Universal recuts a tamer 'Bruno' for U.K.'s younger teens

Universal Pictures will release a tamer version of its Sacha Baron Cohen comedy "Bruno" in the United Kingdom alongside the currently playing uncut film in hopes of attracting a bigger audience that includes teens 15 and older.

When Universal releases the toned-down "Bruno" on July 24, it will be the first time two versions of the same movie will show concurrently in the U.K., according to David Kosse., president of Univiersal Pictures International.

To get a "15" certificate allowing teens 15 and older to see the movie, Universal had to cut and modify several sexually explicit scenes in "Bruno" that the British Board of Film Classification had deemed unacceptable for the under-18 crowd. Unlike the Motion Picture Assn. of America's rating board, Hollywood's own self-governing advisory system, the BBFC is a government agency that legally imposes age-restricted ratings on movies, DVDs, video games, and other entertainment (in contrast, the ratings system in the U.S. is voluntarily adopted by studios and theaters).

The uncensored "Bruno," rated "18," debuted in the U.K. this past weekend as the top-grossing movie with $8.1 million at 457 locations. But its opening was 8% below Baron Cohen's earlier comedy "Borat," which was rated "15."

"Bruno," in which Baron Cohen stars as a flamboyantly gay Austrian fashion TV host obsessed with becoming a huge celebrity, contains more frontal nudity and graphic sexual content than "Borat."

The most substantial cut that Universal made involves a scene where Bruno is comically miming oral and anal sex that he pretends to be having with a dead man he's contacted through a medium. Kosse said "a lot of the scene" has been edited out.

The other two scenes that were "reduced" included an exaggerated sex act between Bruno and his boyfriend in a hotel room and couples having sex at a swingers party.

All told, the cuts resulted in the film being about 1 minute, 50 seconds shorter than the original.

Kosse said that originally Universal had hoped to get a "15" for "Bruno" but was told it had to make substantial cuts to get that designation, which the studio declined to do.

"Over the past couple of weeks we got a lot of feedback from exhibitors and fans on Facebook," Kosse said, about the rating being too restrictive. "So we investigated what it would take to get a 15."

Kosse said that after the movie opened this past weekend, there were hundreds of people younger than  18 who got turned away at theaters across the U.K. "We saw an opportunity to service the audience ... and it should also help with the gross," he said.

Universal does not plan to make similar cuts for other overseas markets where Universal has the film in release, including Germany, Austria, Switzerland, Belgium, Netherlands, Australia, New Zealand and South Africa, said Kosse, since "we have significantly lower ratings everywhere else."

In the U.S. and Canada, where the film carries an R-rating, "Bruno" had a very respectable debut this weekend with $30.6 million. But while the picture sold $14.4 million tickets on Friday, business fell sharply, nearly 40% on bad word of mouth to $8.8 million on Saturday. That doesn't bode well for its prospects of becoming a runaway hit like "Borat," which grossed $128.5 million domestically and $133.1 million.

-- Claudia Eller

Sacha Baron Cohen at U.K. premiere of "Bruno" last month in London/ Ben Stansall/AFP Getty Images

Valerie Van Galder, co-president of worldwide marketing at Sony Pictures Entertainment, will not renew her contract when it expires at the end of the year. Co-president Marc Weinstock will assume her duties and be the studio's sole marketing president under Sony Pictures marketing and distribution chief Jeff Blake.

Van Galder, a marketing veteran who has worked at Sony for the last 10 years, said that it was her choice to step down and that she'd been planning the move for some time. After she relinquishes her executive job, Van Galder will take on a consulting role.

Given that Van Galder was promoted into her current position just a year ago, it would appear unusual that she would willingly give up one of the most coveted movie marketing jobs in Hollywood. But the 47-year-old executive, whose husband works and lives in London, said that she never intended the position to be long-term. "Most people don't walk away from a job like this," Van Galder said in an interview today. "But being head of marketing at a major studio is not what I want to do for the rest of my life."

Sony Pictures co-chair Amy Pascal called Van Galder "a brilliant marketer who I'm looking forward to working with on a lot of movies."

A free-spoken and effusive executive known more for her innovative campaigns than for her management skills, Van Galder previously headed marketing for Sony's genre label Screen Gems, where she successfully promoted such films as "The Exorcism of Emily Rose" and "Underworld." Three years ago she was tapped for a larger marketing role at Sony, where she worked on such pictures as "Paul Blart: Mall Cop," "Superbad" and "Spider-Man 3."

Before Sony, Van Galder and Weinstock worked together in marketing and publicity at specialty film distributor Fox Searchlight.

-- Claudia Eller

It was another bleak week for film production. Production days for on-location filming dropped 43% last week compared to the same time a year ago, with the biggest falloff occurring in feature films. See the latest figures and a sampling of what's shooting around Los Angeles in the weekly "On Location" chart below.

 

Panavision Inc., the longtime supplier of motion picture camera equipment, has replaced Chief Executive William (Billy) M. Campbell  — after just 10 weeks on the job.

The Woodland Hills company, controlled by the billionaire Ronald O. Perelman, said in a statement that William C. Bevins, a longtime associate of Perelman’s, had replaced Campbell, the former president of Discovery Networks who also had been an executive at ABC, CBS and Warner Bros. Television.

Bevins is the fourth CEO in six years at Panavision, which manufacturers and designs film and digital cameras that it rents out to film crews, along with lighting, grip and crane equipment.

Panavision offered no explanation for Campbell’s abrupt departure. The company's employees were stunned by the news, coming so soon after Perelman hailed him for his “visionary leadership” that would “take Panavision into the next phase of our business.”

Campbell had replaced Bob Beitcher, who had been tapped by Perelman in 2003 to revitalize the  business that had been slow to roll out new products and adapt to a changing digital market.

The management shake-up comes at time when many companies that service the film and TV business
are reeling from a sharp downturn in production. Sources close to Panavision say its business was especially hard-hit last year during the 100-day writers strike, which virtually shut down television production, and the subsequent slowdown caused by year-long contract dispute between the Screen Actors Guild and major studios. The recession also has prompted studios to make fewer movies, further depressing demand for camera equipment.

Panavision has laid off more than 100 workers from its offices around the world in the last 18 months and currently employs about 1,150, including nearly 300 in Woodland Hills.

Bevins is a former consultant to MacAndrews & Forbes Holdings Inc., Perleman’s main investment vehicle. A former chief financial officer for Turner Broadcasting System Inc., Bevins also previously ran New World Communications Group Inc. and Marvel Entertainment Group.

“He brings unparalleled operational experience to the table, which will help strengthen Panavision’s platform for future growth,” said Panavision Vice Chairman Ken Ziffren, a veteran entertainment industry attorney.

In a statement, Campbell called his short tenure with Panavision "a privilege" and said he would remain as an advisor to the company. A spokesperson said he was not available for further comment. Campbell was among the passengers of the USAirways plane that crash landed in the Hudson River last January.

-- Richard Verrier

Hollywood's largest actors union strongly endorsed a new film and TV contract, closing the chapter on a year-long dispute with the major studios.

The vote, which was expected to be close, drew a stronger show of support from the membership of the Screen Actors Guild, with 78% supporting the deal, and 22% opposing it.

The approval comes nearly a year after the guild's current contract expired and is largely similar to a deal the studios offered the union last fall. SAG's bargaining clout was hurt by the weak economy and a series of strategic missteps by the union's former chief negotiator, who was ousted in a boardroom revolt in January.

Although the contract was expected to be ratified, the vote puts to rest lingering fears in Hollywood that the entertainment industry would face another strike following last year's walkout by writers.

It could also help spur at least some independent film production that has been held up because of the dispute. The uncertainty had caused some insurance companies to stop issuing completion bonds -- ensuring that a film will be done on time and within budget -- that independent filmmakers depend on.

The contract was patterned after similar agreements negotiated last year by three other talent unions. It includes an immediate pay increase of 3% and for the first time gives actors residual pay for shows that streamed for free on websites like Hulu.

But SAG's members were sharply at odds over the terms. Stars lined up on either side of dueling campaigns. A group of A-list actors led by Tom Hanks and George Clooney backed the contract as the best that could be had in a difficult economic climate.

Another group that included former SAG President Ed Asner, Ed Harris and Martin Sheen blasted the agreement, saying it shortchanges actors for work that is distributed on the Internet.

Underscoring the divisions, the contract was supported by a majority of the board and the union's executive director, but opposed by the union's president, Alan Rosenberg, who vigorously campaigned against the contract.

Rosenberg was an ardent backer of former SAG executive director Doug Allen, who was ousted after a group of dissident actors won control of the board in elections last fall. They replaced him with veteran negotiator John McGuire and David White, the union's former general counsel.

--Richard Verrier

If only Tyler Perry could make two or three movies every quarter Lions Gate Entertainment might be profitable already.

Thanks to Perry, Lions Gate should post solid fourth-quarter and record year-end revenues, but it won't be enough to lift the company into the black when it announces its results Monday.

Lions Gate already warned investors and the street back in February that its losses for the fiscal year that ended March 31, 2009, would be in the neighborhood of $135 million on revenues of between $1.4 billion and $1.5 billion. Last year, the company lost $74 million on revenues of $1.36 billion. The studio has said it expects to be in the black in 2010.

One person who will be particularly interested in Lions Gate's results Monday is rattle-the-cages shareholder Carl Icahn, who has threatened to wage a proxy contest for the company because he hasn't been especially happy with the way the Santa Monica-based movie and TV studio has been run. The clock is running down on when Icahn has to let the world know whether he will call a special shareholders' meeting, and he hasn't tipped his hand about which way he's leaning. 

Saving the studio from harsher numbers was the performance of Perry's "Madea Goes to Jail," which grossed $89.2 million in the studio's fourth quarter. Horror flicks "My Bloody Valentine" and "The Haunting in Connecticut" were also solid performers. Stronger-than-expected DVD sales for the theatrical disappointments "Bangkok Dangerous" and "Punisher 2" also helped.

But overall, the studio did not have a stellar year. Among the disappointments were "The Spirit," "Punisher: War Zone," "Transporter 3," "Disaster Movie" and "My Best Friend's Girl." Lions Gate's results will also be affected by severance costs related to staff cuts at the studio in its third and fourth quarters.

