With the SAG in a stalemate with the majors over its feature-primetime contract, the Screen Actors Guild and the American Federation of Television & Radio Artists have opted for a six-month extension of their commercials contract until March 31. SAG and AFTRA, which plan to negotiate jointly on the ad deal, made the disclosure Wednesday [...]

Here’s an excellent article on state film incentives from Indy.com In Texas we are HOPING to get the legislature to increase our incentive from the current dead in the water 5% to a comparatively modest 15%. We are hoping that the existing infrastructure will make 15% more competitive. So far, 15% hasn’t primed the pump [...]

Deadline Hollywood Daily has a full posting of all the most recent back and forth between SAG boards and SAG vs the AMPTP. Below is the full text of the email received by SAG membership on Friday, the 15th. August 15, 2008 CONTRACT 2008 UPDATE Discussions Continue SAG negotiators and industry representatives continue to have [...]

“Did anyone talk to you about how we shoot”? When I arrived on the set to shoot a scene as Dr. Campbell, doctor to Grandma Saracen (Louanne Stephens), grandmother of Matt Saracen (Zach Gilford) these were the first words I heard from producer / director Jeffrey Reiner. “Hummm…not really” was my cautious reply, not exactly [...]

You Friday Night Lights fans might find this TV Guide article of interest. I’m wondering how this will work out as well. And will the DirecTV run count as first run and the NBC network run a rerun, or vice versa? Whatever the case, it’s just another example of the changing landscape for film and [...]

The following productions has approached SAG about shooting under a SAG signatory agreement. Not all of these projects will necessarily end up going SAG, so ‘buyer’ beware: American Cartel – Ultra Low Budget Agave Productions, LLC Location: San Antonio, TX Start Date: August 24, 2008 Devil’s Thumb – Low Budget Modified Ranch Studios Location: Austin, [...]

Given the paucity of film work in the state due to lack of a competitive tax incentive package, the start of FRIDAY NIGHT LIGHTS, Season 3 is a most welcome event. That is even more true this year since PRISON BREAK has fled Texas to hide out in the Los Angeles area, leaving FNL as [...]

A MESSAGE TO THE MEMBERS OF THE TEXAS PRODUCTION COMMUNITY Folks, the legislative season is upon us. Long before the session begins in January, much work has already been done — and there’s a great deal yet to be done — toward making Texas’ incentive program more competitive, and regaining some of the ground that [...]

SAG members received the following missive from National Exec. Director and Chief Negotiatior, Doug Allen. The impression one would get from reading Daily Variety or listening to other press sources is that there is no ongoing communication and SAG is just stalling with no plan of action in place. Some of the conventional wisdom has [...]