As our filmmaking community grows stronger, more professional productions are coming to town seeking skilled crafts people. To find professional crew, many productions turn to IATSE, THE entertainment union for the US and Canada. San Diego has it’s own Local 495 IATSE union representing all types of studio mechanics including grip, lighting, sound, props, set dressing, hair & makeup, wardrobe, video assist and special effects. IATSE covers "everything but the camera" for local motion picture and television production, industrial shows, conventions, casinos, and even computer graphics. Working closely with studios such as Stu Segall Productions, Local 495 has crewed shows like VERONICA MARS and POINT PLEASANT and the upcoming feature film FLYING BY starring BILLY RAY CYRUS and HEATHER LOCKLEAR. In recent years, the IATSE 495 union has been looking out for nearly 700 local film and television employees on up to six productions at a time. Find out from union representative JACK SHEPHERD how IATSE can help YOUR professional filmmaking career in San Diego!

Jack Shepherd is the current business manager of IATSE Local 495. Jack started with a degree in theatre directing from USIU (now Alliant University) in 1978. He is a proud member of IATSE Local 122, the San Diego stagehands union, as well as 495, and has worked locally for the San Diego Opera, the Old Globe and the Civic Theatre, and has directed shows for the Coronado Playhouse and the San Dieguito Playhouse. He sees his current position at Local 495 as a way for him to help benefit his working brothers and sisters in the television and film production industry, as well as an opportunity to positively influence the local motion picture production industry by looking for ways to ensure San Diego gets its fair share of business from the studios.

Come network with your San Diego filmmaking peers from 6-7 PM, then stay to learn all about IATSE Local 495!

Don't forget to bring your business cards and head shots! And please be sure to tell everyone you know in the San Diego filmmaking community about this exciting, free event. See you there.

For more information about IATSE Local 495, visit ia495.org.

(scheduled guest speaker and content subject to change)

(no pets, please)