Society of Camera Operators
Policies and Procedures

As of January 15, 2024

DEFINITIONS

Board of Governors
The governing body of the SOC, comprised of between 11 and 15 Active Members, some of whom will be the Officers of the Society, as defined in Article 4 of the Bylaws.

Governor
Any member of the Board of Governors.

Officer
Any member of the Board of Governors who is also either the President, 1st Vice-President, 2nd Vice-President, Secretary, Treasurer or Sergeant-At-Arms.

Good Standing:
To be current on membership dues and not currently subject to suspension or expulsion.

General Membership:
All members of the SOC, in any category, in good standing.

Voting Membership:
Any Active, Retired or Charter member in good standing. Associate, Honorary, Educator, Student and Corporate members are not Voting Members, regardless of standing.

INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY

Name
The Organization shall be called “Society of Camera Operators” and may be referred to as “SOC” or “the SOC.”

Logo
The logo of the Society is not to be altered without the approval of the Board of Governors. The logo may be used in color with the official colors of maroon, gold, and blue. The logo may also be used in black and white.

To preserve the brand of the Society, unique logos for events, projects, etc. may not be created without the approval of the Board of Governors, and added to the style guide for the Society.

MEMBERSHIP

Membership Overview
Applications for membership may be submitted through the SOC website, www.soc.org. Applications are accepted for Active, Associate, Educator, Student, and Corporate membership. Each level of membership has specific requirements (described below) and initiation fees. Payment of appropriate initiation fees is required before an application is considered complete. Completed applications are forwarded to the Membership Committee for review. The deadline for all applications is ten days before the upcoming governance meeting, either by the Officers or the Board of Governors. Applications not received by the deadline will be reviewed at the following meeting. Membership is granted at the discretion of Board of Governors who vote electronically on applications brought forth by the Membership Committee. In the event of a tie vote, or an especially complex vote, by the Board on any Membership Application(s), that application will be revisited at the next Board Meeting.

Applicants who are not accepted are informed in a timely manner of the decision via email. Applicants who are denied Active Membership are encouraged to join the Society as Associate Members. Applicants who decline Associate Membership will have their application fee(s) refunded in a timely manner.

Membership Categories, Requirements and Privileges

Active Members:

  • Active Members are individuals engaged in camera operating who demonstrate:
  • Significant accomplishments as a camera operator with noteworthy credits in their area of concentration and minimal credits in other crew positions
  • Five years or more experience as a camera operator
  • That camera operating is a significant part of their primary professional effort.

Active Members shall enjoy the following privileges:

  • Ability to use the acronym, “SOC,” in professional screen credits and on any correspondence undertaken by the member in their capacity as an active member of the Society, per the policy defined in Section IX on Page 17 of this document.
  • Ability to vote, as defined in Section IV and Section VII of this document.
  • Eligibility to run for Governor and Officer positions in SOC Leadership.
  • Access to meetings, seminars and Society functions
  • Access to official SOC communications, publications and website material
  • Other privileges which may be designated by the Board of Governors and published on the membership page of the soc.org website.

Associate Members:

  • Associate Members are industry professionals who do not claim camera operating as their main professional focus, or camera operators who do not yet meet the qualifications for Active Membership, as defined below. Associate members shall have no right to vote on any matter of the Society’s affairs unless expressly authorized to do so by the Board.

Associate Members shall enjoy the following privileges:

  • Access to meetings, seminars, and Society functions
  • Access to official SOC communications, publications and website material
  • Other privileges which may be designated by the Board of Governors and published on the membership page of the soc.org website.

Retired Members:

  • Retired Members are former Active Members who have not worked or gained employment or income from their craft of operating for at least one year, or as otherwise established by the Board. Retired Members shall enjoy all the privileges of Active Members.

Honorary Members:

  • Honorary Members are industry leaders who the Board determines have contributed to the advancement of the art and craft of camera operating. Honorary Members shall enjoy all the privileges of Associate Members.
  • Honorary members shall have no right to vote on any matter of the Society’s affairs unless expressly authorized to do so by the Board.

Charter Members:

  • Charter Members are those who were members of the Society at the time of its inception. Charter Members shall enjoy all the privileges of Active Members.

