Trendy Reel

Just when you thought it was safe again in Hollywood.  Writers still dusting off the last remnants from their strike might have some extra time on their hands to pen some scripts.  This time it’s Actors vs. Actors vs. Producers.  Isn’t it lovely?!  The Screen Actors Guild contract with AMPTP ends this upcoming Monday June 30th. Things looked picture perfect for an easy renewal of contracts until the world imploded and the usually friendly unions decided to not be friendly anymore.  SAG and AFTRA usually go into negation talks together, but not this time.  Who would have thunk of two strikes in one year?  SAG is not happy with the contract that AFTRA want to agree on. Now we are down to actors having to picking sides, do they do with AFTRA or SAG?  There is literally a list of who is supporting who; from Tom Hanks to Ben Stiller, to yesterday Sir George Clooney himself penning a letter.  Studios have been preparing for this day, even though none probably thought it would actually come down to this.  Mostly all productions that are in the filming stage were scheduled in advance to have completed production by Monday.  SAG however has the option to extend their contract temporarily until AFTRA votes on July 8th.  No word yet if that will happen, but it doesn’t look that way.  What a way to go in an almost perfect Summer Movie Season.  I guess next month the paparazzi will have a field day capturing out of work actors wandering about the globe on extended vacations because they have nothing else to do.  Oh what a summer it will be.