Mike Kulich for FSC – An Open Letter to the Industry I Love
Most of you in the industry know who I am and for the ones that don’t, this letter is to familiarize yourself with who I am and why I will be running for the Board of Directors for the 2014 Free Speech Coalition.
My name is Mike Kulich, I am a Capricorn (not sure if that helps but it says on my daily horoscope we are good goal setters so that can’t hurt).
I have been in this business since 2004. Like a horny 18 year porn star, I dropped into the valley the day I turned 18, but not to flaunt my goods on camera, but to work on the business side. After a year of working for a smoke shop distributor, I went to my first AVN and met Scott Levine who was then the sales manager for IVD West. He hired me as a sales rep and I began my career selling catalog mixes. Eventually, I got fed up. I went to management and asked “when can I start selling the good stuff?” You know, the Jules Jordan, The Evil Angel, The Wicked, The Elegant Angel. I sat next to Jason Park and he trained me the ways of moving product and building relationships. I was with IVD for almost 4 years and it was a job that I was excited to get up for every morning and get to work. It has been that way ever since. I get in about the office at 6AM everyday and it has never gotten boring or strenuous. Even when DVD decreased over 70%, I still love what I do.
I have problems with what the industry has turned into. This business is supposed to be a family. We need to be there to support each other and as of today, the business is more divided as ever.
In terms of the people on the business side, I have indirectly or directly worked with everyone. I have directed, produced, distributed every almost studio’s product, worked with stores, production companies, talent, marketing, and in the 2 years since I started my own company, Monarchy Distribution, I have created a distribution pipeline for individual talent and internet content producers to create their own revenue stream and brands for themselves so they and their families can making a living.
I am only going to address one ongoing argument in this letter. More will come throughout the nomination and election process. The first one is LATATA, Talent, and Production companies fighting over testing costs. There needs to be a better way of going about adding an additional fee that we don’t know where it will really end up at the end of the day. One of the ideas I had is something has been done in the distribution arena for years. Product. STI Tests as I understand now are upwards of $170 and talent must test every 14 days bringing your testing fees a month to $340.00. You have to understand that studios these days are not floating around in money. When I started in 2005 before tube sites and rampant piracy I can guarantee you that if you asked a producer to cover your test they wouldn’t even question your request and probably even advance you the money for it. Unfortunately, It just isn’t that way anymore. Talent has the power. The average pornstar on twitter has over 40,000 followers. I propose that when a girl shoots a movie, she receives her test money in product. If you receive 15 DVD’s from the producer and sell them through an online store or through your twitter directly to your fans you can make even more than the $340 you paid for that month for your test in addition to building a stronger connection with your fans and creating a brand for yourself. It helps the studios out and it helps the talent out.
There are many issues to cover and I do not want to drag this letter out too long but I will end on this note.
I have spent almost a decade in this industry working in almost every facet of this business and it is difficult to find one person to say something negative about me. I have never screwed anyone over in a business deal and I work my hard to make sure whatever is done is in everyone’s best interest.
My office is located at
7230 Coldwater Canyon
North Hollywood, CA 91605
North Hollywood, CA 91605
My phone number is 818-765-6400
I am here from 6:30AM – 5PM everyday Monday through Friday. I invite any member of the industry to stop by during these hours. My door will always be open to address any concerns from anyone from Steve Hirsch to Rob Black.
One last thing I want to address and implement is a monthly town hall meeting where every member of the industry is invited to attend. Talent, Producers, Studio Owners, Photographers, Videographers, EVERYONE. The only way to achieve our common goals is to sit together and work to move this industry forward. Not have twitter wars for the whole world to see which gives the impression to the rest of the world that we are an unorganized group of degenerates.
Therefore, with all that said, I, Mike Kulich of Monarchy Distribution have officially announced I will be running for the 2014 FSC Board of Directors. I will do everything in my power to represent this industry that I have spent my entire adult life working in and will always make my decisions in the best interest of you, my fellow colleagues.
Thank you.