Educator Members:

  • Educator Members are full-time faculty members at post-secondary educational institutions who create a link between the Society and film students. Educator Members shall enjoy all the privileges of Associate Members. Educator members shall have no right to vote on any matter of the Society’s affairs unless expressly authorized to do so by the Board.

Student Members:

  • Student Members are full-time students with an interest in the art and craft of camera operating. Student Members shall enjoy the privileges of Associate Members. Student Members shall have no right to vote on any matter of the Society’s affairs unless expressly authorized to do so by the Board.

Corporate Members:

  • Corporate Members are industry businesses and corporations who wish to support the mission of the Society. Various Corporate Membership levels with differing benefits are established, and may from time to time be amended, by the Board of Governors and published on the SOC website. Corporate members shall have no right to vote on any matter of the Society’s affairs unless expressly authorized to do so by the Board.

Privileges defined above shall apply only to those members in good standing.

Membership Application Process
In addition to completing the appropriate membership application at www.soc.org and submitting payment of initiation fees, applicants must complete the following requirements for the category of membership sought.

Applicants for Active Membership must:

  • Be able to demonstrate significant accomplishment as a camera operator with noteworthy credits in their area of concentration and minimal credits in other crew positions.
  • Submit dated credits and projects demonstrating a minimum of five years of consecutive camera operating by providing their IMDB link. Applicants may also include a resume to augment those credits listed on their IMBD page. The resume´s entries must include the title, dates, and crew position.
  • Submit a Recommendation letter from an Active, Retired, or Charter Member in good standing, sponsoring your membership. Applicants without a sponsor must submit three letters of recommendation.
  • Submit a letter of intent describing what they can contribute to, and what they expect to gain from, the SOC.
  • Union members must, in the letter of intent, include the date of their initiation or reclassification as “Camera Operator” or “Director of Photography.”
  • Be able to demonstrate that being a Camera Operator is a significant part of their primary professional effort.

Applicants for Associate Membership need only follow the instructions on the SOC website.

Applicants for Educator Membership must:

  • Submit a letter from the Dean/School Administrator stating they are employed at a college/university or submit a copy of their facility ID.

Applicants for Student Associate Membership must:

  • Submit a letter from a faculty member/school administrator stating they are a full-time student or a copy of their student ID and evidence of a full-time academic schedule.
  • Submit a letter stating their reasons for applying to the SOC for Student Associate membership.

Applicants for Corporate Membership should follow the instructions for their desired level of support on the SOC website.

Materials submitted in support of an application shall be emailed to membership@soc.org.

Membership Upgrade Process
Associate Members are encouraged to apply for Active Membership as soon as they meet the criteria listed above by completing the upgrade application and paying the reduced upgrade fee at the Society’s website.

Student Members are encouraged to seek Associate Membership upon graduating by completing the upgrade application and paying the reduced upgrade fee at the Society’s website.

Membership Invoicing
Members are billed annually via email invoice. Those not invoiced include: Past SOC Presidents, the current SOC Board, Charter Members, Honorary Members and any other member expressly excused from dues by the Board of Governors. Members who have not paid their dues in full by their personal due date will be notified via email. A member who fails to become current within sixty (60) days of their due date and does not communicate to the SOC a need for additional time based on their personal circumstances, shall have their membership suspended for non-payment.

Membership Reinstatement
A member suspended for non-payment may request reinstatement of their membership by completing a Reinstatement Application at www.soc.org. Fees for reinstatement are shown on the website and may, from time to time, be adjusted by the Board of Governors.

All membership reinstatements are subject to approval by the Board of Governors.

GOVERNANCE

Board of Governors
According to Article 4, Section 1 of the Bylaws, the SOC maintains a Board of between 11 and 15 members who are collectively referred to as the Board of Governors. Six of these Governors will also serve in the following Offices: President, 1st Vice-President, 2nd Vice President, Secretary, Treasurer and Sergeant-at-Arms. As of this publication, the Board consists of 15 Governors, six of whom also serve as Officers.

Any Voting Member of the SOC (Active, Retired, Charter) in good standing who has not been suspended or expelled in the last five years may seek a two-year term on the Board of Governors. Once elected, the Board in turn elects the Officers.

