DGA Awards have film-TV imbalance

Tom Hooper won the DGA Awards biggie last year before taking the Oscar for directing.Though the 64th annual Directors Guild of America Awards will be presented Saturday amid awards-season hoopla for 2011's fave movies, most of the directors accepting kudos will be recognized for work that appears on TV.Seven of the DGA's 10 categories are for shows on the smallscreen, including comedy series, dramatic series, musical variety and daytime serials, far outnumbering the two bigscreen categories: documentary (which dates to 1977) and feature film, the org's longest-running prize, created in 1948. The remaining award is for commercials."It does seem like they're sort of shortchanging the film directors," says Tampa Bay Times critic Steve Purcell, who would like to see more DGA categories for filmmaking.Rewarding directors of animated features would be a good place to start, he adds, given the different skill set required to create them and the popularity of the genre.Steven Rea, with the Philadelphia Inquirer, also would encourage an animation award."Adding animation would expand the reach of the guild in a good way," he says. "It would show that it's more inclusive and open to the artistry of animated film directors."While animation is the only award Rea would add to the DGA film roster, Purcell believes there's merit in splitting the current feature kudo along drama and comedy or musical lines -- as the Golden Globes does with its film awards -- and he also would like to see annual recognition of up-and-coming filmmakers."Directors of the independents in a lot of cases have to take much more of the fundraising on their shoulders compared with the directors of more highly budgeted studio productions," Purcell says. "That should be honored and regarded in some way. It would inspire more folks who are out there in film schools, and in doing so you bring in the next fold, the next generation of filmmakers."There's already a history of the guild honoring a range of film genres, according to DGA media relations director Sahar Moridani."The DGA Award has recognized blockbusters, dramas, comedies, musicals, independents and foreign films. We are very proud of our tradition of honoring outstanding directorial achievement in feature film with one award."Indeed, nominees and winners from the past decade have included works from the likes of James Cameron ("Avatar"), Kathryn Bigelow ("The Hurt Locker"), Jonathan Dayton and Valerie Faris ("Little Miss Sunshine"), William Condon ("Dreamgirls") and Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu ("Babel").Should the DGA add any more awards to its lineup, Spencer Parsons, an assistant radio/TV/film professor at Northwestern U., foresees an honors hierarchy developing. As it is, the DGA's prize for feature director is not only coveted -- last year's winner, Tom Hooper, called it "the highest honor of my life" -- it also is widely considered one of the most reliable indicators of the eventual Oscar winner for director. How would any new genre-based awards compare?"They would still leave dramatic filmmaking as the most coveted award, the one treated as the top dog over awards for the other genres," says Parsons, who's wrapping his second feature, "Saturday Morning Massacre," for the festival circuit. "Yes, you're awarding more films, you're creating more opportunity, but you're also in a way giving a new prize that is somewhat less."Purcell doubts any second-class concerns if the DGA adds an animation category. "You'll have to ask Disney/Pixar whether they've had any regrets about winning all of those Oscars for best animated feature and not for best film."DGA AWARDS 2012Post-party obsession | DGA Awards have film-TV imbalance | Inner circle Contact the Variety newsroom at news@variety.com

