EXCLUSIVE: Saturday Night Live ’s editorial crew has said yes in a big way to its first-ever union contract at the Lorne Michaels -led NBC late-night show. Five days after the Editors Guild and NBCUniversal reached a tentative deal to advert an April 1 strike, the 20-plus SNL editorial crew unanimously voted last night to ratify the agreement. The post-production team and guild reps met virtually Wednesday for the vote, I hear. “The solidarity and bravery of this crew are just so impressive,” Cathy Repola , National Executive Director of the Editors Guild, said of the vote and the team upon ratification of the inaugural deal. “They fought not just to improve their own working lives; they have also set a standard that will benefit all those who follow in their footsteps at this TV comedy institution.” “It was an honor to work with them on reaching this significant agreement.” Unveiled on March 17 after about a week of last-ditch and sometimes tense … [Read more...] about ‘SNL’ Editorial Crew Ratify Deal To Avert Strike; Late-Night Show Will Go On With Inaugural Contract
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SAG-AFTRA & NPR Ratify Strike-Averting Contract Deal – Update
UPDATED with statement, 10:10 AM: SAG-AFTRA and NPR today issued a joint statement about their ratification of a contract deal that averts a strike against the radio pubcaster: The Screen Actors Guild-American Federation of Television and Radio Artists (SAG-AFTRA) and NPR are pleased to announce the ratification and signing of a new three-year contract covering NPR’s news and programming employees. The contract was ratified last week by an overwhelming majority of NPR’s SAG-AFTRA represented employees and then signed by SAG-AFTRA and NPR at NPR headquarters in Washington, D.C. on Monday, July 31. NPR and SAG-AFTRA have shared a long and productive relationship throughout the years. This was evident in the recent negotiations, as NPR and SAG-AFTRA’s bargaining teams worked tirelessly and constructively to find common ground. Today NPR and SAG-AFTRA together celebrate the tremendous talents of NPR’s news and programming teams and look forward to supporting NPR’s mission and … [Read more...] about SAG-AFTRA & NPR Ratify Strike-Averting Contract Deal – Update
WGA Ratifies New Film & TV Contract
Ratification of the new three-year WGA film and TV contract has been overwhelmingly — almost unanimously — approved by members of the WGA East and West, bringing to a close Hollywood’s most contentious contract struggle in a decade. Of the 3,647 valid votes cast there were 3,617 “yes” votes (99.2%) and 30 “no” votes (.8%). There were 9,441 eligible voters. The term of the agreement is from May 2, 2017 through May 1, 2020 . “Our success in these negotiations was due to a highly engaged and dedicated membership, working in tandem with a tireless and informed Negotiating Committee and an extraordinary Guild staff. We achieved new and significant gains that will help today’s writers even as they benefit the next generation,” said WGAW President Howard A. Rodman and WGAE President Michael Winship. “Our thanks go out to all of those who contributed to the process and to the thousands of our fellow writers who participated in the strike authorization and ratification votes.” … [Read more...] about WGA Ratifies New Film & TV Contract
As WGA & AMPTP Talks Kick Off, Details Emerge Of DGA’s Attempt To Reach Under-The-Radar Deal With Studios
EXCLUSIVE: First among Hollywood unions this year, the WGA is going face-to-face with the studios starting Monday in what’s expected to be contentious negotiations for a new overall contract. However, the atypical pole position for the hard-hitting scribes this labor round is a consequence of the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers’ rebuke of the DGA efforts to strike a pact a few months ago. In November 2022, the Directors’ Guild sought to spark an early dialogue with the AMPTP by sending over “pre-conditions,” as one studio source called them, for early negotiations. Over the past decade and more, the DGA has gone ahead of the WGA and SAG-AFTRA in contract talks with the Carol Lombardini-led group. In that context, talks before official talks are nothing new in Hollywood labor circles. However, unlike the past three contract sit-downs, the DGA had some more weighty than usual caveats it wanted dealt with before it would agree to settling on a date … [Read more...] about As WGA & AMPTP Talks Kick Off, Details Emerge Of DGA’s Attempt To Reach Under-The-Radar Deal With Studios
Studios Snubbed WGA’s Contract Proposal To Boost Women & Minority Writers
EXCLUSIVE: The WGA made no major gains in its new film and TV contract regarding diversity, which the guild has been pushing for years. “There was a proposal related to diversity on the table,” an industry source said, “but the guild did not get it.” The union did, however, receive additional funding for its training program for episodic TV writers, which is geared toward improving the lot of women and minority writers. Under the new deal, CBS, ABC and NBC will now be kicking in a total of $250,000 a year for the program in each of the three years of the contract – up from $200,000 a year under the previous contract. The new 69-page memorandum of agreement can be seen here , in full, for the first time. Membership ratification of the new pact began today and will conclude May 24. In its 2016 report, the WGA West found that women made up only 29% of the TV writers; that female film writers earned only 68 cents for every dollar earned by their white male … [Read more...] about Studios Snubbed WGA’s Contract Proposal To Boost Women & Minority Writers