Board of Governors Elections Process
Every two years, no earlier than April and no later than July, the Society holds elections according to the following process:

  • A request for nominations is sent to Voting Members. Thirty (30) days are given for nominations to be received by the SOC office. Nominations will be received by email and must include the following to be valid:
    • First and last name
    • Mailing address
    • Contact phone number(s)
    • Resume or IMDB link
    • Letter stating why the member desires to serve on the Board of Governors and what skills and experience they bring to this position. (No more than 800 words.)
  • After this thirty-day call for nominations period, the SOC office closes the nomination phase of elections.
  • A ballot is created digitally, with all nominees listed in alphabetical order, and either emailed to the Voting Members or made available via website link.
  • The voting period will close fifteen business days from the day the ballots become available to Voting Members
  • Within fifteen days after the close of voting, ballots will be tallied and the members with the most votes will fill the Board of Governors positions.
  • Newly elected members will be notified via phone call and email and shall have five business days to accept their Governor’s seat.
  • If an elected member declines, the candidate with the next highest total number of votes will be contacted to accept their Governor’s seat via phone or email.
  • Once all voted-in members are notified and have accepted their positions, the membership will be notified of the new board via email announcement.
  • A detailed record of the election results will be kept at the SOC office and be available for members’ review.
  • The Board may assign a special committee to oversee the voting process as to ensure that all processes are being followed by the SOC office.
  • At the first Board meeting after the election, the outgoing and incoming Governors and Officers meet together to ensure a smooth transition in addition to sharing of information.
  • Any candidate may access the ballot results. The SOC office will attempt to honor any such request within 48 hours.

Board of Governors Officers Elections
At the first Board meeting after the election, outgoing members will cede their offices to the newly-elected Governors and may remain in the meeting as non-voting guests of the incoming Board, or may depart the meeting.

Immediately upon this transition, the newly-elected Board shall nominate themselves, or other Governors, for each Office. Governors will then either accept or decline their respective nomination(s) and the Board will vote. There is no limit on the number of nominees for any Office, nor is there a limit on how many Offices for which a member may accept a nomination, provided that the member has not already been elected to an Office during this meeting. No Governor may hold more than one Office.

In-person votes are taken on a piece of paper, or for members participating digitally, via text to the Executive Director or, if applicable, the Elections Committee Chair or designee. The ED, or a designee who answers to the ED, shall tally the votes and announce the new Officers. The master tally of votes is to include in person and text, as well as proxy votes which may have been submitted in accordance with Article 3, Section 13 of the Bylaws. A simple majority vote determines the officer positions.

All paper ballots and voting results are to be kept in the SOC offices for records purposes. If there is a tie for an officer position, the Board will be asked to vote again as a tie breaker.

Expectations of Governors

There are two official channels through which a Governor’s idea can be brought to fruition:

  1. Workshop the idea in Committee
    1. A standing committee may undertake direct action on behalf of a Governor’s idea if it falls within its purview
    2. If a proposed action stemming from a Governor’s idea falls outside their committee’s purview (i.e. requests for funding, allocation of Staff time and/or resources, etc), it can be offered as a well-considered ACTION ITEM at the end of the Committee Report and be approved, rejected or referred back to Committee by the Board at the next BoG meeting. Action Items should be written in a way that easily facilitates the making of a motion in support of it
  2. Workshop the idea outside committee and present a well-considered proposal in the NEW BUSINESS portion of the next BoG meeting
    1. Ideas floated in New Business will be discussed and either voted on, tabled, or referred (either back to the originator for clarification or to a committee deemed applicable by the Board)
    2. The Board may vote to adopt any idea proposed in New Business, accompanied by the appropriate directive(s) to Staff regarding its implementation
    3. Items addressed in New Business will be reported on during the OLD BUSINESS portion of the next BoG meeting

Governors are strongly discouraged from making requests of Staff which fall outside the standing purview of their respective Committee(s) or pertain to actions not approved in a vote by the Board.

