As reported in last week’s SHOOT e.dition, the three-month Writers Guild of America (WGA) strike against the television/feature studios exacted a heavy toll on the California economy–at a time when our country’s economy was already, and continues to be, besieged by rising fuel, food and healthcare costs.
According to a Milken Institute study, the WGA strike, which ended four months ago, will cause a net loss this year of nearly 38,000 jobs tied directly and indirectly to the entertainment industry. Though the WGA strike concluded in February, many of those crew people who lost their jobs have not yet been hired back as TV/feature studios scaled back production.
The Milken research estimates that lost wages in California will amount to some $2.3 billion in ’08 due to the strike. These losses will diminish by early ’09 as production hopefully returns to previous levels–unless there’s a Screen Actors Guild (SAG) strike.
At press time, SAG was in talks with the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers (AMPTP) on a new features/TV contract. The current SAG features/TV pact expires on June 30.
Meanwhile the American Federation of Television and Radio Artists (AFTRA), which split from SAG to conduct its own collective bargaining sessions with the AMPTP, has reached an agreement on a new features/TV contract. However, at press time, SAG was asking those of its members who are also in AFTRA’s rank and file to vote against ratification of that AFTRA/AMPTP contract, contending that it undermines actors getting the best possible feature/TV deal.
The ad biz will has cast an interested eye on how the SAG/AFTRA relationship evolves. Keep in mind that the two-year extension to the commercials contract for actors is set to expire at the end of October. It remains to be seen what bearing, if any, AFTRA’s split from SAG on the primetime TV contract front will have on prospects for reaching an agreement with the ad industry.
The commercials contract extension was agreed upon by the advertising industry, SAG and AFTRA. The two years have and are being used to conduct a joint study exploring alternative compensation models for performers spanning traditional spots as well as nontraditional ad fare spanning a growing array of new media. The results of that study are to be used to form the basis for renegotiating the next commercials contract this year.
There’s been nary a whisper of what that joint study has yielded thus far. Whether no news is good news or if that silence is ominous depends on whether you view the proverbial glass as being half full or half empty.
While one of civilization’s failings has been to let bad history repeat itself through the ages, our sincere hope is that labor and management will learn a lesson from recent history, namely the heavy losses in jobs and revenue resulting from the WGA strike. We cannot afford any more prolonged labor unrest. So consider it our wish that cooler heads prevail, that both sides of the negotiations keep the greater good in mind and work in cooperative give-and-take fashion to arrive at fair deals.
Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt Reach Divorce Settlement After 8 Years
Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt have reached a divorce settlement, ending one of the longest and most contentious divorces in Hollywood history but not every legal issue between the two.
Jolie and Pitt signed off on a default declaration filed in Los Angeles Superior Court on Monday, saying they have entered into a written agreement on their marital and property rights. The settlement was first reported by People magazine.
"More than eight years ago, Angelina filed for divorce from Mr. Pitt," Jolie's attorney, James Simon, said in a statement. "She and the children left all of the properties they had shared with Mr. Pitt, and since that time she has focused on finding peace and healing for their family. This is just one part of a long ongoing process that started eight years ago. Frankly, Angelina is exhausted, but she is relieved this one part is over."
The filing says they give up the right to any future spousal financial support, but gives no other details. A judge will need to sign off on the agreement. An email late Monday night to Pitt's attorney seeking comment was not immediately answered.
Jolie, 49, and Pitt, 61, were among Hollywood's most prominent pairings for 12 years, two of them as a married couple. The Oscar winners have six children together.
Jolie filed for divorce in 2016, after a private jet flight from Europe during which she said Pitt physically abused her and their children. The FBI and child services officials investigated Pitt's actions on the flight. Two months later, the FBI released a statement saying it would not investigate further, and the U.S. attorney did not bring charges.
A heavily redacted FBI report obtained by The Associated Press in 2022 said that an agent provided a probable cause... Read More