Paaramount sued by PA's.

Aspiring Mogul · Feb 4, 2016

The suit, filed last week in U.S. District Court in Manhattan, also says the workers were not allowed to take breaks for meals or to use the restroom, leaving them to instead use their cars as bathrooms.

"Due to limitations on their ability to leave their assigned locations, many of the plaintiffs are forced to urinate and defecate into bottles and buckets in their vehicles," the lawsuit says.

That's pathetic. Big companies are supposed to provide better pay and benefits than small ones, but, in Hollywood, things are forever different. And, if workers are not allowed to take breaks in the mornings and afternoons, their employers may be in violation of employment-standard laws.

sfoster · Feb 4, 2016

Chamber pots are good enough for cersei they should be good enough for a PA. Doesn't seem like that big of a deal to me, i wouldn't sue over it. but if i were the judge id probably rule against the studio

FilmmakerJ · Feb 4, 2016

sfoster said:
Chamber pots are good enough for cersei they should be good enough for a PA. Doesn't seem like that big of a deal to me, i wouldn't sue over it. but if i were the judge id probably rule against the studio

You're kidding me, right ~sfoster?

Now granted, I'm a guy who can and has worked hours on end without having to go to the bathroom or without having to eat, but that's only because I'm a very bizarre case. Also, if I really really DO need to go or DO need to eat in order to stave off stomach cramps or other health and concentration issues during the work-day, then I really need to have the ability to do it, otherwise, I can't do my job effectively, because I simply can't focus or perhaps even move without feeling terribly uncomfortable.

So believe me when I say that denying PAs these "basic human needs" is ludicrous and completely unjustified.

sfoster · Feb 4, 2016

FilmmakerJ said:
You're kidding me, right ~sfoster?

Totally serious.. I did say I would rule against the studio as a judge.
Just mentioning that on a personal note I wouldn't have sued over it.

They were allowed to take bathroom breaks they just didn't have 1st world facilities. If they couldn't take bathroom breaks at all I'd be singing a very different tune.

They were allowed to eat, they just couldn't leave the lot and drive to mcdonalds to do it.

FilmmakerJ · Feb 4, 2016

sfoster said:
Totally serious.. I did say I would rule against the studio as a judge.
Just mentioning that on a personal note I wouldn't have sued over it.

They were allowed to take bathroom breaks they just didn't have 1st world facilities. If they couldn't take bathroom breaks at all I'd be singing a very different tune.

They were allowed to eat, they just couldn't leave the lot and drive to mcdonalds to do it.

One would think its pretty lousy that there weren't even porta-potties on set. Or regular bathrooms if it was on a studio lot.

sfoster · Feb 4, 2016

FilmmakerJ said:
One would think its pretty lousy that there weren't even porta-potties on set. Or regular bathrooms if it was on a studio lot.

Can't imagine it was a lot of fun filming revenant either.

Aspiring Mogul · Feb 4, 2016

FilmmakerJ said:
So believe me when I say that denying PAs these "basic human needs" is ludicrous and completely unjustified.

You're right on.

FilmmakerJ · Feb 5, 2016

sfoster said:
Can't imagine it was a lot of fun filming revenant either.

But at least then Alejandro surely gave everyone a couple of months "Heads Up" before people came onto the project. Anyone involved with The Revanant likely understood from the get-go what they would be getting themselves into, at least roughly, and were willing to go along with what was required. Even the actors had to rough it. So in that instance, everybody was on the same level, and they all had to make sacrifices.

This PA nonsense isn't the same.

sfoster · Feb 5, 2016

FilmmakerJ said:
But at least then Alejandro surely gave everyone a couple of months "Heads Up" before people came onto the project. Anyone involved with The Revanant likely understood from the get-go what they would be getting themselves into, at least roughly, and were willing to go along with what was required. Even the actors had to rough it. So in that instance, everybody was on the same level, and they all had to make sacrifices.

This PA nonsense isn't the same.

Was there something preventing these guys from quitting?

SkyCopeland · Feb 5, 2016

I kind of feel like these guys knew exactly the situation they were in, and didn't quit for the pure reason of later trying to make a money grab out of the situation.

And let's be realistic, Paramount won't spend a day in court over this. Settlement incoming.

sfoster · Feb 5, 2016

FilmmakerJ said:
But at least then Alejandro surely gave everyone a couple of months "Heads Up" before people came onto the project. Anyone involved with The Revanant likely understood from the get-go what they would be getting themselves into, at least roughly, and were willing to go along with what was required. Even the actors had to rough it. So in that instance, everybody was on the same level, and they all had to make sacrifices.

This PA nonsense isn't the same.

Sorry but I cannot provide you with a more specific example of this culture. I can't thing of anything that is precisely the same scenario as the one we're talking about. So you will have to read between the lines and try to comprehend what I was trying to say, regardless of the differences between these two things we're currently discussing.

i.e. This is a cut throat industry. If someone can't deal with this situation described i doubt they're going to be able to cut it on the crew of revenant.