Sunday, May 07, 2023
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Hollywood Producers on the Brink: Why Making a Deal is Critical
Hollywood Producers' negotiating style threatens the industry
Hollywood producers are facing mounting pressure to reach a deal with striking writers, as more recognizable faces in the industry prepare to join picket lines once directors' and actors' contracts run out as well. Producers have only weeks to avoid a potentially disastrous situation, as audience backlash against intransigence could escalate. Economic uncertainty, compounded by a recent interest rate hike, adds to the urgency for producers to resolve the issue and maintain market stability.
Industry experts suggest that a deal with writers now on strike is a solvable problem, and could free up valuable resources to handle future economic challenges. With audiences increasingly interested in convenient, on-demand viewing experiences, any further disruption to their preferred entertainment could lead to lasting damage to brand sentiment and subscriber bases, ultimately resulting in a loss of customers.
While union-busting consultants may suggest a hard-line approach, the risks of such a strategy outweigh the benefits. As viewing habits shift rapidly, producers cannot afford to alienate their core audience by attempting to underpay workers, leaving them with no material to show. It is clear that producers must prioritize a deal with writers to avoid damaging long-term consequences and to maintain their market position.
As Hollywood producers continue to grapple with the ongoing writers' strike, they face the stark reality that long labor strikes can have disastrous effects on their companies. History shows that prolonged strikes can lead to financial losses, damaged relationships with talent, and negative public perception.
One of the most infamous examples of a long strike's impact on companies is the 1980 strike by the Screen Actors Guild (SAG) and the American Federation of Television and Radio Artists (AFTRA). The strike lasted for over 3 months, causing delays and cancellations of TV shows and films, and resulted in hundreds of millions in losses for the entertainment industry. The strike also included a boycott of the Emmy Awards ceremony by all but one single Emmy winner.
Another example of the potentially devastating effects of labor strikes on a media business is the case of the 1987 strike by the National Football League (NFL) players. The strike lasted for 24 days, causing the season to be shortened to 15 games per team. The NFL's total revenue loss due to the strike was estimated to be over a billion dollars, and it took several years for the league to recover from the effects of the strike.
In 2007–2008, the Writers Guild of America (WGA) went on strike for about 100 days, demanding higher pay for streaming content. The strike caused delays and cancellations of TV shows and films, and resulted in an estimated $2.5 billion loss for the entertainment industry. It also led to strained relationships between writers and producers, as well as a decline in public perception of the industry.
While these strikes were ultimately resolved, the importance of reaching a deal quickly to avoid long-term damage to the industry and to the companies involved is real and present tense. The past strikes highlight the potential risks to producers of a prolonged labor dispute.
The current negotiations between Hollywood producers and striking writers are particularly important, given the economic uncertainty caused by wider economic factors and the ongoing shift in viewing habits.
Beyond financial losses and damaged relationships, long labor strikes can also lead to negative public perception of the entertainment industry. Audience sentiment towards the industry is already fragile, with growing concerns over diversity and inclusion in Hollywood. Any further disruptions to viewers' preferred entertainment options could result in lasting damage to the industry's reputation and a loss of customers.
Finally, with these viewing preference possibly in flux, and fact technological hurdles to building distribution on one's own are lower than ever before, the producers risk making their own possible competitive existential threat a reality: the writers learning to finance, market and distribute their work themselves. Producers in the past could rely on big obstacles like access to movie theatres and broadcast airwaves to keep their position in the entertainment ecosystem secure, even during labor actions.
Today, most forms of entertainment can reach their audiences with out any involvement of theatres, broadcast airwaves or other technological bottlenecks. While it would take a lot of change for the writers to cut the producers out of the equation of modern entertainment, the longer the producers refuse to deal and the strike drags on, the higher the incentives for them, and their companies, to be circumvented entirely. Producers delays slowing a quick and stable resolution speeds up the process of their own obsolescence.
