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SAG-AFTRA Merger Moves to Membership Vote
This weekend, the boards of directors of both the Screen Actors Guild (SAG) and the American Federation of Television and Radio Artists, AFL-CIO (AFTRA) voted overwhelmingly to merge. “Professional performers are now an important step closer to the strongest union representation possible,” said SAG national president Ken Howard. “Just as our boards have, I believe... »
John Shaffner Elected Chair of Art Directors Council
Production designer John Shaffner has been elected to a three-year term as chair of the Art Directors Council, effective immediately, replacing Thomas A. Walsh, who continues in the position of president of the overall Art Directors Guild (ADG, IATSE Local 800). Shaffner was formerly vice-chair of the council, a position now filled by Corey... »
Local 44 Members Join BTL’s Production Listings Discount Program
Local 44’s business agent Ed Brown and secretary-treasurer Anthony Pawluc recently invited Patrick Graham, owner of leading film industry publication Below the Line to Local 44's annual Holiday Retirees Luncheon, in order to negotiate final details for Local 44 members to take advantage of Below the Line’s popular Production Listings Discount Program. »
Union Roundup: Communal Christmas
So there we were, on a Thursday mid-morning – Below the Line’s big giant head, Patrick Graham, and truly yours – libations already in hand, a plate of turkey, gravy and fixin’s in our near future. We were guests of IA Local 44 – Hollywood’s property craftspersons – at their annual Christmas party... »
Makers of Academy Awards Strip Wages from Workers
Hollywood's biggest stars will take home golden trophies during the 84th Annual Academy Awards, but the Teamsters who manufacture and polish the coveted statues are being handed something far less glamorous – gutted benefits and wage cuts. Fifty Teamsters on Chicago's North Side have reached a stalemate during contract negotiations with R.S. Owens & Company,... »
Union Roundup: Home Invasions
It was a home invasion of the best kind... On a recent cold and blustery December Saturday, members of IA Locals including 44, 729 and 700, Teamsters 399, retirees, producers, and kin of the above, all descended on the home of location manager George Herthel and his wife Pam Boroski. George had become... »
DGA Membership Ratifies New Commercial Contract
The Directors Guild of America announced that the DGA membership has ratified the new collective bargaining agreement between the DGA and the Association of Independent Commercial Producers (AICP). "We entered into negotiations with the goal of protecting the excellent health benefits enjoyed by our members, retirees and their families, and obtaining the best possible deal... »
IATSE Locals Unanimously Endorse Rep. Howard Berman
The West Coast studio locals of the International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees (IATSE) unanimously endorsed U.S. Congressman Howard L. Berman to represent California's 30th District in the United States Congress. These locals represent over 35,000 Los Angeles-area men and women who make their living in the motion picture and television production industries... »
Union Roundup: Occupy Column Space
Much as happened since we last took to this space to opine on the intersection of film, politics, and constantly fraying economies here, notably, of course, some unforeseen blowback from general populaces everywhere against predatory banking and investing policies, (which dictate the “inevitablities” of off-shoring, downsizing, layoffs, union-smashing, pension and benefit rollbacks, et al),... »
DGA Reaches Tentative Agreement on Commercial Contract
The Directors Guild of America today announced that the national board of directors has approved a tentative new national commercial contract to be sent to the membership for ratification. The agreement covers a three-year term from Dec. 1, 2011 through Nov. 30, 2014 and addresses wage increases (2% per year, plus a wage increase of... »
Director Series
Iran’s Best Foreign Film Nominee: Asghar Farhadi’s A SeparationJanuary 2012 | By Jack Egan
One of the surprises of this awards season is A Separation, a highly lauded film from Iran that has captivated reviewers and moviegoers and... »
Danish Director Nicolas Windng Refn Pushes Drive into High Gear
January 2012 | By Jack Egan
Nicolas Windng Refn, director of Drive, doesn’t himself drive. He has failed his driver’s license test eight times. Yet the heralded Danish director came... »