SAG Members at a 'Solidarity Rally' on June 9, 2008 (more photos here) | Photo by Tom Andrews/LAist The votes came in and were counted: members of AFTRA--the nation’s second largest performers’ union--overwhelmingly voted to ratify a contract with the AMPTP, who represents movie studios and producers, by a 62.4% margin. “Today’s vote reflects the ability of AFTRA members to recognize a solid contract when they see it," AFTRA National President Roberta Reardon said......

The Screen Actors Guild announced today that they will "present its response" to the "last best final" contract offer by movie studios and producers, who hope it will be accepted. With that, Nikki Finke opines: "... the Big Media companies are prepared to play hardball. I forsee a repeat of what happened during the lowest ebb of the writers strike: the AMPTP walks away from the talks and issues an ultimatum to SAG to take......

No deal has been met between the the Screen Actors Guild and the movie studios and producers, who have given their "last best final" offer. Right now, it's all about back and forth information sharing as they look over the offer. But is that really it? Nikki Finke says it best. "Let's not be coy: the Screen Actors Guild seems to be understandably playing for time until the results of the AFTRA contract ratification vote......

SAG and AMPTP met yesterday afternoon to discuss the new contract offered by the movie studios. Hours before the contract expired on Tuesday at 12:01 a.m., AMPTP offered the actors their "final offer," which SAG had many questions about yesterday. SAG is now going back to analyze and review AMPTP's proposal. But all of this is a waiting game until July 8 when the other and smaller actors union, AFTRA, announces if their disputed bad......

Now that the contract between the largest actors guild and the movie studios has expired, with talks to resume Wednesday, the Alliance of Motion Picture & Television Producers is using a tactic on their website to show the economic pain the actors will supposedly cause if they authorize a strike. Two flash animation boxes on their homepage give out these statistics based on an Milken Institute study (for the writers strike) and Screen Actors Guild's......

Photo by Peggy Archer via Flickr Day 42 into the negotiations between the Screen Actors Guild and the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers and no result. The contract expires Tuesday at 12:01 a.m. and the next meeting is scheduled for Wednesday. SAG has been saying along that they have no plans to strike but AMPTP has said in a statement that the "industry is now in a de facto strike, with film......

That was what the AMPTP reportedly said when negotiations first began with the SAG. But that's just one option that SAG says will not happen. The Hollywood reporter breaks down how it could play out if no deal is reached by tonight's deadline: "They could negotiate a contract extension, which could be by day, week or month, and keep talking; the studios could lock out the actors; or SAG could seek a strike-authorization vote from......

Today, the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers took out an ad (to the left) in both Variety and Hollywood Reporter stating their concerns over another strike. "The industry is shutting down because SAG's Hollywood leadership insisted on 11th-hour negotiations and dragging these talks into July so they can continue attacking AFTRA," a statement released to the Associated Press by AMPTP . Earlier this month, a SAG "Solidarity" Rally turned into an anti-AFTRA rally,......

No, it is unlikely the drama of that the negotiations between the Screen Actors Guild (SAG) and the Alliance of Motion Picture & Television Producers (AMPTP) will bleed out on the streets. In a statement late yesterday morning, SAG president, Alan Rosenberg, had this to say: "We have taken no steps to initiate a strike authorization vote by the members of Screen Actors Guild. Any talk about a strike or a management lockout at this......

From a SAG Rally earlier this month (more photso here) | Photo by Tom Andrews/LAist Movie studios are preparing for the worst, an actors strike, which could begin in July if contract talks go sour, according to the LA Times: In anticipation of a possible actors strike, studios revamped their schedules last year so that most films would finish shooting by June 30. They've also virtually stopped greenlighting new movies, causing a sharp slowdown......

Actors Union: "Management is stubborn and intransigent." Studio Reps: "'Frustrated and discouraged' at the guild's attitude." The Screen Actors Guild's contract with studios expires on June 30 and with the way things are going, the union is saying contract talks could extend past that deadline. That doesn't mean a strike, however. SAG has worked past the deadline in the past and plans to this time if talks are progressing, albeit slowly. Both the studios representation,......

SAG's 'Solidarity' Rally on Monday (see more photos here) | Photo by Tom Andrews/LAist Screen Actors Guild members outside of Los Angeles are reportedly fuming over Monday's rally, which was billed as a pro-SAG "solidarity" event, but ended up having anti American Federation of Television and Radio Actor tones. Around 500 actors and supporters of the movement rallied outside SAG's Wilshire Blvd. headquarters chanting "Vote No!" "We were told this would be a pro......

Although the Screen Actors Guild said today was a "solidarity" rally, Variety plainly headlines the event: "SAG rallies against AFTRA, Guild member encourage to vote down deal." Some 500 or so actors and supporters came out to bolster support for duel cardholding SAG/AFTRA members (44,000 people are in both unions) voting down the American Federation of Television and Radio Actors' deal with the Alliance of Motion Pictures and Television Producers. SAG says the AFTRA deal......

UPDATE: About 500 people showed for the rally. See photos here.This morning, the Screen Actors Guild (SAG) will hold a "solidarity" rally at their Wilshire Blvd. Headquarters, a move the American Federation of Television and Radio Artists (AFTRA) is calling decisive and possibly illegal. "It’s disingenuous of SAG to call it a ‘solidarity’ rally when it’s clear that it will be an anti-AFTRA rally,” said AFTRA President Roberta Reardon. The Writers Guild of America held......

Photo by delara-photos via the LAist Featured Photos pool on Flickr DID U C OPRAH 2DAY? OMG SO GR8! OOPS G2G, PPL R B-TING SUM GUY UP TTYL! Pasadena ain't your ashtray. So tonight their city council meets to vote on a massive smoking ban that will prohibit puffers to indulge in their habit in almost any public place. Hey, what's the latest on the upcoming SAG/AFTRA contract talks? Deadline Hollywood Daily has an......