With respect to any dealings with third parties, Governors shall adopt a policy of “Do No Harm” and must therefore:

  1. Remember that the SOC has a vast, complex – and delicate – array of preexisting relationships with outside individuals, organizations and corporations, many of which fund our operations.
  2. Remember that the Executive Director is essentially the only person in the SOC who understands the totality of these relationships at any given time
  3. Exercise special care with respect to any brand name item(s) which may become associated with an event in which a Governor or that Governor’s committee is participating (i.e. vendor communications, vendor banners, vendor T-shirts, buttons, SWAG, etc)
  4. Consult the Executive Director when in doubt.  The ED has broad latitude to advise the Board on the SOC’s sponsorship interests and should already, by definition, be involved with any Board-approved duties being undertaken on behalf of the SOC

Volunteerism
Pursuant to Article 5, Section 10 of the Bylaws, at no time shall any Officer, Governor or Committee Member receive compensation for their work on behalf of, or their direct service to, the SOC. Officers, Governors, Committee Members and Volunteers may, with prior Board approval or within a standing committee budget, receive reimbursements for costs reasonably incurred in the execution of their service to the SOC or participation in its events.

ADMINISTRATION

Executive Director
The role of the Executive Director of the SOC (hereinafter, “ED”) is to implement and execute the policy directives of the Board of Governors. The bulk of the SOC’s day-to- day operations are generally executed by a part-time Staff who answer to a full-time ED who provides administrative services to the SOC.

The Executive Director shall serve as contact for the California Economic Development Department (EDD) which oversees the payroll activities of the SOC. Additionally, the Executive Director and Accountant, who will be executing the payments and payroll, will be additionally named and insured on the Societies Directors and Officers insurance giving them insurance coverage for any and all activities they perform pertaining to the Society of Camera Operators.

The Board of Governors may give broad latitude to the ED in the administration of tasks including, but not limited to, hosting all SOC meetings including those of the Board of Governors, managing the SOC’s membership architecture, executing all member communications including SOC social media accounts, managing sponsor/corporate member relations, producing SOC educational, charitable and/or Awards events. The Board may grant to the ED, in consultation with the Treasurer, broad discretion in the allocation of the Staff-related budget, as well as in the delegation of tasks to Staff. The Executive Director shall, in consultation with the Board, designate a member of the Staff to serve as “co-signatory” on financial accounts.

The ED serves the SOC on a year-to-year basis, with annual contract review by the Board of Governors. Compensation for the position is set by the Board and the ED is required to give 90 days’ notice of any decision to either vacate the position or decline contract renewal.

Additional Staff
Additional Staff, including any temporary Staff necessary to the execution of any SOC event, serve at the discretion of the ED, in consultation with the Treasurer, relevant Committee Chairs, relevant Officers and/or Governors, and within the budget approved by the Board. The Board requires the ED to both craft and maintain a line of succession within the Staff whereby SOC operations remain reasonably sustainable in the event the ED is temporarily unable to fulfill their duties.

MEETINGS & EVENTS

SOC Sanctioned Events
SOC events (i.e. educational, fraternal, promotional) may be authorized at any time by the Board or by any of its Committees and shall be implemented by the Staff. Events shall be announced, promoted and advertised by the Staff on the SOC website and elsewhere, overseen by either the Board or the relevant Committee.

Annual Membership Meetings
At least one Membership Meeting is held each year as an opportunity for SOC Membership to stay alerted to SOC news, events and initiatives. Membership is notified a minimum of 30 days before the meeting, and a maximum of 90 days before the meeting, via email or printed announcement. The expense of the meeting, or a portion thereof, may, at the discretion of the Board, be assumed by a third party or other sponsor. The meeting agenda is developed with and presented by the current SOC President, and if they are not available to attend, the meeting is run by the 1st Vice President, or the next available Officer in succession to attend.

Board of Governors Meetings
Board of Governors meetings are held every other month beginning in January of each calendar year. Officers, Governors, Committee Members and Staff are given an opportunity to present reports to share/discuss with the rest of the Board, and Board Members may present motions to be discussed and voted on by the rest of the Board, if seconded by another Board Member. The Board votes on membership applications reviewed by the Membership Committee in advance of the meeting. The schedule of the meeting is prepared in the form of an Agenda, which along with the reports and membership ballot, are provided to the Board before the day of the meeting. Minutes are taken during the Board Meeting, edited by the Secretary, or a designee who answers to the Secretary, and voted on for approval at the following Board Meeting. Recordings of electronic conference-based meetings may be made and utilized by the Secretary, or a designee who answers to the Secretary, in compiling the minutes.

Officers Meetings
The Officers of the SOC meet monthly, with every other Officers meeting being a Board of Governors meeting.

Meeting Attendance
Attendance is recorded at each Board of Governors meeting. Governors who attend in person sign the official sign-in record, those who participate via electronic conference are designated as such, and those who do not attend are also noted. Governors are required to advise Staff of their attendance in advance of each meeting.

