The new four-year commercials contract recently tentatively agreed to by the Association of Independent Commercial Producers and the Directors Guild of America (SHOOT, 11/10, p. 1) has received unanimous approval from the DGA national board, which has referred the pact to the guild’s general membership for ratification. The ratification vote is scheduled for completion in late January. Until then, the current spot contract-which had an original expiration date of Oct. 31, 1999-has been extended.
Liberty Livewire has completed its earlier announced acquisition of 100 percent of the stock in Video Services Corporation (SHOOT, 8/25/00, p. 1). VSC is parent to such shops as Manhattan Transfer, New York, Manhattan Transfer-Miami, Northvale, N.J.-headquartered Audio Plus Video International, Northvale-based A.F. Associates, and New York editorial boutique Cabana.
Bicoastal/international Chelsea Pictures has launched a new spot and music video satellite, Production League of America, which will be based in Los Angeles. Director Evan Bernard and executive producer Jo Ann Thrailkill will head up the new venture. Bernard was most recently repped by X-Ray Productions, bicoastal and Chicago; Thrailkill was an exec producer there.
-posted January 3, 2001