69 Responses
Mike Kulich for FSC – An Open Letter to the Industry I Love http://t.co/lpgVdIbzdg
Amen. I’m routing for ya Mike! U should also consider endorsing my talent transparency proposal! 🙂
George Spell liked this on Facebook.
Some good ideas BUT, why dont you suggest that producers actually FOLLOW THE LAW and pay for the tests that they require? As long as the industry continues to seek ways to circumvent the law, the industry will never hold the high ground in the healthcare debate. Looking for innovative ways to skirt the law is not the answer.
@Charity, while your ideas would certainly help performers, they are in the long run, also not in step with the law. The waiver you have suggested, and in theory is a good idea, simply would not pass legal muster. But that does not mean to give up on the idea, it just needs to be tweeked in order to be legally possible.
Again, good ideas in theory, but, Mr Kulichs idea about paying for testing are still just another suggested way to prevent producers from having to pay the costs that they are legally bound to pay, and in the end, it is just the same ole same ole, protect the producer pocket book by any means necessary.
“the impression that we are an unorganized group of degenerates.”
Mr. Kulich, that is EXACTLY what the industry is, and until someone actuallysteps up and calls out the industry for what it actually is, then nothing will change. Trying to gloss over the facts, and continue to look for ways to skirt the law, instead of looking for ways to follow the law, then the industry will for ever be stuck with the same ole, same ole bullshit.
Maybe producers shouldn’t be in a business where they cannot come up with a budget to pay for safeguarding their workers. That only makes sense.
Suggesting the talent sells DVD’s given to them for free to cover costs? Really? What next? Moonlighting on the weekend at Del Taco? Covering the testing costs, but paying talent in Bitcoin? Since laws don’t seem to matter why not have the talent sell candy bars? It works when paying for football and cheerleading uniforms for schools. Has a lemonade stand worked? Anyone try that yet?
Great post Cpan, maybe we can make a list of fundraisers for testing porn performers, bowling, bake sales, Worlds Finest Chocolate, car wash, dollar dance nights, collecting aluminum cans, “Pennies for Porners,” or maybe, just maybe, the industry starts to follow the law,,,,,nah, that would never work.
What about selling plasma?
Maybe selling some A$$ is the key to paying for things. 😀 just a thought. @Jilted you really crack me up man… really. You’re a funny guy.
“I have problems with what the industry has turned into. This business is supposed to be a family. We need to be there to support each other and as of today, the business is more divided as ever.”
Many businesses/industry successfully facilitate a supportive family atmosphere without asking or demanding that the employees PAY for the cost of doing business.
That’s the conflict…it is impossible to create an overall supportive environment when placing the burden/costs of that business on those who make your business possible. Regardless of the expense or fluctuating nature of those costs the stakeholder/s are the managers of their business, ultimately responsible for their bottom line including capital investments for equipment, standard overhead and recurring expenses.
“fighting over testing costs. There needs to be a better way of going about adding an additional fee that we don’t know where it will really end up at the end of the day. ”
Agreed..regarding your proposed idea….ask your lawyer to take his fee out in “bartered product” that he can sell at a profit or loss. Would you be offended if he replied…I’m a lawyer not a retailer?
Testing is expensive…so are other costs of production. Asking your help to “front” you those costs is a ludicrous idea regardless of what those costs are.
Finding creative ways to decrease costs is admirable and a barter program with the provider often utilized successfully. Asking a third party to barter goods, effectively fronting you business costs may work within a family without dissent (twitter wars) but won’t foster a family atmosphere for your business.
“When I started in 2005 before tube sites and rampant piracy I can guarantee you that if you asked a producer to cover your test they wouldn’t even question your request and probably even advance you the money for it.” Really? Without strings attached? What company would that have been?
Can I just say the thought of porn stars selling World’s Finest Chocolate and Christmas wrapping paper has me completely cracking up laughing!!!
omg. I can’t breathe…. 😀
Lol Sean..or maybe selling the stock on hand that started this halfA$$ed idea.
