of email
- E-mails with attachments will be auto-deleted without being opened
- Specify area of experience in a cover letter
 
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WARNING: Meospect Media

Please research this co. online. There have been many disturbing complaints about them. I am in a position to know percisely why. So are many other past crew members.

Do NOT work for these people. In well over 100+ shoots for film & TV over the space of a dcade in the biz.- I've never witnessed such an abusive, hostile set to work on. It is run by a pair of highly-manipulative sociopathic control freaks, Dan & Maia. They're apparantly shooting a sitcom for TV in Nigeria. The first clue that they do not know what they are doing- was their shoot sched. (30 pages of script/day).

I cannot begin to tell you how many violations I witnessed on their shoot. But that is only the beginning. They attempt to bind all cast & crew to an insane contract (which works out to sub-minium wage after routine forced overtime). They sceduled 90 pages over 5 days in studio last year. The first 2 days were spent building, painting & dressing the set (20 x 26 x 12') by a severely understaffed Art Dep't of 3 (they had camera crew help with construction). When we eventually got around to shooting, the "Directors" (you guessed it) - Dan & Maia - clearly did not know what they were doing- which ate into our day. And with no 1st AD- things rapidly declined. It was then that the manipulation games began.

We went significantly over on every shoot day. The moment anoyone would object- their MO would be: to take that person aside, isolate them for a "discussion" (read: 2-on-one interrogation/gill session) that would consist of them at first begging the person to stay-on. Failing that, they would then resort plan B: threatening the person with their contract- which stated that the poor crew member (working for borderline/sub- minimum wage) would be held liable for the costs of their production- $30k in a lawsuit. I cannot tell you how many times I witnessed this happen to myself & at least 4 other crew. Some to the point of tears.

I quickly recognized this for what it was. They were running out of time & $, and only had 1 episode shot. So at beginning our last scheduled day of the shoot, I informed them that myself & my boom op would not be working overtime. Our contract expired that day & if they wanted to hire a replacement- then should place an ad or make arrangements immediately. They spent the day rushing through every shot, with only 1-2 takes- and refused to allow me to Lav. the talent (I had to sneak wires on them during re-sets). When the time had come for us to leave- they tried their prison labour camp re-education techniques on us in sound dep't. I was tired their absuses & worried about other crew getting paid (since they didn't have their final epsiode shot), and decided to hold onto the sound files for days in which we hadn't yet been paid.

So i packed-up my gear & headed out the door. Maia quickly jumped on my poor boom op (in an attempt to have him record) while Dan tried to physically restrain me from leaving the studio. In front of cast & crew, I told him that was he was doing was against the law ("forcible confinement"). He then followed me down the street, threatening to call the police for leaving with "his" rented sound gear (despite the fact that the gear had been arranged by myself & had to be in my posession at all times).

Things only got worse. I get a drunk call from Maya later that night, followed by an early am call- telling me that "everyone is at the studio, we are ready to shoot another day- to get our 3rd episode. We are all just waiting for you." Minutes later I get a call from a crew member warning me that no one was at studio. The only ones there were those bound by contract- only 1 in Art. Dep't.- for the ENTIRE SET break-down, 1 cam op. + 1 actor who showed-up to get a cheque. Crew said that studio was in lock-down & they were accusing cam op. of stealing gear in the hopes of stalling him & demanded he turn-over his own camera to them- so they could shoot.

After numerous harassing phone calls to myself & my boom op (who she kept on the phone for close to an hour of threats, pleadings) I tried to settled-up with them. They broke every appointment, cancelling out at last minute on me. The final one- I told them i was heading out of town for vacation. While in London, I get a call from home- informing me that the police want to speak with me. So I explain my side of the story to them over a number of days, provide email proof & names of other crew who did corroborate my side. Dan & Maia claimed that I was attempting to extort 30k$ from them by witholding sound files. I expalined to them that it is common pracise not to release files until they have been paid for. It was never their property (until paid for), and they are worried about the Labour Board comming after them. The cops grew tired of them attempting to manipulate the system over petty vindicitveness & told me that someone would have to be charged unless settled. After it was clear that the cheques of other crew members had cleared, I exchanged the remaining files for what was owed to me.

Both Dan & Maya were barred from the wrap (read: survivours' support group) party. They subsequently tried to get others (unqualified) to operate camera for them.

These people are the WORSE of any with whom I (alopng with many others) have ever worked for. Do yourself a favour- and AVOID THEM LIKE THE PLAGUE!!!

Do NOT intern for them- their credits are worthless (unless you want one from an illegal sweatshop shoot which will go nowhere).
 
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