THE GUILD OF BRITISH CAMERA TECHNICIANS (GBCT)

The Care, Commitment and Quality of Cinematography – Through Progress and Innovation -

This is the motto of the Guild of British Camera Technicians – a professional not-for-profit organisation that is dedicated to upholding quality and standards in the film, television and related media industries.

The GBCT represents:

• Feature Film, Television Drama, Specialist Factual & Documentary Directors of Photography
• Camera Operators and Steadicam Operators
• 1st AC’s (Focus Pullers)
• 2nd AC’s (Clapper Loaders)
• Key Grips, Grips, Crane, Louma Crane and Remote Head Operators
• Gaffers & Electricians
• Script Supervisors
• Stereographers
• Digital Imaging Technicians (DITs)
• HD & Video Assist Supervisors and Operators

And many other camera specialists including:

• Underwater Camera people
• Lighting Designers
• Motion Control & Hi-Speed Camera Technicians
• VFX personnel
• Wildlife Camera personnel and
• Aerial Photography experts
• 2nd Unit Directors and DoPs
• Stills Photographers

In addition, the GBCT has access to an amazing raft of new talent working for this industry’s continuing success – Guild Trainees for Camera, Script Supervision and Grips.

With this amazing array of talent and knowledge, the GBCT Management Board takes pride in the fact that its membership comprises some of the very best technicians in the world.

The Constitution of the GBCT

1. The name of the organization will be THE GUILD OF BRITISH CAMERA TECHNICIANS (GBCT).
2. The objects of the Guild are three-fold. First this is to ensure that the value of camera technicians is recognised not only by members of the moving picture industries, government and members of the general public. Second, to promote and provide the means whereby members may meet socially and professionally other members of the Guild as well as other bodies and individuals whose interests are allied to that of moving picture imaging. The third object is to further the standards of professional conduct and achievement by its members of the Guild and thereby inspire and encourage new membership.
3. The Guild will not concern itself with bargaining for labour benefits with employer associations and shall not in any way impinge upon or interfere with the relationship between its members and any recognised trade union to which they may belong.
4. The affairs of the Guild will be managed by an elected Board of between seven and twelve governors. Governors shall be elected at the Annual General Meeting. The four governors who have served the longest since last elected shall, by system of rota, resign each year and may stand for re-election. Members are entitled to nominate any number of candidates provided that the proposer is able to warrant the candidate's willingness to stand for election to the Board.
   The Board of Governors shall elect from amongst its members a Chairperson, two Vice-Chairpersons, and any other officers that it deems necessary, by ballot or show of hands, at the first Board meeting after the Annual General Meeting or at any period to fill a casual vacancy.
   The Board of Governors shall appoint an Honorary Treasurer.
5. Regular meetings of the Board will be held, with a minimum of six in any financial year, and the quorum will be four members, one of whom must be an officer of the Board.
6. The Board will have sole control of the affairs and funds of the Guild and it will have the power to co-opt members onto the Board or its sub-committees to assist in the discharge of its duties. Co-opted members of the Board of Governors shall serve in office until the next Annual General Meeting and may stand for re-election under Clause 4. An emergency meeting of the general membership may be called by a petition presented to the Board, signed by not less than thirty full members. The petition must contain full details of the matter that members want discussed and the quorum for such a meeting will be thirty. A period of no more than 21 days must elapse between the petition being presented and the meeting occurring.
7. Entry to the Guild will be limited to those members of the motion picture industry whose work brings them into direct contact with motion picture cameras or otherwise to such persons whose work in the opinion of the Board is so closely aligned to the work of Guild members as to merit membership of the Guild. An applicant for membership must be sponsored by at least four members of the Guild or at the discretion of the Board. An entry fee and subscription will be payable in advance of an applicant becoming a member, but only after they have been invited to join. The level of entry fee and annual subscription will be decided upon by the Board and revised on a bi-annual basis.
8. Evidence as to the status and ability of an applicant may be requested by the Board or its sub-committee and their decision is final.  Applications to the Guild will take the form of a “request to invite” and no applicant will have the right of membership.  Membership will be limited to those applicants who the Board feels will benefit the Guild and support its aims and, in this regard, the Board shall from time to time establish guidelines upon which all individual applications will be considered.
9. The Board of Governors will constitute a disciplinary committee and will examine matters brought to its attention relating to the conduct of the Guild members. Individuals will have the right to attend all meetings where their case is being heard. Suspension or expulsion of a member from the Guild will be ratified by a two-thirds majority at a General Meeting called for that matter alone or in the normal course of any other General Meeting. Lapsing of a member will normally occur automatically three months after his subscription fell due. Members with financial difficulties may apply for dispensation from the Board, providing that they do so within the three-month period.
10. The Annual General Meeting of the Guild will be held as soon as practicable after the Annual Accounts have been prepared, and within a period of not more than fifteen months after the holding of the last preceding General Meeting. Voting on any matter at the meeting including the election of Board members will be by show of hands unless a third of the membership present requests a ballot. Members unable to attend any such meeting will be entitled to vote by proxy, but such members must provide a written authorisation for another member to exercise this right on their behalf. No member may exercise more than four proxy votes on behalf of other members. Nomination for the Board members should be ideally received by the Board at least seven days before the Annual General Meeting, but nominations will be accepted at the meeting itself provided the nominee is present or has signed in writing their willingness to stand.
11. Any amendments to this Constitution can only be made at a meeting where such amendments appear on the agenda and which has been convened under rule. The quorum for any such meeting where amendments are discussed will be forty-one full members and acceptance of any amendment will require the vote of two-thirds of those members present in its favour.
12. The dissolution of the Guild can be brought about by a two-thirds majority at a specially convened General Meeting of the membership. The quorum for such a meeting will be forty-one full members. In the event of dissolution the assets or liabilities of the Guild will be divided amongst the existing members who an acceptance of these rules undertakes to honour any commitments that such dissolution would incur. In the event of such a General Meeting being unable to obtain a quorum at three successive meetings the Chairman is empowered to declare the Guild dissolved providing that it is financially in credit.
13. The function of the Trustees will be as custodians of the Constitution and will be the final arbiters in any dispute concerning the interpretation of the said Constitution.  The minimum number of Trustees will be 3 with a maximum of 7 Trustees at any one time.  Trustees are appointed by the Board with the approval of one or all of the existing Trustees and then formally welcomed by the Membership at the next GBCT Annual General Meeting.  Re-election formalities will then take place on an annual basis.  A Member of the Guild can be elected to the post of Trustee but s/he may not, at the same time, be a Member of the Board or be involved with any of its business.
    Dated this 21st day of May 2011 and signed by:

