WGA Lowers Expectations for Studio Meeting: ‘We Have Been Down This Road Before’

A pair of former production assistants-turned-assistant directors have created a nonprofit in hopes of providing financial aid to PAs who’ve been put out of work due to the strike.

Just hours after the studios and streamers made public their latest “comprehensive package” towards a deal with the WGA, the guild has responded – and its seems the AMPTP and top CEOs may have strategically overplayed their hand.

WGA leaders met face-to-face with key CEOs on Tuesday evening as executives sought to pitch the guild on their most recent contract offer in the hopes of ending the nearly four-month-old strike. Late Tuesday, the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers released details of the contract offer presented to the WGA on Aug. 11.

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Three new strains of Covid have been identified, two of which are in the UK, and health experts are warning that case numbers are increasing again. It was revealed yesterday by the UK Health Secretary Agency (UKHSA) that the number of people in the UK with the virus was 10.8 per 100,000, in the week running up to August 14.

Certain pieces just rarely go out of style and button-downed blouses just happen to be one of those safe keeps that always stay current in the closet.

Staff at a Greater Manchester branch of a popular kebab chain restaurant claim they were informed their store was closing ‘without warning’ due to essential repair work which will now leave them without work for a month.

Nearly one month into its theatrical run, and “Barbie” keeps trucking.  Greta Gerwig‘s blockbuster now sits at $1.19 billion at the global box office, good for the year’s second highest-grossing film (and demolishing Margot Robbie‘s pitch to studios that “Barbie” would break the billion dollar barrier). So will “Barbie” surpass “The Super Mario Bros.

Peter Beale (Thomas Law) returns to Walford to meet his half-sisters in EastEnders spoilers, but Ian Beale (Adam Woodyatt) forbids him to tell them the truth about Cindy Beale (Michelle Collins). After George Knight (Colin Salmon) and Gina Knight (Francesca Henry) give their blessing, Anna Knight (Molly Rainford) calls her mum and leaves a message for her. When she hears nothing back, Anna later sends a stroppy text.

Gene Maddaus Senior Media Writer The Writers Guild of America met Friday with the major studios for the first negotiating session since May, and received a new package of proposals. The WGA told members in an email that it would respond to the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers next week.

After their first day of bargaining since the Writers Guild went on strike May 2, the AMPTP and the WGA have recessed their negotiations until next week after the companies made a counterproposal to guild’s proposals.

The WGA and the AMPTP have agreed to resume bargaining for a deal that could end the guild’s ongoing strike.

Gene Maddaus Senior Media Writer The Writers Guild of America will resume negotiations with the studios on Friday, the guild told members in an email. The Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers is set to deliver a response to the guild’s proposals, the union said.

Editors note: One in a series of stories marking the 100th day of the WGA strike.

The Writers Guild introduced new demands on Friday that could prolong the three-month strike even longer.

Meeting for the first time in more than three months, the Writers Guild and the AMPTP on Friday failed to reach an agreement to resume contract negotiations. Their inability to agree on terms for returning to the bargaining table comes after their much anticipated meeting to discuss a possible resumption of talks.  

Gene Maddaus Senior Media Writer In her most forceful comments to date about the Hollywood strikes, L.A. Mayor Karen Bass called Friday on the unions and studios to reach a deal “immediately” to get the industry back to work. Bass, who has largely remained on the sidelines thus far, said she is willing to get personally involved to help bring the strikes to an end.

Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass weighed in again on the writers and actors strikes that have shut down much of production in the region, telling the sides that she stands “ready to personally engage” to reach a resolution.

Lady Gaga honoured her late friend and collaborator Tony Bennett on what would have been his 97th birthday.

If you thought the Writers Guild of America was going to be playing nice heading into tomorrow’s meeting between WGA Chief Negotiator Ellen Stutzman and AMPTP boss Carol Lombardini – you really might want to think again.