SAG-AFTRA Merger Means Tougher Admissions, Potentially Costlier Membership

AFTRA's open door policy which allows anyone to join the union online by paying the initiation fee will end if SAG and AFTRA merge, The Hollywood Reporter has learned. In its place will be new SAG-AFTRA rules that primarily mirror SAG's existing ones a set of requirements that have made a meme out of "How do I get my SAG card?"In addition, the price is changing: at $3,000, the new initiation fee is higher than SAG's $2,277 or AFTRA's $1,600, but less than the two combined.That translates to a 23% savings for actors who would otherwise join both unions as many do, since the overwhelming majority of new scripted television series have gone AFTRA since 2009, while movies remain a SAG-only business.There's good news for existing members who aren't dual cardholders: according to a source, those who paid only one union's initiation fee won't have to pay the difference between that amount and the higher SAG-AFTRA fee. They'll be grandfathered at the lower fee.Those who are dual cardholders and previously paid initial fees that amounted to more than $3,000 such as $2,277 plus $1,600, i.e., $3,877) might wonder whether the new union will refund the difference. That's unknown, although one would assume it's unlikely.Initiation fees aren't the only cost associated with union membership: there are also annual dues. As THR previously reported, those will decrease for some members and increase for others under a merged union.The new entrance rules will allow someone to join if they score a job as a principal under a SAG-AFTRA contract; work for 3 days as a background performer (i.e., extra) in a SAG-AFTRA background role; are a member of a sister union for at least a year and have worked as a principal performer; or are an employee at a company that the union board has targeted for organizing, such as new cable networks or small broadcast stations.The first three methods are essentially the same as under existing SAG rules, while the fourth is new. The tighter requirements mark a new development for DJs, announcers, newspersons and sportscasters, although the fourth option is obviously intended to soften the change, at least for those groups. It's not known how they'll react, although THR is told that G1 members from those constituencies agreed to the change.The difficulty of qualifying under the guild's rules have helped make SAG membership aspirational and contributed to the value of the organization's "brand name."For actors, the tighter rules and increased dues mark a change from AFTRA's current approach. The changes would take effect upon ratification of the merger proposal, which wouldn't happen until around mid-March at the earliest, given typical SAG and AFTRA referendum timetables.However, AFTRA's board could decide at its meeting this weekend to tighten entrance procedures in order to forestall a "land rush" of new members during the weeks that the proposal will be out for balloting or even under legal challenge. Whether it will take such action is unknown, although a flood of new membership applications in the next few days could precipitate such action.Nonetheless, aspiring actors who jump at the chance to join AFTRA now in order to be grandfathered in at the lower initiation fee and essentially non-existent entrance requirements may be making a mistake. That's because union membership may cut them off from non-union work too early in their careers i.e., at a time when the more competitive union jobs are out of their reach. For that reason, advice columns and books often counsel new actors to be cautious about joining SAG or AFTRA early on even if they've qualified for the coveted SAG card.The new membership rules are technical enough to warrant explanation:1. Hired for a SAG (or, post-merger, SAG-AFTRA) principal role. This is the classic way for someone to get admitted to a union, and would be unchanged under SAG-AFTRA: the non-union actor get hired for a union job. This isn't easy, because existing SAG members are theoretically first in line.As soon as the actor books the job, he or she becomes "SAG Eligible." Thirty days later, the actor becomes "SAG Must Join," and can no longer work SAG jobs without joining the union. The union enforces this rule by requiring producers to verify the actor's status by contacting the union, a procedure oddly called "Station 12." There don't seem to be any Stations 1 through 11.(Alternatively, a SAG Must Join actor can elect the legally-protected "financial core" status, and pay slightly reduced dues without actually joining. Fi-core is an option that allows people to work union jobs and get the benefits of those jobs, such as residuals, but also them to work non-union despite SAG's Global Rule 1 to the contrary (which is a rule that will largely survive the transition to SAG-AFTRA, at least for actors). For that reason, fi-core is despised by unions, but in any case it's chosen by very few members of SAG or other entertainment unions. Another wrinkle: in "right to work" states primarily conservative "red states" people can't be required to join a union even if they don't go fi-core.)2. Three days as a background performer in a SAG (or, post-merger, SAG-AFTRA) background role. In a SAG covered movie or a SAG (or AFTRA) covered TV show, a certain number of background positions are generally subject to union minimums and conditions; the remainder are not. A non-union actor who scores one of the SAG-covered positions gets a voucher attesting to that fact. Three vouchers and the performer can (and must) join the guild.Critics say the so-called three voucher system is open to abuse, since assistant directors in practice have wide latitude in determining who gets the valuable union chits. Some want to loosen the rule, while many SAG background performers want the requirements tightened further. Although the system will survive the transition to SAG-AFTRA, there is apparently some board sentiment for later changing it.3. Sister union membership. A performer who is a member of a performers union that's part of the Associated Actors and Artistes of America the archaic "Artistes" is not a typo for at least a year and has had at least one principal role (e.g., not a background role, or extra) is eligible to join any other Four A's union. Among those unions are SAG, AFTRA and Actor's Equity. That reciprocity has made AFTRA's open membership policy a route to SAG membership. If SAG and AFTRA merge, that relatively easy route disappears, although it will remain for members of Equity (which is not an open door union) or the several smaller, more specialized components of the Four A's. 4. Employees of targeted employers. This one is new: if the SAG-AFTRA board decides to campaign for an employer to go union, it can decide to offer the employees union membership. This is apparently intended to address concerns of DJs, announcers, newspersons and sportscasters, who have operated to date under AFTRA's open door membership policy and loosely-interpreted "No Contract, No Work" rule rather than SAG's tighter membership requirements and stringent Global Rule 1.Some technical details of interest in the regions outside of major production centers: Under current SAG and AFTRA rules, lower initiation fees are available to actors who join in some smaller markets. It's not known whether this will be the case in the new union.Also, under current SAG rules, such members who later work in higher-fee areas such as NY or Los Angeles may have to pay the difference between the discounted fee and the higher fee, such as $2,277. With the higher fee increasing the $3,000 in the new union (assuming merger passes), that might mean that current members who paid a discounted local fee would end up making up a larger difference than anticipated. This is unknown at this time.Some of these details may become clear when the merger proposal is released next week, but perhaps not all of them, in light of the fact that a source told THR earlier in the week that some matters will be left to the discretion of the