AMPTP suddenly likes to give drivers a ‘historic’ contract

Late last night, the Directors Guild Of America released a statement announcing that they had reached a preliminary agreement with the Alliance Of Motion Picture And Television Producers (also known as the AMPTP, the coalition of major motion picture and TV studios). historic deal” that gives the DGA “major breakthroughs in addressing the international growth of the entertainment industry and making significant gains in key economic and creative rights, while reaffirming the critical role of DGA Directors and their teams.”

This is because the WGA has been on strike for more than 30 days, trying to make its own “historic” deal with the AMPTP, and it doesn’t take a particularly seasoned or suspicious Hollywood insider to recognize that the timing is definitely off. is. chance.

But before we get into that, the listings of the DGA deal – which is all we’ll have to go off on for now, as the specific terms haven’t been made public – seem pretty remarkable, at least in terms of the source. – publicized issues the WGA has and other big stories in Hollywood. According to deadline, there will be a bump for residuals, plus new terms for DGA members working on variety and reality shows (including initial residuals for associate directors and stage managers). There will also reportedly be a new language that defines an AI as “not a person” and something that specifically notes that “AI cannot replace members’ duties.” The terms apparently also include new safety requirements and a ban on live ammunition.

If deadline points out that the DGA was initially vocally in favor of the WGA strike, but that the union was notably absent from a recent WGA West “Unions Strike Back” event, which seemed a strong indication that talks were underway and that there might be a deal was coming. way. And, as writer Mike Royce (who is also in the DGA) be on twitter a week before, this is precisely what the AMPTP intends to do – Royce even correctly predicted that the DGA deal would call its gains “historic.”

The reason this was predictable is because, as pointed out in the deadline piece, this is actually how the AMPTP ended the WGA strike in 2007: The studios made a good deal with the DGA, then argued that the writers were being unreasonable and took away the influence of the WGA. That being said, this Hollywood reporter part features writers who argue that the same strategy will no longer work.

Rather than signaling that they should make concessions, the fact that the AMPTP was willing to make a “historic” deal with the DGA, the writers more leverage, as it means that the AMPTP is be prepared to go and strike that is put a lot of pressure on them. There is also the fact that SAG-AFTRA called for a strike authorization vote and could also go on strike at the end of the month, meaning the AMPTPs are playing alone right now – after writers and actors and directors give what they want– was to declare something to the directors. It was either that or have all three guilds go on strike, completely shut down the entire industry and make it even more embarrassing when the millionaires of the AMPTP companies have to sheepishly claim they deserve a raise after all.