Issue link: http://digital.copcomm.com/i/618780
➨ 2001 2002 2003 2004 Guild Fights Runaway Production >DGA and other affected guilds and unions meet with AMPTP on runaway production; Department of Commerce report says run- away production threatens economy. Martha Coolidge Elected First Female President of the Guild >Serves 2002-2003 DGA Issues Report on the Employment of Women and Minority Directors in Prime- time Television Film and Digital "Blended" in New Contract Film Foundation and The Artists Rights Foundation Consolidate >The Film Foundation, Inc. is founded with Martin Scorsese serving as chair. Michael Apted Elected DGA President >Serves three terms, from 2003-2009, the second longest tenure in Guild history. Late Script Initiative >Addressing an ongoing issue for episodic television directors, the Guild's Late Script Initiative reduces the number of scripts delivered late. Health Care Gains >New contract successfully funds health care plan with reserve of over $40 million as benefits are protected for members, retirees, and their families. Steven Soderbergh Elected National Vice President >Serves in that role 2004-2013 Residuals Reach $238 Million >As digital camera technol- ogy was evolving in the '90s, directorial teams were being paid differently for primetime dramatic programming de- pending on whether the series was shot on film, tape, or new digital formats. "Why should there be different rates based on what medium you're recording on if you're basically doing the same work?" asked then-President Jack Shea. In 1999, Shea convened a special Bi-Council Committee of members working on both film and tape to make recommendations that resulted in the 2002 historic "blended contract." The agreement extended the more advantageous terms of the Basic Agreement to all primetime vid- eotape and digital productions including TV movies and one-hour dramas. Shows could now be staffed the way they need to be regardless of what was run- ning through the camera. Because the agreement was seen as such a vital step forward, the DGA and the AMPTP agreed that this portion of the new contract, called the Interim Settlement Agreement, would be effective immedi- ately upon ratification by members in time for the upcoming pilot season. The rest of the agreement went into place on July 1, 2002. As National Executive Director Jay D. Roth stated upon approval of the agreement, "This was a difficult and complex issue that was resolved with what history will show will be a true 'win-win' result for the DGA and the producers." 2002 BLENDED CONTRACT NEGOTIATED MARTHA COOLIDGE " The whole idea of being a member of the Guild is that an individual doesn't have to take the brunt of any conflict. The directors help the group, the group helps the directors. It's that simple. " "Late script delivery significantly affects a director's ability to deliver a high-quality episode, not to mention the increased financial impact on the production. It took some arm-twisting, but the DGA's Late Scripts campaign has made an ongoing difference these past 12 years to improve the percentage of scripts delivered on time— allowing directors the preparatory time necessary to create well-crafted episodes." —MICHAEL ZINBERG | Chair Television Creative Rights Committee 54 dga quarterly 80-YEAR ANNIVERSARY 80-YEAR ANNIVERSARY PHOTOS: (TOP) DGA ARCHIVES; (BOTTOM) HOWARD WISE