Ultimately, the success of the negotiations between Hollywood producers and striking writers will have significant consequences for the industry's future and the viability of producers' businesses as profitable, ongoing concerns. It is essential that a deal is offered soon to avoid long-term damage, and to ensure that the industry can continue to thrive in the face of ongoing challenges.
Labels: acting, contracts, entertainment, film, labor, tv, unions
this posted by David August at 2:12 PM - 0 comments - 
Tuesday, January 19, 2021
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SAG-AFTRA Disciplinary Hearing for Trump
The board acted on charges initiated by National Executive Director David White at the request of President Gabrielle Carteris. The charges specifically cite Trump's role in inciting the attack on the U.S. Capitol on January 6, and in sustaining a reckless campaign of misinformation aimed at discrediting and ultimately threatening the safety of journalists, many of whom are SAG-AFTRA members. The charges request the imposition of the most severe penalty available to SAG-AFTRA: expulsion from membership.
Our most important role as a union is the protection of our members. The unfortunate truth is, this individual's words and actions over the past four years have presented actual harm to our broadcast journalist members,said SAG-AFTRA National Executive Director David White.The board's resolution addresses this effort to undermine freedom of the press and reaffirms the principles on which our democratic society rests, and which we must all work to protect and preserve.
SAG-AFTRA represents thousands of broadcast journalists across the country, and reports of intimidation and physical assaults have escalated throughout Trump's presidency.
(emphasis added, from National Board Orders Disciplinary Hearing for Donald Trump.)
this posted by David August at 12:26 PM - 0 comments -
Sunday, May 24, 2020
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Actors Take Note
Take note of who is doing what. On-set safety counts.
There are some producers and directors who would rather get you and everyone you come in contact with sick than spend any more time and money to make their projects safe.
We all want to work. And we all want to say yes whenever work is offered that makes sense to take. We each have to decide what sort of actor we want to be and what sort of life we want to live. It is not necessary to give up basic safety in order to work, get paid and make things worth making. I know it can feel like it is something we must surrender. We don't have to. Most protective measures are reasonable, relatively low cost and only cause slight delays.
Will work that is rushed and cuts corners be good work that can move your career forward? Or is taking some extra time and money to insure the work is good (and those who make it are safe) better? I suggest the latter is the best way forward.
Getting paid matters; we all use money to exchange for goods and services. And getting paid does not require recklessness or taking dangerous risks. Nor does doing projects well require easily avoidable risk and facing injury or death. I can't believe I have to say that out loud.
Every year films and TV have ever been made have unfortunately included productions who hurt and killed cast and crew. Case studies of why rushing, cutting corners and ignoring safety are foolish are too many to name here and predate both 2020 and the pandemic by decades. The Twilight Zone movie (which killed and injured many people) and Midnight Rider (which killed Sarah Jones and injured many others) are 2 well known examples. There are many many others.
Film sets are largely construction sites and include risk independent of contagious disease. Preventable death is worth preventing. Working with people who will work to prevent your preventable death leads to career longevity, and for that matter life longevity.
Most danger on film and TV sets can avoided by taking simple steps. Many people do not take those simple steps. They will not take cheap and fast steps to make the cast and crew way more safe. There are no good reasons they don't take those steps. Impatience and laziness are not good reasons.
Good projects are not good by accident. Talented people working in unison to realize a good vision has always been the best bet to create good work. Being needlessly unsafe is not a wise path to creating good work. People who are worried on set will not do good work. People who are calm and feel safe, and are safe, will do better work. Being in danger does not lead people to be calm, nor does danger lead to people doing their best work. This is true of every department. This is true of every set. This is true of every job on earth.
Production insurance companies agree with me on this even if their arguments are largely financial. Lack of safety is more expensive than safety. Productions are already gambling whether or not the audience will show up and like the finished product. There is no good reason to gamble with having the production shut down and bankrupted by taking foolish and avoidable risks. There are no good reasons productions gamble foolishly. Ever. Impatience and laziness are not good reasons. Greed is not a good reason.
