Member News

September 14, 2007

IATSE 477 Sound Mixer Joe Foglia wins Emmy Award

for his sound mixing work on the episode “My Musical” of the

TV series Scrubs

The Academy of Television Arts & Sciences awarded the 2006-2007 Creative Arts Primetime Emmys for programs and individual achievements at the 59th Emmy Awards presentation at the Shrine Auditorium in Los Angeles on Saturday, September 8. Emmys in 29 other categories will be presented at the 2007 Primetime Emmy Awards telecast on Sunday, September 16 on FOX.
To view a complete listing of all the winners you can visit the Academy of Television Arts & Sciences web site at www.emmys.tv

The WGA contract with the studios is up in October, but the general consensus is they're going to delay negotiations to catch up with the DGA and SAG contracts which end in June of 2008. The current belief in Hollywood is that all three of these guilds intend to go on strike in June and literally cripple the entire industry.

Essentially, all parties are looking for better residuals on the internet. So, in the meantime, studios are stockpiling scripts and rushing productions in order to have a slate lined up so that if there is a strike, they still have a product to put out. There is actually a list that is being circulated around major talent agencies in Hollywood which includes all the movies the studios have made a priority before the impending Writers Guild, Directors Guild and Screen Actors Guild strike next year.

Regardless of what happens, studios are still going to be left with all these films they rushed to complete with large numbers of pre-strike movies on hand the studios will have no other choice than to distribute them resulting in a lull of production. The same thing happened in 2001. But if the strike doesn't happen, it also means actors and directors will have open schedules and be available to take on smaller projects over the summer, providing some work, but the summer of 2008 is expected to be slow regardless.

August 12, 2007

Writers Strike Imminent?

Some close to the negotiations between writers and studios say the first Hollywood writers strike in nearly two decades is imminent by Nov. 1. August 10, 2007

Contracts between the studios and the Screen Actors Guild along with the Directors Guild of America will be up in early 2008, and if the WGA matter isn't resolved, with the exception of the I.A.T.S.E. all of Hollywood could end up walking out.

The last WGA strike nearly twenty years ago lasted five months, shutting down the fall TV season and putting every show from soap operas to late-night out of business.

Because the SAG and DGA contracts are up early next year, some are suggesting the WGA wait until spring to walk out.

Hollywood Strike Fears

The LA Times reports that the on-going contract negotiations between the Writers Guild of America and the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers are fragile at best.

Reuters however, is reporting that the rush to stockpile scripts before October 31--when the writers' contracts expire--and to complete production on films before the actors and directors' contracts expire next summer could result in poorly-executed and mediocre cinema fare.

At least they'll have an excuse next year...

WHY IS IT BUSY THIS SUMMER?

July and August are usually a slow time in Florida. It's too hot, hurricane season, and with the fall TV shows completed, writers, producers, directors, and casting directors typically take a vacation, while network execs travel to their summer homes in cooler climates. But the current contract negotiations between the Writers Guild of America and the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers have sparked rumors that writers, actors, and directors may all strike next year. Many are speculating that if the writers and producers don't come to an agreement by Oct. 31, the contract's expiration date, the WGA could ride out its contract until June 2008, when the AMPTP's pacts with the Screen Actors Guild and the Directors Guild of America expire. The unions, negotiating for better residuals and new-media compensation, could unite for a "perfect storm" strike that might effectively shut down the industry.

The WGA hasn't called for a strike vote among its members yet, but recent economic reports out of Los Angeles -- including a July report from FilmL.A. -- have verified what many in the industry suspect: Studios and networks are stockpiling films and TV pilots in anticipation of having to wait out a triple-threat strike, creating what one casting director called a "second pilot season."

Even before the hotly contested WGA-AMPTP talks began last month, the networks appeared to be bracing for a walkout. As announced in May, NBC will not debut a new comedy series this fall for the first time in almost 30 years, instead ordering more episodes of proven favorites.

New scripted shows are axed in favor of more reality Programming.

So buckle your seatbelts, 2008 could be a bumpy ride!

Charlie Crist letter to the editor, Published Wednesday, March 28, 2007

Film Production Boosts Florida!

I recently visited the set of the feature film "Rocket," currently in production in Jacksonville and had the opportunity to observe stars Sharon Stone, Tom Arnold, Lucy Liu and Jimmy Fallon at work. One reason the film's producers chose Florida as a backdrop was our state's tax incentive designed to attract more film, television and entertainment industry. It is time to expand these incentives so even more productions will bring even more high-wage jobs to Florida.

Today, Florida's film and entertainment is a $3.9 billion industry, and represents more than 5,500 businesses and more than 34,000 employees - with an average salary of $53,000 per year. We can expand this high-wage, high-tech industry by substantially increasing our investment in the industry. I have recommended spending $75 million for each of the next three years to attract film-and-entertainment productions to Florida.

The people of Florida will receive a good return on this investment. Consider the return on past investments: Two years ago, the state invested $10 million that brought 14 productions to Florida and generated $73 million. Last year, that investment was doubled to $20 million and attracted 32 productions, pumping $133 million into our state's economy - a $6.60 gain for every dollar spent.

In the early days of the film industry, Jacksonville was "The Winter Film Capital of the World," and the leading production companies of the day migrated from New York City to take advantage of our warm climate and cloudless days. Within a decade, California made such attractive offers to production companies that the industry relocated there.

Florida is competing with states that use such incentives to lure Florida's entertainment-and-film industry, crews and production elsewhere. Also, Florida's excellent film-and-entertainment schools are producing highly qualified graduates. When productions go elsewhere, the chances increase that those graduates - along with their knowledge and skills - will follow.

Florida's warm, sunny climate and business-friendly environment are good for high-value industries such as film and entertainment. In turn, they are good for Florida's economy, and that's good for the people of Florida.

GOV. CHARLIE CRIST

Tallahassee

http://www.ipetitions.com/petition/morefloridafilms/

WGA. DGA, SAG Effects the Quantity of Production

IATSE 477

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IATSE & AFTRA regarding the WGA Strike!

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FLORIDA MOTION PICTURE PRODUCTION PIONEER BERNARD BLYNDER PASSED AWAY PEACEFULLY ON SEPTEMBER 21, 2007.

BERNARD WAS AN ORIGINAL CHARTER MEMBER OF I.A.T.S.E. LOCAL 477 AND WAS A SOUND MIXER ON NUMEROUS COMMERCIALS, TELEVISION SERIES AND FEATURES.

HE IS SURVIVED BY DAUGHTER KAREN AND SONS MICHAEL SCOTT, JEFFREY AND MARK. HE WAS AN EASY GOING PROFESSIONAL WHO WAS ALWAYS EAGER TO HELP AND SHARE KNOWLEDGE WITH NEW TECHNICIANS. WE WILL ALL MISS HIM DEARLY.