Earlier this week, Lions Gate sold 49% of its TV Guide Network for $123 million to One Equity Partners in an effort to boost its balance sheet. The company plans to give the channel a makeover, including a new name. Our suggestion: Tyler Perry TV.

-- Joe Flint

Photo: Tyler Perry as Madea in "Madea Goes to Jail." Credit: Alfeo Dixon / Lions Gate

The only question for Disney/Pixar's "Up" is how far its opening weekend gross will fly. The bar is pretty high, given that "Wall-E" opened at $63.1 million last summer on its way to taking in $224 million in domestic box office.

Rival studios are anticipating that "Up" could hit $65 million. Tracking figures are playing it safer, projecting that "Up" will open somewhere between Pixar's "Ratatouille" ($47 million) and "Wall-E." That's like saying the Lakers will score between 80 and 100 points in their next game. 

With a storyline about an old man on the verge of losing his home who responds by filling his house with balloons and flying away, there have been questions about whether young children will embrace the film. But any impact from that will probably be felt after the opening weekend.

The other big opening this weekend -- Sam Raimi's horror film "Drag Me to Hell" -- isn't expected to be a threat to "Up," but should be a solid performer in its own right. The movie, which is distributed by Universal, is targeting an adult audience. Raimi has a strong following and if history is any guide, the movie should open north of $20 million. Last summer's horror flick "The Strangers" opened at $21 million. 

The other big question for the weekend is how "Terminator Salvation" will hold up. The Warner Bros. movie opened to a disappointing $51.9 million over Memorial Day weekend. Star Christian Bale proved capable of being the Dark Knight, but that franchise seems immune to who graces the costume. Apparently that's not the case with "Terminator."

-- Joe Flint

Photo credits: "Up," Disney/Pixar. "Drag Me to Hell," Universal Pictures.

 

In the face of tough economic times, most Hollywood studios are paring back the number of movies they make each year, but apparently DreamWorks Animation SKG Inc. didn't get the memo.

The Glendale-based animation studio announced this morning that it plans to make an additional film every other year, boosting its biannual output to five from four.

The studio's computer-animated films, all of which will be produced in 3-D, take about 4 1/2 years to make and cost about $160 million each, the company has said previously.

DreamWorks has invested heavily in expanding its production capabilities and has developed a more consistent track record in recent years with films such as "Madagascar" and "Kung Fu Panda," addressing concerns among investors about the company's roller-coaster results: Up when it has a hit, down when it misses. 

"Having achieved a high level of success and consistency in our creative process and having in our development pipeline more great story concepts than ever, we are very confident in our ability to add one original film every other year,'' Bill Damaschke, co-president of production, said in a statement.

DreamWorks said it will release eight feature films through 2012, including five original films and three sequels based on its franchises "Shrek" "Madagascar" and "Kung Fu Panda." 

The upcoming movies include "How to Train Your Dragon," which is based on the book by Cressida Cowell and directed by Chris Sanders and Dean DeBlois; "Puss-In-Boots,"  in which Antonio Banderas reprises his popular character from the "Shrek" films; and "The Guardians," about unlikely heroes who band together to stop an ancient spirit from plunging the world into eternal darkness.

The announcement, delivered during a media conference hosted by Cowen & Co., was clearly aimed at Wall Street, which reacted favorably. DreamWorks shares were up 10 cents to $27.21 in midafternoon trading.

— Richard Verrier

Photo: Puss-In-Boots lays on the charm in "Shrek the Third" / DreamWorks Animation

It may not do much to spur sluggish commercial production in Los Angeles, but the two unions representing Hollywood actors overwhelmingly backed new contracts covering their work in commercials.

Members of the Screen Actors Guild and its smaller sister union, the American Federation of Television and Radio Artists, voted 93% in favor of the contracts, which cover performers working in commercials made for and reused on television, radio, the Internet and other new media.

The agreements, which are retroactively effective to April 1, provide a 5% pay increase, contain about $24 million in increased contributions to the unions' health and pension plans and, for the first, time, establish a pay structure for work made for the Internet and other new media.

The sides also agreed to hire a consultant to conduct a two-year study to test a new way of paying actors. Advertisers, who've been hit hard by the recession and a long-term decline in national TV ad viewership, want to revamp the current "pay-for-play" system in which actors are paid based on how often and where a spot runs. Instead, they favor a "gross-rating points" system, in which residuals would be tied to viewership. The unions, however, rejected the demand but agreed to study the proposal.

The strong endorsement was expected as the boards of both unions had unanimously endorsed the agreements, which cover more than 30,000 actors who work in commercials.

Next up for SAG is the vote on the film and TV contract, which members are expected to ratify June 9, although that vote probably will be much closer because the union is deeply divided over the proposed terms. AFTRA approved its film and TV contract last year.

— Richard Verrier

Hollywood's entertainment unions, which often clash over bargaining strategy, finally have something they can rally around (surprise): the right of workers to form a union.

As debate in Washington heats up over the proposed Employee Free Choice Act, unions representing actors, writers, directors and crew members collaborated with umbrella organization AFL-CIO to produce a video in support of the legislation, designed to lift roadblocks to unionization.

The three-minute online video features testimonials from 47 performers and actors, including F. Murray Abraham, actor-comedian Jerry Stiller and Amy Brenneman, star of the TV series "Private Practice."

"People associate actors with fame and glory. The truth is, for a long time my union contract was the reason I could support my family,'' Brenneman said in a statement. "Each worker, regardless of their field, deserves the freedom to bargain for a contract, for a better life."

Among the participants in the video are the presidents of two Hollywood unions who have no love lost for each other: Alan Rosenberg from SAG, and Roberta Reardon from the smaller actors union, the American Federation of Television and Radio Artists. The two unions suspended their longstanding joint bargaining agreement last year after a series of disputes.

Even nemeses can occasionally put aside their differences when it comes to the union label.

— Richard Verrier

Valerie Van Galder to exit Sony Pictures; Marc Weinstock to take over marketing

Valerie Van Galder, co-president of worldwide marketing at Sony Pictures Entertainment, will not renew her contract when it expires at the end of the year. Co-president Marc Weinstock will assume her duties and be the studio's sole marketing president under Sony Pictures marketing and distribution chief Jeff Blake.

Van Galder, a marketing veteran who has worked at Sony for the last 10 years, said that it was her choice to step down and that she'd been planning the move for some time. After she relinquishes her executive job, Van Galder will take on a consulting role.

Given that Van Galder was promoted into her current position just a year ago, it would appear unusual that she would willingly give up one of the most coveted movie marketing jobs in Hollywood. But the 47-year-old executive, whose husband works and lives in London, said that she never intended the position to be long-term. "Most people don't walk away from a job like this," Van Galder said in an interview today. "But being head of marketing at a major studio is not what I want to do for the rest of my life."

Sony Pictures co-chair Amy Pascal called Van Galder "a brilliant marketer who I'm looking forward to working with on a lot of movies."

A free-spoken and effusive executive known more for her innovative campaigns than for her management skills, Van Galder previously headed marketing for Sony's genre label Screen Gems, where she successfully promoted such films as "The Exorcism of Emily Rose" and "Underworld." Three years ago she was tapped for a larger marketing role at Sony, where she worked on such pictures as "Paul Blart: Mall Cop," "Superbad" and "Spider-Man 3."

Before Sony, Van Galder and Weinstock worked together in marketing and publicity at specialty film distributor Fox Searchlight.

-- Claudia Eller

It was another bleak week for film production. Production days for on-location filming dropped 43% last week compared to the same time a year ago, with the biggest falloff occurring in feature films. See the latest figures and a sampling of what's shooting around Los Angeles in the weekly "On Location" chart below.

 

Panavision Inc., the longtime supplier of motion picture camera equipment, has replaced Chief Executive William (Billy) M. Campbell  — after just 10 weeks on the job.

The Woodland Hills company, controlled by the billionaire Ronald O. Perelman, said in a statement that William C. Bevins, a longtime associate of Perelman’s, had replaced Campbell, the former president of Discovery Networks who also had been an executive at ABC, CBS and Warner Bros. Television.

Bevins is the fourth CEO in six years at Panavision, which manufacturers and designs film and digital cameras that it rents out to film crews, along with lighting, grip and crane equipment.

Panavision offered no explanation for Campbell’s abrupt departure. The company's employees were stunned by the news, coming so soon after Perelman hailed him for his “visionary leadership” that would “take Panavision into the next phase of our business.”

Campbell had replaced Bob Beitcher, who had been tapped by Perelman in 2003 to revitalize the  business that had been slow to roll out new products and adapt to a changing digital market.

The management shake-up comes at time when many companies that service the film and TV business
are reeling from a sharp downturn in production. Sources close to Panavision say its business was especially hard-hit last year during the 100-day writers strike, which virtually shut down television production, and the subsequent slowdown caused by year-long contract dispute between the Screen Actors Guild and major studios. The recession also has prompted studios to make fewer movies, further depressing demand for camera equipment.

Panavision has laid off more than 100 workers from its offices around the world in the last 18 months and currently employs about 1,150, including nearly 300 in Woodland Hills.

Bevins is a former consultant to MacAndrews & Forbes Holdings Inc., Perleman’s main investment vehicle. A former chief financial officer for Turner Broadcasting System Inc., Bevins also previously ran New World Communications Group Inc. and Marvel Entertainment Group.

“He brings unparalleled operational experience to the table, which will help strengthen Panavision’s platform for future growth,” said Panavision Vice Chairman Ken Ziffren, a veteran entertainment industry attorney.

In a statement, Campbell called his short tenure with Panavision "a privilege" and said he would remain as an advisor to the company. A spokesperson said he was not available for further comment. Campbell was among the passengers of the USAirways plane that crash landed in the Hudson River last January.

-- Richard Verrier

Hollywood's largest actors union strongly endorsed a new film and TV contract, closing the chapter on a year-long dispute with the major studios.

The vote, which was expected to be close, drew a stronger show of support from the membership of the Screen Actors Guild, with 78% supporting the deal, and 22% opposing it.

The approval comes nearly a year after the guild's current contract expired and is largely similar to a deal the studios offered the union last fall. SAG's bargaining clout was hurt by the weak economy and a series of strategic missteps by the union's former chief negotiator, who was ousted in a boardroom revolt in January.

