First and foremost, you do not need to join the Motion Picture Editors Guild in order to help us organize a show.

If you live in Los Angeles area and choose to join the Guild - because you might be in contention for a union job, for example - there are a few things you should know.

For virtually all scripted editorial work in LA, union employers must employ people who are on the Industry Experience Roster. Non-scripted union work sometimes has modified IER requirements; you should call the MPEG office for details about a particular show.

In order to qualify for the IER, you need to complete 30 days worth of work on a union signatory show (more on this later) or demonstrate that you have done a certain number of non-union days in the classification for which you are applying. For editors, you need to have documented 175 days worth of work in the last three years. For Assistant Editors, you need to have documented 100 days worth of work in the past two years. Application to the IER is free.

If you work on a show that gets organized - and thereby get "grandfathered/mothered" in to that job - you are placed on the IER automatically once 30 union days have been reported for you.

If you qualify for the IER, you can join the Guild by coming to an orientation session and filling out an application. There will be an Initiation Fee, unless you were on an organizing campaign in which that fee might be waived.

More information about this process can be found at http://www.editorsguild.com/v2/west.htm

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Tris Carpenter, National Organizer
MPEG, IATSE Local 700
323-876-4770 x244
tcarpenter@editorsguild.com