IATSE Chief Matthew Loeb Talks Strike Threat, AI and Union Priorities as AMPTP Negotiations Loom: ‘It’s a Serious Mistake to Play a Game of Chicken’

Gene Maddaus Senior Media Writer IATSE resumed negotiations with the major studios on Monday, with a day spent focused on items relevant to the International Cinematographers Guild, Local 600. IATSE began talks earlier this month, as it seeks to address artificial intelligence, see wage increases to make up for inflation, and close a significant shortfall in its pension and health fund. With more than 9,000 active members, the ICG is the largest of the IATSE locals involved in bargaining.

Gene Maddaus Senior Media Writer Attorneys for “Rust” armorer Hannah Gutierrez Reed asked a judge on Friday to release her from jail and to grant a new trial, citing a recent New Mexico Supreme Court ruling in another case. Gutierrez Reed faces up to 18 months in prison for negligently loading a live bullet into Alec Baldwin‘s gun and causing the death of cinematographer Halyna Hutchins. She has been held since her conviction on March 6 at the Santa Fe County Adult Detention Facility, where she awaits her April 15 sentencing.

Callum McLennan “House of Gods,” a Matchbox Pictures six-part series, boasting an entirely Arab Australian cast, presents a perspective seldom seen on screen, a Muslim community in Fairfield, Australia. “You can’t manufacture authenticity. Audiences are so intuitive and adept, they can smell if something is off a mile away.

Welcome to ElectionLine’s A View From Abroad series, in which we speak with media figures who don’t live in America but keep a close eye on its politics. Every few weeks, these smart observers will provide a unique perspective on what promises to be a fraught and unpredictable campaign for the White House. This week, our interview is with Kéthévane Gorjestani, the foreign affairs correspondent for France 24, the international news network.

Gene Maddaus Senior Media Writer The producers of the Alec Baldwin film “Rust” are nine months late in paying the widower and son of cinematographer Halyna Hutchins, who was killed in a gun accident on set in 2021, according to a recent court filing. Baldwin and the other producers announced a settlement of the family’s wrongful death lawsuit in October 2022. The terms, finalized in March 2023, provided for completion of “Rust” and payments to the Hutchins estate, including insurance funds and a portion of the profits.

Cynthia Littleton Business Editor Issues around the use of AI in the production process is the big sticking point in SAG-AFTRA’s negotiations with the largest video game companies, SAG-AFTRA chief Duncan Crabtree-Ireland said Saturday during a wide-ranging Q&A at SXSW in Austin, Texas. Crabtree-Ireland, who is national executive director and chief negotiator of the performers union, said he put the chances of union members striking against key game companies is “50-50, or more likely than that we will go on strike in the next four to six weeks because of our inability to get past these issues,” Crabtree-Ireland told Brendan Vaughan, editor-in-chief of Fast Company, during a conversation focused on AI.

Variety’s senior entertainment reporter Angelique Jackson earned a nomination from ICG in the Press Award category. In film, the team at Warner Bros.

Jazz Tangcay Artisans Editor Oscar producers Raj Kapoor, Katy Mullan, Molly McNearney and Rob Paine, as well as music director Rickey Minor are days away from the 96th Academy Awards. But they took time out on Wednesday afternoon to share insight into what to expect from Sunday’s ceremony. In a conversation moderated by Jacqueline Coley, Awards Editor at Rotten Tomatoes, Kapoor said this year’s theme is “human connection, emotion, inspiration and creativity.” A major highlight that has both fans and producers excited is the news of five former winners presenting to the five nominees.

RuPaul has been in a relationship with Australian painter and artist Georges LeBar since 1994, but they aren’t a monogamous couple.

EXCLUSIVE: One Night Stand actor Matthew Sauvé will star in a limited series about his experiences with addiction.

The curtain is closed on Day 1 of talks between Hollywood’s below-the-line workers and the studios.

From one “hot labor summer” to the next: Below-the-line workers will sit down with the Hollywood studios Monday to begin talks for new film and TV contracts.

IATSE and the Teamsters and Basic Crafts will then bargain their separate agreements, with the hope of having the deals ratified by the deadline. At the rally, Matthew Loeb, the international president of IATSE, struck a somewhat more moderate tone than O’Brien, repeatedly emphasizing, “There’s enough to go around.” He also addressed one of the key issues in the negotiations — artificial intelligence — saying it should not be used to replace workers, but also that it has the potential to lighten the load. “Those advantages need to take the pressure off our jobs, so we can enjoy our families and live these lives, and not have to work 80-hour weeks,” Loeb said.

In many ways, longtime International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees president Matthew Loeb is the personification of that Teddy Roosevelt adage of “speak softly, and carry a big stick” …well, maybe except for the speak softly part.

Gene Maddaus Senior Media Writer SANTA FE, N.M. — The “Rust” trial boiled over in hostile bickering between the prosecution and the defense on Wednesday, after the defense poked several holes in the Sheriff’s investigation. Hannah Gutierrez Reed, the film’s armorer, is on trial for involuntary manslaughter in the October 2021 death of cinematographer Halyna Hutchins.

Taylor Swift won over the Kansas City Chiefs‘ with a little sugar, a little spice, and everything nice — on a convenient, rectangular pastry!

Oceans Calling Festival will slide into Ocean City, MD and bring in some of the biggest names in music to celebrate the end of summer.Just a few of the major icons on the bill include Blink-182, The Killers, Dave Matthews Band, 311 and The Offspring.They’ll be joined by The Beach Boys, Counting Crows, Barenaked Ladies, Boyz II Men and Blues Traveler.But wait! There’s more!“American Pie” star Jason Biggs is hosting the festivities and celebrity chefs Robert Irvine, Amanda Freitag and Marc Murphy will be on hand, too.Clearly, there’s a lot to be excited about this year.And if you want to grab your single or multi-day passes early, they can be scooped up as soon as today.Although inventory isn’t available on Ticketmaster until Thursday, Feb.

EXCLUSIVE: Blue Fox Entertainment announced on Monday that Hard Miles, its cycling drama starring Matthew Modine (Stranger Things), will hit theaters nationwide on April 19. They also unveiled a series of first look stills, which you can view above and below.

Trivium and Bullet For My Valentine spoken to NME about their UK co-headline tour to celebrate the 20th anniversary of ‘The Poison’ and ‘Ascendancy’.After teasing fans online, the tour was finally announced last night (February 22) during a live-streamed press conference where Bullet’s Matt Tuck promised the run of shows was set to be “the metal tour of the year.”The first leg of the rotating co-headline world ‘Poisoned Ascendancy’ tour is set to kick off in January 2025, with Bullet For My Valentine playing ‘The Poison’ in full at every show, with Trivium doing the same with ‘Ascendancy’ to mark 20 years since their release. In a statement, Trivium’s Matt Heafy described them as “two records whose influence can be heard to this day in the DNA of modern metal.”“Trivium and BFMV were in such whirlwinds when our respective albums came out that we each never truly got to play together or sit back and celebrate during the maelstrom of constant touring, recording and globetrotting,” said Heafy.

Katcy Stephan Warner Bros. and Legendary Entertainment are in negotiations for a new film from Alejandro González Iñárritu, with Tom Cruise attached to star. The untitled project would be Iñárritu’s first English-language film since ‘The Revenant.’ The film will be produced and directed by Iñárritu, with a script he co-wrote in 2023 with “Birdman” co-writers Nicolas Giacobone and Alexander Dinelaris, along with Sabina Berman.