new union's board. By Jonathan Handel January 24, 2012 AFTRA's open door policy which allows anyone to join the union online by paying the initiation fee will end if SAG and AFTRA merge, The Hollywood Reporter has learned. In its place will be new SAG-AFTRA rules that primarily mirror SAG's existing ones a set of requirements that have made a meme out of "How do I get my SAG card?"In addition, the price is changing: at $3,000, the new initiation fee is higher than SAG's $2,277 or AFTRA's $1,600, but less than the two combined.That translates to a 23% savings for actors who would otherwise join both unions as many do, since the overwhelming majority of new scripted television series have gone AFTRA since 2009, while movies remain a SAG-only business.There's good news for existing members who aren't dual cardholders: according to a source, those who paid only one union's initiation fee won't have to pay the difference between that amount and the higher SAG-AFTRA fee. They'll be grandfathered at the lower fee.Those who are dual cardholders and previously paid initial fees that amounted to more than $3,000 such as $2,277 plus $1,600, i.e., $3,877) might wonder whether the new union will refund the difference. That's unknown, although one would assume it's unlikely.Initiation fees aren't the only cost associated with union membership: there are also annual dues. As THR previously reported, those will decrease for some members and increase for others under a merged union.The new entrance rules will allow someone to join if they score a job as a principal under a SAG-AFTRA contract; work for 3 days as a background performer (i.e., extra) in a SAG-AFTRA background role; are a member of a sister union for at least a year and have worked as a principal performer; or are an employee at a company that the union board has targeted for organizing, such as new cable networks or small broadcast stations.The first three methods are essentially the same as under existing SAG rules, while the fourth is new. The tighter requirements mark a new development for DJs, announcers, newspersons and sportscasters, although the fourth option is obviously intended to soften the change, at least for those groups. It's not known how they'll react, although THR is told that G1 members from those constituencies agreed to the change.The difficulty of qualifying under the guild's rules have helped make SAG membership aspirational and contributed to the value of the organization's "brand name."For actors, the tighter rules and increased dues mark a change from AFTRA's current approach. The changes would take effect upon ratification of the merger proposal, which wouldn't happen until around mid-March at the earliest, given typical SAG and AFTRA referendum timetables.However, AFTRA's board could decide at its meeting this weekend to tighten entrance procedures in order to forestall a "land rush" of new members during the weeks that the proposal will be out for balloting or even under legal challenge. Whether it will take such action is unknown, although a flood of new membership applications in the next few days could precipitate such action.Nonetheless, aspiring actors who jump at the chance to join AFTRA now in order to be grandfathered in at the lower initiation fee and essentially non-existent entrance requirements may be making a mistake. That's because union membership may cut them off from non-union work too early in their careers i.e., at a time when the more competitive union jobs are out of their reach. For that reason, advice columns and books often counsel new actors to be cautious about joining SAG or AFTRA early on even if they've qualified for the coveted SAG card.The new membership rules are technical enough to warrant explanation:1. Hired for a SAG (or, post-merger, SAG-AFTRA) principal role. This is the classic way for someone to get admitted to a union, and would be unchanged under SAG-AFTRA: the non-union actor get hired for a union job. This isn't easy, because existing SAG members are theoretically first in line.As soon as the actor books the job, he or she becomes "SAG Eligible." Thirty days later, the actor becomes "SAG Must Join," and can no longer work SAG jobs without joining the union. The union enforces this rule by requiring producers to verify the actor's status by contacting the union, a procedure oddly called "Station 12." There don't seem to be any Stations 1 through 11.(Alternatively, a SAG Must Join actor can elect the legally-protected "financial core" status, and pay slightly reduced dues without actually joining. Fi-core is an option that allows people to work union jobs and get the benefits of those jobs, such as residuals, but also them to work non-union despite SAG's Global Rule 1 to the contrary (which is a rule that will largely survive the transition to SAG-AFTRA, at least for actors). For that reason, fi-core is despised by unions, but in any case it's chosen by very few members of SAG or other entertainment unions. Another wrinkle: in "right to work" states primarily conservative "red states" people can't be required to join a union even if they don't go fi-core.)2. Three days as a background performer in a SAG (or, post-merger, SAG-AFTRA) background role. In a SAG covered movie or a SAG (or AFTRA) covered TV show, a certain number of background positions are generally subject to union minimums and conditions; the remainder are not. A non-union actor who scores one of the SAG-covered positions gets a voucher attesting to that fact. Three vouchers and the performer can (and must) join the guild.Critics say the so-called three voucher system is open to abuse, since assistant directors in practice have wide latitude in determining who gets the valuable union chits. Some want to loosen the rule, while many SAG background performers want the requirements tightened further. Although the system will survive the transition to SAG-AFTRA, there is apparently some board sentiment for later changing it.3. Sister union membership. A performer who is a member of a performers union that's part of the Associated Actors and Artistes of America the archaic "Artistes" is not a typo for at least a year and has had at least one principal role (e.g., not a background role, or extra) is eligible to join any other Four A's union. Among those unions are SAG, AFTRA and Actor's Equity. That reciprocity has made AFTRA's open membership policy a route to SAG membership. If SAG and AFTRA merge, that relatively easy route disappears, although it will remain for members of Equity (which is not an open door union) or the several smaller, more specialized components of the Four A's. 4. Employees of targeted employers. This one is new: if the SAG-AFTRA board decides to campaign for an employer to go union, it can decide to offer the employees union membership. This is apparently intended to address concerns of DJs, announcers, newspersons and sportscasters, who have operated to date under AFTRA's open door membership policy and loosely-interpreted "No Contract, No Work" rule rather than SAG's tighter membership requirements and stringent Global Rule 1.Some technical details of interest in the regions outside of major production centers: Under current SAG and AFTRA rules, lower initiation fees are available to actors who join in some smaller markets. It's not known whether this will be the case in the new union.Also, under current SAG rules, such members who later work in higher-fee areas such as NY or Los Angeles may have to pay the difference between the discounted fee and the higher fee, such as $2,277. With the higher fee increasing the $3,000 in the new union (assuming merger passes), that might mean that current members who paid a discounted local fee would end up making up a larger difference than anticipated. This is unknown at this time.Some of these details may become clear when the merger proposal is released next week, but perhaps not all of them, in light of the fact that a source told THR earlier in the week that some matters will be left to the discretion of the new union's board.