Although the contract was expected to be ratified, the vote puts to rest lingering fears in Hollywood that the entertainment industry would face another strike following last year's walkout by writers.

It could also help spur at least some independent film production that has been held up because of the dispute. The uncertainty had caused some insurance companies to stop issuing completion bonds -- ensuring that a film will be done on time and within budget -- that independent filmmakers depend on.

The contract was patterned after similar agreements negotiated last year by three other talent unions. It includes an immediate pay increase of 3% and for the first time gives actors residual pay for shows that streamed for free on websites like Hulu.

But SAG's members were sharply at odds over the terms. Stars lined up on either side of dueling campaigns. A group of A-list actors led by Tom Hanks and George Clooney backed the contract as the best that could be had in a difficult economic climate.

Another group that included former SAG President Ed Asner, Ed Harris and Martin Sheen blasted the agreement, saying it shortchanges actors for work that is distributed on the Internet.

Underscoring the divisions, the contract was supported by a majority of the board and the union's executive director, but opposed by the union's president, Alan Rosenberg, who vigorously campaigned against the contract.

Rosenberg was an ardent backer of former SAG executive director Doug Allen, who was ousted after a group of dissident actors won control of the board in elections last fall. They replaced him with veteran negotiator John McGuire and David White, the union's former general counsel.

--Richard Verrier

If only Tyler Perry could make two or three movies every quarter Lions Gate Entertainment might be profitable already.

Thanks to Perry, Lions Gate should post solid fourth-quarter and record year-end revenues, but it won't be enough to lift the company into the black when it announces its results Monday.

Lions Gate already warned investors and the street back in February that its losses for the fiscal year that ended March 31, 2009, would be in the neighborhood of $135 million on revenues of between $1.4 billion and $1.5 billion. Last year, the company lost $74 million on revenues of $1.36 billion. The studio has said it expects to be in the black in 2010.

One person who will be particularly interested in Lions Gate's results Monday is rattle-the-cages shareholder Carl Icahn, who has threatened to wage a proxy contest for the company because he hasn't been especially happy with the way the Santa Monica-based movie and TV studio has been run. The clock is running down on when Icahn has to let the world know whether he will call a special shareholders' meeting, and he hasn't tipped his hand about which way he's leaning. 

Saving the studio from harsher numbers was the performance of Perry's "Madea Goes to Jail," which grossed $89.2 million in the studio's fourth quarter. Horror flicks "My Bloody Valentine" and "The Haunting in Connecticut" were also solid performers. Stronger-than-expected DVD sales for the theatrical disappointments "Bangkok Dangerous" and "Punisher 2" also helped.

But overall, the studio did not have a stellar year. Among the disappointments were "The Spirit," "Punisher: War Zone," "Transporter 3," "Disaster Movie" and "My Best Friend's Girl." Lions Gate's results will also be affected by severance costs related to staff cuts at the studio in its third and fourth quarters.

Earlier this week, Lions Gate sold 49% of its TV Guide Network for $123 million to One Equity Partners in an effort to boost its balance sheet. The company plans to give the channel a makeover, including a new name. Our suggestion: Tyler Perry TV.

-- Joe Flint

Photo: Tyler Perry as Madea in "Madea Goes to Jail." Credit: Alfeo Dixon / Lions Gate

The only question for Disney/Pixar's "Up" is how far its opening weekend gross will fly. The bar is pretty high, given that "Wall-E" opened at $63.1 million last summer on its way to taking in $224 million in domestic box office.

Rival studios are anticipating that "Up" could hit $65 million. Tracking figures are playing it safer, projecting that "Up" will open somewhere between Pixar's "Ratatouille" ($47 million) and "Wall-E." That's like saying the Lakers will score between 80 and 100 points in their next game. 

With a storyline about an old man on the verge of losing his home who responds by filling his house with balloons and flying away, there have been questions about whether young children will embrace the film. But any impact from that will probably be felt after the opening weekend.

The other big opening this weekend -- Sam Raimi's horror film "Drag Me to Hell" -- isn't expected to be a threat to "Up," but should be a solid performer in its own right. The movie, which is distributed by Universal, is targeting an adult audience. Raimi has a strong following and if history is any guide, the movie should open north of $20 million. Last summer's horror flick "The Strangers" opened at $21 million. 

The other big question for the weekend is how "Terminator Salvation" will hold up. The Warner Bros. movie opened to a disappointing $51.9 million over Memorial Day weekend. Star Christian Bale proved capable of being the Dark Knight, but that franchise seems immune to who graces the costume. Apparently that's not the case with "Terminator."

-- Joe Flint

Photo credits: "Up," Disney/Pixar. "Drag Me to Hell," Universal Pictures.

 

In the face of tough economic times, most Hollywood studios are paring back the number of movies they make each year, but apparently DreamWorks Animation SKG Inc. didn't get the memo.

The Glendale-based animation studio announced this morning that it plans to make an additional film every other year, boosting its biannual output to five from four.

The studio's computer-animated films, all of which will be produced in 3-D, take about 4 1/2 years to make and cost about $160 million each, the company has said previously.

DreamWorks has invested heavily in expanding its production capabilities and has developed a more consistent track record in recent years with films such as "Madagascar" and "Kung Fu Panda," addressing concerns among investors about the company's roller-coaster results: Up when it has a hit, down when it misses. 

"Having achieved a high level of success and consistency in our creative process and having in our development pipeline more great story concepts than ever, we are very confident in our ability to add one original film every other year,'' Bill Damaschke, co-president of production, said in a statement.

DreamWorks said it will release eight feature films through 2012, including five original films and three sequels based on its franchises "Shrek" "Madagascar" and "Kung Fu Panda." 

The upcoming movies include "How to Train Your Dragon," which is based on the book by Cressida Cowell and directed by Chris Sanders and Dean DeBlois; "Puss-In-Boots,"  in which Antonio Banderas reprises his popular character from the "Shrek" films; and "The Guardians," about unlikely heroes who band together to stop an ancient spirit from plunging the world into eternal darkness.

The announcement, delivered during a media conference hosted by Cowen & Co., was clearly aimed at Wall Street, which reacted favorably. DreamWorks shares were up 10 cents to $27.21 in midafternoon trading.

— Richard Verrier

Photo: Puss-In-Boots lays on the charm in "Shrek the Third" / DreamWorks Animation

It may not do much to spur sluggish commercial production in Los Angeles, but the two unions representing Hollywood actors overwhelmingly backed new contracts covering their work in commercials.

Members of the Screen Actors Guild and its smaller sister union, the American Federation of Television and Radio Artists, voted 93% in favor of the contracts, which cover performers working in commercials made for and reused on television, radio, the Internet and other new media.

The agreements, which are retroactively effective to April 1, provide a 5% pay increase, contain about $24 million in increased contributions to the unions' health and pension plans and, for the first, time, establish a pay structure for work made for the Internet and other new media.

The sides also agreed to hire a consultant to conduct a two-year study to test a new way of paying actors. Advertisers, who've been hit hard by the recession and a long-term decline in national TV ad viewership, want to revamp the current "pay-for-play" system in which actors are paid based on how often and where a spot runs. Instead, they favor a "gross-rating points" system, in which residuals would be tied to viewership. The unions, however, rejected the demand but agreed to study the proposal.

The strong endorsement was expected as the boards of both unions had unanimously endorsed the agreements, which cover more than 30,000 actors who work in commercials.

Next up for SAG is the vote on the film and TV contract, which members are expected to ratify June 9, although that vote probably will be much closer because the union is deeply divided over the proposed terms. AFTRA approved its film and TV contract last year.

— Richard Verrier

Hollywood's entertainment unions, which often clash over bargaining strategy, finally have something they can rally around (surprise): the right of workers to form a union.

As debate in Washington heats up over the proposed Employee Free Choice Act, unions representing actors, writers, directors and crew members collaborated with umbrella organization AFL-CIO to produce a video in support of the legislation, designed to lift roadblocks to unionization.

The three-minute online video features testimonials from 47 performers and actors, including F. Murray Abraham, actor-comedian Jerry Stiller and Amy Brenneman, star of the TV series "Private Practice."

"People associate actors with fame and glory. The truth is, for a long time my union contract was the reason I could support my family,'' Brenneman said in a statement. "Each worker, regardless of their field, deserves the freedom to bargain for a contract, for a better life."

Among the participants in the video are the presidents of two Hollywood unions who have no love lost for each other: Alan Rosenberg from SAG, and Roberta Reardon from the smaller actors union, the American Federation of Television and Radio Artists. The two unions suspended their longstanding joint bargaining agreement last year after a series of disputes.

Even nemeses can occasionally put aside their differences when it comes to the union label.

— Richard Verrier

On location filming down 43% in Los Angeles

It was another bleak week for film production. Production days for on-location filming dropped 43% last week compared to the same time a year ago, with the biggest falloff occurring in feature films. See the latest figures and a sampling of what's shooting around Los Angeles in the weekly "On Location" chart below.

 

Panavision Inc., the longtime supplier of motion picture camera equipment, has replaced Chief Executive William (Billy) M. Campbell  — after just 10 weeks on the job.

The Woodland Hills company, controlled by the billionaire Ronald O. Perelman, said in a statement that William C. Bevins, a longtime associate of Perelman’s, had replaced Campbell, the former president of Discovery Networks who also had been an executive at ABC, CBS and Warner Bros. Television.

Bevins is the fourth CEO in six years at Panavision, which manufacturers and designs film and digital cameras that it rents out to film crews, along with lighting, grip and crane equipment.

Panavision offered no explanation for Campbell’s abrupt departure. The company's employees were stunned by the news, coming so soon after Perelman hailed him for his “visionary leadership” that would “take Panavision into the next phase of our business.”

Campbell had replaced Bob Beitcher, who had been tapped by Perelman in 2003 to revitalize the  business that had been slow to roll out new products and adapt to a changing digital market.

The management shake-up comes at time when many companies that service the film and TV business
are reeling from a sharp downturn in production. Sources close to Panavision say its business was especially hard-hit last year during the 100-day writers strike, which virtually shut down television production, and the subsequent slowdown caused by year-long contract dispute between the Screen Actors Guild and major studios. The recession also has prompted studios to make fewer movies, further depressing demand for camera equipment.

