Directors Make Deal; Writers Declare It ‘Neither Reason for Celebration Nor Mourning’

The Directors Guild struck a tentative deal yesterday with the AMPTP, and with their agreement in place, many in Hollywood feel the writers could follow suit in the next weeks. Variety reports that some in the Writers Guild feel that union leadership should follow the DGA’s negotiation strategy of informal meetings before formal negotiations begin; that strategy, some feel, “helped [the DGA] make a pact better than many thought the studios would give.�

It’s better, but is it good enough for WGA leadership to accept and get their own deal done? Reports are mixed. The best analysis thus far is on the writers’ site United Hollywood, where several WGA strike captains break down the deal points. Their conclusion: “There are some genuine gains here, some issues that need clarification and some points of grave concern that threaten to drastically undercut writers’ compensation. The DGA deal, as we understand it, is neither reason for celebration nor mourning.� So get your party hats out of storage, but don’t put them on yet, is basically what we’re saying.

Industry reacts to DGA deal [Variety]
First Glance at the Deal Summary [United Hollywood]

Earlier: Could a DGA Deal This Week End the Writers’ Strike?