George Clooney & friends don't want this guy's job, as seen in January '08 | Photo © Copyright 2008 by Jonathan Alcorn (aka Sundogg) via the LAist Featured Photos pool on Flickr If there's one scene Hollywood actors aren't eager to rehearse, it's the one where they march back and forth in front of studios in shifts, carrying signs and accepting honks and donuts from sympathetic supporters. It's something the Screen Actors Guild is hoping......

How many ways can you say “Today I walked in a circle for three and a half hours”? Thankfully, after 50-odd posts, 100+ days, a 2.5 billion blow to the local economy, and 217 donuts eaten by me, you can finally close the book on “The Writers Strike of ‘07”. Last night, the WGA announced that its members had voted “overwhelmingly” to ratify the new MBA contract. With over 4,000 votes cast, Guild members......

a writer's perspective So now that the writers have voted overwhelmingly to end the strike, what next? Well, now we’re in the midst of the contract ratification process. Last week, interested writers were asked to provide the WGA with “camera ready” statements for or against the new contract. Over the next few days, guild members will be receiving ballots along with the pro and con statements, and will have the opportunity to vote as to......

Writers Strike outside Disney | Photo by Heath Biter/LAist Just moments ago, in a letter to its members, the WGA announced that writers have voted by a 92.5% margin to lift the “restraining order” and officially end the strike. The move comes on Day 100 of the labor dispute. WGA president Patric Verrone is expected to hold a press conference in just a few moments at the WGA Theatre in Beverly Hills, where members......

a writer's perspective After last night’s WGA membership meeting at the Shrine, it now feels very likely that the end of the strike is here. Over 3000 WGA members turned out to hear the announcement that over the next 48 hours, writers would be given a chance to vote as to whether or not they wanted to call off the strike. This means that writers could be back to work as early as Wednesday.......

Writers Guild members picket in front of Sony Pictures in Culver City, California, November 2007 At nearly 3am last night, WGA members received an email announcing that "we have a tentative deal." I'm told that the language of the deal could have been done earlier, but that the AMPTP attempted some last minute shenanigans - most reprehensible in the fact that it made me use the word "shenanigans." The WGA East will be holding......

A striking writer outside Disney Studios in Burbank, CA | Photo by movielover via the LAist Featured Photos pool on Flickr In an interview on CNBC's "Fast Talk," ex-Disney CEO Michael Eisner said the writers strike is over but was noted "to hesitate initially about whether it was possible that the writers could still reject the agreement," yet finally suggesting the acceptance of the deal was inevitable."A deal has been made, and they'll be......

a writer's perspective As rumors that the writers strike is going to end begin to morph into a reality. I have been spending way too much time every day trying to differentiate between the truths, the rumors, and the half-truth/half-rumors. (AKA truemors) At this point, here is what I can tell ya. The WGA has scheduled an “important” membership meeting for this Saturday evening at the Shrine Auditorium. Without even knowing exactly what the......

a writer's perspective With rumors flying fast and furious that The End Is Near, picketing resumed this morning with increased media scrutiny, and with healthy skepticism amongst the writers. I know everybody is anxious for this thing to be over, but there’s no point in listening to the rumors before they become a reality. I know Fox CEO Peter Chernin allegedly told his buddies at the Superbowl yesterday that “the strike is over”, but......

The Negotiating Table on FunnyOrDie.com "You’re a monkey" "Well you’re a Jew, so what?" Written by Seth Macfarlane (the voice of Peter Griffin on The Family Guys), Featuring Josh Radnor (How I Met Your Mother), Kat Foster ('Til Death), Nick Kroll (Cavemen) as the writers.......

The 3-month-old WGA strike could end as early as Friday if the new contract is completed and approved It's still in the outline phase, but a new contract has been drawn for striking writers, and may meet with approval as early as Friday. The new deal is said to including resolutions to fundamental concerns, like compensation for work done for and distributed on the Internet, all of which led to the walkout and picket......

a writer's perspective Today was buzzing on the line – in no small part because Thursdays at Warner Brothers are now officially “Teaching Thursdays at Warner Brothers”. Wannabe writers, students, and fans are being encouraged to show up and learn about the craft from the experts. Each week there will be a different theme, and today was “Multi-Camera Sitcom Day”. Those of us who have worked on multi-cam shows were asked to wear nametags......

a writer's perspective Returning to Warner Brothers to picket yesterday and today felt like a bit of a homecoming. Between Monday’s SAG unity day at Fox, and the last holiday-shortened week that saw me putting in appearances at Paramount, WGA headquarters, and, of course, Xena Appreciation Day at NBC, it seemed like I’d been working out of the office for ages. It felt good to be home. I don’t know what they’re putting in......

The 80th Annual Academy Awards are scheduled to take place Feb. 24 at Hollywood & Highland's Kodak TheatreAuthorities have released the names of the victims in yesterday's deadly airplane collision in the skies above Corona. According to KNBC.com, "one of the victims -- Earl Smiddy, 58, of Moreno Valley -- was on the ground when he was hit by falling debris. The other victims were identified as Anthony Joel Guzman, 20, of Hesperia; Scott......

a writer's perspective I know this isn’t what anybody wants to hear, but… The DGA deal is not a sign that the writers strike is close to ending. Over the last few days, you might have heard a lot of people speculating with giddy glee that the WGA and the AMPTP have entered the endgame. You might have heard industry insiders talking about how the DGA deal is revolutionary and groundbreaking – setting historical precedents......