Panavision has laid off more than 100 workers from its offices around the world in the last 18 months and currently employs about 1,150, including nearly 300 in Woodland Hills.

Bevins is a former consultant to MacAndrews & Forbes Holdings Inc., Perleman’s main investment vehicle. A former chief financial officer for Turner Broadcasting System Inc., Bevins also previously ran New World Communications Group Inc. and Marvel Entertainment Group.

“He brings unparalleled operational experience to the table, which will help strengthen Panavision’s platform for future growth,” said Panavision Vice Chairman Ken Ziffren, a veteran entertainment industry attorney.

In a statement, Campbell called his short tenure with Panavision "a privilege" and said he would remain as an advisor to the company. A spokesperson said he was not available for further comment. Campbell was among the passengers of the USAirways plane that crash landed in the Hudson River last January.

-- Richard Verrier

Hollywood's largest actors union strongly endorsed a new film and TV contract, closing the chapter on a year-long dispute with the major studios.

The vote, which was expected to be close, drew a stronger show of support from the membership of the Screen Actors Guild, with 78% supporting the deal, and 22% opposing it.

The approval comes nearly a year after the guild's current contract expired and is largely similar to a deal the studios offered the union last fall. SAG's bargaining clout was hurt by the weak economy and a series of strategic missteps by the union's former chief negotiator, who was ousted in a boardroom revolt in January.

Although the contract was expected to be ratified, the vote puts to rest lingering fears in Hollywood that the entertainment industry would face another strike following last year's walkout by writers.

It could also help spur at least some independent film production that has been held up because of the dispute. The uncertainty had caused some insurance companies to stop issuing completion bonds -- ensuring that a film will be done on time and within budget -- that independent filmmakers depend on.

The contract was patterned after similar agreements negotiated last year by three other talent unions. It includes an immediate pay increase of 3% and for the first time gives actors residual pay for shows that streamed for free on websites like Hulu.

But SAG's members were sharply at odds over the terms. Stars lined up on either side of dueling campaigns. A group of A-list actors led by Tom Hanks and George Clooney backed the contract as the best that could be had in a difficult economic climate.

Another group that included former SAG President Ed Asner, Ed Harris and Martin Sheen blasted the agreement, saying it shortchanges actors for work that is distributed on the Internet.

Underscoring the divisions, the contract was supported by a majority of the board and the union's executive director, but opposed by the union's president, Alan Rosenberg, who vigorously campaigned against the contract.

Rosenberg was an ardent backer of former SAG executive director Doug Allen, who was ousted after a group of dissident actors won control of the board in elections last fall. They replaced him with veteran negotiator John McGuire and David White, the union's former general counsel.

--Richard Verrier

If only Tyler Perry could make two or three movies every quarter Lions Gate Entertainment might be profitable already.

Thanks to Perry, Lions Gate should post solid fourth-quarter and record year-end revenues, but it won't be enough to lift the company into the black when it announces its results Monday.

Lions Gate already warned investors and the street back in February that its losses for the fiscal year that ended March 31, 2009, would be in the neighborhood of $135 million on revenues of between $1.4 billion and $1.5 billion. Last year, the company lost $74 million on revenues of $1.36 billion. The studio has said it expects to be in the black in 2010.

One person who will be particularly interested in Lions Gate's results Monday is rattle-the-cages shareholder Carl Icahn, who has threatened to wage a proxy contest for the company because he hasn't been especially happy with the way the Santa Monica-based movie and TV studio has been run. The clock is running down on when Icahn has to let the world know whether he will call a special shareholders' meeting, and he hasn't tipped his hand about which way he's leaning. 

Saving the studio from harsher numbers was the performance of Perry's "Madea Goes to Jail," which grossed $89.2 million in the studio's fourth quarter. Horror flicks "My Bloody Valentine" and "The Haunting in Connecticut" were also solid performers. Stronger-than-expected DVD sales for the theatrical disappointments "Bangkok Dangerous" and "Punisher 2" also helped.

But overall, the studio did not have a stellar year. Among the disappointments were "The Spirit," "Punisher: War Zone," "Transporter 3," "Disaster Movie" and "My Best Friend's Girl." Lions Gate's results will also be affected by severance costs related to staff cuts at the studio in its third and fourth quarters.

Earlier this week, Lions Gate sold 49% of its TV Guide Network for $123 million to One Equity Partners in an effort to boost its balance sheet. The company plans to give the channel a makeover, including a new name. Our suggestion: Tyler Perry TV.

-- Joe Flint

Photo: Tyler Perry as Madea in "Madea Goes to Jail." Credit: Alfeo Dixon / Lions Gate

The only question for Disney/Pixar's "Up" is how far its opening weekend gross will fly. The bar is pretty high, given that "Wall-E" opened at $63.1 million last summer on its way to taking in $224 million in domestic box office.

Rival studios are anticipating that "Up" could hit $65 million. Tracking figures are playing it safer, projecting that "Up" will open somewhere between Pixar's "Ratatouille" ($47 million) and "Wall-E." That's like saying the Lakers will score between 80 and 100 points in their next game. 

With a storyline about an old man on the verge of losing his home who responds by filling his house with balloons and flying away, there have been questions about whether young children will embrace the film. But any impact from that will probably be felt after the opening weekend.

The other big opening this weekend -- Sam Raimi's horror film "Drag Me to Hell" -- isn't expected to be a threat to "Up," but should be a solid performer in its own right. The movie, which is distributed by Universal, is targeting an adult audience. Raimi has a strong following and if history is any guide, the movie should open north of $20 million. Last summer's horror flick "The Strangers" opened at $21 million. 

The other big question for the weekend is how "Terminator Salvation" will hold up. The Warner Bros. movie opened to a disappointing $51.9 million over Memorial Day weekend. Star Christian Bale proved capable of being the Dark Knight, but that franchise seems immune to who graces the costume. Apparently that's not the case with "Terminator."

-- Joe Flint

Photo credits: "Up," Disney/Pixar. "Drag Me to Hell," Universal Pictures.

 

In the face of tough economic times, most Hollywood studios are paring back the number of movies they make each year, but apparently DreamWorks Animation SKG Inc. didn't get the memo.

The Glendale-based animation studio announced this morning that it plans to make an additional film every other year, boosting its biannual output to five from four.

The studio's computer-animated films, all of which will be produced in 3-D, take about 4 1/2 years to make and cost about $160 million each, the company has said previously.

DreamWorks has invested heavily in expanding its production capabilities and has developed a more consistent track record in recent years with films such as "Madagascar" and "Kung Fu Panda," addressing concerns among investors about the company's roller-coaster results: Up when it has a hit, down when it misses. 

"Having achieved a high level of success and consistency in our creative process and having in our development pipeline more great story concepts than ever, we are very confident in our ability to add one original film every other year,'' Bill Damaschke, co-president of production, said in a statement.

DreamWorks said it will release eight feature films through 2012, including five original films and three sequels based on its franchises "Shrek" "Madagascar" and "Kung Fu Panda." 

The upcoming movies include "How to Train Your Dragon," which is based on the book by Cressida Cowell and directed by Chris Sanders and Dean DeBlois; "Puss-In-Boots,"  in which Antonio Banderas reprises his popular character from the "Shrek" films; and "The Guardians," about unlikely heroes who band together to stop an ancient spirit from plunging the world into eternal darkness.

The announcement, delivered during a media conference hosted by Cowen & Co., was clearly aimed at Wall Street, which reacted favorably. DreamWorks shares were up 10 cents to $27.21 in midafternoon trading.

— Richard Verrier

Photo: Puss-In-Boots lays on the charm in "Shrek the Third" / DreamWorks Animation

It may not do much to spur sluggish commercial production in Los Angeles, but the two unions representing Hollywood actors overwhelmingly backed new contracts covering their work in commercials.

Members of the Screen Actors Guild and its smaller sister union, the American Federation of Television and Radio Artists, voted 93% in favor of the contracts, which cover performers working in commercials made for and reused on television, radio, the Internet and other new media.

The agreements, which are retroactively effective to April 1, provide a 5% pay increase, contain about $24 million in increased contributions to the unions' health and pension plans and, for the first, time, establish a pay structure for work made for the Internet and other new media.

The sides also agreed to hire a consultant to conduct a two-year study to test a new way of paying actors. Advertisers, who've been hit hard by the recession and a long-term decline in national TV ad viewership, want to revamp the current "pay-for-play" system in which actors are paid based on how often and where a spot runs. Instead, they favor a "gross-rating points" system, in which residuals would be tied to viewership. The unions, however, rejected the demand but agreed to study the proposal.

The strong endorsement was expected as the boards of both unions had unanimously endorsed the agreements, which cover more than 30,000 actors who work in commercials.

Next up for SAG is the vote on the film and TV contract, which members are expected to ratify June 9, although that vote probably will be much closer because the union is deeply divided over the proposed terms. AFTRA approved its film and TV contract last year.

— Richard Verrier

Hollywood's entertainment unions, which often clash over bargaining strategy, finally have something they can rally around (surprise): the right of workers to form a union.

As debate in Washington heats up over the proposed Employee Free Choice Act, unions representing actors, writers, directors and crew members collaborated with umbrella organization AFL-CIO to produce a video in support of the legislation, designed to lift roadblocks to unionization.

The three-minute online video features testimonials from 47 performers and actors, including F. Murray Abraham, actor-comedian Jerry Stiller and Amy Brenneman, star of the TV series "Private Practice."

"People associate actors with fame and glory. The truth is, for a long time my union contract was the reason I could support my family,'' Brenneman said in a statement. "Each worker, regardless of their field, deserves the freedom to bargain for a contract, for a better life."

Among the participants in the video are the presidents of two Hollywood unions who have no love lost for each other: Alan Rosenberg from SAG, and Roberta Reardon from the smaller actors union, the American Federation of Television and Radio Artists. The two unions suspended their longstanding joint bargaining agreement last year after a series of disputes.

Even nemeses can occasionally put aside their differences when it comes to the union label.

— Richard Verrier

Panavision shake-up: Campbell out, Bevins in

 

Panavision Inc., the longtime supplier of motion picture camera equipment, has replaced Chief Executive William (Billy) M. Campbell  — after just 10 weeks on the job.

