LightReading Newsletter
August 2020 // no. 01 www.cinelease.com
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CINELEASE | LightReading
table of
CONTENTS
3
A Message from Steve and the Team!
4
Welcome Back!
8
Branch Spotlight
9
Cinelease Social
10
Equipment Donation
11
Powered by Cinelease
12
Introducing Cinelease Studios Brooklyn
14
Events
17
Herc Appreciation
18
Safety Corner
20
Cinelease Employee Corner
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CINELEASE | LightReading
A message from Steve and the Team We are back to work! I didn’t think that phrase would ever sound so good! As we all know, what we have all gone through together these past few months was truly a once in a lifetime event. I am so grateful that the Cinelease family remained healthy and safe throughout this event. I truly believe that this experience has made us stronger and closer as a Company. I want to thank those Managers and all their efforts to make sure all our locations remained secure during this time. We also wish to thank the entire Team at HERC Rentals, for the many ways they supported us during this event and will continue to support us as we get back on our feet. As we return to work, I would like to welcome back our Company Newsletter, “Light Reading”. We are excited to put our newsletter into production again, with so many great stories about our employees, events we have attended, TV and Film projects we have serviced, promotions and anniversaries, safety tips and news about our Studio business. Our goal is for all us of to continue to stay connected, keep current, and learn all about what’s happening with this great Company of ours. I want to thank the Team at Rebel Marketing Pros for jump starting and putting our Newsletter together! Since our inception in 1977, starting out as a mom and pop shop to where we are now, as a publicly owned top tier rental business, we have gone through many events during that time frame, including industry strikes, economic downturns, earthquakes, industry consolidations, changes in equipment technology and now a pandemic. What I have learned and observed most is that each event has made us stronger. The “We Are in This Together” concept has worked well for us as we naturally come together in times like these. We have a great ability to adapt. Our very talented Team is always very resourceful in creating solutions while at the same time, we keep our sense of humor, which one of the best parts! During the next few months the world that we live in as well as the Industry that we work in will be adjusting and establishing a “new normal”. I know we will meet these challenges, face to face, whatever they may be, because we have done it before. We will continue to find solutions for our customers and keep our gold standard reputation. Our health and safety will always be a priority for all of us. I want to thank everyone for their efforts and continued support. I am very honored to be a part of our Cinelease family! Now let’s go rent some gear!
STE V E ORTIZ
General Manager sortiz@cinelease.com
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THE LATEST NEWS
welcome BACK
WE D ID I T.
Welcome back Cinelease family. During this unprecedented time that has impacted so many life’s around the world the Cinelease family has stuck together and we have made through to the other side. We will all remember the impact on our families and friends and the ones who have passed during this time. I hope all of us cherished the time we had to spend with our loved ones while in isolation and reflected on how precious life is. I know we are all blessed to be back to work and show the incredible Cinelease spirit that has made us the Gold Standard in our Industry.
CINELEASE STRONG!! CINELEASE | LightReading
Scott Thompson and his wife and have been working on Saturdays to provide a lunch to the less fortunate kids in their area of Charlotte, NC. They got a group of friends together that decided to do this along with one of their local churches who delivers the lunches. So far they have distributed around 500 lunches in 3 Saturdays, additionally providing lunch on Saturdays to the staff of a local assisted living facility just to help out the people that are working tireless hours to battle this pandemic.
“
We will continue to help as long as it is needed. I know that this may not seem like a lot but every little bit helps our community survive during this time.
H I L’ S N E W P U P B E L L A
- S co t t Tho m p s o n
“On April 26, 2020 some
motorcycle clubs in the area joined together for a charity ride to honor an 11 year old boy was hit by a car on his way to a baseball field. We gathered riding 50-60 Harleys, 15-18 Can Am Spyders, 18-20 Polaris Slingshots, and 3 Georgia State Patrol (escorts). We rode from the boys home to the old Braves Stadium in downtown Atlanta and back to honor his memory.
