On Sunday (2/10), the Writers Guild of America (WGA) board and negotiating committee unanimously approved a tentative contract reached on Feb. 1 with the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers (AMPTP). And now the deal is no longer tentative as WGA members who cast ballots overwhelmingly voted in favor of returning to work. Some 93 percent of the 3,775 who voted gave a thumbs-up to ending the strike.
The new writers’ contract is modeled to some extent on the agreement reached earlier between the AMPTP and the Directors Guild of America (DGA), which included an accord on the key issue of compensation for content running on the Internet.
As reported in SHOOT, the WGA strike–which began on Nov. 5–has had indirect and direct impact on the advertising and spotmaking communities. For example, the direct impact on the visual effects biz has been profoundly negative, according to then Visual Effects Society (VES) chair Jeffrey A. Okun (SHOOT, 12/7/07).
Beyond the industry, the strike has hit the economy at large quite hard, particularly in Greater Los Angeles where assorted businesses depend on revenue generated by feature and TV production. Estimates run as high as the L.A. economy losing some $22 million a day because of the work stoppage.
Hopes now run high that at least part of the primetime TV season can be salvaged. Also high on the wish list is that the agreements between the AMPTP and the WGA and DGA, respectively, will make upcoming negotiations with the actors proceed smoothly and yield a contract sans any strike action. The actors’ unions agreement with the AMPTP is set to expire on June 30. But there’s some acrimony already on just one side of the bargaining table as the American Federation of Television and Radio Artists (AFTRA) has broken ranks with the Screen Actors Guild (SAG).
AFTRA’s board of directors voted on Feb. 2 to separately negotiate its upcoming primetime TV contract with the AMPTP–without SAG being party to those talks. If that AFTRA decision holds, it will conclude a longstanding joint partnership between the two actors’ unions in negotiations with the major feature/TV studios.
And keep in mind that the 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.
Where The Buffalo Roam Signs Director Geordie Stephens For Spots and Branded Content
Production company Where The Buffalo Roam (WTBR) has signed director Geordie Stephens for U.S. representation spanning commercials and branded content. Stephens is known for his subtle performance-driven comedic style, emphasizing art direction, production design, and cinematography. Previously represented by Tool of North America, Bullitt and FANCY, Stephens has a commercial portfolio which includes such global brands as Mini Cooper, HP, Toyota, Bud Light, and Burger King. A former agency creative, Stephens transitioned to the director’s chair following a lengthy career on the agency side as a creative at Butler, Shine & Stern and CP+B Miami, among other shops.
PJ Koll, WTBR co-founder and executive producer, said of Stephens, “His expertise and talent perfectly complement our creative strengths, enhancing our ability to deliver at the highest level. We feel incredibly fortunate to have him join the herd.”
“When I met Tim [WTBR exec producer Pries] and PJ, we immediately hit it off,” added Stephens. “They’re super sharp, funny, and good people who have assembled a very interesting mix of talent with different skills. As a director, I’m always looking for simple human truths that everyone can relate to in a humorous and smart way. The Buffalo team specializes in the small wink, so they get my sense of humor and will give me the platform to keep pushing great work forward.”
During his advertising career, Stephens spearheaded campaigns for IKEA, Truth, Virgin Atlantic, Burger King, Sprite, and Volkswagen. His work also won top prizes at the Cannes Lions and Clios and has been honored by numerous One Show and AICP awards.
Raised in an artistic community in California’s Marin County by his writer-mother and... Read More