I am surprised to find myself writing this. I have also been surprised to see proposals for restarting production that contain next to no comments on keeping people safe. I am surprised to see people planning productions like it is 2019. Before this year it was stunning to see people take risks they don't need to take. It is still stunning seeing people take risks they don't need to now.
We do not want to work with those who rush. There is little upside. We do not want to work with those who cut corners. Cut corners diminish our gains. They ruin work. They break people. We want to work with people who are working to the best of their ability to do good work.
Sometime later we can forgive those that are reckless now and still remember who they are. People who would be reckless with you and your cast mates' lives are unlikely to do good work. They are unlikely to move your career in a good direction. This may be true of them beyond 2020. This may be true of them beyond 2030. Find the people you want to work with, not only for your career but because your career is your work life. You only get one life and it includes your work life.
We can all be positive that good work is more likely being done by people focusing on all details effectively, including safety. Our careers are marathons and not sprints. Working well and doing good work are how we book more work and book better work. We make progress by not merely saying yes, but by saying yes well and wisely.
I know we all want to work. And we all have bills to pay. I am extremely eager to book work too. I feel desperation. And there is no good reason to be foolish or reckless pursuing work, pursuing our careers or pursuing our next paychecks. Desperation is not a good reason. Desperation is a feeling, and it is better felt than acted on. Acting out of desperation leads nowhere good.
Feel desperation, but try not to act on it. Be well. Work to thrive. Good luck and caveat actor.
If you are in an unsafe situation on set, you can contact SAG-AFTRA's Emergency Hotline 24 hours, seven days a week at: (844) SAFER SET / (844) 723–3773, and/or leave set.
Labels: acting, money, trends, unions
this posted by David August at 11:23 PM - 0 comments -
Monday, March 30, 2020
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SAG-AFTRA Dues Relief
SAG-AFTRA today announced that it has developed a program to provide dues relief for SAG-AFTRA members during the COVID-19 global pandemic.
Under the program, SAG-AFTRA members who are in a position to pay their dues in full are urged to do so upon receipt of their May semi-annual dues bill. Members experiencing financial hardship resulting from work stoppages related to COVID-19 will be granted a due date extension and an installment plan for those payments. As part of that relief, no late fees will be assessed and there will be no adverse impact on members’ work eligibility during this time.
(emphasis added by me, from SAG-AFTRA To Adopt Dues Extension Program for Members Impacted By COVID-19 Work Loss).
this posted by David August at 1:03 PM - 0 comments -
Wednesday, January 29, 2020
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Industry Standards for Intimacy Coordinator Use Unveiled by SAG-AFTRA
Today, SAG-AFTRA released a PDF and a video package of "Standards and Protocols for the Use of Intimacy Coordinators." This should make it even easier for producers to help performers and productions navigate highly sensitive scenes that feature nudity and simulated sex -throughout the entire production process.
Along with other anti-harassment efforts by SAG-AFTRA and things like their Code of Ethics for Personal Managers, on and off set we will be better off.
Labels: acting, trends, unions
this posted by David August at 10:56 AM - 0 comments -
Friday, April 13, 2018
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No More Auditions in Hotel Rooms or Residences
Years ago, a film invited me to audition and a casting director I shall not name here said, to make everyone more comfortable we're having the auditions at the producer's house, in their living room.
When I thanked them for the invitation and said I would not be able to attend because it was in the producer's home, I was yelled at for being somehow foolish and unprofessional. I told myself then I should simply have declined and given no reason, which would likely have avoided the yelling. It is good now to see that none of us were the ones being unprofessional to expect a job interview to happen in a place business is conducted.
To help protect members from potential harassment and exploitation, SAG-AFTRA released today a Guideline that calls for an end to the practice of holding professional meetings in private hotel rooms or residences.