”
KER RY KEEN A N
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welcome BACK THE LATEST NEWS
O RT I Z FA M I LY O N E A ST E R
D e S PA I N FA M I LY // H I K I N G
K AYA AT W O R K ! O U T I N G I N N E W M E X I CO
G U I L L E R MO ’ S FA M I LY AT H O M E
GANNON MURPHY AND HIS FIANCE F I N D I N G F U N W AYS TO STAY B U SY
CINELEASE | LightReading
PEMA JUNE BOWMAN – B O R N 5/31/2020
B I L L S A N FO R D A N D H I S W I F E W E A R I N G T H E M A S KS T H AT A L E X O STA P I EJ M A D E FO R T H E M !
M ARK W ALTERS DOG HONEY BEAR AT MARE IS LAND JOHN // BRANCH MA N AG ER , PI T TSB URGH
R E I L LY K AT H RY N R E Y N O L D S – B O R N 6/22/2020
ST E V E S PA L D I N G & FA M I LY I N AT L A N TA
L A B R A N C H M A N A G E R - I va n R i vas gra ndda ughte r, Audrey
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THE LATEST NEWS
branch SPOTLIGHT
LA EMPLOYEE OF THE YEAR AWARDS Congratulations! DAVID TARANGO C H I C AGO, I L
MARVIN MOTO LOS ANGE L E S , C A
ROBERTO SALDANA LOS ANGE L E S , C A
In January, Cinelease employees from around the country gathered together for our annual branch manager meeting and award ceremony. This year, we had over 100 employees present, including leadership. The day started out with group stretching and safety meetings on the warehouse floor. Later, branch managers had the opportunity to connect and collaborate in the same room. We shared lunch, Cinelease family-style, together in the warehouse where we were able to recognize Marvin Moto, David Tarango and Roberto Saldana for their annual contributions. Congratulations to the employees of the year!!
CINELEASE | LightReading
LE T ’ S GE T S O CIA L
@adamsjoe330 Director Dean Cundey, sporting Cinelease gear on set
@dp_onset “Good times visiting the @arri creative space today with pops and the whole team” - Gary & Danny Paz
@ambrose728 “Loving the @creamsource Space X as a space light solution on stage!” Los Angeles, CA
@itsericakim “Condor views” Millennium Biltmore Hotel, Los Angeles
@carriemorganmedia Support of women’s weekend film challenge - “Thanks Cinelease for the lift and gear!”
@whats_the_gaffer “Bright and early stage days on Fargo today ...” Cinespace Chicago Film Studios
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THE LATEST NEWS
EQUIPMENT donation
DO N AT ION
CINELEASE DONATES EQUIPMENT TO LIGHTS, CAMERA, DIASPORA Cinelease is proud to announce a recent donation to Lights, Camera, Diaspora, Inc., a local non-profit focused on assisting and expanding training opportunities in Africa’s growing entertainment industry. The equipment was shipped to the African continent as part of Lights, Camera, Diasporas!’s commitment to skills development in the film and television industry in the region. The target recipients are the film community in Lusaka, Zambia via the 1st Lady of Zambia, Ester Lungu, and her foundation, The Ester Lungu Foundation Trust, who amongst it’s goal is to expand economic opportunities for women and utilizing media as a tool to improve quality of life for Zambian citizens. Check out some of the images below:
CINELEASE | LightReading
POWE RE D BY
CINELEASE
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I NTR ODU CIN G
CINELEASE STUDIOS
BROOKLYN
O UR VI SI ON To expand beyond our foundation as a lighting and grip rental company and emerge as the exclusive industry partner: navigating the evolving demands of production by offering an expanded suite of studio management services.
