Directors Guild Offers Talks, Complicating Writers' Strike

New York Times:

Movie and television directors said Thursday that they were prepared to begin bargaining toward a new contract with production companies after the New Year holiday, a move that could realign Hollywood's troubled labor front.

The contract between the Directors Guild of America, which represents about 13,500 directors and associated production workers, and the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers, an industry bargaining group, is to expire on June 30.

Read the whole story: New York Times

Comments

[sneezeguard]

And by "complicating" they mean, "completely screwing."

[FogBelter]

If the DGA and SAG stand firm with the WGA they will all get a better deal than they could get individually.

I hope the DGA considers this.

[unidentifiedman]

First, I sincerely hope that the strike will end soon and that it'll end well.
Second, while I believe in the power of laughter and value humor almost above all things, the wit and sarcasm on display in writer's blogs and on their picket signs, their rhetoric has only hardened positions on both sides. There's not going to be a public referendum on this contract. The players who will eventually settle this thing are seated across the table from one another (alright, they are not currently at the table, but they should be), and not in the audience.
Third, I would suggest that the creative community work more creatively, creating a solution rather than trashing the competition. A little too on the nose, don't you think?
Fourth, the majority of people being hurt by the current stalemate don't stand to gain a penny when and if a new deal is struck. They are collateral damage and will never recover their losses. Frankly, I'll be surprised if anyone does.
Fifth, there's not even a guarantee that the "business" will be the same when the strike is over. The OJ trial permanently wounded soap operas, the last SAG strike permanently damaged the commercial market for a actors, the last WGA strike accelerated the growth of basic cable (which pays a lot less than network), and I just gave birth to my own (incredibly attractive) avatar on second life, etc.
Finally, the DGA's finally announced that they are prepared to negotiate their contract after the first of the year, having delayed for months out of consideration for the WGA's efforts. Despite preemptive potshots taken by some in the WGA, the DGA shares their interests, goals and finally, their side of the table. They should be welcomed. Perhaps fresh eyes and common interests can find a way through this impasse.