SERVING THE UNION

It began for me as a simple desire to create pictures. Early on in life I was influenced by the visual images created by others, which fostered the drive in me to create visual images that told stories. As I grew, that passion grew, as did the methods available to create those images and tell those stories. Today, as a cinematographer, I think of my craft as the ability to create a vast, complex mural, but to tell the story by bringing the audiences' attention to the essential elements of the tale, so that the tale unfolds as it should.

I consider myself blessed to be able to make a living in this craft, this art and business of telling stories by creating striking, evocative, multilayered visual images. I also consider myself blessed to have worked with talented and loyal operators, assistants and still photographers throughout my entire career.

It is our common passion to create these images that gives us our common interest as an organization. That is one reason that we identify Local 600 as a Guild, because it is the strong pride in our craft that holds us together. In the same way as we share that passion to create pictures-to tell stories though visual images-many of us also share the love of this organization, which protects us, serves us, and brings us together to achieve goals that we would not be able to achieve separately.

Our lives, as individuals, are infinitely better because the International Cinematographers Guild and the IATSE promote and protects our craft as a whole, and free us to pursue our craft as technicians and artists.

There are many who serve this organization. There are those who serve as National Executive Board members and National Officers, as I do. Those who serve on the Regional Councils, as well as those who volunteer at many other levels such as helping put our events together such as the Film Showcase and Training Seminars. There are also those who call in to the offices to report what they're working on and any problems that may have arisen there and who consistently attend membership meetings. Finally, there are those who remember to vote in Union Elections.

So I hope that you learn something new about the craft of cinematography as you peruse the February issue of this magazine. But I also ask that you remember that during the month of February there will be a membership meeting that I encourage you all to attend. During the months that follow there will be a Union Election, and I encourage you all to vote in it. I ask you all to participate in order to keep this organization, which serves us vital and strong.

In Solidarity, Steven Poster, ASC Local 600 President