(from SAG-AFTRA 's Code of Conduct, Guideline No. 1).
Labels: auditions, trends, unions
this posted by David August at 1:53 PM - 0 comments -
Monday, September 25, 2017
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Video Game Strike Over Tentatively
Our [SAG-AFTRA's] negotiating committee has reached an agreement to end the strike against 11 video game companies that has been ongoing since October 21, 2016. Accordingly, you are free to resume working for the companies that were struck on all titles effective immediately.
The terms of the tentative agreement...resolved two points of contention we had with the employers: transparency and secondary compensation...it instituted a new bonus structure that provides an additional payment to performers beyond their session fee...[it] expanded information [that will] will empower performers and their representatives to bargain knowledgeably for compensation and to understand the nature of the performance that will be required, both of which have been a challenge for our members in an environment characterized by code names and secrecy.
The National Board will vote on the contract at its October meeting. The new terms take effect upon ratification... members are free to provide covered services pursuant to the expired terms of the prior Interactive Media Agreement with the struck companies effective immediately.
(emphasis added, from We Have Reached a Tentative Agreement to End the Video Game Strike).
Labels: contracts, money, trends, unions
this posted by David August at 9:59 PM - 0 comments -
Wednesday, February 08, 2017
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Direct Deposit Residual Payments
Delivery of residual payments via direct deposit will finally become a reality in 2017. The program will begin with select payment partners and our eventual goal is to offer electronic processing of all residuals. This new service will not only add much-needed efficiency to the financial lives of performers who depend on these payments, but will also be another major step in SAG-AFTRA's eco-friendly green initiative
(emphasis added, from Game-Changing News). This seems like a very good thing.
Labels: acting, money, technology, trends, unions
this posted by David August at 2:58 PM - 0 comments -
Thursday, January 26, 2017
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Director's Contract Improved
Members of the Directors Guild of America [DGA] have approved a three-year successor deal on the master contract with a major gain in streaming residuals
(from Directors Guild of America Members Ratify New Contract).
The DGA statement says they gained on SVOD (like Netflix, Amazon and Hulu) residuals, tripling some of them. They also gained on wages, though only rising slightly more than inflation in some cases, and got higher pension contributions.
This is a good thing for actors too: often the guilds end up making comparable gains; producers engage in pattern bargaining. A gain for directors, writers or actors is often possible for the other two guilds to make. Since streaming continues to grow and be a more common way for our work to be seen, there is cause for hope. The SAG-AFTRA negotiations have not yet been publicly announced for our master contract with the AMPTP, which expires June 30, 2017.
this posted by David August at 5:02 PM - 0 comments -
Wednesday, March 16, 2016
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SAG, AFTRA Health Plans Could Merge by January
The SAG and AFTRA health plans, whose still-separate status four years after the two actors unions merged has remained a major irritant, are expected to merge by January 2017, said an AFTRA plan trustee Friday.
There is underway a merger of the health plans,said Disney/ABC labor vp Marc Sandman at a UCLA law school panel.There is an expectation that it will be complete as of January next year
(from SAG, AFTRA Health Plans Expected to Merge by January, Says Trustee, thanks to Ben Whitehair for bringing it to my attention).
this posted by David August at 2:04 PM - 0 comments -
Wednesday, March 05, 2014
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SAG-AFTRA's New Code of Ethics for Personal Managers
SAG-AFTRA has finalized its Personal Manager Code of Ethics and Conduct [PDF of the code], a voluntary agreement that is designed to promote honest and ethical relationships between the union's members and the managers they choose to represent them.
This Code of Ethics and Conduct was conceived and executed by our members,said Zino Macaluso, National Director and Senior Counsel, Professional Representatives.We are thrilled to release the final document after years of input from our members and the management community. SAG-AFTRA looks forward to establishing a closer, mutually beneficial relationship with this community to advance the needs of all concerned
(from SAG-AFTRA).
