In The News

The workplace equity nonprofit is letting go of all but three of its 25 staffers at year’s end, a move that one critic of the organization calls “callous.”

Time’s Up has completed its reform effort’s first phase concluding that muddled origins, as well as the unanticipated events of 2020, contributed to the dysfunctional dynamics and communication failures that have led to the organization’s downfall.

The report released Friday followed an examination of the current state of the organization by independent consultant Leilani M. Brown, who interviewed 85 individuals — including current and former employees, governing board members and survivor advocates.

Thanksgiving has taken on a poignant edge these past few years. A holiday that’s all about togetherness has found us trying to pretend that family group Zoom calls are as good as the real thing. A holiday that’s about being thankful for what you’ve got has, for so many of us, become a wrenching annual reminder of what we’ve lost, and what we’re still missing after nearly two full years of a devastating pandemic. 

Well, Thanksgiving is still coming, and, dammit, we here at the Indie Film desk are bound and determined to not let the still-lingering disruption of a worldwide pandemic rob us of our annual tradition of publicly appreciating those hardy (but not foolhardy) Maine film folks who’ve weathered this unprecedented storm with ingenuity, courage and even a little grace in the face of a deadly and dangerous pandemic. 

Unionized film production workers have narrowly agreed to new contracts, removing the threat of a strike that could have brought production to a halt nationwide.

The deals cover technicians, artisans and craftspeople who perform a wide variety of non-acting and non-directing jobs for feature films, television shows and streaming programs. Had the 63,000 union members covered by the contracts gone on strike, it would have been the largest private-sector work stoppage since 2007.

The pair of contracts fulfilled many of the International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees’ (IATSE) negotiating demands — but there was enough opposition that the deals were nearly rejected. The narrow vote is another indication of the current discontent among many workers, both organized and non-union, over the state of their jobs.

As studios debate how to handle COVID-19 vaccine resistance, the Biden administration is moving forward with its own mandates that are pushing Hollywood to toe the line. Though a federal court recently halted vaccine and testing requirements for private businesses with 100 or more employees pending review, the White House said Nov. 8 that the private sector “should not wait.”

We’re really only considering those who are vaccinated,” one prolific producer tells The Hollywood Reporter about COVID requirements for features they’re working on. Another producer, gearing up for a big studio production, concurs: “We will not engage with anyone who is not vaccinated.” But enforcement will be key as studios ensure that workers, from talent to crew, show proof.

The Television Academy said Tuesday that it has updated eligibility requirements for its Producers Peer Group, moves that includes adding a Location Managers Subgroup. It means that for the first time, qualifying location managers and assistant location managers will be eligible for either active or associate membership.

The Producers Peer Group tweaks also include redefining eligibility requirements “to align with the industry’s more contemporary production titles and credits,” the Academy said. As a result, executives in charge of production, segment producers, field producers and transmedia producers are now eligible for active voting membership.