Just in time for the holidays, the DGA and management’s AMPTP have reached an agreement on terms for a new three-year film and TV contract. Details of the deal aren’t being released until after it’s been seen by the guild’s national board.
The two sides began talks on Dec. 5 and wrapped on the eve of Christmas Eve.
The DGA’s current three-year contract runs through June 30, 2017, but the guild is famous for starting — and finishing — negotiations well in advance of the expiration of its major contracts. Wrapping up talks early removes the uncertainty that comes when negotiations go down to the wire, which can cause jittery producers to delay production starts until a deal is reached, lest they be caught by a strike in mid-production. In the past, those delays created ripple effects throughout the industry, playing havoc with the schedules of both management and talent.
The Writers Guild, whose contract expires in May, is expected to begin negotiations early next year, followed by SAG-AFTRA.
