Hollywood directors have reached a tentative four-year contract agreement with major studios and streaming services, averting potential industrial action in the entertainment industry.
The deal, struck between the Directors Guild of America (DGA) and the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers (AMPTP), concludes four weeks of negotiations.
These talks marked the first under the DGA’s new president, Christopher Nolan, who assumed the role in September.
This four-year term, longer than the industry’s traditional three, mirrors recent agreements ratified by unions representing writers and actors, bolstering prospects for long-term labour stability despite broader industry shifts.
While the collective bargaining agreement still requires approval from the guild’s national board and subsequent ratification by its membership, tentative deals typically pass both stages. Details of the terms will remain undisclosed until then, the DGA confirmed in a statement.
The directors’ previous contract was due to expire on 30 June. The AMPTP expressed its satisfaction, stating it was pleased to help achieve “a fair deal that helps advance a stable and successful entertainment industry.”
Last week, TV and film actors overwhelmingly ratified a new four-year contract with major studios and streaming services, securing significant protections against the use of artificial intelligence to create synthetic performers.
The agreement, negotiated by union leaders, was approved by members of the Screen Actors Guild-American Federation of Television and Radio Artists (SAG-AFTRA).
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The ratification was widely anticipated, with negotiations proceeding without the industrial action that plagued the entertainment industry in 2023. Over 90 per cent of votes cast by union members endorsed the deal, with approximately 19 per cent of eligible voters participating.
Similar to the Writers Guild of America, which approved its own contract in April, the actors’ new agreement spans four years instead of the customary three, providing an additional layer of stability for the industry.