TIMOTHY POTTER
CHAIRMAN
-and-
SARAH HAYWARD
VICE CHAIR

The Management Board

The GBCT is run by a Management Board which consists of working technicians who are all experienced and reputable Guild members. At its AGM every year, the Membership votes via ballot for Board Members who stand down to be re-elected or for Members who have been nominated by others and who want to join the Board.

The current Governors on the GBCT Management Board are:

The GBCT’s Management Board continues to have its very simple and effective three-point plan that will secure the Guild’s future success. This plan is currently evolving as it is being implemented and involves:

1. A complete overhaul of the organization to improve efficiency and productivity
2. The enhancement of the GBCT’s reputation and standing in the industry by increasing and widening its business opportunities
3. Providing its Membership with more cost effective benefits which represent additional value for money for their annual subscriptions

All this will provide a financially stable and secure structure for the Guild to move forward successfully.

Guild Membership

Over the years Guild members have earned their reputations of being the best in the world. The reason for this is they can be relied on to deliver what is required; they know what they are doing.

To become a Member of the GBCT it is worth pointing out that there are very few rules, but there is a tough selection process that all members go through when applying to join the Guild.

The criterion is simple as well – ‘you are judged by your peers’. This is what happens:

• An application is completed, a full and up-to-date CV is added and 4 Guild Members the applicant has worked with regularly provide references
• This then is vetted by a specially convened Membership Committee made up of a Board Member and members who are in the same grade as the applicant
• Once the Membership Committee makes its decision, this is then passed onto the Board who discuss and approve the application – or provide reasons why approval has been postponed
• If all goes well, the successful applicant is then invited to join the Guild