# IATSE



## MannishBoy423 (Nov 22, 2015)

Has anyone applied to Local 52 recently? As in September 2015. . .


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## themuzicman (Nov 22, 2015)

Local 52 is a studio mechanics local, this is mainly a theater forum so your chances of hearing back on this are limited.


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## gafftapegreenia (Nov 22, 2015)

themuzicman said:


> Local 52 is a studio mechanics local, this is mainly a theater forum so your chances of hearing back on this are limited.



Still, it never hurts to ask. Questions like this can bring otherwise inactive members out of the woodwork, and it's good to see CB attracting interest from people outside of our main demographic. 


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


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## MannishBoy423 (Nov 24, 2015)

themuzicman said:


> Local 52 is a studio mechanics local, this is mainly a theater forum so your chances of hearing back on this are limited.


We're all stagehands.


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## SteveB (Nov 25, 2015)

MannishBoy423 said:


> We're all stagehands.



And you might be surprised at how many Local 52 folks have never been inside a theater (and never will be). The construction carpenters frequently come from the trades. Dressers have probably never worked props on a show. Grips ?, maybe have moved some stage scenery around. 

Possibly only the electricians have done some theater work and I know that two of the IA52 folks who have contributed here, Kelly Britt and Ted Reid both have theater backgrounds, but those are the only folks I can recall hanging around the CB hallways.


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## MannishBoy423 (Nov 25, 2015)

SteveB said:


> And you might be surprised at how many Local 52 folks have never been inside a theater (and never will be). The construction carpenters frequently come from the trades. Dressers have probably never worked props on a show. Grips ?, maybe have moved some stage scenery around.
> 
> Possibly only the electricians have done some theater work and I know that two of the IA52 folks who have contributed here, Kelly Britt and Ted Reid both have theater backgrounds, but those are the only folks I can recall hanging around the CB hallways.


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## MannishBoy423 (Nov 25, 2015)

That's wonderful. Thank you for the insight. But you need only reply if you can answer my simple, humble question.


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## SteveB (Nov 25, 2015)

I replied to your comment about all being stagehands. Which as I indicated, Local 52 folks don't really consider themselves, thus as per muzicmans post, you may not get a reply.

But good luck with your humble question and as BTW, you don't get to choose who replies and with what useful or not, information they reply with and as note, I found your post rude and snarky.


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## gafftaper (Nov 26, 2015)

MannishBoy423 said:


> That's wonderful. Thank you for the insight. But you need only reply if you can answer my simple, humble question.


 Steve may have not given you the answer you wanted, but it was helpful and informative. Being snarky to someone who is well known and liked in the community here and has 3,200 more posts than you do won't help you get the answer you are looking for. 

This is not just "the internet" this is a community of professional theater technicians from all over the world, in all branches of industry. There is a long list of people who come on CB, act like they are on Reddit, and then later beg the staff to have their account deleted because their reputation here is damaging their real world career.


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## Lextech (Nov 27, 2015)

If you applied to 52 and have not received a reply yet I would suggest calling the secretary and confirm they got your application. My home local, 9, used to have a bunch of members who had cards in both locals so there was at one point cross pollination. Here is their contact info:

*International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees, AFL-CIO,CLC*
19-02 Steinway Street, Astoria, NY 11105
Phone: 718-906-9440 | Fax: 718-777-1820 | E-mail: [email protected]


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## MannishBoy423 (Nov 27, 2015)

ANYWAY
Thanks lextech. I've been in touch with them and I take the test in January. There's lots of cross-pollination around here as well and it looks like I'm about to have 2 cards myself, so that's good to hear.


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## GreyWyvern (Nov 27, 2015)

MannishBoy423 said:


> ANYWAY


And that is definitely not a good attitude to have towards a senior member of the site. Saying sorry would be much better than a second snarky reply. Like @gafftaper said, this isn't just another site on the internet. It is a far-reaching community of professionals. Continuing to talk the way you are will only hurt you and your ability to get hired. You never know who is reading your posts here whether they are a member or not.


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## SteveB (Nov 27, 2015)

MannishBoy423 said:


> ANYWAY
> Thanks lextech. I've been in touch with them and I take the test in January. There's lots of cross-pollination around here as well and it looks like I'm about to have 2 cards myself, so that's good to hear.



I am beyond needing an apology and take it all as just typical NY attitude, which I dish out on occasion as well. 

Mannish, glad to hear you are taking the test and best of luck with it. I actually knew a guy who took it 9 times and failed all, before the BA nicely told him maybe to find other work. He's now Local One (just kidding). 

As well, you will be needing to cultivate friends among the Local as they need to vote you in. 

It's a good local, they have been super, super busy the past 2 years and hopefully that will continue. 

As to cross pollination ?. I disagree. My wife is an 829 scenic and works a lot of movies, thus I've come to meet a lot of 52 grips, dressers and carpenters, but only a few electricians. My earlier comment stands as to many of the 52 folks I know did not come from theater backgrounds, typically, but got into it another way. Of the maybe 15-20 carpenters we know, I only know of one who has a Local One card and has done theater and another head who did theater in college but never worked in a theater as he immediately got work in 52 and has done movies since. 

My wife just commented when asked that very few she knows have theatrical backgrounds, while of the Local One folks, probably half have college degrees in technical theater. She even stated that she was surprised when she got in Local 829 how few scenics came from theater and had technical degrees and how few knew what Down Stage meant.

As well and for the IATSE locals in NY, you could be dual carded but if you divide your time between both worlds, you may have trouble making your hours for the year out of either local, to get benefits. In most cases your contacts for work are in one or the other local and if you try to divide your time, refusing work when it comes as a result, AND NOT WORKING THE OTHER GIG IN THE LOCAL, you quickly find your self out of work. 

A result of all this is there is (as far as I've seen) very little cross-pollinization as it doesn't pay. A result of that is that in a week, nobody from 52 replied to your OP as the typical 52 grip/whatever probably doesn't know that Control Booth exists.


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## MannishBoy423 (Nov 27, 2015)

Steve, Thanks so much. And I do apologize for the attitude.
As for cross-pollination, I should've been more clear on that I've seen 52 borrow from other locals, leading me to believe that many have worked in both worlds on an as-needed or situational basis. And I've definitely witnessed and overheard the issues that go along with it. 

I'm versed in various realms of the industry (theater, corporate, film, etc.) but I'm looking to homebase my work, hence applying to local 52 among others.

I've just been curious to see who has officially applied, out of the many people who may have worked with them here and there. I know the application process is fairly new and different (for various reasons), and so I'm looking forward to seeing how everything pans out. I'm not TOO worried about the test, though I hear it's different than your typical local craft test.

BTW hope the guy you knew found his way lol.


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