Absences are recorded as follows:

  • Working: if the Governor has a work obligation that conflicts with the scheduled meeting time.
  • Personal Conflict: if the Governor has an obligation other than work during the scheduled meeting time.
  • Unexcused Absence: if no communication regarding attendance has occurred, the Governor is considered unexcused.

Any Governor who misses three (3) or more of the Board meetings in a calendar year due to unexcused absence may be subject to removal in accordance with the procedures specified in the Bylaws.

Board Meeting Guest Policy
Guests may attend Board of Governors Meetings on the invitation of a current Board or Committee Member. The Board Member inviting the guest is requested to give a five day notification before the meeting to the Executive Director, stating the names of the guests, the purpose of their visit and their current or past role in/relationship to the SOC.

The request for communication ahead of the meeting is not intended to limit the participation and inclusion of guests, but instead meant to prevent disruption during the Board Meeting and allow the Board to be properly introduced to the guest who is attending.

Meetings and Action of Committees
Meetings and actions of all committees occur in accordance with the Bylaws. The Board of Governors may adopt rules and regulations for the conduct and purpose of committees and committee meetings, in accordance with the Bylaws. The President may assign special committees to address Society business as they see fit.

SOC AWARDS

Lifetime Achievement Awards
Lifetime Achievement Awards Nominations/ Voting: These awards are given in recognition of outstanding achievement by craft persons in the field of film/TV production. Candidates for Lifetime Achievement awards must have been working in the industry and making their living in the classification honored for a period of at least twenty (20) years. In addition, each candidate must have a proven and substantial list of credits worked in the classification to be honored, with several of these credits for critically acclaimed outstanding productions, be widely respected by their peers, and be a consistent contributor and credit to their craft.

Candidates for Lifetime Achievement Awards shall be nominated by members of the Awards Committee, or by any Sub-Committee, or ad-hoc committee, the Awards Committee may elect to form. The Awards Committee will then vote on the nominees for each Lifetime Achievement Award. The nominee with the most Awards Committee

votes shall then be offered the award by the Awards Committee, or the Awards Committee’s designee.

Lifetime Achievement Awards recipients must then A) accept the award, and B) agree to attend the Awards Event and receive the award in person. In the event a recipient declines either “A” or “B” above, members of the Awards Committee shall vote on a recipient from the remaining nominees. The Awards Committee will hold votes on remaining nominees until a recipient agrees to “A” and “B” above.

Camera Operator of the Year – Film
Camera Operator of the Year Nominations/Voting: This award is given to a full time Camera Operator who has operated on a distinguished Feature Film project of considerable quality during the previous year. Anyone in the Film/TV community may submit a Camera Operator for this award, including but not limited to SOC members, directors, producers, production crew members, studios, and production companies. Camera Operators may also submit themselves. The specifics of the nomination process shall be determined by the Awards Committee and may change from time to time. The SOC website will always reflect the most current criteria, as decided by the Awards Committee.

There will be no consideration for this award for any Director of Photography who also operated the camera on the same project.

This list will be vetted for its qualifications by the Awards Committee and then narrowed down by committee vote to a selection of five (5) nominees. After this process, a list of nominees will be sent to all active voting members in good standing for a vote by secret mail, email or web-based ballots.

This award will only be announced at the Awards event and will be kept secret until that time.

Camera Operator of the Year – Television
Camera Operator of the Year Nominations/Voting: This award is given to a full time Camera Operator who has operated on a distinguished Television (non-theatrically released) project of considerable quality during the previous year. Anyone in the Film/TV community may submit a Camera Operator for this award, including but not limited to SOC members, directors, producers, production crew members, studios, and production companies. Camera Operators may also submit themselves. The specifics of the nomination process shall be determined by the Awards Committee and may change from time to time. The SOC website will always reflect the most current criteria, as decided by the Awards Committee.

There will be no consideration for this award of any Director of Photography who also operated the camera on the same project.

This list will be vetted for its qualifications by the Awards Committee and then narrowed down by committee vote to a selection of five (5) nominees. After this process, a list of nominees will be sent to all active voting members in good standing for a vote by secret mail, email or web-based ballots.

This award will only be announced at the Awards event and will be kept secret until that time.

