I’ve been programming moving lights for events my entire career. During that time I’ve gotten the opportunity to work on various union and non-union film and TV shoots as well. I never thought of myself as a union guy, but that changed when I met and worked with some of the individuals in Local 52 who really shifted my perspective about IATSE specifically and unions in general. So I applied in July during their summer open enrollment period.

Though my background is in theater and events, I really enjoy working in TV and film. There’s something about the intensity — the absolutely clarity of focus — everyone shares on set or location I find exhilarating. Where else can you find so many people working in such diverse ways for one, singular goal?

Alas, it was not meant to be. My application was rejected. You can see the actual letter here. They said I did not have enough experience which at first puzzled me. I’ve been programming for quite some time, but I think it wasn’t programming they were referring to. Rather, I didn’t have enough experience as an electrician, which, if we’re being honest, is absolutely true. I’m perfectly capable of slinging a wrench but don’t often do it. I’m also not very good at it. When applying I suspected there’d be trouble when someone asked me if moving lights belonged to electrics or video. I gave the unsatisfactory answer, “Both.” The entire experience raised a question I don’t hear often asked: Where do we, moving light programmers, belong?

The reality is moving light programmers aren’t going away, and the need from them is growing. What was once a cute toy for clubs has become prevalent in every sector of our industry. A moving light programer is often on site driving everything through one console simply because it’s cheaper and more efficient. We even control projectors and LED walls through media servers, clear advances into video. Everyone under 35 has never known a time without computerized consoles driving a plethora of moving lights and LED products.

Our classification is tricky. Younger career programmers program everything they can — be it TV, film, performance, events, or socials — and on a variety of consoles. It’s solid economics to pursue as many revenue streams as possible, but also the skills learned from one sector are applicable to others. A film programmer benefits from the speed and immediate recall learned from programming events or socials. An event programmer faced with little rehearsal time benefits from knowing the board’s cuing protocols learned from performance. Thus many career moving light programmers tend to cross pollenate from discipline to discipline where their services are needed. However in bulk this younger crowd does not belong to any union or organization, often existing outside (and sometimes upsetting) current hierarchal structures which can lead to potential strife on set, on location, or in a venue.

Further complicating the issue are unanswered questions regarding what knowledge a programmer should have. Traditionally, programming has been a subset of electrics, but an electrician-programmer would have huge gaps in their knowledge when it came to LED Walls, media servers, or TCP/IP networking skills. Would a video tech-programmer have a firm grasp of the quality, texture, and properties of light if their primary experience was in projection? A career programmer needs to know a lot about many different departments in the various sectors of the industry, everything from color temperature to aspect ratios to basic router configuration. It’s not easy, even if the position is often perceived to be easy, button pushing breeze.

This pan-discipline approach does not jive well with the current industry paradigm and it shows. If we are a subset of Electrics, then should we be Electricians first? If we are a subset of Video, does that mean we should be running VGA cables first? If we belong to Design, should we learn Vectorworks drafting first? IA’s entrance exams don’t help clarify much either. The “Mr. Peanut Test” doesn’t make sense for a career programmer. Grid diving or electrics practicals aren’t the best fit either. Long apprenticeships which don’t immediately involve programming are avoided, since the career programer can work right now programming elsewhere. These entrance gauntlets deter the young, career programer who perhaps never slings a wrench or runs feeder. I understand IA is testing competency, but they exclude career programmers because they test competency in the wrong areas. Instead the programmer thinks, “I can’t do those things, thus I must not belong here,” an unfortunate consequence for union and worker alike. The tests need to be re-designed to more appropriately control for the skills a career programmer should have. First, however, we would need to discuss what exactly those skills are.

Which brings us to the status quo, a patchwork of reactive measures. When things get busy or differ from the norm, locals are forced to over hire but let’s be honest with ourselves about this reactive practice: it has historically mixed results with existing workers. Without a forum no clearinghouse exists for potential employers of programers, which delineate abilities and past experiences while attesting to competency. Instead designers or producers must rely on personal referrals or interviews, two hardly fool proof methods of employment. On the flip side programmers lack a forum to deal with a whole host of issues, from pay to expectations to standards. LDs who routinely say, “Create a look and let me see it,” then work on their next gig while claiming credit (and pay) for the conceptual heavy lifting should be called out. No place exists to do that. Ultimately, there’s got to be a better way.

I’m bummed about Local 52’s decision, though, I understand and respect it. I’m not the ideal candidate, and I sincerely hope that changes one day. I think programming should be its own discipline, it’s own department along side Properties or Video, with standards, practices, and testing unique to it. As long as programing is perceived to be a cushy reward for being a good Electrician, I may never be eligible.

The upshot of all this is my $675 refund. I’m thinking about buying an iPad. Apple … now there’s an organization that indiscriminately takes money I offer it.

Lance Darcy is a Programmer and Lighting Designer for Tinc Design & Productions, based in New York City.