CINELEASE | LightReading
In 2019, Cinelease acquired a new space in Brooklyn, New York. Over the past few months, our Cinelease Studios Management Team has been hard at work converting the warehouse into a high functioning Level 2 State Qualified Production Facility located within the heart of New York, a state offering a 30% tax credit to qualified productions. The Studio is ideally positioned in the filming epicenter and conveniently has a Herc Entertainment Services branch located in-house! Our Cinelease grip and lighting warehouse is located just minutes away from the Studio, enabling us to serve productions in the highest capacity, to date. The impressive space is situated on a 60,000 sq. ft lot, with easy access to loading docks and plentiful parking, making production loading logistics easy and streamlined. Cinelease Studios, Brooklyn is an ideal location for episodic TV or medium sized films, or any client looking for a cost-effective, flexible, and high-tech capacity space which includes a specialized LED display providing car and location process. Our NY team is actively involved in the community, building relationships to reinforce our commitment to leading the industry and sourcing only the best solutions for our clients that have trusted our Cinelease Family for over 40 years.
WHAT WE OFFER. STAGE 1:
10,500 sq. ft.
STAGE 2:
10,000 sq. ft.
STAGE 3/FLEX: STAGE 4: FLEX SPACE:
7,500 sq. ft. 7,000 sq. ft.
10,000 sq. ft.
GRID AT 21 ft. ROOF AT 24 ft. OVER 30,000 sq. ft. OF PARKING/BACKLOT
5.8.20
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CINELEASE
EVEN T S
SUNDANCE FILM FESTIVAL
Nicknamed “The Cinelease Lounge” by film commissioners, Cinelease has built a name for itself as “the glue” of industry events at Sundance. Led by the west coast Director of Studio Development, Mark Walter - The Entertainment, Film, and Media (EFM) Collective launched at Sundance Film Festival, in January 2020. With a goal to facilitate education and collaborative relationships between filmmakers and film commissioners, the EFM was created as a marketing initiative to showcase Cinelease’s depth of relationships and industry knowledge, studio presence, and ability to serve at a national capacity. Cinelease’s presence at Sundance has attracted the attention of Colleen Bell, the Director of the California Film Commission, and other elite Producers who attended the exclusive EFM events at the Cinelease Lounge. This year, the events were sponsored by Cinelease, Film Savannah, Film Hawaii, and RED Studios, with performances by singer-songwriterentertainer Kevin Miso, at the prestigious Montage Hotel, in Deer Valley, Utah. Cinelease has hosted industry events at Sundance since 2004, to drive business and connect both public and private industry partners together in a way that organically facilitates strategic relationships and educates our industry stakeholders. Cinelease has created the ideal setting to attract industry professionals to mingle, network, and learn about untapped production resources and connect with film commissioners, experts in locations, incentives, and Cinelease innovations.
CINELEASE | LightReading
PA LIGHTS, GLAMOUR, FILM ACTION Cinelease was proud to sponsor a table at the recent Pittsburgh annual fundraiser – Lights! Glamour! Action!®. The gala has earned its reputation as one of Pittsburgh’s finest gatherings, attendance well over 700 including key celebrities, entertainment professionals, business leaders, and politicians. The gala offers gourmet food, specialty cocktails, interactive experiences, and most importantly, all proceeds benefit the Pittsburgh Film Office. For the first time in five years, the event will include a Silent Auction to benefit the Pittsburgh Film Office. Auction items and features are still being accepted and will be announced leading up to the event. Check out the pictures below from our team who attended the event:
POINT PARK EDUCATION DAY, CINELEASE: PITTSBURGH CINE 390: Grip & Electric Workshop is a Grip and Electric Intensive Course offered by Point Park University that was run by Terry Shirk. It was designed to give students hands on experience with modern grip and electric equipment that is used in the commercial and film industry today. It began with an introduction to all of the specialized equipment that Cinelease has to offer and then gave students the opportunity practice using the equipment in the warehouse. The students also practiced different lighting techniques and were able to use Cinelease equipment for each setup. Participants in this year’s class were: Leia Crist, Maddie Hardcastle, Noah Lockette, Daniel Loh, Abigayle Morosco, Colleen O’Neil, Shannon Starr, Piper Wadlinger and Brianna Wueschel. Thank you to Jeff VanderMolen, Ryan Washlaski and John Curtolla, all industry professionals, who volunteered their time and experience. Thank you especially to Gannon Murphy, John Stefancis and Bill Fuller from Cinelease for allowing us to have this amazing experience at Cinelease Pittsburgh.
