Blog : December 3, 2009 : 2:53 pm
Polanski’s Punishment and Union Dues
(Off-topic: This piece covers a lot of union behavior as it relates to the industry. If you are an indie filmmaker interested in entering the marketplace, I highly recommend you contact the film unions about your project. They want to encourage up-and-coming creatives, and if you respect their needs, will most likely work with you on getting your project accepted by their standards)
Catching up on some old news: Roman Polanski was recently moved from a Switzerland jail to an undisclosed location for security reasons. Read the BBC News story here: Film Director Roman Polanski Moved from Swiss Jail
He’s still in custody, wherever he is, so extradition to the U.S. is still possible. Opinions fly on both sides as to whether Polanski should still serve time for the crime he committed more than 30 years ago. I think he should.
And it occurred to me that the arguments around Polanski’s freedom mirror the arguments I used to level against the Hollywood unions (SAG, WGA, DGA, etc) as an independent filmmaker.
As my company became a signatory to SAG’s New Media Agreement last year, I have clearly changed my opinion of unions. And Polanski’s predicament is a perfect example of why unions are necessary, in today’s marketplace.
