dga Tagged Articles at Cinematical

As further proof that it's Slumdog Millionaire's world and we're all just living in it, Danny Boyle won the Directors Guild of America prize Saturday night. Slumdog, nominated for 10 Oscars, was already named best picture by the Producers Guild of America, and it could still win a Writers Guild award, too. Oh, and then there are the Oscars, where it's the front runner to win Best Picture.

All of the guilds are fairly good predictors of the Oscars (the guilds' memberships overlap quite a bit with the Academy voters), but none more so than the DGA. In the guild's 61 years of prize-giving, all but six recipients have gone on to win their respective Oscars. So if I were a betting man, I'd put money on Boyle's name being announced on Oscar night.

But with Slumdog now having won the PGA award and the DGA award, surely you are asking yourself: How often has the same film won both awards? And does that mean it's bound to win the Oscar for Best Picture, too?

The short answer is yes. In the 19 years that the PGA has given out awards, it has matched the DGA award 13 times. And of those 13 double-winners, 10 have gone on to win Best Picture at the Oscars. (The three exceptions were Apollo 13, Saving Private Ryan, and Brokeback Mountain.) Ergo, if I'm a betting man, I'm looking at Slumdog.

In other DGA award news, Ari Folman won the documentary prize for Waltz with Bashir, which is nominated for an Oscar, too ... but in the foreign-language category, not documentary. So you're on your own for predicting that one.

Apart from the filmmakers themselves, I can't think of many people who have championed directors more than Roger Ebert, who for 40 years has been an outspoken supporter of filmmaking not just as entertainment but as an art form. And the Directors Guild of America agrees: The group announced today that on Jan. 31, Ebert will receive its Honorary Life Member Award.

He will be the 43rd person (and the first film critic) in the DGA's 61-year history to be given the award, which is "for recognition of outstanding creative achievement, or contribution to the Guild, or the profession of directing." Michael Apted, current president of the DGA and a frequent recipient of Ebert's praise for his own films, said in a press release, "From the blockbuster to the tiny independent film, Roger Ebert has devoted his career to sharing his love of film with generations of moviegoers. In doing so, he's kept directors on their toes for more than 40 years. I am very pleased to welcome him as an Honorary Life Member of the DGA."

Ebert said, "It is a great honor to be chosen by those men and women who are the creators of the art form I love above all others," though I suspect we'll see a more detailed response in his blog.

His last movie didn't do so hot, but George Clooney's still making headlines. This time, he has spoken out about the recent split between the Screen Actors Guild and the American Federation of Television and Radio Artists. According to Variety, Clooney has decided to stay neutral where many prominent actors have taken sides, and he's urging others to take the same route. If Hollywood actors go on strike, it'll probably be SAG's fault, considering the eagerness of AFTRA to negotiate a deal with the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers. AFTRA's biggest defender is Tom Hanks, while Jack Nicholson is heading up the other side. "Stories about Jack Nicholson vs. Tom Hanks only strengthen the negotiating power of the AMPTP," Clooney said in a statement.

Like many actors, Clooney wants to take any measures he can to prevent a strike. As a member of SAG, the Directors Guild of America and the Writers Guild of America, he wears many hats. "I'm hoping that there might be a way out of this," he said. "To be sure, I'm not the brightest bulb out there. So maybe someone has a lot better idea." Then he got personal: "I just happen to believe so strongly in both unions... my father, my mother, aunt, uncle, even cousins were all members." Nobody's doubting his allegiance, but after souring his relationship with the WGA after Leatherheads came out, it's hard to say how the other unions will regard him in the coming months.

At last, there is some light at the end of the WGA strike tunnel. Meetings are scheduled in New York and Los Angeles this Saturday, and the purpose is to convince Guild members that the contract WGA leaders have been hammering out with the AMPTP is worthy of bringing the now three month-old strike to a close. The WGA's 10,500 members will vote on the issue, and if they approve, WGA leadership could send its members back to work as soon as Monday. The strike won't officially be over until the decision has been ratified -- likely two weeks, but the Oscars would go on as planned, new television episodes could be scripted, and the TV pilot season might be salvaged.

Living in Los Angeles, all I hear is strike talk. I was told this weekend that the strike would absolutely end yesterday. Didn't happen. I was told several times that it will definitely be over by Friday. That's not going to happen. Now I'm hearing next week for sure, and this official Saturday meeting would seem to support that. But it's not a done deal by any means. Late Monday, WGA negotiating committee chief John Bowman sent an e-mail to Writers Guild members that read: "While we have made important progress since the companies re-engaged us in serious talks, negotiations continue. Regardless of what you hear or read, there are many significant points that have yet to be worked out."

In other words -- the finish line is in sight. But there's no guarantee they're gonna run through it.