Mandts, Ranik ramp up MMA in China

The Mandt Bros., behind ESPN's "Jim Rome Is Burning," have paired up with Ranik Ultimate Fighting Federation to produce TV shows around mixed martial arts to grow the sport in China. RUFF, based in Shanghai, holds the exclusive government-sanctioned rights to produce MMA fights in China. Mandt will collaborate with RUFF on the creative development of the league and live events, leading all TV production, from one-off specials to a potential reality shows to air in China. "This is a huge opportunity to help grow MMA in the most populous country in the world, where martial arts is already popular," said Neil Mandt. "Mandt Bros. has strong expertise in sports and reality television, with deep relationships with networks, sponsors, athletes and others, and we are thrilled to team with RUFF to bring all of our creative and production skills to China." RUFF founders and entrepreneurs Joel Resnick and Saul Rajsky secured rights to produce MMA bouts in China in 2010, gaining permission from the General Administration of Sport of China Wushu Administrative Center, after spending four years negotiating with the Chinese government to bring the sport to the country. The company's first two events, in late 2011, were viewed by 20 million and 27 million, respectively. The third bout is slated to take place in Chongqing on March 24. At least a half-dozen MMA events are planned this year to develop Chinese MMA fighters for local auds. In the past, Resnick said, "nobody was willing to build the fighters, give them a personality, and make them fan favorites. It's about showing ordinary kids that they can be the fighter, and you don't have to be the biggest or strongest guy to win." Los Angeles-based Mandt Bros. is run by sibs Neil and Michael. In addition to "Jim Rome Is Burning," the shingle has produced the pic "Last Stop for Paul" and TV series "Destination Truth," for Syfy, "Ice Brigade," for Food Network, Fuel TV's "Strangers in Danger" and "The Car Show," for Speed Network. Contact Marc Graser at marc.graser@variety.com

