WGA Reaches Accord with Lionsgate Entertainment

[villager]

Source: Below the Line

So the WGA made a long-expected deal with Lionsgate this afternoon, and promptly released the following statement:

LIONSGATE SIGNS INTERIM AGREEMENT WITH WRITERS GUILD

LOS ANGELES - Leading independent filmed entertainment studio Lionsgate is the latest company to sign an interim agreement with the Writers Guild of America. The company is one of the largest independent producers and distributors of motion pictures, television programming, home entertainment, family entertainment and video-on-demand content.

The agreement is similar to the deals the WGA has recently announced with United Artists, Worldwide Pants, Spyglass Entertainment, MRC, Jackson Bites, Mandate Films, and Sidney Kimmel Entertainment.

“We are pleased Lionsgate has joined the growing number of companies that have signed interim agreements with the Writers Guild,” said Patric M. Verrone, president of the Writers Guild of America, West, and Michael Winship, president of the Writers
Guild of America, East, in a joint statement. “Lionsgate is considered a leader in the industry, and its signing an interim agreement again confirms that it is possible for both writers to be compensated fairly and respectfully for their work and for companies to operate profitably.”

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Read more: http://btlnews.com/blog/archives/132

[annabanana]

1. This is good! The more independent companies that get with

the program, the more pressure there is on the big boys...

[villager]

2. yes, each one is a chink in the armor of the "bigger fish,"

or in this case, "bigger corporations!"

[robbedvoter]

3. All these guys should be rewarded with first options in the future

Industry will get more diversified this way

[Coexist]

4. knr

[aquart]

5. What's an "interim agreement?"

[DarthDem]

6. Interim Agreement

It has to be an interim agreement because it will ultimately be superseded by what the WGA and the AMPTP agree to (which is probably imminent). All of these deals are contingent upon that eventual resolution.

[villager]

7. exactly -- they agree to "for the moment" provisions

which are revised when the final settlement comes...

[Warren Stupidity]

8. Excellent!

Another crack in the bosses' solidarity. WGA made an earlier concession this week to restart negotiations, this should start to push other studios to either come to terms as a group or make their own 'interim agreements'.