Variety just announced that the Directors Guild of America has reached a tentative three-year deal with the AMPTP. The new deal has three major components: establishing DGA jurisdiction over programs produced for distribution on the Internet, boosting the residuals formula for paid Internet downloads by double the current rate, and establishing residual rates for ad-supported streaming and use of clips on the Internet. Gil Cates, chair of the DGA's negotiation committee, says: "Two words describe this agreement -- groundbreaking and substantial. The gains in this contract for directors and their teams are extraordinary -- and there are no rollbacks of any kind."

This is great news for the DGA, and the pressure is definitely on now for the WGA to come to a resolution and end the strike. The writers, as you may have heard, have been on strike since November 5th, and representatives haven't been back to the negotiating table since December 7th, when talks last collapsed. The WGA has not issued an official reaction statement to today's DGA announcement, but many think the DGA deal is strong enough that the WGA will follow suit. Here's hoping that happens, and happens soon, so that everyone -- not just the writers are out of work here, remember -- can get back to work. The DGA deal is set to go into effect on July 1st.

Here it is: I'm sick of this Hollywood strike. I'm sick of hearing about it, I'm sick of writing about it, I'm sick of thinking about how many films could potentially suffer because they're being rushed into production faster than folks have time do dry the ink on their screenplays. It's ridiculous. I'm sick of reading quotes and analysis -- I'm sick of the words "new media" -- and I'm sick over the fact that, amidst all this, I haven't heard one person mention the average moviegoer. The person who's taking their wallet on a Saturday night, and shoveling out an absurd amount of money (if we're to include their hungry dates and/or children) to help pay the salaries of those who want to walk off the job.

"Oh, but the writers! It's the writers that are being shafted!" Yeah, talk to me when they're not making high six-figures on a script. I'm sure not all the writers are making that kind of money, but none of them are making minimum wage, busting their ass to put food on the table, living paycheck to paycheck while their significant other works three jobs. Perhaps there are working writers who don't make a fortune, but I doubt the extra "new media" dollars will help them get off welfare. I'm not exactly sure what the actors (SAG) and directors (DGA) are looking for (enough money to stop waitressing at Outback Steakhouse?), but how about we settle these damn disputes already. Is it really that hard? Do human beings exist out in Hollywood, or are they all designed to bleed absurd amounts of money out their ass?

Here's what I suggest: How about WE strike. What are WE getting? I didn't see a studio executive standing outside my screening of The Brothers Solomon with a coupon for a free tub of popcorn and a "Thank You" note after I spent 10 bucks on a ticket and another five on a small soda that gave me more gas than a 24-hour Taco Bell binge. They're threatening to walk off the job on June 1st -- how about WE stop seeing their films when that happens? There are plenty of things I could spend my money on (whatever little I make doing this -- yup, I don't have the luxury of being in a guild) -- perhaps I'll read a book. There's a friggin' thought! I'd like to know what Hollywood is giving us. You don't hear much about that, do you? Best case scenario: There's no strike and we continue to get crummy movies. Worse case scenario: There is a strike, we have to read about it twelve times a day, and we still get crummy movies. Man, do I wish us moviegoers had our own guild. Then we could threaten to strike, demand that with every fifth movie ticket we buy, we get two free. Demand that those so-called "value meals" inside theaters actually live up to what they're preaching, instead of raping the word for all its worth. What value? 13 bucks for a soda and a popcorn is a value? On what f**king planet?

So let's band together and strike on June 1st. While the actors, writers and directors fight over how many bags of money they get to stick under their pillows at night, we'll just do something else. Like read a book. Or take our loved ones out for dinner. Maybe then -- get this -- someone will actually appreciate us.

As it stands right now, the end of the world as we know it (aka the potential Hollywood strike) is eying a June, 2008 release date. However, when it comes to the WGA (Writer's Guild of America), their contract is up on October 31, 2007. Yup, that's in a month from now. According to a New York Times article, the WGA could one-up their pals from SAG (Screen Actor's Guild) and DGA (Director's Guild of America) and strike early -- leaving some scripts, which aren't finished yet, in limbo. And if the NY Times is correct, one of those scripts includes Justice League of America. While the current draft, penned by Kieran and Michele Mulroney, was thought to have been handed in already, the NY Times claims it "still does not have a so-called green light to begin production." If more work needs to be done, and the writer's strike next month, it could seriously damage the status of those projects (like Justice League) that still need a bit more work.

And guild leaders are eying projects like Justice League, as well as the highly-anticipated follow-up to Night at the Museum, tentatively titled Another Night, because those are the movies studio's care about the most. But they're also the ones that need more work; projects that, if a strike were to happen, could be seriously delayed and/or shelved indefinitely. It's a smart move by the WGA; I mean, why strike in June when studios have already managed to stockpile enough canned beans to last a year or two? Strike now while they're still rushing to secure casts, and budgets and rewrites. Strike now when they need you the most. Personally, I'd be very surprised if Justice League of America actually makes it into production by early next year. Even if the writer's don't strike next month, casting has been one helluva uphill climb.

