Self-described ‘working class actor’ John Cygan offers his take on the deal that AFTRA signed and why SAG should not agree to that same deal. What do you think?

FROM: Drew Mayer-Oakes, TXMPA Legislative Committee We are fast approaching the Texas Motion Picture Alliance Lobby Day for 2009. Thank you for your participation last session – we need your help again. If you are able to volunteer again, the TXMPA needs you! Lobby Day is March 4th, with orientation and training for new team [...]

You probably know the names Scott Wilson and David Clennon, but even if you don’t immediately snap to their name, you’ll surely know their faces. Each of these men has a long and impressive body work as professional actors. Their comments on the importance of residual income are comments that I agree with wholeheartedly. Check [...]

What’s a non-star, just want to make a decent living, actor supposed to think? Here’s the latest from the SAG soap opera: Date: Mon, 26 Jan 2009 15:34:05 -0800 To: SAG National Board of Directors and Alternate National Directors Subject: Message from Doug Allen I have been informed by SAG counsel that the National Board [...]

If any more evidence were required to demonstrate the severely dysfunctional nature relationships that define SAG leadership, read on. Now it seems the board can’t agree to withdraw the strike authorization proposal and ask for a vote on the contract. Someday this will end…won’t it? Dear Member, On October 19, your National Board voted by [...]

As 2008 draws to a close with no contract between SAG and the AMPTP, the animosity between factions within SAG has only become more vitriolic. What is the best course of action? Accept a truly lousy contract now and hope to undo the damage in three years? Or reject the contract and take a strike [...]

SAG Announces Plan for Strike Authorization Vote: LOS ANGELES, DECEMBER 10, 2008 — Screen Actors Guild today announced that strike authorization ballots will be mailed to paid-up SAG members on Friday January 2, 2009, and will be tabulated on Friday, January 23. A yes vote by 75% of members voting is required to pass the [...]

“The facts of this matter are simple and straight forward. The WGA attempted for eight months, since March, to address via dialogue the AMPTP’s erroneous interpretation of our February agreement. These efforts included a number of conversations between the Guild’s executive director and at least one of the CEOs who made the deal with the [...]

A week or two back the WGA went public with its frustration over not receiving residuals from streaming and EST content. The WGA vented their frustration at the same time that the AMPTP was refusing to go back to the bargaining table with SAG. Here is the AMPTP response to WGA assertion that the AMPTP [...]

The bad blood between SAG and the AMPTP seems to be getting thicker as both sides take to hammering each other with press releases and letters to their memberships. First is SAGs official release following a full page ad the AMPTP published in the L.A. Times: Los Angeles, CA (December 01, 2008) – Today’s open [...]