Looming actors strike could signal more gains for independent media

How about accelerating the seed change that gained momentum during the recent writers union strike? The forces in play today could make that a reality.

It seems the actors union is feeling abused by the big greedy studios. Funny thing, the consumer is also tired of being abused by the big greedy studios and not as many returned to the big media’s realm after the last strike ended. With production grinding to a standstill in Hollywood again less than a year after the last walkout, it could end big media as we know it. That’s not necessarily a bad thing. Consolidation has built a monolithic Hollywood with few divergent ideas and stunted creativity. Any slowdown in Hollywood at this time will be a huge win for independent producers and non union craftspeople.Look for more from the mainstream to join them.

The contract dispute, this time between the Screen Actors Guild (SAG) and their white-collar bosses, the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers (AMPTP), is causing what industry experts have called a “virtual strike”.

Production deadlines for dozens of major projects have been scrapped amid growing signs that the SAG, which has 120,000 members, will fail to resolve its dispute before a deadline for industrial action on Tuesday next week.(The Independent)