Governors’ Award
At the discretion of the Board of Governors, the Governors’ Award is given in recognition of outstanding contributions and/or achievement of an individual who has demonstrated dedicated, consistent and enlightened service and leadership, for a substantial length of time in film or television.

A candidate may be nominated by any member of the Board of Governors or Awards Committee who presents a statement or fact regarding the candidate’s qualifications, standing and achievements deserving of such recognition.

President’s Award
At the discretion of the Society President, the President’s Award is given to an individual in recognition of dedicated and outstanding service to the Society, the industry it serves, and/or to purposes espoused and served by the Society.

A candidate for this award is nominated by the current President who presents the nominee’s (or nominees’) credentials to the Board of Governors or Awards Committee.

Dedicated Service Award
At the discretion of the Board of Governors, the Dedicated Service Award is given to an Individual who has served the community at large and/or the Society through their outstanding service and generosity. Any voting member may submit recommendations with a written biography of the individual and why they feel this person should receive the Award. The Awards Committee will determine the recipient and will present its findings to the Board of Governors.

Technical Achievement Award
In order to encourage further research and development in the craft of camera operating, the Society shall recognize significant and innovative technical achievement by a manufacturer, supplier, developer or inventor.

To qualify for a Technical Achievement Award, the submission must meet the following criteria:

  • The development must be either:
    • A completely new and important device, or
    • An essential and lasting innovation which modifies existing equipment, or
    • A significant improvement on, or adjunct to, existing equipment, or
    • A notable advance in the area of operator safety
  • The development or innovation must have been in practical use for a sufficient length of time in order to demonstrably prove to its users that its use has significantly facilitated the craft of camera operating.

Nominations are open to all companies and individuals. The Technology Chair and Committee determine the submission details, including the nomination fee, timeline and information needed for submissions. Once the submission timeframe closes, the submitting companies are invited to participate in the demo day(s), at which the Technology Chair and blue-ribbon panel shall evaluate the submissions. The Technology Chair will submit the recipient, or recipients, chosen by the blue-ribbon panel for review by the Board of Governors.

FINANCE

Budget Policy

The policy of the SOC is that annual administrative costs shall not exceed annual membership revenue by greater than 5%.

Financial Reports and Records

As a nonprofit California Mutual Benefit Corporation, the SOC maintains monthly financial reports, which include Cash Flow, Accounts Payable, Accounts Receivable, Profit & Loss year-to-date and year-on-year comparisons, and copies of the past month’s reconciled bank account. These reports are provided to the Board of Governors by the SOC Office.

Checks and Notes
Unless otherwise determined by the Board of Governors, or required by law, all checks, orders for payment of money, and any other evidence of indebtedness of the corporation, are signed by the Treasurer and countersigned by the Society’s Accountant.

Deposits
All funds of the corporation are deposited from time to time to the credit of the Society in banks, trust companies, or other depositories as the Board of Governors may select. All deposits are reconciled monthly and included in the Board meeting financial reports.

Debit and Credit Cards
The Society provides debit and credit cards to the Officers, consultants and Staff as the Treasurer sees fit. All charges must be preapproved by the Treasurer, included in the annual budget or pre-approved by the Board. All credit card and debit card expenses are reconciled on a monthly basis by the Society’s Accountant.

Annual Report
The Society shall provide members yearly with an annual report. The annual report shall be prepared not later than 120 days after the close of the Society’s fiscal year. The report shall contain:

  • Annual Financial reports
  • Accounting of membership number per category
  • Review of annual objectives and accomplishments

CONDUCT, CONFLICT OF INTEREST & PRIVILEGES

Code of Conduct
All Members, Staff, Consultants and Volunteers are expected to demonstrate professional and respectful behavior as representatives of the Society of Camera Operators.

All parties are required to use their actions and communications to both maintain and advance the reputation of the SOC, as well as to act and communicate in a way that is well mannered, fair and considerate of others when interacting with SOC Members, Board Members, Staff, Volunteers, guests, and corporate entities, both current and potential.

If a Member of any category behaves in a manner that is disrespectful, disparaging, slanderous or damaging to the Society or its members, the President has the authority to review the actions and assemble a committee to determine disciplinary action such as expulsion, suspension or written warning.