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ASC AWARDS
FOR OVER 20 YEARS YEARS, Cinelease has supported the American Society of Cinematographer’s various events, including this year’s 34th annual ASC awards night, a black-tie event held in January at the Ray Dolby Ballroom in Hollywood.
This year Cinelease sponsored four tables, which was attended by the Cinelease Team along with our invited guest list of industry VIP’s. The night included various Career and Lifetime Achievement Awards presented to ASC member honorees in addition to awards given to this year’s winners for TV and Film work. Highlights included Roger Deakins winning his 5th ASC award (most by any member) for his work on the Film “1917”, and the ASC Board presenting Patty Armacost with an Honorary Member Award for all of her dedicated work to the ASC over her long career. The night ended with an after party at the ASC Clubhouse. Cinelease’s has a strong relationship with the ASC, and we have sponsored many ASC events including the annual awards breakfast, master classes, golf tournaments, and special events including last year’s 100 Year Anniversary celebrations. We also are proud to have three ASC associate members - Joe Ball, Gary Paz and Chris Rogers representing Cinelease.
CINELEASE | LightReading
HERC APPRECIATION
Our entire Cinelease family will never forget the support we received from Team Herc during our time at home dealing with this once in a lifetime pandemic. The guidance and care we received from a multitude of departments was truly appreciated. A big Cinelease Family thank you to: The Safety team for providing COVID19 protocols, the IT department for expeditiously getting us set up to work from home, HR for answering all our employee questions, Sourcing for providing us the PPE and the products we needed to fight this virus, and the Finance group for assisting us with our back office transition. From the start, Team Herc understood that Entertainment was hardest hit by this event, and they had our backs from day one. Their “we are in this together” attitude was felt by all of us, and, with Herc, we are stronger than ever as a Team now that we are returning to work.
THANK YOU TEAM HERC!
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THE LATEST NEWS
SAFETY CORNER
SA FE TY
STRETCH BEFORE YOU USE YOUR BODY Q: “What do athletes do prior to training or competition?” A: Stretch and warm up. Like an athlete, you are using your body -
for work. It needs to be ready. It needs to be prepared to perform the lifting, climbing, pushing, pulling, twisting movements that you do every day. So why don’t you stretch before you start?
S-T-R-E-T-C-H! Use the stretches we do in the morning stretch, or the one’s your chiropractor gave you. Get moving! Do some air squats, rotate your shoulders, loosen your hamstrings, etc. Here is a good place to Start: 5 Stretches (should take 2 to 2.5 minutes)
1. 2. 3. 4.
Shoulder Stretch – 10 Alternating Triceps Stretch – 10 Alternating Trunk Twists – 5 Full Cycles Shoulder Rotations -
5 small circles forward
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5 medium circles forward
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5 large circles forward
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5 medium circles backward
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5 large circles backward
5. Air Squats - 10 CINELEASE | LightReading
B EST SAFETY PRACT I C ES FO R EMPLOYEE GUIDANCE RELATED TO CORONAVIRUS (COVID-19) We are currently instituting the following practices based on guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and will revise or adjust our protocols upon updated guidance from the CDC.
In addition, we have instituted the following guidelines for all Cinelease locations:
We are providing COVID-19 prevention guidance consistent with the CDC:
•
Employees should be encouraged to frequently wash their hands with soap and water for at least 20 seconds. If soap and water are not available, employees should be encouraged to frequently clean their hands with an alcohol-based hand sanitizer that contains at least 60-95% alcohol.
•
Employees are encouraged to follow proper coughing and sneezing etiquette including:
Employees are encouraged to observe proper respiratory etiquette and hand hygiene at all times:
Stay home when you are sick.
Avoid close contact with people who are sick.
Avoid touching your eyes, nose, and mouth.
Cover your cough or sneeze with a tissue, throw the tissue in the trash, then wash your hands.
Covering mouths and noses with a tissue when coughing or sneezing.
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Immediately putting used tissues in a waste basket.