The Code includes "putting the member's interests above their own and not deriving personal gain at member's expense," and other items which sound like good things for actors.
However, The Wrap reports the Talent Managers Association (TMA) is urging its members not to sign and quotes the TMA saying in a statement that their ...organization was in dialogue with SAG-AFTRA regarding their new Personal Managers Code of Ethics and Conduct,
and goes on to say, [a]fter thoughtful review and consultation with legal counsel our position is to advise members against signing the SAG-AFTRA code in its current highly restrictive and regulatory form.
While the TMA says ...[c]urrently, there are counterproductive elements we believe that can be further revised for everyone's benefit,
The Wrap doesn't mention what the counterproductive elements may be. My voice-mail, tweets, email and the TMA web site's contact form asking what elements they don't like, and for their comments, haven't been replied to yet by the TMA as I publish this.
I read the Personal Manager Code of Ethics and Conduct and it doesn't seem too unexpected. I've heard rumor of many managers "procuring work" for their clients; it's rumored many managers do exactly the same thing agents do, only without regulation and for 15% instead an agent's 10%. California law says managers aren't allowed to procure an actor work, but in reality, it has been alleged that many function as unregulated talent agents. Perhaps this code may counter some of those alleged activities.
This code also seems to bring any possible disutes between an actor and a manager more within SAG-AFTRA realm. It sets up how conflicts would be resolved though arbitration through SAG-AFTRA. I have a message in with SAG-AFTRA's communications department to get their thoughts and reactions.
For most of us as actors, a manager having signed the code may be a sign of at maximum a manager trying to work closely with the union in accordance with all the rules and laws, and minimally, a manager having signed the code may suggest the manager is trying to message how serious and legitimate they are. In the end, as with all our business relationships, the specifics of the people we work with, and how we treat them and they treat us will have far more bearing than any code, organization, government or anything else ever will. For things like honesty and effectiveness, the proof will be in the pudding, so to speak. These are all just my initial thoughts. Caveat actor and break a leg.
Labels: agents, trends, unions
this posted by David August at 5:17 PM - 0 comments -
Thursday, May 30, 2013
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Commercials Contracts Vote Due Tomorrow
SAG-AFTRA has negotiated its first major contracts as a new union - the Commercials Contracts - and voting must be completed by 5 p.m. PDT, Friday, May 31, 2013. Member leaders believe they have secured substantial gains for members working in commercials: If approved, the contracts will result in $238 million in wage increases and other payments for all categories of performers, improvements in cable use fees, increases in payments for work on the Internet and new media platforms, and an increase in the late payment fee
(from sagaftra.org). Please vote now.
Labels: contracts, money, unions
this posted by David August at 2:44 PM - 0 comments -
Monday, May 27, 2013
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Actors Equity Turns 100
Actors Equity Association celebrates its 100th birthday.
Labels: unions
this posted by David August at 10:27 AM - 0 comments -
Wednesday, November 28, 2012
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Pay Union Dues to Run for Union Offices
Next year, SAG-AFTRA will hold elections for all leadership positions. Based on the expected calendar for the 2013 SAG-AFTRA elections, in order to meet the good standing eligibility requirement to be nominated for election as a National Officer, National Board Member, Local Board Member, or Convention Delegate, members should ensure their November dues bill payment is received by SAG-AFTRA no later than Friday, November 30, 2012
(from sagaftra.org).
this posted by David August at 12:56 PM - 0 comments -
Saturday, June 02, 2012
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SAG-AFTRA Makes Music Video Deal
The three-year deal includes minimums, pension and health benefits and a range of working-condition protections.
Capping a year of effort, SAG-AFTRA announced Friday that it had reached the first-ever industry wide agreement covering dancers in music videos. The deal, which encompasses Sony Music, UMG, Warner, EMI, Disney and their subsidiary labels, came less than two weeks after the union's board gave its executive director, David White, the power to issue a Do Not Work Order against the labels.
