Adam McKay: "I stand with the WGA" in the ATA negotiations



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Difficult Negotiations Between the Writers' Guild of America and the Association of Talent Agents hSeveral writers are considering their options for the moment. And at the WGA Awards in Los Angeles on Sunday, it became apparent that many well-known writers supported their union and would even withdraw from their agents if necessary.

"I love WGA," Adam McKay told Deadline during the awards ceremony. "I voted for our leaders, I support the guild for years and years, so whatever they think should be accomplished, I stand by the WGA."

The current agreement between WGA and ATA, due to expire on April 6, has not been renegotiated for more than four decades. Now, the WGA is proposing the ban on packaging contracts and the end of agencies 'involvement in the productions, as it is a "conflict of interest" and a violation of the officers' duty to their author clients. The WGA said it would encourage writers to "withdraw" from their agents if they do not reach an agreement.

McKay would not hesitate to leave his agent if the WGA asked him, he said. "I'm still pro-union, I'm always with the WGA, the DGA, whatever union I belong to, I support them 100%."

But he does not believe that will happen to that. "I also know that my agents are not crazy," he said, "and I think at the end of the day they will all come to an agreement. trust the WGAs, they are my guild, they are my union, I pay them, I support them, I am pro-union. "

For the Farrelly brothers, the choice was also obvious. They stand with their union each time. "I trust the Writers' Guild," said Peter Farrelly. "I'm a guild guy. They have been good to us. Look, everyone in the world wants to write movies. If we did not have the guild, we would write them for $ 100. So, I join my guild, whatever they are recommended. And if it was a "get away," he said he would do it "without asking a question."

"Whatever the guild's decision, we will follow," added Bobby Farrelly.

Barry Jenkins said he believed in both the guild and the good intentions of his agent. "I support the 1000% guild in my writing career, especially when I did not have an agent. There have been some jobs in which the WGA, even without being represented, has definitely protected me. I think the guild really tries to do what is best for writers. As a person with an agent with whom I have a very close relationship, I know they are also trying to do their best for writers. "

Sharp objects The writers Ariella Blejer and Dawn Kamoche were of the same trade union spirit, despite a great love for their agent. "I think we like our agent but we also love our guild," said Kamoche, so we have divided loyalties, but we are corporate women. We know what we need to do, we have to use the WGA. "

"It's a really difficult problem," added Blejer. "We have an agent that we really like very much, who has given us so many jobs and treated us very well, and hope that they will find a solution before anyone has to pull out of anything because we like our agent. But we are members of the guild, so if they pull the trigger, we have to do what the guild says. That's where our health insurance comes from. Without the guild, they would not pay us anything.

Meanwhile, at the WGA Awards on the East Coast, Stephen Schiff, writer and producer with FX Americans who"has been involved in previous guild negotiations, told Deadline, that the situation was taking shape, so maybe this is not yet the critical moment and all of this will still be questionable.

"It's a controversial issue," he said. "It's a big problem. There is a lot of thinking, a lot of back and forth. As in any negotiation, many initiatives and reflections are underway to try to find a way to find the right solution. "

Bruce Miller was philosophical on the subject, believing that everything would be settled and that it would not succeed. "I think there will be an agreement," he said. "Business is changing and we are dealing with these issues, that's how it has always worked. I have the impression that everyone is approaching it in good faith and that we will come out at the other end. There is a lot of money to separate, so I'm sure everyone will have their share. "

The obsession of Hill House The designer Mike Flanagan however pointed out that when a writer wears several hats, the idea of ​​getting away from an agent can be particularly heartbreaking and that he probably would not feel not able to get away from his agent. "In the end, I do not think I would do that," he said. "The reason I'm out of my job is to write, my agent and I work with me as a director, producer, as an editor, so it's very, very complicated. But I would not be where I am without my agent. I would not be here without WME, so it's not a realistic solution for me. Your best interests are put against each other, and it's a deeply uncomfortable place, especially if you're scattered in multiple unions, which I am, so it's always a really trying and annoying place. "

Writer and Sharp objects EP Vince Calandra said the situation has become far too complex for a simple solution now. "Agencies have become like another studio level," he said. "There are these layers and layers of production companies, producers and studios, so it's almost like in Las Vegas."

As to whether he is convinced that this could come back to a simpler time when agents took a 10% discount and did not participate in the packaging contracts, Calandra said, "That will not happen. You can not put that genie back in the bottle. "

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