@Lacey
Same here…omg I’m seeing roadside hot dog stands and baristas holding signs..help the guy contracting me pay for STD testing
Oh wait, my brother is a pro at a golf course. I’m sure we can organize a porno golf tournament? Maybe a free fuck at every hole kind of thing? Or, a fuck-a-golf club contest? Or, a contest to see who can fit the most golf balls up their ass?
Do you realize how much money could be raised???
Shit, the Hooters girls make a killing and they just show cleavage…
Lurking Reader…said exactly what I was thinking only the word retard was included in my thoughts.
@LurkingReader –
Bravo! I couldn’t have said it any better…
@cpan
It sure does work for cheerleading…but even as a volunteer coach for a non government, not-for-profit rec program (florida) who never saw a dime we had to…provide shade and hydration (and nutrition if over four hours) log kids in/out and none could be there over two, four or six hours based on age…then league had to maintain participant records for five years if we wanted insurance.
The sad fact is truth is always funnier than fiction. How about putting HIV tests on your Amazon wish list?
The funniest thing about all of this is, they actually have held car washes, and bowling events to raise money. This is the level of creativity you wil find in porn.
@Lacey, the porn golf tournament,,,,what is the prize for a hole in one? get it, a hole in one,,,,,ratatatat, bada bing. One female performer took a couple of strokes with a putter, and it turned into a nine iron,,,,,,,,rimshot. Did i just say rimshot?
http://articles.latimes.com/2002/jun/16/local/me-golf16 A blast from the past,,,,this is not Sharon Mitchell of AIM, but funny as shit anyway.
@lurking
I own a business that sells sports gear to schools and towns. Candy bar sales help buy helmets and shoulder pads for these kids and their parents aren’t making money as a result of their kids playing sports.
Producers and agents are making money. Porn production isn’t done for recreation, but for profit. Why can’t they protect their own people?
If the FSC thinks the industry can police themselves then why doesn’t Mike Kulich propose that producers aren’t allowed to work with agents that don’t pay for the testing of their talent? Make sure the talent is tested before they can even deal with the producers.
If the health standards in porn are any indication, can you imagine the health department visiting the Porno Dog Stand. Would the person working at the stand wear rubber gloves. or would they say that the rubber chafes their skin, and makes handling the foot longs to difficult?
Want me to dig up cheer rosters? They’re of age now…you do uniform cleaning…oh wait..you want them to show up look good and pass the cash they raise on to you and clean the uniform they provided.
@jilted
Just wait till amazon gets IRS subpoena for wish lists & sends taxes due notices for unreported income like they did for goodie bags at mainstream award shows.
Is blushing ..tyvm
@jilted
I’m not sure how the general public would feel about prostitutes handling food that wasn’t sealed in a package. I was going to suggest babysitting, but that probably isn’t a good idea.
Panhandling may prove to be lucrative. Could the FSC organize that?
The FSC couldnt organize the alphabet. badda bing, rimshot.
Cpan, did you mean the food sealed in a package, or the porn star?
Sealed food and hazmat suits. If adult performers are working with food how will we know if customers got Hep C from the performers or tainted green onions from Mexico?
How about producers cant deal with the talent before they(producers) pay for their employees test.
The law is clear, it is the legal duty of the employer to pay for all testing,and treatment if necessary. Why is everyone looking for anything that prevents producers from paying?
@jilted –
Well, DUH, the prize would be a collection of porno DVD’s to sell to get your prize money!!
😀
I say we put Mark Kernes in a hazmat suit and let him work at the Porno Dog Stand. He could be in charge of the foot longs.
I’m going to stand up for Mike here and say its not a bad idea. I’ve accepted a shoot before under my rate in exchange for 50 dvd’s that I have now sold all of for at least $20 a piece. Y’all do the math. I don’t think it should be a regular thing but the state the industry is in, sometimes u have to make comprimises. I’ll always push for producers to follow the law and pay for testing and treatment, but until then…..
You win Lacey.
