The Beginning of the End to the Writers Strike? The DGA and the AMPTP Negotiating

The Directors Guild and the Alliance of Motion Pictures and Television Producers Agree to Start Negotiating

The Directors Guild and The Alliance of Motion Pictures and Television Producers agree to start negotiating. Is this the beginning of the end to the writers strike- now in its 68th day, and 36 days since AMPTP walked away from negotiations with the Writers Guild of America?

According to the AMPTP, the two entities are set to start talking the talk saying, "The Directors Guild of America and the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers agreed today to enter into formal contract negotiations. Negotiations are scheduled to begin tomorrow, Saturday, January 12, 2008, and will be held at AMPTP headquarters in Encino, CA. The DGA and the AMPTP have agreed that neither organization will comment to the press regarding negotiations until negotiations have concluded."

The DGA released the same press statement, as well.

DGA Negotiation Committee Chair Gil Cates, in speaking about why the DGA decided to move forward with negotiations at this time said, "We decided to move forward because it is in the best interest of our members and because our Negotiations Committee is prepared and ready." .

Cates doesn't subscribe to the notion that holding out on negotiating serves to help gain any weight, or make for having any more bargaining power at the table saying, "We believe that the studios are willing to pay a premium on an early deal. So, why not use that leverage? That's not to say that we'll settle for less than the very best for our members - we would never flinch from negotiating to the bitter end. But ultimately, the test is the quality of the deal - not when you make it."

DGA National Executive Director Jay D. Roth takes the lead on the negotiations with the AMPTP, as well.

Sources within the DGA have said that DGA President Michael Apt wouldn't even be entering into negotiations if they weren't confident the AMPTP was willing to play ball with the two most important items on the DGA's agenda; the right to work in the 'new media', and fair compensation from the re-use of work streamed onto the Internet and any other new media.