‘Succession’ Review: Final Season Of HBO’s Media Mogul Satire Has No Intention Of Going Quietly
“I love you, but you are not serious people,” says Logan Roy ( Brian Cox ) to his estranged and ambitious offspring in Succession ‘s fourth and final season. For a series stuffed to gills with verbal uppercuts that would leave Malcolm Tucker bruised and blushing, the profanity-free candor from the Emmy-winning series’ media baron fulfillingly sticks the shiv in deep. Now, beyond that quote from the Season 4 trailer , there isn’t much more that can be said. Truly. With more implied NDAs than a Waystar RoyCo corporate retreat, series creator Jesse Armstrong and HBO have requested piquant critics keep almost everything that happens in Season 4 locked down. So, let’s just cut to the non-specific chase: This final season, which debuts March 26, is where Succession truly succeeds. For one thing, the expletive-stuffed satire that has long plundered the ostentatious psychology and lifestyles of profoundly faltering people packs a tremendous emotional wallop in this … [Read more...] about ‘Succession’ Review: Final Season Of HBO’s Media Mogul Satire Has No Intention Of Going Quietly
CBS Renewal Status Report: ‘Blue Bloods’, ‘S.W.A.T.’, ‘East New York’ & ‘True Lies’
Third in a series on broadcast network series renewals. It’s been more than a month since the most recent CBS scripted renewals, of NCIS, NCIS: Hawai’i and CSI: Vegas . The three dramas that were left out at the time — Blue Bloods , S.W.A.T . and East New York — remain in limbo, joined on the CBS bubble list by new midseason drama True Lies , which debuted March 1. Business issues have been major factors in the renewal prospects for veterans Blue Bloods , currently in its 13th season, and S.W.A.T. , now in its sixth season, as well freshman East New York , I hear. Amid overall decline of linear ratings, it has become common practice for broadcast networks to ask for financial concessions on long-running series, which naturally become more expensive as they age. RELATED: Fox Renewal Status Report: ‘9-1-1’, ‘Lone Star’, ‘The Resident’, ‘Animal Control’, ‘Call Me Kat,’ ‘Flatch’ & More But things are looking very good for … [Read more...] about CBS Renewal Status Report: ‘Blue Bloods’, ‘S.W.A.T.’, ‘East New York’ & ‘True Lies’
Timur Bekmambetov’s Passion Project About Muslim World Folk Hero Nasreddin Hodja Secures Turkish Backing
EXCLUSIVE: Los Angeles-based Russian-Kazakh director and producer Timur Bekmambetov has secured Turkish backing for his animated feature about iconic Middle Eastern, Balkan and Asian folk hero Hodja Nasreddin. Bekmambetov’s company Bazelevs has signed an agreement with Yeni Dusler Animation, a production company and content provider for the national public broadcaster of Turkey , the Turkish Radio and Television Corporation. The previously announced English-language production marks Bekmambetov’s first foray into animation and is underway for a planned 2024 release. The voice actors will be attached later this year. Nasreddin is a wandering philosopher and prankster who gets into absurd situations, but ultimately always emerges victorious thanks to his wit, wisdom, and humor. He appears in thousands of folk tales across the Middle East and Asia, dating back to the 13th century. “For people from the Middle East and Asia, he has superhero status. In this part of … [Read more...] about Timur Bekmambetov’s Passion Project About Muslim World Folk Hero Nasreddin Hodja Secures Turkish Backing
Amazon Prime Video Exploring More Global Franchises In Same Vein As ‘Citadel’ – Series Mania
Amazon Prime Video is exploring more global franchise opportunities following the success of the Russo Brothers’ Citadel. James Farrell , the streamer’s VP, International, told a Series Mania audience that it is “highly likely” his non-U.S. team will seek more Citadel- like universes across both scripted and unscripted. A Tomb Raider movie and TV series penned by Phoebe Waller-Bridge are already reported to be in the works. “It’s such a cool way to take [subscribers] on a journey and no one has really done it before,” said Farrell. From the Russo’s AGBO, Midnight Radio, Cattleya and Amazon Studios, the spy thriller is airing as three versions from the U.S., India and Italy, starring the likes of Richard Madden and Priyanka Chopra Jonas. The U.S. version drops next month. The idea was born from a conversation between Amazon Studios boss Jennifer Salke and the Russos, according to Farrell, who said they were discussing “what a global show looks like in the … [Read more...] about Amazon Prime Video Exploring More Global Franchises In Same Vein As ‘Citadel’ – Series Mania