We sill send you 100dvd’s, which will net you about ten dollars at a yard sale, if youre lucky.
Apparently, some of you aren’t aware how some girls make pretty good money with DVDs. (Just like they did with VHSs.) If you’re a performer who is also a feature dancer, and you have DVD’s with you as the box/jewel case cover, you can easily sell signed copies at the clubs you’re working at for $15, $20, sometimes more. I used to make deals with “A” and “B” list girls for reduced performer rates in exchange for the box cover plus X amount of product and/or product at $5/per unit. Some girls, those who featured quite a bit, took cases of units.
Charity, I dont know if you realize this or not, but the reason the producers have gotten away with making you pay for things that they are legally responsible for is because you, and no other performer has ever stood up for themselves
I am not writing this to discredit, or belittle you, I am writing this to challenge you. you obviously want things to change, and you have come up with good ideas that just need to be worked on a little bit. But, What have you always done to push for producers to follow the law?
Until performers, perhaps with help from their agents, say, “We will not work for you until you follow the law,” then nothing will change. Start with one company, a big one like hustler,,,,all performers should boycott Hustler until the follow the law.
But as long as you and all other performers continue to ALLOW the producers to fuck you up the ass financially, nothing will change.
Charity, do you think Kulich would accept free DVD’s as payment for his services? Why should you?
Nothing changes until YOU change, but until then……..
And I bet you just loved it everytime one of these n naive girls agreed with this. You would not offer this deal if it wasnt beneficial for YOU. Jimmyd, would you ever accept this as your payment? I find it hard to believe that anybody, no matter how drunk, is paying 20 for a dvd.
There used to be a replicating place on the16200 block of Stagg St in the valley. They would get an order for 500, or 1000, maybe more pieces of product. If you ordered 500 they made 750, if you ordered 100 they made 1500, and so on. Then they sold them to brick and mortar stores, after making cheap copies of the cover, or they just made their own cover.
Giving a female performer someithng that costs you 25 dollars, to cover the 400 you owe them, yeah, I bet you loved it everytime some idiot agreed to this.
actually, more often than not, it was the talent who proposed the deal to me. But still, of course it was beneficial to me. What? I’ve been a pornographer humanitarian all these years? I had a fixed budget that was set in stone before I did any casting so yeah, those sorts of deals benefited me. I’m totally aware of what duplication/replication costs have been and are. And they weren’t naive girls who wanted that deal. A lot of them were shrewd business women. You insult them by making statements inferring all the girls in porn are naive and are idiots.
@cpan
producers are the stakeholders entering into agreements with agents representing talent where they pay a booking fee for getting talent and then pay the talent for contracted services. The booking fee, contract price and work safety are all on the stakeholder.
The agent is a stakeholder in his agency.
The performer is a stakeholder in themselves.
Agents who contract talent as escorts haven’t been publicly discussed as stakeholders in OPIM-STI prevention because of potential criminal liabilities. I’m not saying talent are booked with the expectation that they will be exposed to OPIM-STI when escorting, only that by contracting talent for an escort gig and taking a percentage of that income they are a stakeholder.
I propose..
That stakeholders in contracted talent should form a cooperative agreement for independent medical services (testing, reporting and related services) where they share the costs.
The provider of medical services would bill pro-rata for each (LF) Limits Form (related medical services -testing) generated at stakeholder/s request during the billing period offering but not guaranteeing substantial discounts for the stakeholder/s
Create a logo for the LF promoting safe sets for participating stakeholder exclusive use on product (websites for duration of program participation)
Provider of medical services posts notice…patient records provided to PCP (primary care physician) upon request along with advance written notice for all requests. To prevent unauthorized (unpaid) use of documentation for medical services provided.
Talent using documentation for paid work will be quickly outed as well as parasitic stakeholders accepting that documentation.
This works with current testing protocol, allows for modification without mainstream media involvement etc.