The Woodland Hills company, controlled by the billionaire Ronald O. Perelman, said in a statement that William C. Bevins, a longtime associate of Perelman’s, had replaced Campbell, the former president of Discovery Networks who also had been an executive at ABC, CBS and Warner Bros. Television.

Bevins is the fourth CEO in six years at Panavision, which manufacturers and designs film and digital cameras that it rents out to film crews, along with lighting, grip and crane equipment.

Panavision offered no explanation for Campbell’s abrupt departure. The company's employees were stunned by the news, coming so soon after Perelman hailed him for his “visionary leadership” that would “take Panavision into the next phase of our business.”

Campbell had replaced Bob Beitcher, who had been tapped by Perelman in 2003 to revitalize the  business that had been slow to roll out new products and adapt to a changing digital market.

The management shake-up comes at time when many companies that service the film and TV business
are reeling from a sharp downturn in production. Sources close to Panavision say its business was especially hard-hit last year during the 100-day writers strike, which virtually shut down television production, and the subsequent slowdown caused by year-long contract dispute between the Screen Actors Guild and major studios. The recession also has prompted studios to make fewer movies, further depressing demand for camera equipment.

Panavision has laid off more than 100 workers from its offices around the world in the last 18 months and currently employs about 1,150, including nearly 300 in Woodland Hills.

Bevins is a former consultant to MacAndrews & Forbes Holdings Inc., Perleman’s main investment vehicle. A former chief financial officer for Turner Broadcasting System Inc., Bevins also previously ran New World Communications Group Inc. and Marvel Entertainment Group.

“He brings unparalleled operational experience to the table, which will help strengthen Panavision’s platform for future growth,” said Panavision Vice Chairman Ken Ziffren, a veteran entertainment industry attorney.

In a statement, Campbell called his short tenure with Panavision "a privilege" and said he would remain as an advisor to the company. A spokesperson said he was not available for further comment. Campbell was among the passengers of the USAirways plane that crash landed in the Hudson River last January.

-- Richard Verrier

Hollywood's largest actors union strongly endorsed a new film and TV contract, closing the chapter on a year-long dispute with the major studios.

The vote, which was expected to be close, drew a stronger show of support from the membership of the Screen Actors Guild, with 78% supporting the deal, and 22% opposing it.

The approval comes nearly a year after the guild's current contract expired and is largely similar to a deal the studios offered the union last fall. SAG's bargaining clout was hurt by the weak economy and a series of strategic missteps by the union's former chief negotiator, who was ousted in a boardroom revolt in January.

Although the contract was expected to be ratified, the vote puts to rest lingering fears in Hollywood that the entertainment industry would face another strike following last year's walkout by writers.

It could also help spur at least some independent film production that has been held up because of the dispute. The uncertainty had caused some insurance companies to stop issuing completion bonds -- ensuring that a film will be done on time and within budget -- that independent filmmakers depend on.

The contract was patterned after similar agreements negotiated last year by three other talent unions. It includes an immediate pay increase of 3% and for the first time gives actors residual pay for shows that streamed for free on websites like Hulu.

But SAG's members were sharply at odds over the terms. Stars lined up on either side of dueling campaigns. A group of A-list actors led by Tom Hanks and George Clooney backed the contract as the best that could be had in a difficult economic climate.

Another group that included former SAG President Ed Asner, Ed Harris and Martin Sheen blasted the agreement, saying it shortchanges actors for work that is distributed on the Internet.

Underscoring the divisions, the contract was supported by a majority of the board and the union's executive director, but opposed by the union's president, Alan Rosenberg, who vigorously campaigned against the contract.

Rosenberg was an ardent backer of former SAG executive director Doug Allen, who was ousted after a group of dissident actors won control of the board in elections last fall. They replaced him with veteran negotiator John McGuire and David White, the union's former general counsel.

--Richard Verrier

If only Tyler Perry could make two or three movies every quarter Lions Gate Entertainment might be profitable already.

Thanks to Perry, Lions Gate should post solid fourth-quarter and record year-end revenues, but it won't be enough to lift the company into the black when it announces its results Monday.

Lions Gate already warned investors and the street back in February that its losses for the fiscal year that ended March 31, 2009, would be in the neighborhood of $135 million on revenues of between $1.4 billion and $1.5 billion. Last year, the company lost $74 million on revenues of $1.36 billion. The studio has said it expects to be in the black in 2010.

One person who will be particularly interested in Lions Gate's results Monday is rattle-the-cages shareholder Carl Icahn, who has threatened to wage a proxy contest for the company because he hasn't been especially happy with the way the Santa Monica-based movie and TV studio has been run. The clock is running down on when Icahn has to let the world know whether he will call a special shareholders' meeting, and he hasn't tipped his hand about which way he's leaning. 

Saving the studio from harsher numbers was the performance of Perry's "Madea Goes to Jail," which grossed $89.2 million in the studio's fourth quarter. Horror flicks "My Bloody Valentine" and "The Haunting in Connecticut" were also solid performers. Stronger-than-expected DVD sales for the theatrical disappointments "Bangkok Dangerous" and "Punisher 2" also helped.

But overall, the studio did not have a stellar year. Among the disappointments were "The Spirit," "Punisher: War Zone," "Transporter 3," "Disaster Movie" and "My Best Friend's Girl." Lions Gate's results will also be affected by severance costs related to staff cuts at the studio in its third and fourth quarters.

Earlier this week, Lions Gate sold 49% of its TV Guide Network for $123 million to One Equity Partners in an effort to boost its balance sheet. The company plans to give the channel a makeover, including a new name. Our suggestion: Tyler Perry TV.

-- Joe Flint

Photo: Tyler Perry as Madea in "Madea Goes to Jail." Credit: Alfeo Dixon / Lions Gate

The only question for Disney/Pixar's "Up" is how far its opening weekend gross will fly. The bar is pretty high, given that "Wall-E" opened at $63.1 million last summer on its way to taking in $224 million in domestic box office.

Rival studios are anticipating that "Up" could hit $65 million. Tracking figures are playing it safer, projecting that "Up" will open somewhere between Pixar's "Ratatouille" ($47 million) and "Wall-E." That's like saying the Lakers will score between 80 and 100 points in their next game. 

With a storyline about an old man on the verge of losing his home who responds by filling his house with balloons and flying away, there have been questions about whether young children will embrace the film. But any impact from that will probably be felt after the opening weekend.

The other big opening this weekend -- Sam Raimi's horror film "Drag Me to Hell" -- isn't expected to be a threat to "Up," but should be a solid performer in its own right. The movie, which is distributed by Universal, is targeting an adult audience. Raimi has a strong following and if history is any guide, the movie should open north of $20 million. Last summer's horror flick "The Strangers" opened at $21 million. 

The other big question for the weekend is how "Terminator Salvation" will hold up. The Warner Bros. movie opened to a disappointing $51.9 million over Memorial Day weekend. Star Christian Bale proved capable of being the Dark Knight, but that franchise seems immune to who graces the costume. Apparently that's not the case with "Terminator."

-- Joe Flint

Photo credits: "Up," Disney/Pixar. "Drag Me to Hell," Universal Pictures.

 

In the face of tough economic times, most Hollywood studios are paring back the number of movies they make each year, but apparently DreamWorks Animation SKG Inc. didn't get the memo.

The Glendale-based animation studio announced this morning that it plans to make an additional film every other year, boosting its biannual output to five from four.

The studio's computer-animated films, all of which will be produced in 3-D, take about 4 1/2 years to make and cost about $160 million each, the company has said previously.

DreamWorks has invested heavily in expanding its production capabilities and has developed a more consistent track record in recent years with films such as "Madagascar" and "Kung Fu Panda," addressing concerns among investors about the company's roller-coaster results: Up when it has a hit, down when it misses. 

"Having achieved a high level of success and consistency in our creative process and having in our development pipeline more great story concepts than ever, we are very confident in our ability to add one original film every other year,'' Bill Damaschke, co-president of production, said in a statement.

DreamWorks said it will release eight feature films through 2012, including five original films and three sequels based on its franchises "Shrek" "Madagascar" and "Kung Fu Panda." 

The upcoming movies include "How to Train Your Dragon," which is based on the book by Cressida Cowell and directed by Chris Sanders and Dean DeBlois; "Puss-In-Boots,"  in which Antonio Banderas reprises his popular character from the "Shrek" films; and "The Guardians," about unlikely heroes who band together to stop an ancient spirit from plunging the world into eternal darkness.

The announcement, delivered during a media conference hosted by Cowen & Co., was clearly aimed at Wall Street, which reacted favorably. DreamWorks shares were up 10 cents to $27.21 in midafternoon trading.

— Richard Verrier

Photo: Puss-In-Boots lays on the charm in "Shrek the Third" / DreamWorks Animation

It may not do much to spur sluggish commercial production in Los Angeles, but the two unions representing Hollywood actors overwhelmingly backed new contracts covering their work in commercials.

Members of the Screen Actors Guild and its smaller sister union, the American Federation of Television and Radio Artists, voted 93% in favor of the contracts, which cover performers working in commercials made for and reused on television, radio, the Internet and other new media.

The agreements, which are retroactively effective to April 1, provide a 5% pay increase, contain about $24 million in increased contributions to the unions' health and pension plans and, for the first, time, establish a pay structure for work made for the Internet and other new media.

The sides also agreed to hire a consultant to conduct a two-year study to test a new way of paying actors. Advertisers, who've been hit hard by the recession and a long-term decline in national TV ad viewership, want to revamp the current "pay-for-play" system in which actors are paid based on how often and where a spot runs. Instead, they favor a "gross-rating points" system, in which residuals would be tied to viewership. The unions, however, rejected the demand but agreed to study the proposal.

The strong endorsement was expected as the boards of both unions had unanimously endorsed the agreements, which cover more than 30,000 actors who work in commercials.

Next up for SAG is the vote on the film and TV contract, which members are expected to ratify June 9, although that vote probably will be much closer because the union is deeply divided over the proposed terms. AFTRA approved its film and TV contract last year.

— Richard Verrier

Hollywood's entertainment unions, which often clash over bargaining strategy, finally have something they can rally around (surprise): the right of workers to form a union.

