For the last 30 years, the Association of Independent Commercial Producers (AICP) has represented the interests of the members of the commercial production industry. So much has been accomplished in that time. In fact, in recent years alone, the organization has made impressive strides on union, contract, insurance and political issues—more on that later. But what are AICP’s goals for the near—as well as long-term—future? SHOOT recently spoke with various AICP officers to obtain their thoughts on the subject.
As did his peers, AICP national treasurer Frank Scherma, co-proprietor of bicoastal/international @radical.media, stressed how vital it is that the organization stays up-to-date on the multitude of issues and forces—economic and social—affecting the industry. Actually, "We want to stay ahead of the curve," stated Scherma.
AICP president/CEO Matt Miller concurred: "The industry is in such a delicate state right now. We have to watch all the indicators, watch what’s happening in the agency business and advertising in general, and make sure we are there for our members in trying to educate them as we move into a new world."
That new world includes many new challenges—the greatest being the increasing globalization of the industry. "Globalization will affect our industry more than anything," maintained AICP national chairman Al Califano, executive producer at bicoastal WildLife Management. "And I think part of our responsibility to our membership will be to bring them up to speed on what’s going on worldwide."
To that end, the AICP recently established a dialogue with the Commercial Film Producers of Europe (CFP-E). Back in March, members of CFP-E met in New York with AICP leadership to compare and contrast ways in which business is conducted in Europe and the United States.
While that initial meeting served as an orientation, the AICP intends to pursue a closer relationship with the CFP-E in future months. "We’re going to plan to have regular meetings with the CFP-E. We want to meet a couple times a year," Miller said. "CFP-E creates such a great synergy for us. It’s the best way to speak with the greatest number of people in one of the most mature markets."
"For us to develop relationships overseas can only help everyone, including the advertisers and the agencies," Scherma added.
While teaching its membership how to operate in a global marketplace will be among the AICP’s most pressing priorities in the coming months and years, the group will continue to contend with numerous issues stateside, as well. Among the most crucial: the industry’s relations with labor unions. "Dealing with labor unions and negotiating labor contracts has become one of the major things the AICP has done over the years," noted AICP national vice chairman Mark Androw, the Chicago-based principal/executive producer of The Story Companies (Chicago, New York, Santa Monica, Dallas). "No individual company has the resources to negotiate a labor contract, but as a group we can, and that is something we do very well as an organization. Whatever we can do to control the costs of filming in the United States will be a benefit for our members, so I think to that end we have to continue to negotiate more favorable labor contracts."
According to Califano, insurance issues will also take precedence in the future. "It’s one of the bigger issues we’re going to be faced with over the next couple of years," he shared. This past year, AICP began examining and comparing the indemnification language contained in wrap-up policies. Once that analysis is complete, the organization plans to rally for uniformity in the language. Meanwhile, for the future, "We’re going to have to keep a watchful eye on how the agencies and clients change what the requirements are in terms of insurance, and what they ask us to pay for," Califano said.
Speaking of insurance, AICP continues to work on establishing a health plan offering coverage to company staffers and nonunion freelancers who don’t have medical insurance. About two years ago, the organization hammered out the concept for a plan. Obtaining approval of its plan from the Department of Labor and the IRS was next on the group’s agenda. In a major victory last December, the former gave its blessing; now the AICP awaits word from the IRS.
"We’re not dragging our feet," stressed Califano. "We need to get the health insurance issue accomplished as soon as possible. [But] that matter is really out of the organization’s control at this point."
Once the IRS gives the go-ahead, the AICP can entertain bids from insurance companies that may want to underwrite the program. Miller is eager to get to this part of the process. Truth be told, he’d love to start working on it this year. But, again, it all depends on the IRS, and Miller refuses to speculate on when that approval might come.
Still, "The progress has been incredible," reported Miller. Creating the AICP health insurance plan has been "like building the pyramids. Every time you get a stone in place, you feel a great bit of satisfaction because you’ve seen that stone move all the way across the desert. When you’re looking from far away, and you see just one more stone, you’re like, ‘God, what’s taking so long?’ "
Playing politics will also keep AICP busy in the future. "We are very much paying attention to the political landscape everywhere in the country," Califano pointed out. This year, the AICP will pay close attention to gubernatorial races in New York and California, among others, according to Miller. Once the candidates are finalized, the AICP’s political action committees (PACs) will schedule meetings with them to determine whether they are interested in nurturing the interests of the commercial production community. In selecting candidates to endorse and support financially, "All that matters to us is how they treat the film business," Scherma noted. "As an organization, we sit down with people that are pro film."
Obviously, there is quite a lot on the AICP agenda. While not resting on their laurels, the officers of the organization credit it with doing some much-needed work over the last year. That includes a major overhaul of the AICP standard production agreement, which hadn’t been updated in about 10 years. "That was a major accomplishment," stated Miller. "It was especially important in the litigious environment this industry is operating in."
The AICP also continued its ongoing analysis of ad agency production contracts, reporting the findings on several—including those of D’Arcy New York; TBWA/Chiat/Day, New York; and Publicis & Hal Riney, San Francisco—to its members.
Additionally, in the wake of 9/11, AICP displayed its ability to mobilize its forces by spearheading efforts to keep work in the United States—specifically in New York City—to boost the sagging economy. "At the end of the day, a lot of production did stay here," Miller reflected, "and the AICP did really take a strong stand, reminding people about the importance of the economic healing of this country."
All in all, Miller and his colleagues are satisfied with their organization’s recent accomplishments. They don’t exactly have time to pat themselves on the back, though. As Scherma noted, "The work never ends. It’s an ongoing process."