@jilted
Roflmao…or barrier protection for hotdogs? Disinfection prior to sharing bites 🙂
@jimmy
That’s the point…as stakeholder in dvd/vhs sales business, you offered discounted (negotiated) prices for retail sales…probably offered sales tips too to help the girls who as stakeholders in themselves chose to expand their revenue streams.
No one doubts that a profit could be made…you didn’t ask the girls buying your product for resale to pay for your warehouse bill.
Actually, more often than not, it wasn’t my product I was offering. I was the producer/director. I was offering or accepting those deals on behalf of the companies who put up the production funding and who would distribute the movie. The $5/per for the product was never a problem. The companies always agreed to that. But I had to go to them for agreement before I could promise the box/jewel case cover.
@charity
No doubt accepting the contract value Bartered goods/service vs cash is a great way to improve your income stream. I question accepting goods as a proposal to pay for testing….once something starts its hard to stop it.
Yep…I assumed you to be a wholesaler…made an ass of myself.
You had a standing agreement for cost of goods, overhead and a profit margin… your agreement w/o covers was a steeply discounted per item cost…it seems your supplier was happy to extend discounts to you but cautious about jeopardizing their revenue stream via undercutting…very normal and allowed flexibility for you to pass on substantial discounts to the girls buying from you.
You still sold the DVD at a cost/value that covered your expenses plus a profit without adding by the way…my rent is due so I’m gonna add 50 bucks ..without expecting a slap upside the head.
@jilted
Neighbors want me to put up a kid safe viewing zone or they make me put my covered DVDs out for sale 🙂
Obviously, they (the companies) weren’t willing to sell the girls too many pieces. After all, they could be buying at that substantially reduced price and turning around and selling them to other sellers (the same people who bought from the companies I was making movies for) who could then sell to stores for substantially less than anyone else… if that makes sense.
Look Mr…..make it 50 VHS tapes, and it’s a deal! I will say what everyone is thinking but just too polite to say it. This is the absolute worst idea since the invention of the square wheel. Anyone who thinks this is a jump for joy brainstorm probably owns a set of square wheels. There is just one answer. Producers pay for the test like they should have been all along. If you can’t afford it, then instead of giving those 15 DVD’s away for free, you sell the bastards yourself to cover the costs of testing the talent. If this keeps up, someone is going to offer cereal box toys next. I’m serious about the VHS tapes though…I am making a trip to North Korea shortly.
@jilted
Not a fan of boycott/strikes ….the intent is good but the reality of who suffers more is a huge deterrent.
Who suffered more through the moratoriums?
This has been an issue for a long time…it’s an evolving process gathering momentum or the 20buck / product proposals wouldn’t even be placed out there for consideration.
@Jimmy
Grandpa distributed paper to newspapers/printers, married grandma whose family owned paper mill …eleven kids all branching out from there..into all kinds of industry. Lots of growth and change.
Were you contracted to direct/produce? If so would you have been willing to pay out of pocket to the writer for the contracted script? Or told the guy putting deal together to get real…he’s gonna get the back end..you’ll do film anyway he wants but you sure as shit aren’t paying the script writer too.
Kulich said DVD sales decreased over 70%.
Why would the performers feel as though selling DVD’s given to them for free would be a lucrative outlet?
So, since the producers and distributors can’t move the discs have the talent peddle them in a last ditch attempt to move substandard product?
Lurking: I directed a lot of features. Mostly for VCA and Sin City but for other companies as well. I wrote my own scripts. Sometimes they were fairly short sometimes much longer… depended on the feature. I often shot the movies too, but not always. And I edited them on my AVID. My post-prod company edited for a bunch of other companies and directors as well. Usually, the crews I hired were lighting people, prod assistants, makeup and hair, sometimes costumes or special effects makeup, prod manager, 2nd camera, camera tech. I never once fucked anyone on their pay. Not once. Not ever. (I can’t say the same for people who hired me to shoot video or stills which I did a lot of.) And I didn’t make back-end deals. Not ever.
