EXCLUSIVE: A new proposal from the studios to end the 113-day-old SAG-AFTRA strike has just been presented to the guild.
We understand that the Actors Guild and the AMPTP began further negotiations over the weekend, in which studio executives are expected to participate directly. Expectations that this could mean a new three-year deal is imminent within the next 48 hours should be “tempered,” a well-informed guild source said on Friday, as the SAG-AFTRA boss must fully review the document before it even be signed. it can come back. The negotiating table.
The latest developments come at the end of a tense week in which the tone of talks shifted to pessimism as SAG-AFTRA awaited a formal response to its latest counterarguments. A studio insider dismissed the concerns tonight, saying the extended time was simply a matter of those in charge wanting to give the guild a complete package.
“We will make them an offer and then we will see where we go,” an executive involved in the talks said late this afternoon.
The new proposal also comes amid leaks and rumors that emerged early Friday that studios are facing a tight deadline for a deal to save the rest of the 2024 TV season and theatrical slate.
With “liquidity” replaced by “cautious optimism” as the new contract negotiation buzzword in recent days, the insider pointed to the “urgency” to find a solution. At the same time, people with knowledge of events add any idea of the events That the latest proposal is the AMPTP’s best and final offer is “really premature”, as one person put it.
There were also talks between the parties today and Thursday ahead of the studio’s proposal to join SAG-AFTRA. As one persistent insider pointed out, “They’re all retroactive.”
Although Deadline exclusively reported that the two sides did not meet on Thursday, representatives from SAG-AFTRA and AMPTP held a conversation later that evening. Although the Guild expressed frustration with the studios’ slow response time, this communication did not result in a formal response from the studios to the Guild’s latest AI proposal from more than two days ago or to the six-day “comprehensive counter” not ago .
Since October 24, both sides have held a new round of talks, both in person and virtually.
As with the previous and successful sessions with the WGA in September, Donna Langley of NBCUniversal, Bob Iger of Disney, David Zaslav of Warner Bros Discovery and Ted Sarandos of Netflix participated in varying degrees with SAG-AFTRA in this roundtable. The Gang of Four CEOs have been closely involved in formulating the response to SAG-AFTRA’s proposals and are expected to continue working in person or virtually with guild president Fran Drescher, chief negotiator Duncan Crabtree-Ireland and others. Further discussions in the coming days
Duncan Crabtree-Ireland, Fran Drescher, Ted Sarandos, Bob Iger, David Zaslav and Donna Langley
Getty/courtesy
At the same time, just as we saw with the WKV when that guild went on strike, there was an ongoing campaign of sneaking and whispering against the SAG-AFTRA leadership from the other side. Furthermore, there is a perception within the guild that the AMPTP has used divide-and-conquer tactics between leadership and members – moves that so far appear to have been entirely unsuccessful.
SAG-AFTRA President Fran Drescher posted on Instagram today: “TGIF! Let’s hope the CEO of Amptp shows up again with a stamp on the deal counter!”
According to an executive source, SAG-AFTRA has a demand for stuntmen and stuntwomen who can decide what their digital stunt doubles should look like. It was “a decision typically made by directors,” the insider said, adding that it was simply outside the guild’s jurisdiction. From another studio source, we learn that the Actors Guild is asking to limit the number of digital extras that can be used in a given scene at any given time. This will result in more real actors remaining on screen in the background.
On the one hand, the studios’ delay in responding to SAG-AFTRA’s counter and AI proposal has been somewhat disconcerting, as the conglomerates are openly eager to restart TV and feature film production, they tell us.
Stephen King’s New Line horror film is rumored Salem’s Fate, is headed to the streaming service Max after the picture was pulled from theatrical release after Labor Day 2022. This will be a first for Warner Bros. Discovery, led by David Zaslav, who has vowed not to engage in the old government’s tactic of sending films straight to streaming. “Max really needs content for next year,” an industry source said of the product shortage facing the streamer. The same goes for the theater schedule. Move three large tent poles – mission: impossible 8, Disney/Pixar Elio, and Disney Snow White – by 2025 could result in an estimated $1.5 billion in revenue for next year’s box office.
On Thursday, during Paramount Global’s quarterly earnings call, shareholders were informed that the company suffered a loss of $60 million in “strike-related downtime costs.” CEO Bob Bakish noted on the call that the studio’s 2024 film schedule has been thrown into disarray and that “the scripted side of television continues to be affected by the strike.”
It’s a small change from what workers in California and the entertainment industry are experiencing as a result of the labor unrest. The state’s economy lost an estimated $6.5 billion as a result of the WGA and SAG-AFTRA strikes, which shut down much production. More than 45,000 jobs have been lost in the entertainment industry since scribes went on strike in early May and the actors’ guild stormed the battle lines in mid-July.
Source: Deadline
Elizabeth Cabrera is an author and journalist who writes for The Fashion Vibes. With a talent for staying up-to-date on the latest news and trends, Elizabeth is dedicated to delivering informative and engaging articles that keep readers informed on the latest developments.
