Directors Guild of America membership has voted by an overwhelming margin to ratify the new collective bargaining agreements between the DGA and the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers (AMPTP).
“I am happy to report that the DGA membership overwhelmingly voted to ratify the new contract,” said Paris Barclay, DGA president. “Our major gains in SVOD residuals, together with our improvements in wages and pensions, were the result of our forward-thinking preparation. With the groundwork already laid in previous negotiations, this new contract embodies what we knew was possible when we established our first New Media agreement nearly a decade ago. All our thanks go to our Negotiating Committee, led by co-chairs Michael Apted and Thomas Schlamme, and National Executive Director Jay Roth, as well as our Guild’s professional staff, for all their determination and hard work.”
Formal negotiations with the AMPTP began on Monday, December 5, and concluded three weeks later on Friday, December 23. Talks were led by Apted, Schlamme and Guild chief negotiator Roth. On December 29, the DGA’s National Board of Directors unanimously recommended sending the contract to members for ratification. Ratification voting opened on January 4, and the results were finalized tonight (1/25) after the deadline.
Gains include significant increases in SVOD residuals; increases in employer contributions to the pension plan; annual wage increases (2.5% in the first year, 3% in the second and third); increases in nearly all residuals bases; and a provision addressing the lack of TV directing opportunities for aspiring career directors. The new agreement also includes provisions addressing safety, improvements in creative rights–including expanded rights of members when their work is shown theatrically as well as provisions addressing late scripts–and specific advances that pertain to members of the director’s team.
The new contract’s three-year term will take effect on July 1, 2017 and will run through June 30, 2020.
Producers Douglas Wick and Lucy Fisher To Receive Harold Lloyd Award From The Advanced Imaging Society
Producers Douglas Wick and Lucy Fisher will be presented with the 2025 Harold Lloyd Award in recognition of their producing achievement in creating Gladiator II at The Advanced Imaging Society’s (AIS) 15th annual Lumiere Awards luncheon, which takes place Friday, February 7, 2025, at the Beverly Hills Hotel.
Empowering their storytelling with groundbreaking technology and skill, Wick and Fisher have thrilled audiences and driven the film industry forward for three decades. Their steadfast dedication to the highest standards of cinematic excellence have resulted in epic films, including Memoirs of a Geisha, The Great Gatsby, the Stuart Little franchise, the Divergent Series and both Gladiator films. The first Gladiator earned Wick an Academy Award® for Best Picture. In light of their consistent and distinguished contributions over the years, as exemplified by this year’s Gladiator II, the Advanced Imaging Society wished to recognize the team with this year’s esteemed Harold Lloyd Award.
“Doug Wick and Lucy Fisher of Red Wagon Entertainment have revolutionized modern filmmaking with their bold storytelling and ability to elevate large-scale productions to epic levels,” remarked Jim Chabin, AIS president. “Their work has not only captivated audiences but also redefined filmmaking standards, leaving an indelible mark on the art of cinema. At AIS. we deeply admire their visionary contributions and enduring influence on the film industry.”
Suzanne Lloyd, granddaughter of the late, great Harold Lloyd, remarked, “Doug’s artistic vision and Lucy’s dynamic leadership have brought authenticity, beauty and profound emotion to some of our favorite epic films. Together, they are a... Read More