It’s been a while since the last update on the potential Screen Actors Guild (SAG) strike (yes, that’s still floating out there), so I thought I’d bring everyone up to date.
There hasn’t been a lot of movement, though in January of this year SAG canceled all Guaranteed Completion Contracts, which is hurting independent film productions.
Last year, in the event a strike were to happen, SAG issued Guaranty of Completion contracts to help keep indie films from shutting down. However, SAG canceled the Guaranty (also called a “waiver”) this past January, which has really hurt these independent productions.
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It’s tough to get insurance and nearly impossible to get a completion bond, which guarantees a movie will be finished unless a there’s a strike. So it’s extremely difficult to raise money to make a movie. One successful independent producer details how he has been affected at Deadline Hollywood Daily.
In other news, the AMPTP and SAG have been working without a contract of any sort since June 30, 2008. There has been a lot of discussions about this, both internally and publicly. Anytime SAG floated the idea of a potential strike vote, many major and minor actors have spoken out against it.
After the Writers Guild of America (WGA) strike lasted over 100 days and caused a loss of $2.1 BILLION, a SAG strike could cripple the film and television industry. With the economy in bad shape, people are flocking to movies and watching TV more than ever, and no one can afford to just stop making movies and TV shows (other than reality).
I don’t think we’re going to see a strike, but I really hope SAG and the AMPTP can sit down and hammer out a contract, so people can keep working on movies without the fear of a total shutdown. Or at least start issuing the “waivers” again for indie film productions.
The WGA strike didn’t really affect movies and TV shows until they were out of scripts, and no new ones were coming in. A SAG strike would cripple the industry and lose far more money to the industry.
Source: Deadline Hollywood Daily
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9 Comments
What are you talking about. SAG has essentially been striking for the past 8 months.
Really? There’s been no movie or TV production involving actors going on? That’s news to me.
Vic
Maybe we’ll get a decent list of films for next years Oscars instead of most of the crap that was featured this year..not many independents being made if this article is accurate so not as much “artistic” pictures to be offered as Oscar fodder….there is a silver lining I guess..
While I agree greenknight that this years oscars sucked I would still prefer getting independent films for the awards over brainless crap that would be nominated if those films didn’t exist. Maybe we can get crap films like Transformers in there.
Independent films with no studio backing or distribution at the time of principal photography. Not a Miramax film.
A lot of the indie films that have come out seem to be all alike, and made by angsty trust fund babies about angsty trust fund babies. Hmmm, I can’t really relate to that.
heath
@ Daniel
I am in no way suggesting that films like Transformers be nominated in the major Oscar categories..for audio/visual effects sure..the more technical categories I guess..I want films that really make me think and when you walk out of the theater you have changed in some way because a films message was thought provoking and powerful..
The Reader…NOT
MILK …NOT That was Hollywoods response to Prop 8 although Penn’s performance was good..not as good as Rourke’s but good none the less..
Frost/Nixon..c’mon BORING
Benjamin Button just wasn’t worthy to be nominated in the major categories..
Weak list of films this year indeed..
I wouldn’t consider any of those films independent films GK. Especially not Frost Nixon or The Curious Case.
I also disagree that a lot of Indie films are the same in fact I dont recall ever seeing even two that are exactly alike. Then again I may of missed one or two indie films. I think the hate for indies mostly comes from action or horror junkies who don’t really care much for good films. Some of the best movies of all time were indie films. Just because buildings are not blowing up doesn’t mean it’s a bad film. I prefer films about people.
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