@jimmy
Writing the script doesn’t change my point…you agreed on a price that included lots of operational and technical support…VCA, SinCity and anyone else you worked for…didn’t ask or expect you to pay part of their overhead expenses before you a. Got paid and b. turned over the goods.
sorry. i misunderstood your point. for the most part, you’re preaching to the converted here. Some companies have tried these scams many times in the past, whether it be product in lieu of pay, back-end participation, whatever. Yeah. There’s some girls who can make money with product, but not many of them. This stuff isn’t anything new. Like that guy who’s fucking girls but with a camera present so it’s not prostitution? Please. That tricks-with-a-camera thing has been going on for at least 15 years that I know of. Anyway, the girls who took the bait for back-end deals never saw a dime. Just remember, a lot of the guys who own these brick-and-mortar companies were in this business when much of it wasn’t so legal. As such, they have an outlaw’s, huckster’s, con artist’s, grifter’s, crook’s way of thinking. Some of them worked for/with wiseguys. Not wannabees, but the real deal goodfellas. Now, newer people expect them to suddenly act like good conscientious citizens and be proper businessmen because their businesses have the appearances and trappings of being mainstream? If you think, no matter how right you are about what they’re doing, that some of these people are suddenly going to abide the laws of commerce and employment and all that, well… good luck with that. They’re going to keep doing all they can to avoid doing that, whether it means circumventing the law or breaking it. That’s my opinion.
@Charity
…until then you should find a more promising line of work that doesn’t require you to work twice to get paid for one scene.
Studios should take note of that. If this business plan becomes universally accepted then producers could bank more. When DVD sales totally drop to nothing then groupons can be used as currency.
In many ways, Not much different today than when I did print modeling in NYC (76-81) ended when I told a make-up company exec FU instead of yes to his demand that i HOST a private party Friday then he’d let me know Monday if i got the job…grabbed portfolio and stomped out of go see. Agent supported me and it was all good till the exec walked into a family restaurant talking shit, naming me as the little bitch who had no clue who he was telling him FU, he was gonna show that little bitch what FU meant…he wound up in the hospital with the warning he was lucky she had the good sense to tell you FU since he didn’t have the good sense to know not to mess with her. Lesson learned..afterwards I got told ..you’re not a kid eating brownies or eating soup anymore.go back to the shore and have fun..you don’t want to be mixed up in this.
30 years later…I’m a policy developer who knows the real laws aren’t written in any book. We write them to CYA and sometimes we actually develop something that works in real life.
@jimmyd –
I can’t explain in words how much I love the game of “as long as there’s a camera present in the hotel room then it’s not actually prostitution.”
Well, is someone getting paid to fuck? Yes.
Well, Is someone NOT getting paid to fuck? Yes.
So, who exactly is paying cash to get fucked?
Well, I guess me or I’ll just give some random chick in the hallway the money to hand over to my hired fuck partner.
And, this isn’t prostitution because….???
No, you don’t understand. We both get money out of this deal. The video I shot while paying this complete stranger to fuck me will be posted on my website so I can make even MORE money than if I just pimped myself out by the hour…. See? It’s fucking genius!!!
Yeah, you’re a real fucking genius there… make sure you keep on publicly advertising while you’re at it… there’s nothing better than drawing as much attention to yourself as humanly possible while paying someone else to fuck you. Genius.
Mike Kulich asked me to post this because he is having problems posting…Im workin on that meantime heres his response
I was merely stating a concept. Not something I was ready to implement on day one. We have a problem with testing obviously and the burden needs to fall somewhere. Talent complains about studios not wanting to pay for testing. When we were selling 10,000 pieces per title and paying higher rates it was a different story. The next time talent wants to bitch about why the business sucks or there is no work, don’t tweet to your new scene on Brazzers of Reality Kings or Digital Playground or Twistys or a Tube Site. I see it all the time. That is why the business sucks. The industry isn’t about content anymore. It’s about traffic. This whole thread is specifically the reason I said if I were elected I would have an open door policy and monthly townhall meetings. I don’t think the answer is adding an additional fee to the agents. NO ONE and I mean NO ONE should ever profit from testing. Period.