As debate in Washington heats up over the proposed Employee Free Choice Act, unions representing actors, writers, directors and crew members collaborated with umbrella organization AFL-CIO to produce a video in support of the legislation, designed to lift roadblocks to unionization.

The three-minute online video features testimonials from 47 performers and actors, including F. Murray Abraham, actor-comedian Jerry Stiller and Amy Brenneman, star of the TV series "Private Practice."

"People associate actors with fame and glory. The truth is, for a long time my union contract was the reason I could support my family,'' Brenneman said in a statement. "Each worker, regardless of their field, deserves the freedom to bargain for a contract, for a better life."

Among the participants in the video are the presidents of two Hollywood unions who have no love lost for each other: Alan Rosenberg from SAG, and Roberta Reardon from the smaller actors union, the American Federation of Television and Radio Artists. The two unions suspended their longstanding joint bargaining agreement last year after a series of disputes.

Even nemeses can occasionally put aside their differences when it comes to the union label.

— Richard Verrier

SAG members, finally, approve contract

Hollywood's largest actors union strongly endorsed a new film and TV contract, closing the chapter on a year-long dispute with the major studios.

The vote, which was expected to be close, drew a stronger show of support from the membership of the Screen Actors Guild, with 78% supporting the deal, and 22% opposing it.

The approval comes nearly a year after the guild's current contract expired and is largely similar to a deal the studios offered the union last fall. SAG's bargaining clout was hurt by the weak economy and a series of strategic missteps by the union's former chief negotiator, who was ousted in a boardroom revolt in January.

Although the contract was expected to be ratified, the vote puts to rest lingering fears in Hollywood that the entertainment industry would face another strike following last year's walkout by writers.

It could also help spur at least some independent film production that has been held up because of the dispute. The uncertainty had caused some insurance companies to stop issuing completion bonds -- ensuring that a film will be done on time and within budget -- that independent filmmakers depend on.

The contract was patterned after similar agreements negotiated last year by three other talent unions. It includes an immediate pay increase of 3% and for the first time gives actors residual pay for shows that streamed for free on websites like Hulu.

But SAG's members were sharply at odds over the terms. Stars lined up on either side of dueling campaigns. A group of A-list actors led by Tom Hanks and George Clooney backed the contract as the best that could be had in a difficult economic climate.

Another group that included former SAG President Ed Asner, Ed Harris and Martin Sheen blasted the agreement, saying it shortchanges actors for work that is distributed on the Internet.

Underscoring the divisions, the contract was supported by a majority of the board and the union's executive director, but opposed by the union's president, Alan Rosenberg, who vigorously campaigned against the contract.

Rosenberg was an ardent backer of former SAG executive director Doug Allen, who was ousted after a group of dissident actors won control of the board in elections last fall. They replaced him with veteran negotiator John McGuire and David White, the union's former general counsel.

--Richard Verrier

If only Tyler Perry could make two or three movies every quarter Lions Gate Entertainment might be profitable already.

Thanks to Perry, Lions Gate should post solid fourth-quarter and record year-end revenues, but it won't be enough to lift the company into the black when it announces its results Monday.

Lions Gate already warned investors and the street back in February that its losses for the fiscal year that ended March 31, 2009, would be in the neighborhood of $135 million on revenues of between $1.4 billion and $1.5 billion. Last year, the company lost $74 million on revenues of $1.36 billion. The studio has said it expects to be in the black in 2010.

One person who will be particularly interested in Lions Gate's results Monday is rattle-the-cages shareholder Carl Icahn, who has threatened to wage a proxy contest for the company because he hasn't been especially happy with the way the Santa Monica-based movie and TV studio has been run. The clock is running down on when Icahn has to let the world know whether he will call a special shareholders' meeting, and he hasn't tipped his hand about which way he's leaning. 

Saving the studio from harsher numbers was the performance of Perry's "Madea Goes to Jail," which grossed $89.2 million in the studio's fourth quarter. Horror flicks "My Bloody Valentine" and "The Haunting in Connecticut" were also solid performers. Stronger-than-expected DVD sales for the theatrical disappointments "Bangkok Dangerous" and "Punisher 2" also helped.

But overall, the studio did not have a stellar year. Among the disappointments were "The Spirit," "Punisher: War Zone," "Transporter 3," "Disaster Movie" and "My Best Friend's Girl." Lions Gate's results will also be affected by severance costs related to staff cuts at the studio in its third and fourth quarters.

Earlier this week, Lions Gate sold 49% of its TV Guide Network for $123 million to One Equity Partners in an effort to boost its balance sheet. The company plans to give the channel a makeover, including a new name. Our suggestion: Tyler Perry TV.

-- Joe Flint

Photo: Tyler Perry as Madea in "Madea Goes to Jail." Credit: Alfeo Dixon / Lions Gate

The only question for Disney/Pixar's "Up" is how far its opening weekend gross will fly. The bar is pretty high, given that "Wall-E" opened at $63.1 million last summer on its way to taking in $224 million in domestic box office.

Rival studios are anticipating that "Up" could hit $65 million. Tracking figures are playing it safer, projecting that "Up" will open somewhere between Pixar's "Ratatouille" ($47 million) and "Wall-E." That's like saying the Lakers will score between 80 and 100 points in their next game. 

With a storyline about an old man on the verge of losing his home who responds by filling his house with balloons and flying away, there have been questions about whether young children will embrace the film. But any impact from that will probably be felt after the opening weekend.

The other big opening this weekend -- Sam Raimi's horror film "Drag Me to Hell" -- isn't expected to be a threat to "Up," but should be a solid performer in its own right. The movie, which is distributed by Universal, is targeting an adult audience. Raimi has a strong following and if history is any guide, the movie should open north of $20 million. Last summer's horror flick "The Strangers" opened at $21 million. 

The other big question for the weekend is how "Terminator Salvation" will hold up. The Warner Bros. movie opened to a disappointing $51.9 million over Memorial Day weekend. Star Christian Bale proved capable of being the Dark Knight, but that franchise seems immune to who graces the costume. Apparently that's not the case with "Terminator."

-- Joe Flint

Photo credits: "Up," Disney/Pixar. "Drag Me to Hell," Universal Pictures.

 

In the face of tough economic times, most Hollywood studios are paring back the number of movies they make each year, but apparently DreamWorks Animation SKG Inc. didn't get the memo.

The Glendale-based animation studio announced this morning that it plans to make an additional film every other year, boosting its biannual output to five from four.

The studio's computer-animated films, all of which will be produced in 3-D, take about 4 1/2 years to make and cost about $160 million each, the company has said previously.

DreamWorks has invested heavily in expanding its production capabilities and has developed a more consistent track record in recent years with films such as "Madagascar" and "Kung Fu Panda," addressing concerns among investors about the company's roller-coaster results: Up when it has a hit, down when it misses. 

"Having achieved a high level of success and consistency in our creative process and having in our development pipeline more great story concepts than ever, we are very confident in our ability to add one original film every other year,'' Bill Damaschke, co-president of production, said in a statement.

DreamWorks said it will release eight feature films through 2012, including five original films and three sequels based on its franchises "Shrek" "Madagascar" and "Kung Fu Panda." 

The upcoming movies include "How to Train Your Dragon," which is based on the book by Cressida Cowell and directed by Chris Sanders and Dean DeBlois; "Puss-In-Boots,"  in which Antonio Banderas reprises his popular character from the "Shrek" films; and "The Guardians," about unlikely heroes who band together to stop an ancient spirit from plunging the world into eternal darkness.

The announcement, delivered during a media conference hosted by Cowen & Co., was clearly aimed at Wall Street, which reacted favorably. DreamWorks shares were up 10 cents to $27.21 in midafternoon trading.

— Richard Verrier

Photo: Puss-In-Boots lays on the charm in "Shrek the Third" / DreamWorks Animation

It may not do much to spur sluggish commercial production in Los Angeles, but the two unions representing Hollywood actors overwhelmingly backed new contracts covering their work in commercials.

Members of the Screen Actors Guild and its smaller sister union, the American Federation of Television and Radio Artists, voted 93% in favor of the contracts, which cover performers working in commercials made for and reused on television, radio, the Internet and other new media.

The agreements, which are retroactively effective to April 1, provide a 5% pay increase, contain about $24 million in increased contributions to the unions' health and pension plans and, for the first, time, establish a pay structure for work made for the Internet and other new media.

The sides also agreed to hire a consultant to conduct a two-year study to test a new way of paying actors. Advertisers, who've been hit hard by the recession and a long-term decline in national TV ad viewership, want to revamp the current "pay-for-play" system in which actors are paid based on how often and where a spot runs. Instead, they favor a "gross-rating points" system, in which residuals would be tied to viewership. The unions, however, rejected the demand but agreed to study the proposal.

The strong endorsement was expected as the boards of both unions had unanimously endorsed the agreements, which cover more than 30,000 actors who work in commercials.

Next up for SAG is the vote on the film and TV contract, which members are expected to ratify June 9, although that vote probably will be much closer because the union is deeply divided over the proposed terms. AFTRA approved its film and TV contract last year.

— Richard Verrier

Hollywood's entertainment unions, which often clash over bargaining strategy, finally have something they can rally around (surprise): the right of workers to form a union.

As debate in Washington heats up over the proposed Employee Free Choice Act, unions representing actors, writers, directors and crew members collaborated with umbrella organization AFL-CIO to produce a video in support of the legislation, designed to lift roadblocks to unionization.

The three-minute online video features testimonials from 47 performers and actors, including F. Murray Abraham, actor-comedian Jerry Stiller and Amy Brenneman, star of the TV series "Private Practice."

"People associate actors with fame and glory. The truth is, for a long time my union contract was the reason I could support my family,'' Brenneman said in a statement. "Each worker, regardless of their field, deserves the freedom to bargain for a contract, for a better life."

Among the participants in the video are the presidents of two Hollywood unions who have no love lost for each other: Alan Rosenberg from SAG, and Roberta Reardon from the smaller actors union, the American Federation of Television and Radio Artists. The two unions suspended their longstanding joint bargaining agreement last year after a series of disputes.

Even nemeses can occasionally put aside their differences when it comes to the union label.

— Richard Verrier

Tyler Perry will push Lions Gate to record revenues, but not profits

If only Tyler Perry could make two or three movies every quarter Lions Gate Entertainment might be profitable already.