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If no tissues are available, coughing or sneezing into your upper sleeve or elbow (never into your hands).
We will increase our routine environmental cleaning: •
We ask employees to routinely clean all frequently touched surfaces in the workplace, such as workstations, countertops, and doorknobs. Use the cleaning agents that are usually used in these areas and follow the directions on the label.
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No additional disinfection beyond routine cleaning is recommended at this time.
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Disposable wipes will be provided so that commonly used surfaces (for example, doorknobs, keyboards, remote controls, desks) can be wiped down by employees before each use.
Clean and disinfect frequently touched objects and surfaces using a regular household cleaning spray or wipe. Wash your hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds, especially after going to the bathroom, before eating and after blowing your nose, coughing, or sneezing.
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THE LATEST NEWS
PROM OT IONS NAME
PROMOTION TO
BRANCH
Gannon Murphy
Division Manager, Cinelease Studios
Atlanta
Jessa Grazioplene
Business Development Director
Atlanta
Gary Paz
Director of Operations
Los Angeles
Ivan Rivas Jr.
Service Technician I
Los Angeles
Craig Despain
Finance Manager
Los Angeles
Eliseo Barajas
Truck Driver Commercial
Los Angeles
William Fuller
Rental Manager
Pittsburgh
George Chavez
Shop Supervisor
Los Angeles
Jonathon McMahan
Shop Supervisor
Charlotte
Vanessa Rivero
Billing Clerk
Los Angeles
Angel Cobar
Branch Manager
Austin
Brad Kolar
Inventory Manager
Los Angeles
Eva Arevalo
Administrative Coordinator
Los Angeles
Stephen Hipsley
Rental Manager
Charlotte
Natasha Smith
Rental Agent
Los Angeles
With even more to celebrate, Joe Ball popped a bottle of bubbly to raise a glass to the employees who had dedicated over 20 years to building and growing Cinelease into the industry leader we are today! We ended the day with a group photo and a happy hour across the street. Thank you everyone who was able to make it, we can’t wait to do it again next year!!
CINELEASE | LightReading
E MPLOY EE C O R N E R
N EW HIR E S AN N I VER SAR I ES NAME
LOCATION
YEARS
George Chavez
Los Angeles, CA
5
Mark Walter
Vallejo, CA
5
Jonathon McMahan
Charlotte, NC
5
Audrey Serna
Los Angeles, CA
5
Harvey Letson
Atlanta, GA
5
Jose Vasquez
Los Angeles, CA
6
Jamison Amis
Norcross, GA
7
Luis Moreno-Godinez
Los Angeles, CA
7
Saul Arriaga
Los Angeles, CA
7
Jordon Lackey
Albuquerque, NM
8
Eliseo Barajas
Los Angeles, CA
9
Joel Madrigal
Los Angeles, CA
13
Michael Nudge
Los Angeles, CA
15
Alfredo Batres
Los Angeles, CA
15
Nicolas Sanchez
Los Angeles, CA
16
Cipriano Mendoza
Los Angeles, CA
16
Francisco Salazar
Los Angeles, CA
19
Becky Marlitz
Los Angeles, CA
21
Alfredo Morales-Hernandez
Los Angeles, CA
23
Robert Elliott
Los Angeles, CA
26
Miguel Rico
Los Angeles, CA
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NAME
LOCATION
Ben McQuown
Jefferson, LA
Position:
Warehouse Person
Anthony Gaylor
Atlanta, GA
Position:
Warehouse Person
Kerry Keenan
Atlanta, GA
Position:
Sr. Tech Development Analyst
Justin Kinard
Atlanta, GA
Position:
Service Technician I
Tiffany Tucker
Atlanta, GA
Position:
Sales Rep Expendables
Peter Afriyie
Long Island City, NY
Position:
Warehouse Person
Kenneth Kriheli
Long Island City, NY
Position:
Warehouse Person
Dan Schmeichel
Pittsburgh, PA
Position:
Warehouse Person
Tyler Prado
Albuquerque, NM
Position:
Warehouse Person
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LightReading Newsletter