I have seen tons of girls with online stores that sell DVD’s for 40 bucks. I know one girl who had her own booth at AVN 2013 who made over 6k selling DVD’s and autographed 8X10’s. This was merely just a suggestion.
One thing that anyone in this business will tell you about me is I am the most approachable person you will ever meet. My e-mail is [email protected] If you have any suggestions, please feel free to send them to me and if I am elected I will do my best to bring them to the table.
Rob Black spent 5 hours blasting me today but of the 4 times I called his cell he didn’t pick up once to talk to me when I told him straight up, I think you have some decent ideas and would love to talk and hear you out and see what we can do together.
Everyone wants to complain and say this is the way it is and this is the way it should be. If you want it that way, elect a person who will listen to what you have to say and try to put it into practice for you.
@Lacey
Don’t forget the 2257 to really make it legal 🙂
Talent posting links to their new scenes on tubes isn’t hurting the business. The fans already know to go to the tubes first if they don’t plan on buying a disc or joining a website. Fans don’t have a problem paying for something they want. The fans that don’t pay never would have bought the disc in the first place. If someone sees a scene on a tubesite and it is good then why aren’t they buying it in record numbers? Maybe it is because it isn’t that good. The problem is the porn companies giving the fans something of so little substance. Why would fans pay 25-60 dollars for a disc with one person they like in it? The fans have called the companies on the scam. They’ve been burned far too many times to shell out cash to have a disc sit and collect dust so they’ll let the companies deal with dusting them off in their warehouses instead.
To the talent out there:
If a company is moving so few pieces and cannot afford to pay for your testing then you need to find a different company because that company is screwing you so they don’t go belly-up. Would you strip at a club that doesn’t bring in customers? If a business cannot afford to protect their workers then it is a business that you shouldn’t work for. They can’t make money without you. You call the shots and when enough of you do then the business will change. Working for product is a horrible idea. A company-owner scolding the talent and putting any blame on them for the state of the business is rather sickening because the company owners and producers aren’t the ones being exposed to HIV and Hep-C for what is now considered chump change. For shame…
Rachel
@Mike Ty for posting Mikes response
@Mike…good luck in nominations and election process
No matter what happens get used to people being very vocal and opinionated about your actions after the fact and best ideas in the process. it isn’t personal but people can and will be personally offensive in the process, probably more than you imagine leading to wonder…why did I do this?
Serving on boards can be a lot of fun but will never be easy! Despite pre planned mtg agendas, everyone has their pet project, conflicting priorities, ad-hoc committees, and are limited by life’s demands outside the board so nothing is simple or quick. Hang tough and stay true to yourself.
Well, you definitely have some balls.
As you have seen, many of us here are extremely outspoken when it comes to issues and proposed solutions. I would sincerely hope you don’t take them personally, but we would ultimately challenge almost every single solution put on the table.
This isn’t necessarily a bad thing either. The only way to a real solution that hopefully benefits all parties involved is putting a proposal on the table for debate to see if it may work, has no chance of working or if there are areas that still need to be addressed.
At this point, I’m starting to think if a proposed solution can get past this group then you may have a winner because we will tear that shit apart, dissect it, put it back together and then hand it back to you with a bow if we can all somehow agree whether it might actually work or not based on the performers and the producers.
Other than giving us a 100% fool-proof plan, I have no suggestions on how to get us all to agree or when and how it happens, BUT it has happened on a few rare occasions!
Hahaha!!!!
Although, we would probably debate a 100% fool-proof plan as well. We’re definitely not easy to please, but I think most of us really do try to listen to every suggestion brought forward even just to debate and fight with each other (mostly civilized, but sometimes not so civilized… it comes with the territory, I suppose?)
Anyway, Good luck to you and it’s nice to see someone not just putting out a fucking press release for once…
@Lacey
This forum is TAME compared to some boards I’ve served on. When the prosthetic legs start flying you know the shit has hit the fan! For real a guy pulled off his leg and pitched it across table of 21 board members, who knows how many sub- members and open discussion people..probably 200 total. He was pissed that his very well thought out idea didn’t pass muster 🙂
How about a good old fashioned cake walk? That way, everyone wins!!!