Thanks to Perry, Lions Gate should post solid fourth-quarter and record year-end revenues, but it won't be enough to lift the company into the black when it announces its results Monday.

Lions Gate already warned investors and the street back in February that its losses for the fiscal year that ended March 31, 2009, would be in the neighborhood of $135 million on revenues of between $1.4 billion and $1.5 billion. Last year, the company lost $74 million on revenues of $1.36 billion. The studio has said it expects to be in the black in 2010.

One person who will be particularly interested in Lions Gate's results Monday is rattle-the-cages shareholder Carl Icahn, who has threatened to wage a proxy contest for the company because he hasn't been especially happy with the way the Santa Monica-based movie and TV studio has been run. The clock is running down on when Icahn has to let the world know whether he will call a special shareholders' meeting, and he hasn't tipped his hand about which way he's leaning. 

Saving the studio from harsher numbers was the performance of Perry's "Madea Goes to Jail," which grossed $89.2 million in the studio's fourth quarter. Horror flicks "My Bloody Valentine" and "The Haunting in Connecticut" were also solid performers. Stronger-than-expected DVD sales for the theatrical disappointments "Bangkok Dangerous" and "Punisher 2" also helped.

But overall, the studio did not have a stellar year. Among the disappointments were "The Spirit," "Punisher: War Zone," "Transporter 3," "Disaster Movie" and "My Best Friend's Girl." Lions Gate's results will also be affected by severance costs related to staff cuts at the studio in its third and fourth quarters.

Earlier this week, Lions Gate sold 49% of its TV Guide Network for $123 million to One Equity Partners in an effort to boost its balance sheet. The company plans to give the channel a makeover, including a new name. Our suggestion: Tyler Perry TV.

-- Joe Flint

Photo: Tyler Perry as Madea in "Madea Goes to Jail." Credit: Alfeo Dixon / Lions Gate

The only question for Disney/Pixar's "Up" is how far its opening weekend gross will fly. The bar is pretty high, given that "Wall-E" opened at $63.1 million last summer on its way to taking in $224 million in domestic box office.

Rival studios are anticipating that "Up" could hit $65 million. Tracking figures are playing it safer, projecting that "Up" will open somewhere between Pixar's "Ratatouille" ($47 million) and "Wall-E." That's like saying the Lakers will score between 80 and 100 points in their next game. 

With a storyline about an old man on the verge of losing his home who responds by filling his house with balloons and flying away, there have been questions about whether young children will embrace the film. But any impact from that will probably be felt after the opening weekend.

The other big opening this weekend -- Sam Raimi's horror film "Drag Me to Hell" -- isn't expected to be a threat to "Up," but should be a solid performer in its own right. The movie, which is distributed by Universal, is targeting an adult audience. Raimi has a strong following and if history is any guide, the movie should open north of $20 million. Last summer's horror flick "The Strangers" opened at $21 million. 

The other big question for the weekend is how "Terminator Salvation" will hold up. The Warner Bros. movie opened to a disappointing $51.9 million over Memorial Day weekend. Star Christian Bale proved capable of being the Dark Knight, but that franchise seems immune to who graces the costume. Apparently that's not the case with "Terminator."

-- Joe Flint

Photo credits: "Up," Disney/Pixar. "Drag Me to Hell," Universal Pictures.

 

In the face of tough economic times, most Hollywood studios are paring back the number of movies they make each year, but apparently DreamWorks Animation SKG Inc. didn't get the memo.

The Glendale-based animation studio announced this morning that it plans to make an additional film every other year, boosting its biannual output to five from four.

The studio's computer-animated films, all of which will be produced in 3-D, take about 4 1/2 years to make and cost about $160 million each, the company has said previously.

DreamWorks has invested heavily in expanding its production capabilities and has developed a more consistent track record in recent years with films such as "Madagascar" and "Kung Fu Panda," addressing concerns among investors about the company's roller-coaster results: Up when it has a hit, down when it misses. 

"Having achieved a high level of success and consistency in our creative process and having in our development pipeline more great story concepts than ever, we are very confident in our ability to add one original film every other year,'' Bill Damaschke, co-president of production, said in a statement.

DreamWorks said it will release eight feature films through 2012, including five original films and three sequels based on its franchises "Shrek" "Madagascar" and "Kung Fu Panda." 

The upcoming movies include "How to Train Your Dragon," which is based on the book by Cressida Cowell and directed by Chris Sanders and Dean DeBlois; "Puss-In-Boots,"  in which Antonio Banderas reprises his popular character from the "Shrek" films; and "The Guardians," about unlikely heroes who band together to stop an ancient spirit from plunging the world into eternal darkness.

The announcement, delivered during a media conference hosted by Cowen & Co., was clearly aimed at Wall Street, which reacted favorably. DreamWorks shares were up 10 cents to $27.21 in midafternoon trading.

— Richard Verrier

Photo: Puss-In-Boots lays on the charm in "Shrek the Third" / DreamWorks Animation

It may not do much to spur sluggish commercial production in Los Angeles, but the two unions representing Hollywood actors overwhelmingly backed new contracts covering their work in commercials.

Members of the Screen Actors Guild and its smaller sister union, the American Federation of Television and Radio Artists, voted 93% in favor of the contracts, which cover performers working in commercials made for and reused on television, radio, the Internet and other new media.

The agreements, which are retroactively effective to April 1, provide a 5% pay increase, contain about $24 million in increased contributions to the unions' health and pension plans and, for the first, time, establish a pay structure for work made for the Internet and other new media.

The sides also agreed to hire a consultant to conduct a two-year study to test a new way of paying actors. Advertisers, who've been hit hard by the recession and a long-term decline in national TV ad viewership, want to revamp the current "pay-for-play" system in which actors are paid based on how often and where a spot runs. Instead, they favor a "gross-rating points" system, in which residuals would be tied to viewership. The unions, however, rejected the demand but agreed to study the proposal.

The strong endorsement was expected as the boards of both unions had unanimously endorsed the agreements, which cover more than 30,000 actors who work in commercials.

Next up for SAG is the vote on the film and TV contract, which members are expected to ratify June 9, although that vote probably will be much closer because the union is deeply divided over the proposed terms. AFTRA approved its film and TV contract last year.

— Richard Verrier

Hollywood's entertainment unions, which often clash over bargaining strategy, finally have something they can rally around (surprise): the right of workers to form a union.

As debate in Washington heats up over the proposed Employee Free Choice Act, unions representing actors, writers, directors and crew members collaborated with umbrella organization AFL-CIO to produce a video in support of the legislation, designed to lift roadblocks to unionization.

The three-minute online video features testimonials from 47 performers and actors, including F. Murray Abraham, actor-comedian Jerry Stiller and Amy Brenneman, star of the TV series "Private Practice."

"People associate actors with fame and glory. The truth is, for a long time my union contract was the reason I could support my family,'' Brenneman said in a statement. "Each worker, regardless of their field, deserves the freedom to bargain for a contract, for a better life."

Among the participants in the video are the presidents of two Hollywood unions who have no love lost for each other: Alan Rosenberg from SAG, and Roberta Reardon from the smaller actors union, the American Federation of Television and Radio Artists. The two unions suspended their longstanding joint bargaining agreement last year after a series of disputes.

Even nemeses can occasionally put aside their differences when it comes to the union label.

— Richard Verrier

Movie Projector: 'Up' to soar past $60 million; 'Drag Me to Hell' to open solidly

The only question for Disney/Pixar's "Up" is how far its opening weekend gross will fly. The bar is pretty high, given that "Wall-E" opened at $63.1 million last summer on its way to taking in $224 million in domestic box office.

Rival studios are anticipating that "Up" could hit $65 million. Tracking figures are playing it safer, projecting that "Up" will open somewhere between Pixar's "Ratatouille" ($47 million) and "Wall-E." That's like saying the Lakers will score between 80 and 100 points in their next game. 

With a storyline about an old man on the verge of losing his home who responds by filling his house with balloons and flying away, there have been questions about whether young children will embrace the film. But any impact from that will probably be felt after the opening weekend.

The other big opening this weekend -- Sam Raimi's horror film "Drag Me to Hell" -- isn't expected to be a threat to "Up," but should be a solid performer in its own right. The movie, which is distributed by Universal, is targeting an adult audience. Raimi has a strong following and if history is any guide, the movie should open north of $20 million. Last summer's horror flick "The Strangers" opened at $21 million. 

The other big question for the weekend is how "Terminator Salvation" will hold up. The Warner Bros. movie opened to a disappointing $51.9 million over Memorial Day weekend. Star Christian Bale proved capable of being the Dark Knight, but that franchise seems immune to who graces the costume. Apparently that's not the case with "Terminator."

-- Joe Flint

Photo credits: "Up," Disney/Pixar. "Drag Me to Hell," Universal Pictures.

 

In the face of tough economic times, most Hollywood studios are paring back the number of movies they make each year, but apparently DreamWorks Animation SKG Inc. didn't get the memo.

The Glendale-based animation studio announced this morning that it plans to make an additional film every other year, boosting its biannual output to five from four.

The studio's computer-animated films, all of which will be produced in 3-D, take about 4 1/2 years to make and cost about $160 million each, the company has said previously.

DreamWorks has invested heavily in expanding its production capabilities and has developed a more consistent track record in recent years with films such as "Madagascar" and "Kung Fu Panda," addressing concerns among investors about the company's roller-coaster results: Up when it has a hit, down when it misses. 

"Having achieved a high level of success and consistency in our creative process and having in our development pipeline more great story concepts than ever, we are very confident in our ability to add one original film every other year,'' Bill Damaschke, co-president of production, said in a statement.

DreamWorks said it will release eight feature films through 2012, including five original films and three sequels based on its franchises "Shrek" "Madagascar" and "Kung Fu Panda." 

The upcoming movies include "How to Train Your Dragon," which is based on the book by Cressida Cowell and directed by Chris Sanders and Dean DeBlois; "Puss-In-Boots,"  in which Antonio Banderas reprises his popular character from the "Shrek" films; and "The Guardians," about unlikely heroes who band together to stop an ancient spirit from plunging the world into eternal darkness.

The announcement, delivered during a media conference hosted by Cowen & Co., was clearly aimed at Wall Street, which reacted favorably. DreamWorks shares were up 10 cents to $27.21 in midafternoon trading.