If a Staff, Consultant or Volunteer behaves in a manner that is disrespectful, disparaging, or slanderous or damaging to the Society or its members, the President has the authority to review the actions, and assemble a committee to determine disciplinary action such as termination, suspension, removal or written warning.

The Board shall have final authority on what constitutes disrespect, disparagement, slander or damage as it may pertain to the Code of Conduct.

The SOC is an honorary society and membership is a privilege. The expectation is that all members will support comradeship among the membership and the overall reputation of the Society.

Corporate Member Gifting and Loaning of Gear and Technology
No Officer, Governor, Committee Chair or Staff Member is allowed to use their position with the SOC to receive personal discounts or deals on loaner equipment or technology, or equipment and/or technology as gifts, with the exception of those offered by any third party to the General Membership.

Use of SOC Equipment
The Society owns, has on loan and maintains equipment, gear and technology for the advancement of the Society. Members in good standing of any category may contact the SOC office to inquire about equipment currently held by the Society and request use of it, subject to terms, including those governing loss or damage, specified at the time of checkout.

Personal Gifts
The Board of Directors may accept on behalf of the Society any contribution, gift, bequest or device for the charitable or public purposes of the SOC. No Board member may accept a gift personally due to their involvement as a Board or Committee member.

Conflict of Interest
Conflict of Interest shall be defined as follows: A conflict, or the appearance of a conflict, between the private interests and official responsibilities of a person in a “position of trust.” SOC Officers, Governors, Committee Chairs, and Staff Members, including the Executive Director, shall be deemed Persons in a Position of Trust within the Society.

If any Person in a Position of Trust within the SOC is engaged with an outside party in a manner such that a conflict of interest, as defined above, may exist, these persons are required to acknowledge this affiliation to the Board of Governors via written or electronic communication. The Board, by majority vote, shall have sole discretion as to action taken, if any, to remedy a conflict of interest on a case-by-case basis.

RIGHT TO USE THE LETTERS SOC
Use of the letters “SOC” shall be allowed only by an Active member in good standing, acting in the role of Camera Operator on the project credited. They shall not be used if credited in any other job, craft or position. A Director of Photography who operates a camera may not use the letters “SOC.”

OFFICE POLICIES

Databases
The SOC houses the information of its membership in a number of secure Databases. The Membership Database contains the contact information of all who are currently SOC members in the following categories: Active, Associate, Retired, Honorary, Charter, Educator, Student and Corporate. This database is updated monthly as new members are initiated and as current members update their contact information. The Membership Database also stores a list of past members and a list in memoriam.

A Camera Operator Magazine Database is maintained for non-members who have subscribed to receive Camera Operator Magazine, as well as a list of industry contacts who receive the magazine at no cost. This database is updated regularly, based on incoming subscriptions, and organized in preparation for the mailing of each edition of Camera Operator Magazine.

An SOC Board of Governors / Staff Directory is maintained with current Officers and Governors, including their contact information, titles within the Board, and any committee participation. There is also a list of current individuals who work as Staff for the SOC.

All databases are confidential and property of the SOC. They are not to be used for any members’ personal needs and are for the benefit of the membership as a whole.

Email Communication
The majority of communication to SOC Membership is accomplished via email. Examples of emails sent are: notices pertinent to elections, the quarterly membership newsletter, information regarding upcoming events sanctioned by the SOC, announcements from Corporate Members, and details regarding the SOC Awards.

Preservation of Documents
The SOC acknowledges its responsibility to preserve information relating to litigation, audits and investigations. The Sarbanes-Oxley Act of July 30, 2002 makes it a crime to alter, cover up, falsify or destroy any document to prevent its use in an official proceeding. Failure on the part of Staff Members, Board members, and other Volunteers to follow this policy can result in possible civil and criminal sanctions against the SOC and possible disciplinary action against responsible individuals (up to and including termination or suspension).

The SOC maintains in its archive the following documents for seven years: Audit reports

  • Bank Reconciliations Bank statements
  • Contracts, mortgages, notes and leases (expired) Correspondence (general), both written & electronic
  • Correspondence (legal and important matters), both written & electronic Correspondence (with customers and vendors), both written & electronic Employment applications
  • Year-end financial statements
  • Insurance records, current accident reports, claims, policies, etc. Internal audit reports
  • Books of Minutes, Bylaws and Charters Tax returns and worksheets
  • Trademark registrations and copyrights