T, I didn't mean so much pissed off now - I mean longer term.

Seems that way. I don't think I'm going to actually get anymore work done today.

It's just like...do they think the AMPTP is going to be more willing to give them a better cut once they actually see the shitload of revenue they can keep for themselves?

Hollywood Reporter says:

Whether WGA brass will feel similarly positive about the terms the DGA secured is another matter. But on Thursday, the directors announced a new three-year tentative agreement with the Alliance of Motion Picture of Motion Picture & Television Producers that would deliver:

-- Increases in wages and residual bases for each year of the contract.

-- DGA jurisdiction over programs produced for distribution on the Internet.

-- New residuals formula for paid Internet downloads (electronic sell-through) that essentially doubles the rate currently paid by employers.

-- Residual rates for ad-supported streaming and use of clips on the Internet.

Key new-media provisions appear substantial.

The agreement more than doubles the current residual on downloads of TV programming and boosts film residuals on downloads by 80%, officials said. A roughly $600 payment for ad-supported streaming kicks in after the first 17 days of streaming, followed by additional payments after 26 weeks totaling $1,200 for a year's worth of streaming.

"Two words describe this agreement -- groundbreaking and substantial," said Gil Cates, chair of the DGA's Negotiations Committee, in announcing the terms of the new agreement. "The gains in this contract for directors and their teams are extraordinary -- and there are no rollbacks of any kind."

(Thanks to wga_supporters for the postings.)

I'm trying to get to the DGA site now to download the fact sheet. But, from the release, it seems that they got jurisdiction (big) and residuals based on the distributor's gross (also big).

Um, isn't that the sort of thinking that ended up getting everyone fucked over by VHS/DVD?

My understanding is that the Sunset Provision in the deal prevent that from happening.

Kristen, UH posted the DGA release.

it seems that they got jurisdiction (big) and residuals based on the distributor's gross (also big).

Yeah, I noticed. Nice.

Ad-Supported Streaming: After an initial 17-day window for free promotional streaming of Internet programs, companies must pay 3% of the residual base (approximately $600 for network prime time 1-hour drama) for 26 weeks of streaming. They can continue to stream for an additional 26-week period by paying an additional 3% -- or a total of $1,200 for one year's worth of streaming. (During a program's first season, the 17-day window is expanded to 24 days to help build audience.)

This window is lame, but at least it's better than the three months or whatever they proposed before?

T, I didn't mean so much pissed off now - I mean longer term.

There is still plenty of healthy denial that all will be fixed soon enough to avert any big disaster long term.

I realize the above sentence makes no sense, but I'm not a writer and I hope people can figure out what I mean.

More than doubles the rate currently paid by the employers on television programming to .70% above 100,000 units downloaded.

Below 100,000 breakpoint: rate will be paid at the current rates of .30% until worldwide gross receipts reach $1 million and .36% thereafter.

Isn't the WGA asking for 2.5% here? 0.3% is the DVD rate, right?

I don't understand how the two paragraphs in that NYT piece go together. Doubling the compensation isn't quadrupling it, I guess. But they are getting money for streaming & downloaded content, and... first it's a breakthrough but it's also not important? So confused.

...Aha. The first paragraph is pretty much paraphrasing the DGA press release. So I'm guessing the second paragraph is from an AMPTP source, thus the disconnect.

Here's the AMPTP version:

The agreement between the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers and the Directors Guild of America establishes an important precedent: Our industry’s creative talent will now participate financially in every emerging area of new media. The agreement demonstrates beyond any doubt that our industry’s producers are willing and able to work with the creators of entertainment content to establish fair and flexible rules for this fast-changing marketplace.

So... it was all a wacky misunderstanding?

[Ooh, I'm all X-posty]

First thing that jumps out at me is the "17-day window (24-day window for series in their first season)." Does this apply to original internet shows? A show like Quarterlife that airs multiple episodes per week would be completely stale after 17 days. Or any even network shows that they can easily air first on the web before broadcast TV. I mean broadcast and online are merging so who is to say how that will work? Seems to me that would be the loophole. Since there are no reruns on the web the promotional period should be applied to the length of the first run. The first run should be defined as until the next episode airs.

So... it was all a wacky misunderstanding?

I lurve Strega.

Cindy! That's all.