Rumors have been flying all over the place, with every other website claiming to have the exclusive on another name added to the film's potential roster. (I'm still game for Fred Savage to play Batman and Ralph Maccio as Superman , but that's me.) The way I see it, anyone who is not working early next year could be up for a role. Pick a name, any name, and write the following sentence: "We've been told by a super secret inside source that (insert actor) is being looked at to play (insert superhero)." Publish post. Congrats, you have an exclusive!

Or, do you look at it the same way you do a sports strike -- that these friggin' people make so much money as it is, why on earth should they be striking? Lets' backtrack first, because I want to explain this strike to those who keep hearing about it, but don't really know what the hell anyone is talking about. Who's striking? Why are they striking? When are they striking? And what does their striking have to do with me and my electric bill? Okay, here's how it's playing out: The WGA (Writer's Guild of America) contract with the studios is up in October, but they're going to delay negotiations for a bit so as to catch up with the DGA (Director's Guild of America) and SAG (Screen Actors Guild), whose contracts end in June of 2008. The current notion around Hollywood is that all three of these guilds could team up in June, go on strike and literally cripple the entire industry (look at it as the equivalent to getting punched in the nuts ... hard).

"Why would they have a reason to strike in the first place?" Easy ... money. Why else? Essentially, all parties are looking for better residuals on "new media entertainment" -- internet, stuff like that. So, in the meantime, studios are stockpiling scripts and rushing productions in order to have a slate lined up so that if there is a strike, they still have a product to put out. But like with any rush job in any field, I wouldn't expect that product to be any good. Devin from CHUD makes a good point when he says that no matter what happens, studios are still going to be left with all these films they rushed to complete -- which means, no matter what, we're still going to be exposed to the crappy "pre-strike" movies because studios will have no other choice but to dump them on us since, well, they're already completed. Which kinda sucks. As Devin points out (as well as the LA Times), the same thing happened in 2001, and that's the same year we got Men in Black II, The Talented Mr. Ripley, Reign of Fire and Tim Burton's Planet of the Apes. Nice. But if the strike doesn't happen, it also means actors and directors will have open schedules and be available to take on smaller projects over the summer. So, there's a chance we may get some good movies out of this after all. Who knows ...

So, I ask you: Are you concerned about this strike now that you know what it's about? Do you think the guilds have a reason to strike in the first place? And if you're in one of these guilds, feel free to add your two cents to the conversation?

Well, it looks like Martin Scorsese's new favorite number is seven, as it took that many DGA nominations to finally land a win. But is it his best work? The legendary director took home the DGA's (Directors Guild of America) feature film prize for The Departed, beating out Alejandro González Iñárritu (Babel), Bill Condon (Dreamgirls) Jonathan Dayton and Valerie Faris (Little Miss Sunshine) and Stephen Frears (The Queen), after first being nominated all the way back in 1976 for Taxi Driver. He was also the only repeat nominee up for the award.

Throughout the years, Scorsese was nominated another five times (Raging Bull, Goodfellas, The Age of Innocence, Gangs of New York, The Aviator), and received the DGA's lifetime achievement award in 2003. But, it took a remake of the Hong Kong flick Infernal Affairs and one of the greatest casts ever assembled to (finally!) break through into the winner's circle. So, does this mean he is guaranteed the Oscar? You'd think that -- the DGA's pick has matched Oscar's pick in 52 out of 58 awards -- but, as we all know by now, anything is possible.

The film industry websites were a-flutter yesterday when the news broke that Paramount/Dreamworks planned to send screeners of Dreamgirls to all members of the Directors Guild of America. The studio wanted to make sure the DGA members knew that Bill Condon, who directed the film, should be considered for the guild's 2006 award. Rival studios were in an uproar, because it was believed that the DGA prohibited the sending of screeners to its members -- but apparently the DGA had never formally adopted such a rule. As long as other studios were notified when a promotional DVD of a movie was to be sent, it was perfectly okay. As soon as this rule was clarified, you could bet that every studio possible was preparing to send screeners to the DGA's 13,400 members.

But before the pre-Christmas mail could be swamped with stacks of prestigious movies on DVD to deliver, the DGA decided to reverse its ruling. Dreamgirls will not be arriving in directors' mailboxes this Christmas -- DGA members will just have to hit a theater like the rest of us (although at least they can attend special guild screenings). The Wednesday announcement acnowledged that the previous rule was vague and misunderstood. Therefore, it was unfair to allow screeners this late in the process, since voting closes Jan. 8, without sufficient notice to all distributors to prepare. Next year, however, screeners will be permitted. Various mailing services and studio mailroom clerks are probably overjoyed. No word on how the Dreamgirls folks might feel about it, but if nothing else, the uproar in the media may have helped bring the film into the public eye.