The three-year agreement was reached in the early morning hours of June 1, after the current round of talks between the union and label representatives commenced on May 30 in Los Angeles. The agreement is a milestone not only for the music video business but also for the new union: it's the first agreement reached by the post-merger SAG-AFTRA.
(from The Hollywood Reporter). Read SAG-AFTRA's statement about music videos.
this posted by David August at 2:53 AM - 0 comments -
Wednesday, April 25, 2012
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SAG-AFTRA Considering Music Video Do Not Work Order
On May 19-20, the SAG-AFTRA National Board will consider a unanimous recommendation by the Executive Committee to implement a Do Not Work notice against music video productions.
Once implemented, SAG-AFTRA members may not accept employment as performers in any music video not produced under a SAG-AFTRA contract. A Do Not Work order for music videos is a result of the major record labels refusing to agree to a contract that meets the critical needs of music video performers
(from SAG-AFTRA).
this posted by David August at 1:01 PM - 0 comments -
Friday, March 30, 2012
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SAG-AFTRA Merger Approved
The memberships of SAG and AFTRA have approved the proposed merger of their unions; they are now the the single union called SAG-AFTRA.
- SAG: 82% yes votes, 18% no votes; 53% of the membership voted
- AFTRA: 86% yes votes, 14% no votes; 57% of the membership voted
The announcement of the results of the merger referendum was made at 1:35 pm in Los Angeles by SAG National President Ken Howard and AFTRA National President Roberta Reardon. The new union's web site at sagaftra.org has more details on its structure and make up.
this posted by David August at 12:55 PM - 2 comments -
Thursday, March 29, 2012
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Results of SAG-AFTRA Election Will Be Live Streamed Online
The results of the merger referendum by the members of SAG and AFTRA will be announced this Friday, March 30 at approximately 1 p.m. PT/4 p.m. ET.
Please join us online at SAGAFTRA.org to view a livestream of the announcement by SAG National President Ken Howard and AFTRA National President Roberta Reardon
(from sag.org).
Labels: technology, unions
this posted by David August at 7:44 PM - 0 comments -
Monday, March 19, 2012
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Network Revenues from New Media Are Growing
Residuals when a network show is released to consumer-paid new media are calculated as a percentage of distributor’s gross, so the fact that Moonves pointed to those deals as a noteworthy revenue stream for CBS suggests that new media license fees are growing.
That may prompt eagle-eyed guild staff to keep an eye out for the residuals checks that should follow. It will take sharp eyesight, though, because the checks are barely discernable [sic]. As an example, the WGA's 2011 annual report indicates that new media reuse accounted for only about one percent of total residuals in 2010 ($3.85 million of $315.81 million). Although those residuals grew at a rate much higher than did residuals overall, the numbers are likely to remain small for quite some time
(emphasis added, from The Hollywood Reporter).
Labels: money, technology, trends, unions
this posted by David August at 4:17 PM - 0 comments -
Monday, March 12, 2012
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All Labor Watching SAG-AFTRA Merger Efforts
With U.S. labor unions under constant conservative fire, the proposed merger of the Screen Actors Guild and the American Federation of Television and Radio Artists is being closely watched within the labor movement as a measure of how unions react to the changing landscape.
If this is approved, it's going to be a huge shot in the arm for the labor movement,AFTRA president Roberta Reardon told Variety on Sunday.Labor unions have been under attack, particularly with the growing power of corporate employers and their ability to get around unions in new areas of work.
Members of SAG and AFTRA began receiving ballots Feb. 27 and must return them by March 30. Each union must receive at least 60% support among those voting for the combo to go through.
The unknown is very scary,she said.But having a united consolidated strategy is really critical as the industry gets more complicated. On a show like 'Glee,' for example, the actors are represented by SAG but their singing is covered by AFTRA
(from Variety, via Bertila Damas).
this posted by David August at 3:11 PM - 2 comments -