— Richard Verrier

Photo: Puss-In-Boots lays on the charm in "Shrek the Third" / DreamWorks Animation

It may not do much to spur sluggish commercial production in Los Angeles, but the two unions representing Hollywood actors overwhelmingly backed new contracts covering their work in commercials.

Members of the Screen Actors Guild and its smaller sister union, the American Federation of Television and Radio Artists, voted 93% in favor of the contracts, which cover performers working in commercials made for and reused on television, radio, the Internet and other new media.

The agreements, which are retroactively effective to April 1, provide a 5% pay increase, contain about $24 million in increased contributions to the unions' health and pension plans and, for the first, time, establish a pay structure for work made for the Internet and other new media.

The sides also agreed to hire a consultant to conduct a two-year study to test a new way of paying actors. Advertisers, who've been hit hard by the recession and a long-term decline in national TV ad viewership, want to revamp the current "pay-for-play" system in which actors are paid based on how often and where a spot runs. Instead, they favor a "gross-rating points" system, in which residuals would be tied to viewership. The unions, however, rejected the demand but agreed to study the proposal.

The strong endorsement was expected as the boards of both unions had unanimously endorsed the agreements, which cover more than 30,000 actors who work in commercials.

Next up for SAG is the vote on the film and TV contract, which members are expected to ratify June 9, although that vote probably will be much closer because the union is deeply divided over the proposed terms. AFTRA approved its film and TV contract last year.

— Richard Verrier

Hollywood's entertainment unions, which often clash over bargaining strategy, finally have something they can rally around (surprise): the right of workers to form a union.

As debate in Washington heats up over the proposed Employee Free Choice Act, unions representing actors, writers, directors and crew members collaborated with umbrella organization AFL-CIO to produce a video in support of the legislation, designed to lift roadblocks to unionization.

The three-minute online video features testimonials from 47 performers and actors, including F. Murray Abraham, actor-comedian Jerry Stiller and Amy Brenneman, star of the TV series "Private Practice."

"People associate actors with fame and glory. The truth is, for a long time my union contract was the reason I could support my family,'' Brenneman said in a statement. "Each worker, regardless of their field, deserves the freedom to bargain for a contract, for a better life."

Among the participants in the video are the presidents of two Hollywood unions who have no love lost for each other: Alan Rosenberg from SAG, and Roberta Reardon from the smaller actors union, the American Federation of Television and Radio Artists. The two unions suspended their longstanding joint bargaining agreement last year after a series of disputes.

Even nemeses can occasionally put aside their differences when it comes to the union label.

— Richard Verrier

DreamWorks, bucking Hollywood trend, to make more movies

 

In the face of tough economic times, most Hollywood studios are paring back the number of movies they make each year, but apparently DreamWorks Animation SKG Inc. didn't get the memo.

The Glendale-based animation studio announced this morning that it plans to make an additional film every other year, boosting its biannual output to five from four.

The studio's computer-animated films, all of which will be produced in 3-D, take about 4 1/2 years to make and cost about $160 million each, the company has said previously.

DreamWorks has invested heavily in expanding its production capabilities and has developed a more consistent track record in recent years with films such as "Madagascar" and "Kung Fu Panda," addressing concerns among investors about the company's roller-coaster results: Up when it has a hit, down when it misses. 

"Having achieved a high level of success and consistency in our creative process and having in our development pipeline more great story concepts than ever, we are very confident in our ability to add one original film every other year,'' Bill Damaschke, co-president of production, said in a statement.

DreamWorks said it will release eight feature films through 2012, including five original films and three sequels based on its franchises "Shrek" "Madagascar" and "Kung Fu Panda." 

The upcoming movies include "How to Train Your Dragon," which is based on the book by Cressida Cowell and directed by Chris Sanders and Dean DeBlois; "Puss-In-Boots,"  in which Antonio Banderas reprises his popular character from the "Shrek" films; and "The Guardians," about unlikely heroes who band together to stop an ancient spirit from plunging the world into eternal darkness.

The announcement, delivered during a media conference hosted by Cowen & Co., was clearly aimed at Wall Street, which reacted favorably. DreamWorks shares were up 10 cents to $27.21 in midafternoon trading.

— Richard Verrier

Photo: Puss-In-Boots lays on the charm in "Shrek the Third" / DreamWorks Animation

It may not do much to spur sluggish commercial production in Los Angeles, but the two unions representing Hollywood actors overwhelmingly backed new contracts covering their work in commercials.

Members of the Screen Actors Guild and its smaller sister union, the American Federation of Television and Radio Artists, voted 93% in favor of the contracts, which cover performers working in commercials made for and reused on television, radio, the Internet and other new media.

The agreements, which are retroactively effective to April 1, provide a 5% pay increase, contain about $24 million in increased contributions to the unions' health and pension plans and, for the first, time, establish a pay structure for work made for the Internet and other new media.

The sides also agreed to hire a consultant to conduct a two-year study to test a new way of paying actors. Advertisers, who've been hit hard by the recession and a long-term decline in national TV ad viewership, want to revamp the current "pay-for-play" system in which actors are paid based on how often and where a spot runs. Instead, they favor a "gross-rating points" system, in which residuals would be tied to viewership. The unions, however, rejected the demand but agreed to study the proposal.

The strong endorsement was expected as the boards of both unions had unanimously endorsed the agreements, which cover more than 30,000 actors who work in commercials.

Next up for SAG is the vote on the film and TV contract, which members are expected to ratify June 9, although that vote probably will be much closer because the union is deeply divided over the proposed terms. AFTRA approved its film and TV contract last year.

— Richard Verrier

Hollywood's entertainment unions, which often clash over bargaining strategy, finally have something they can rally around (surprise): the right of workers to form a union.

As debate in Washington heats up over the proposed Employee Free Choice Act, unions representing actors, writers, directors and crew members collaborated with umbrella organization AFL-CIO to produce a video in support of the legislation, designed to lift roadblocks to unionization.

The three-minute online video features testimonials from 47 performers and actors, including F. Murray Abraham, actor-comedian Jerry Stiller and Amy Brenneman, star of the TV series "Private Practice."

"People associate actors with fame and glory. The truth is, for a long time my union contract was the reason I could support my family,'' Brenneman said in a statement. "Each worker, regardless of their field, deserves the freedom to bargain for a contract, for a better life."

Among the participants in the video are the presidents of two Hollywood unions who have no love lost for each other: Alan Rosenberg from SAG, and Roberta Reardon from the smaller actors union, the American Federation of Television and Radio Artists. The two unions suspended their longstanding joint bargaining agreement last year after a series of disputes.

Even nemeses can occasionally put aside their differences when it comes to the union label.

— Richard Verrier

Actors ratify commercials contracts

It may not do much to spur sluggish commercial production in Los Angeles, but the two unions representing Hollywood actors overwhelmingly backed new contracts covering their work in commercials.

Members of the Screen Actors Guild and its smaller sister union, the American Federation of Television and Radio Artists, voted 93% in favor of the contracts, which cover performers working in commercials made for and reused on television, radio, the Internet and other new media.

The agreements, which are retroactively effective to April 1, provide a 5% pay increase, contain about $24 million in increased contributions to the unions' health and pension plans and, for the first, time, establish a pay structure for work made for the Internet and other new media.

The sides also agreed to hire a consultant to conduct a two-year study to test a new way of paying actors. Advertisers, who've been hit hard by the recession and a long-term decline in national TV ad viewership, want to revamp the current "pay-for-play" system in which actors are paid based on how often and where a spot runs. Instead, they favor a "gross-rating points" system, in which residuals would be tied to viewership. The unions, however, rejected the demand but agreed to study the proposal.

The strong endorsement was expected as the boards of both unions had unanimously endorsed the agreements, which cover more than 30,000 actors who work in commercials.

Next up for SAG is the vote on the film and TV contract, which members are expected to ratify June 9, although that vote probably will be much closer because the union is deeply divided over the proposed terms. AFTRA approved its film and TV contract last year.

— Richard Verrier

Hollywood's entertainment unions, which often clash over bargaining strategy, finally have something they can rally around (surprise): the right of workers to form a union.

As debate in Washington heats up over the proposed Employee Free Choice Act, unions representing actors, writers, directors and crew members collaborated with umbrella organization AFL-CIO to produce a video in support of the legislation, designed to lift roadblocks to unionization.

The three-minute online video features testimonials from 47 performers and actors, including F. Murray Abraham, actor-comedian Jerry Stiller and Amy Brenneman, star of the TV series "Private Practice."

"People associate actors with fame and glory. The truth is, for a long time my union contract was the reason I could support my family,'' Brenneman said in a statement. "Each worker, regardless of their field, deserves the freedom to bargain for a contract, for a better life."

Among the participants in the video are the presidents of two Hollywood unions who have no love lost for each other: Alan Rosenberg from SAG, and Roberta Reardon from the smaller actors union, the American Federation of Television and Radio Artists. The two unions suspended their longstanding joint bargaining agreement last year after a series of disputes.

Even nemeses can occasionally put aside their differences when it comes to the union label.

— Richard Verrier

Hollywood unions come together -- for a change

Hollywood's entertainment unions, which often clash over bargaining strategy, finally have something they can rally around (surprise): the right of workers to form a union.

As debate in Washington heats up over the proposed Employee Free Choice Act, unions representing actors, writers, directors and crew members collaborated with umbrella organization AFL-CIO to produce a video in support of the legislation, designed to lift roadblocks to unionization.

The three-minute online video features testimonials from 47 performers and actors, including F. Murray Abraham, actor-comedian Jerry Stiller and Amy Brenneman, star of the TV series "Private Practice."

"People associate actors with fame and glory. The truth is, for a long time my union contract was the reason I could support my family,'' Brenneman said in a statement. "Each worker, regardless of their field, deserves the freedom to bargain for a contract, for a better life."

Among the participants in the video are the presidents of two Hollywood unions who have no love lost for each other: Alan Rosenberg from SAG, and Roberta Reardon from the smaller actors union, the American Federation of Television and Radio Artists. The two unions suspended their longstanding joint bargaining agreement last year after a series of disputes.

Even nemeses can occasionally put aside their differences when it comes to the union label.

— Richard Verrier