YouTube partners for global short competition

YouTube and the Emirates airline have partnered with the Venice Film Festival and Scott Free to launch Your Film Festival -- a global competition for filmmakers to submit 15-minute videos. The contest, announced Thursday, calls for 10 finalists flown in August to the Venice festival, where their work will screen, and for the winner to receive a development deal with Ridley Scott's Scott Free Prods. and a $500,000 grant. "Short filmmaking is exactly where I started my career 50 years ago, so to be helping new filmmakers find an entry point like this into the industry is fantastic," Ridley Scott said. Submissions, which open Feb. 2 and close March 31, will be reviewed by Scott Free and narrowed down to 50 semi-finalists. The YouTube community will then vote for the finalists. "YouTube is committed to bringing entertaining, original content to a global audience and Your Film Festival is another example of our investment in great creators worldwide," said Robert Kyncl, YouTube's global head of content at YouTube. "Through this program, YouTube will give filmmakers the opportunity to reach a vast audience, screen their work during the Venice Film Festival and potentially be rewarded in a career-changing way." The initiative reunites YouTube with Scott Free following their partnership to help create the documentary "Life In A Day," which debuted at last year's Sundance festival. Contact Dave McNary at dave.mcnary@variety.com

Art Directors noms announced

The Art Directors Guild has tapped the production designers from 14 films in three categories for its top feature award.The guild, which operates as Local 800 of the Intl. Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees, made the announcement Tuesday night. Winners will be announced Feb. 4 at its 16th annual Excellence in Production Design Awards ceremonies at the Beverly Hilton Hotel.Period film noms went to Laurence Bennett for "The Artist"; Dante Ferretti for "Hugo"; Sebastian Krawinkel for "Anonymous" and Maria Djurkovic for "Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy."Fantasy film nods went to Stuart Craig for "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Part 2"; Rick Heinrichs for "Captain America: The First Avenger"; John Myhre for "Pirates of the Carribean: On Stranger Tides"; Scott Chambliss for "Cowboys & Aliens"; and "The Adventures of Tintin," on which the guild has not yet made a determination of production designer.Contemporary film nominations went to Donald Graham Burt for "The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo"; Jane Anne Stewart for "The Descendants"; KK Barrett for "Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close"; Beth Mickle for "Drive"; and Jefferson Sage for "Bridesmaids.""The King's Speech," "Inception" and "Black Swan" won the top feature awards last year from the Art Directors Guild for the period, fantasy and contemporary categories respectively. "Alice in Wonderland" won the Oscar for art direction. The guild also announced nominations for five TV categories. For One-Hour Single Camera Television Series, nods went to Bill Groom for episode 21 of "Boardwalk Empire"; Gemma Jackson for the "A Golden Crown" segment of "Game of Thrones"; Mark Worthington for the "Murder House" episode of "American Horror Story"; Scott P. Murphy for "The Scarlett Bunny" segment of "The Playboy Club"; and Bob Shaw for the "Pan Am" pilot. Movie or mini-series noms went to Mark Friedberg for "Mildred Pierce"; Patti Podesta for "Cinema Verite"; Bob Shaw for "Too Big to Fail"; Eve Stewart for "The Hour"; and Robb Wilson King for "Bling Ring."Half Hour Single-Camera Television Series noms went to Richard Berg for the "Express Christmas"segment of "Modern Family"; Keith Ian Raywood and Teresa Mastropierro for the "Double-Edged Sword" episode of "30 Rock"; Joseph P. Lucky for the "Game-Played" segment of "Weeds"; Michael Wylie for the "Monkey Business" seg of "Californication"; andJefferson D. Sage for the "New Girl" pilot. Noms for multi-camera, variety or unscripted series: Keith Ian Raywood, Eugene Lee, Leo Yoshimura, N. Joseph De Tullio for "Saturday Night Live" (Episode: host Justin Timberlake); Stephan Olson for the "Ducky Tie" seg of "How I Met Your Mother"; Glenda Rovello for "The Rich People's Problems" episode of "2 Broke Girls"; James Yarnell for the "Top 12 Boys Perform" seg of "American Idol." and for "Round One" of "Dancing With the Stars." Steve Bass scored double noms in the awards and game shows category for the "83rd Annual Academy Awards" and "The 63rd Annual Emmy Awards." Other noms went to Brian Stonestreet for "68th Annual Golden Globes"; Florian Wieder for "2011 MTV Video Music Awards"; and John Ivo Gilles for the "Best Buds" segment of "It's Worth What?" Commercial and music video nods went to Neil Spisak for "Activision: Call of Duty" Jeffrey Beecroft for "Victoria's Secret", Marcos Lutyens for "Audi A8", Jeremy Reed for "Chevy Volt" and Christopher Glass for "Jim Beam." Contact Dave McNary at dave.mcnary@variety.com