Labor Official Differs With Producer’s View of Unions

Regarding your interview with film producer Lawrence Bender (“Hey, Chili, Meet a Real Producer,” Calendar, Jan. 6): As an international representative of more than 35,000 film, TV and stage technicians for IATSE here in California, and as someone who has had direct contact with Larry, let the readers not be fooled.

Bender is quoted as saying: “A low-budget filmmaker in L.A. just has to pray that the unions don’t catch you.” In fact, L.A. and IATSE will work with any budget to make independent film producers stay here in L.A. This is strictly Larry Bender and Quentin Tarantino exercising their warped mentality as control freaks . . . and saving a dollar upon the backs of labor.

Then there’s Bender’s suggestion that “any movie under $3 million should be waived from any union requirements and with movies above $3 million up to $10 million, let’s work out a deferment situation.” Yet I believe that his most recent film, “From Dusk Till Dawn,” topped the $10-million mark and was still made as a non-union film.

Here’s a better suggestion, Larry: Any movie under $3 million and you waive your salary.

LYLE TRACHTENBERG

International Representative

IATSE

Los Angeles