Look, here is a guy running for a seat on the FSC and this is his good idea? Is this what he is running on? Always run from anyone who pitches or justifies anything with “I know a guy” or in this case “I know a girl” because a bad deal is on the way. I know a guy who sells copy machine paper, He pays everyone with copy machine paper. How about this. Get Axel Braun on board with it and let him start giving away copies of his big parodies. I am thinking he is just going to say no.
@BrookeTyler:
“Look, here is a guy running for a seat on the FSC and this is his good idea?”
Exactly.
I would have respect for him from the start if he said “Hi, my name is Mike Kulich and I’m looking to start a new board and actually give a flying fuck about the talent unlike the FSC. What ideas do you have? Email me and we’ll talk”.
Can you imagine paying $ 340 month for testing and the LATATA wants to hit the Producers for $ 20 a piece for each performer booked.
Something smells like Clymidia. Vote for this guy and clean up the FuckingStupidClowns and get rid of that dum, stupid, Diane and Peter Ackworth and Get rid of the whole board.
The FSC is not now, and never was intended to represent performers. They are a producer organization, and they represent the interests of producers. Producers fund them, not talent.
Producers have FSC. Agents have LATATA(lol). There is nobody representing talent(good luck rob)
The FSC’s participation in the testing program is not for the benefit of talent, it is to provide a service to the producers. PASS is nothing more than a list of names of people who have taken certain std tests within a certain time frame, nothing more, nothing less.
Producers are employers, talent are employees. The same organization cannot represent both.
I do not want the FSC to represent talent, that would be like having the fox guard the henshouse.
All it would take would be for some of the top talent to boycott one single big company, probably for a month or less, and you would see some real change.
Do not look for agents to act as some type of organization to represent the talent pool as a whole. Agents represent individuals, theirs is not a collective task.
Noboy gives a flying fuck about the talent, and unfortuanately that includes a large portion of the talent themselves. If talent cared about eachother they would be insisting on condoms, and not putting eachother at such risk. They wouldnt be making group decisions and saying it is ok to put a bleeding penis into a girls mouth. Guys wouldnt be doing crossover work if they cared about thier scene partners. Who gives a fuck is the FSC doesnt care about the talent? Has the talent ever showed that they care about eachother?
mr Kulich talks about, talent, producers, studio owners,photogragphers,videographers, EVERYONE,,,,and achieving common goals. i dont think Mr kulich understands that these different groups do not have common goals. No one group can represent the goals of all of these very different groups. Representing owners and emploees equally is impossible. Their goals are not the same.
Nothing like this would even be suggested in “real’ world industries. Not even the real hollywood,,,,actors union, directorgs guild, all different groups representing the interests of their members. The FSC represents producers PERIOD. You cant be everything to everybody.
@jilted
FSC has expanded it donations (income) by including Performers as members even holding fundraisers for measure b litigation directed at talent…shouting your freedom is at stake…27 years after the country adopts laws telling every business with BBP to create and implement industry appropriate work place safety the FSC stakeholders haven’t budged because they aren’t going to spend their money to keep performers safe.
At 29 years they actually create workplace guidelines that would first grant them a five year grace period to implement them and second with language intended to eliminate the very performers it is intended to protect..shouting they want hazmat suits…nope they expect you to shell out just like every other American industry has had to since 1992
The law is pretty simple …measure and exclude the risks (allowing bareback) or you implement appropriate measures to prevent transmission. 31 years later the FSC stakeholders are crying they’re out to get us and take away our first amendment rights…bullshit…the first amendment allows your unique creative expression, that freedom comes with the expectation that you’ll conduct your business safely.
@jilted
Isn’t it outrageous? I’m not even go near the apologies for this one…makes me too angry.
Oops damn you auto-correct…apologies s/b analogies