SAG EARNINGS FROM TV CONTINUE TO FALL

The fallout from the Screen Actors Guild 2008-09 strike continues to be felt as studios and independent producers reject SAG and opt for contracts with the American Federation of Television and Radio Artists in developing TV projects. SAG TV earnings were down 8.2 percent last year and are now down 24 percent from 2007, the […]

GUILDS IN A LATHER OVER SOAP CANCELLATIONS

The Directors Guild of America (DGA), the Writers Guild of America (WGA), and the American Federation of Television and Radio Artists (AFTRA) reacted with shock and dismay Thursday to ABC’s announcement that it will be shutting down the long-running soap operas All My Children and One Life to Live. In a statement, the DGA said, […]

AFTRA-SAG MERGER MOVES CLOSER

One day after the board of the American Federation of Television and Radio Artists (AFTRA) authorized the union’s leaders to continue working with their counterparts at the Screen Actors Guild (SAG) to create a merged union, SAG’s board voted on Sunday to allocate up to $70,000 in additional funds to help cover the costs of […]

UNIONS, STUDIOS BATTLE OVER THE HOBBIT

The three studios that are due to produce and distribute the Lord of the Rings prequel The Hobbit, have responded to the decision by the Screen Actors Guild and the American Federation of Television and Radio Artists to instruct their members not to work on the film, an action taken in support of Australia’s Media, […]

HOLLYWOOD RETURNS TO BARGAINING TABLE

Negotiations between the Screen Actors Guild and the American Federation of Television and Radio Artists on the one hand and the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers on the other began in Sherman Oaks, CA on Monday, with the two unions presenting their proposals to the producers. The current contract expires on June 30, […]

U.S. ACTORS UNIONS ORDER MEMBERS NOT TO WORK ON THE HOBBIT

Throwing their considerable weight behind the New Zealand branch of Australia’s actors’ union, the Media Entertainment and Arts Alliance (MEAA), the Screen Actors Guild (SAG) and the American Federation of Television and Radio Artists (AFTRA) have notified their members not to accept work on Peter Jackson’s Lord of the Rings prequel, The Hobbit. Jackson quickly […]

ACTORS UNIONS AGREE ON NEGOTIATING STRATEGY

Members of the Screen Actors Guild and the American Federation of Television and Radio Artists have agreed to deemphasize payments for new media and focus instead on bread-and-butter issues like increases in employer contributions to their health-and-welfare plans and raises in basic pay scales when they begin negotiations with the Alliance of Motion Picture and […]

UNIONS REACH EARLY PEACE ACCORDS WITH AMPTP

The possibility of another crippling strike within the TV and movie industries appeared more remote Wednesday as the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers announced that its deals with the five basic crafts unions had been ratified by their members, thereby “ensuring that production can continue without interruption for the studios and union members.” […]

HOLLYWOOD FACING ANOTHER STRIKE

Negotiations between the Teamsters Union and the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers have reached an impasse, which could result in another crippling strike as early as August 1, according to entertainment attorney Jonathan Handel, writing in today’s (Monday) Hollywood Reporter. A strike by the Teamsters would not only involve some 4,000 drivers, location […]

LET THE TALKS BEGIN

Directors Guild of America (DGA) President and Negotiations Chairman Gil Cates announced Wednesday that the guild plans to open negotiations with the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers (AMPTP) in mid-November. The talks would thus immediately follow those between the AMPTP and the two performers unions, the Screen Actors Guild (SAG) and the American […]