PGA Goes Green

Producers Guild of America Logo

One of the most influential associations in the film and television industry is the PGA. PGA has nothing to do with golf. PGA stands for Producers Guild of America. Producers like J.J. Abrams, Kathleen Kennedy, and George Lucas belong to the PGA. 

This non-profit trade association’s mission is to promote, represent, and protect members of the production team in film, television, and new media in the United States.  Some of the member benefits include health care, job listings, free continuing education, and networking. Becoming a member is not easy. Even if you meet all their credentials, a PGA member must sponsor, and you still are not guaranteed membership.

PGA does have a significant impact on the industry. For instance, the PGA intervened when they learned that producing members were working under illegal conditions for the E! Entertainment Television in 2007. They negotiated and settled with the network restoring overtime pay for the previous three years.

PGA Green Logo

One of the PGA’s networks is PGA Green Committee. The PGA Green committee’s website offers up-to-date information on how to make your production green, environmentally friendly. The green site includes information on best practices, vendors’ lists, and each studio’s green guidelines. Going green is as simple as recycling a prop or using a tablet instead of printing. Their Green Production Guide is available on their website and on their mobile app. The PGA Green Committee website saves the producer time, energy, and effort when they are researching how to make their production green. Instead of having to search several sites, all the information they need is on one site. Not only is the PGA influencing the film and television industry, but they are also attempting to make the industry environmental friendly.

If anyone is a film or television producer, I recommend becoming a member of the PGA. With leaders of the film and television industry as members, the network connections alone are worth the membership dues. The other benefits are very enticing, especially for members who for one reason or another cannot obtain health benefits from their employers. I support the PGA, and hope they continue to influence the film and television industry for many, many, many years to come.

The Mystery Box of J. J. Abrams

(J. J. Abrams)

Director, producer, and screenwriter J. J. Abrams is one of the top leaders in the television and film industry, and the only person to direct two major world changing film franchises – Star Wars and Star Trek. I discovered how inspiring J. J. Abrams is when I did the research for my Keynote presentation entitled J. J.Abrams – The Emergency of a Leader. It did not surprise me I saw that J. J. Abrams had given a speech for TED, a nonprofit organization dedicated to spreading ideas.

In March of 2007 in Monterey, California, Abrams gave his speech entitled The Mystery Box. When he was a child, Abrams’ grandfather Henry Calvin bought him a magic mystery box. For the purchase of fifteen dollars, the mystery box had fifty dollars worth of magic goodies inside it. Abrams never opened it up. It took him a while to realize that the reason why he never opened it up was because it represented something important to him – his grandfather. To Abrams his grandfather represented hope and ideas of possibilities. His grandfather was the reason why Abrams is so immensely attracted to mysteries. This realization leads him to understand that life is full of mystery boxes.

Abrams’ speech was inspiring because he didn’t act like he was talking to the “little people”. He gave the speech as if he was having an everyday conversation with the audience. He was forthcoming with his fears of not coming up with a suitable topic for TED, and how he had very little direction on what to speak about. He described his thought process of how he came up with The Mystery Box speech, and its application to the real world. Abrams was enthusiastic when he was sharing his knowledge on how he came up with the ideas of his past films and television series. It was through his reputation and how he presented himself that established the audience’s trust.

The Mystery Box speech confirmed my research that everyone who’s worked with Abrams thinks and speaks highly of him. He does not acknowledge the word impossible. Abrams inspires me to go above and beyond the boundaries of my or anyone’s imagination. I love the opportunity to work with him. Being able to create a film or television series with Abrams is an ultimate dream of mine. J. J., if you are reading this, “Let’s do lunch!”.

The Lasting Effects of 3D Films

Star Wars Episode I in 3D

With the advances in technology, it’s no wonder that 3D technology has made its way back onto the big screen for round three. Roger Ebert said, “3D doesn’t work and never will. Case closed.” Will the 3D trend in films stay for good?

There is a growing concern that 3D films can cause physical harm to its viewers. The growing complaints of side effects from 3D movies are eyestrain, headaches, dizziness, confusion, convulsions, and blackouts. There is a claim that people who have medical conditions and women who are pregnant are more likely to have these side effects. Why did Josh James, a perfectly healthy eighteen-year-old, blackout while driving home after watching a 3D film? What causes these symptoms?  Professor Martin Banks, a California optometrist, explained that when you are looking at an object, “you converge and focus your eyes to the same distance. But with 3D, you may have to converge your eyes to one distance while focusing on another [object]. So with 3D films you’re taking that normal relationship which has been in your brain for years, and changing it.”  The effect confuses the brain causing you to experience symptoms of motion sickness and other problems.

Your Brain in 3D

Its been said that 3D movies offer a more intense experience than 2D movies. L. Mark Carrier of California University conducted a study of 400 filmgoers to determine if 3D films offered a better experience than 2D films. He asked the participants to watch one of three films – Alice in Wonderland, Clash of the Titans, and How to Train Your Dragon – in either 2D or 3D.  Afterward, the participants were requested to detail their responses using a list of 60 words ranging from mild to intense. The results were that 3D movies do not offer any more enjoyment than 2D movies.

According to Boxofficequant.com, 3D movies’ profits are easier to predict than 2D movies. Due to large budgets, 3D films make appropriately the same investment returns causing them to be less risky and more attractive. I doubt 3D movies will go away anytime soon.

Are the side effects of the 3D movie worth watching the film? In my personal opinion, my answer is no.  Call me cheap, but I don’t see the point in paying an extra four to five dollars to see a movie that doesn’t enhance my experience, and can cause me to have headaches, dizziness, convulsions, and/or blackouts resulting in me ending up in the doctor’s office or the emergency room. I don’t like having to wear the special 3D glasses to view the film. People who wear prescription glasses will have to place these special plastic glasses over their prescription glasses, and I imagine it’s not very comfortable. Then you have to return them. You pay the extra four to five dollars and don’t get to keep the glasses as a souvenir. In the eighties and nineties, you got to keep the paper glasses and you didn’t have to pay extra for anything. I’m still trying to figure out how people see anything out of those glasses. I’m not saying that I will never go see a 3D film. When technology has advanced to the point that I can see a 3D movie without any side effects and having to wear special glasses, then I will consider watching a 3D film. Until that time, I’m happy watching and getting lost in a good old fashion 2D movie.