ROTTEN TOMATOES: Producers Reach Agreement With Directors Guild, Invite Writers Back to Negotiating Table

Producers Reach Agreement With Directors Guild, Invite Writers Back to Negotiating Table

Maybe soon we can finally get some new episodes of The Office.

by Jeff Giles | January 18, 2008

Well, that didn't take long: After five quiet days of negotiations, the Directors Guild of America has announced a tentative three-year deal with the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers.

Gil Cates, chair of the DGA's Negotiations Committee, described the agreement as "groundbreaking and substantial," telling Variety, "The gains in this contract for directors and their teams are extraordinary -- and there are no rollbacks of any kind."

Some of the gains Cates referred to are of the new-media residuals variety, a development which should warm cockles in the hearts of striking Writers Guild members everywhere. From the article:

DGA touted a trio of new-media gains:

Establishing DGA jurisdiction over programs produced for distribution on the Internet;

Boosting the residuals formula for paid Internet downloads (electronic sell-through) by double the current rate;

And establishing residual rates for ad-supported streaming and use of clips on the Internet.

Despite these changes, there's concern from within the WGA that leadership will reject the DGA deal "out of hand" as a template for its own agreement. Perhaps realizing this, the AMPTP released a statement inviting the WGA back to the bargaining table:

The agreement between the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers and the Directors Guild of America establishes an important precedent: Our industry's creative talent will now participate financially in every emerging area of new media. The agreement demonstrates beyond any doubt that our industry's producers are willing and able to work with the creators of entertainment content to establish fair and flexible rules for this fast-changing marketplace.

We hope that this agreement with DGA will signal the beginning of the end of this extremely difficult period for our industry. Today, we invite the Writers Guild of America to engage with us in a series of informal discussions similar to the productive process that led us to a deal with the DGA to determine whether there is a reasonable basis for returning to formal bargaining. We look forward to these discussions, and to the day when our entire industry gets back to work.

Aside from scoring what might be the first public relations point in the AMPTP's favor during the strike, the announcement drops the ball squarely back on the WGA's side of the court. The Guild was quick to respond, releasing a statement that, despite being slightly churlish ("For over a month, we have been urging the conglomerates to return to the table and bargain in good faith. They have chosen to negotiate with the DGA instead"), indicated a willingness to at least analyze and evaluate the DGA deal. Expect negotiations to start up again soon -- and who knows? Maybe this time, they'll have a happy ending for everyone.

Source: Variety

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(1-15 of 15 posts) | Reply

Astr0creep writes:
on Jan 18 2008 06:30 AM

I hate happy endings.
I like it when the hero dies.

I mean in movies of course.
What I'm hoping the most is that out of all this the writers will have more freedom in the creative process and maybe we'll get movies that take more risks, movies that steer away from the path of the standard hollywood recipe for "success".

I'm a dreamer...

(Reply to this)

dahluzz writes:
on Jan 18 2008 06:48 AM

looks who wants to make a deal before the oscars. i wish this siutation would be a catalyst for putting more money and recources into original (read not an 80's show, prequel, sequel, threequel, spin-off, franchise, remake or reimagining) movies, but i don't really see that happening.

Let's end this sucker so conan can shave his strike beard.

(Reply to this)

sunsaz writes:
on Jan 18 2008 06:49 AM

Thank God. Here's hoping the upcoming SAG negotiations will go as smoothly.

(Reply to this)

Ashron writes:
on Jan 18 2008 07:51 AM

I'm all for the writers, but I have to admit they're beginning to sound like whiny little b***hes. They need to calm down, take a hint from their directing brothers and sisters, and get with the program.

(Reply to this)

whiskeyriver writes:
on Jan 18 2008 07:53 AM

The WGA had better go back to the table and bargain with the producers in good faith if they truly have their members' best interests in mind. If they reject the DGA deal as not enough for them, it will not end well for the WGA. The public will perceive it as if they feel they are somehow better than or above the directors. That's not a good public image to have. They will be painted as troublemakers, which is clearly not the truth. But that image will stick and hurt all future efforts of the guild. They had better think seriously about getting a matching deal with the one the DGA just assented to.

(Reply to this)

randal1013 writes:
on Jan 18 2008 01:40 PM

i agree with dahluzz. unless the writers make a deal where they stop the endless supply of unoriginal, craptacular movies, there's no real point in the major movie studios continuing to exist.

(Reply to this)

rockster11 writes:
on Jan 18 2008 08:14 PM

Wahooooo!! Bring back 24!!

(Reply to this)

tycox writes:
on Jan 19 2008 08:05 AM

I SAY JUST HURRY UP AND JUST DO WHAT THE GREEDY BASTARDS SAY!!! AND I MEAN THAT ONE BOTH SIDES BECAUSE THEY ARE ALL BEING GREEDY!!! I'M SICK AND TIRED OF SEEING ALL THE GREAT SHOWS GET CUT DOWN TO A PUENY SEASON SO GET YOUR A$$E$ BACK TO WORK OR HIRE NEW PEOPLE WHO CAN DO THEIR JOBS JUST THE SAME!!!

(Reply to this)

professoryuks writes:
on Jan 19 2008 12:26 PM

Wouldn't it be nice if we could return to the days of a FULL TV season? Let's hope the writers used the time off to write some decent scripts. Most of what I've seen over the last few years would get a C for a 3rd grader with a "generous" teacher. "Hey gang, I've got an idea. Let's rehash the guy who repeats the same day over and over. It's been weeks since we did that!"

(Reply to this)

professoryuks writes:
on Jan 19 2008 12:29 PM

Wouldn't it be nice if we could return to the days of a FULL TV season? Let's hope the writers used the time off to write some decent scripts. Most of what I've seen over the last few years would get a C for a 3rd grader with a "generous" teacher. "Hey gang, I've got an idea. Let's rehash the guy who repeats the same day over and over. It's been weeks since we did that!"

(Reply to this)

Raziel5000 writes:
on Jan 20 2008 08:00 AM

In reply to this comment (#1487083)
Well said Whiskeyriver. If the writers get the same deal as the directors then, in my opinion, they have to take it. They cannot possibly argue they deserve more.

Of course, it all depends on whats offered.

(Reply to this)

FilmGirl35 writes:
on Jan 21 2008 07:22 AM

I'd love to have been a fly on the wall of those DGA meetings -- what's going on behind the scenes that's keeping the WGA out in the cold. It seems like the writers put themselves in this position every time, what's up with that??? Is it the unique nature of the work they do and the needs they have? Is it their negotiators? Is it the mindset they come into this process with?

Your thoughts?

(Reply to this)

BrianInSD writes:
on Jan 21 2008 09:18 AM

In reply to this comment (#1501653)
"I'd love to have been a fly on the wall of those DGA meetings -- what's going on behind the scenes that's keeping the WGA out in the cold."

The major difference is that producers are much more willing to F--- with the writers than they are to F--- with the directors.

(Reply to this)

Willy105 writes:
on Jan 21 2008 04:08 PM

So....

....peace now right?

(Reply to this)

vaodsi writes:
on Jan 21 2008 11:39 PM

hmmmmmm. (rubs chin) PLOT DEVELOPEMENT.

(Reply to this)

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