Latest in Guilds

Some 50,000 session musicians and background singers will be sharing more than $70 million in royalties collected by the AFM & SAG-AFTRA Intellectual Property Rights Distribution Fund – the largest distribution in the fund's history. The average payment is about $1,500, but some performers are receiving well above…

SAG-AFTRA has told its members not to work on an indie movie called The Curse of the Clown Motel. The union says the producer, Kalon Entertainment, "has failed to demonstrate its compliance with SAG-AFTRA's required Covid-19 safety standards and protocols for a safe set." Do Not Work notices from the union are not unco…

The WGA West's annual election season has begun. This year, the guild will hold elections for all three of its officers – president, vice president and secretary-treasurer – and for eight of the 16 seats on its board of directors. "Although the Covid-19 pandemic continues to disrupt all of our lives, the Guild…

SAG-AFTRA has launched a new digital platform that will allow members and third-party witnesses to report incidents of sexual harassment in the workplace, which will also allow the union to track repeat offenders. During a press conference today, the union also unveiled new standards for the training, registration and…

In lieu of its traditional awards luncheon this year, which was canceled because of the pandemic, the Publicists of the International Cinematographers Guild, IATSE Local 600, have raised more than $60,000 to support the guild's Hardship Fund, in donations from publicists, studios and awards sponsors. The fund assists…

Charles "Chuck" Fries, whose career as a television and film producer included a long list of classic shows, series and films, died Wednesday, his family announced. He was 92. No cause of death was given. During a prolific career that spanned more than 60 years, he participated in the production of more than 5,000…

Nelson Coates has been reelected president of the Art Directors Guild, IATSE Local 800. Coates, who ran unopposed, was first elected to the post in 2015. "I am honored and humbled to be given the opportunity to continue leading the Art Directors Guild – one of the most creative and influential Locals in the…

UPDATE, with Equity statement The Producers Guild of America is expanding its Independent Production Safety Initiative to include anti-bullying trainings "with the goal of eliminating workplace violence and aggression." The move comes in the wake of bullying accusations against Broadway and Oscar-winning movie…

Actors’ Equity Association told members today that it will not place producer Scott Rudin on its “Do Not Work” list, explaining that the union utilizes the list to alert members about the status of non-union productions. Rudin, as the Equity letter states, “is a producing member of the Broadway League, and as such, he…

SAG-AFTRA has launched a Spanish-language version of its website as part of a broader organizational effort to increase engagement with its thousands of Spanish-speaking members. The new website is also designed to support the union's organizing efforts in the growing Spanish-language market. “SAG-AFTRA continues to…

Five years ago, an actor of Middle Eastern descent arrived at a studio test for a major cable TV show that was looking to diversify its cast and was asked by the casting director what percentage Latino he was. "I'm not Latino," he replied. "I'm Egyptian." Without apologizing, the casting director said: "We can’t move…

UPDATE, with video of David Graham-Caso: Tina Tchen, president and CEO of the Time’s Up Foundation, added her voice today to those calling for producer Scott Rudin to release employees from prior non-disclosure agreements. "First and foremost, we owe a debt of gratitude to the brave employees who came forward with…