View this page "SAG New Media Contract - Current Terms"

[Rudy Jahchan]

Hi all,

Finally got around to documenting the current SAG new media contract.
Love to hear you questions and thoughts on it!

Click on http://groups.google.com/group/new-media-west/web/sag-new-media-contract---current-terms
- or copy & paste it into your browser's address bar if that doesn't
work.

[Rick Rey]

Thanks for laying this out, Rudy.

Another issue I want to bring up is the process of getting a project
approved by SAG, which goes beyond the contract. If you have a
distribution agreement in place, or are offered one in the future, SAG
must approve your deal before signing off on the project. They are
fearful that producers will make bad deals, which will ultimately
prevent them from paying performers (residuals are based on
distributor gross, not producer earnings). I understand the sentiment
of wanting to protect actors (and producers) from bad deals, but I
don't think it's necessarily SAG's responsibility or right to do so.
If a producer makes a bad deal, it's still on him/her to fulfill the
terms of the SAG agreement. This practice may also discourage networks
and other content providers from working with union-friendly projects,
because it obligates them to track "to the penny" all distributor
revenue from all videos written under the contract, and of course
disclose that information on a regular basis.

[Rudy Jahchan]

Great point Rick! Will include it in the above page.

[Seth Caskey]

Hi guys.

I know we haven't met yet, but I hope to get out to Office Hours soon.
Thanks for posting this info on the SAG new media contract. From an
actor's POV it does raise some questions, but I'm encouraged that SAG
is willing to discuss the terms with producers and find something that
works for everyone.

Seth

[Lan Bui]

Is there anything preventing us from pre-negotiating the terms for
brining the project to DVD and other things?

[Rudy Jahchan]

That's the problem. You can pre-negotiate ... under the terms for the
DVD agreement! Otherwise SAG will consider you breaking your terms
with the Guild and will either blacklist you and/or your actors.