Produced By, Written By, DGA Quarterly magazines (PGA, WGA & DGA)

Who knew? I've just discovered that you can access and/or download full issues - current and archived - of the PGA, WGA, and DGA's member magazines. Thought I'd better share!

Find issues of Produced By here.
Find issues of Written By here.
Find issues of DGA Quarterly here.

DGA Interview: Ridley Scott (DGA Quarterly)

On Robin Hood, to get the beach scene at the end in nine days, we had to have up to 18 cameras. The beach is a mile long and the boats are pegged out between where the effects will begin. I've only got eight boats, but coming in digitally there will be 400 French ships. I've got 125 horsemen, but digitally there will be 400 horsemen. On the top of the cliff, I've only got 200 archers, but on the cliff top there will be 1,000 archers. But there is no cliff. It was sea, beach, dune, and farmland. That cliff was brilliantly put in on every shot by the visual effects company. I boarded that out and realized I needed 18 cameras. We had nine days to shoot this when we should have had, in my opinion, four weeks. But I said, give me the cameras, we'll be through in nine days, and we got through in nine days.

A fairly in-depth interview with Ridley Scott. He talks about how he got involved in film and then touches on a number of his major films. Love him or hate him, how many directors are there that get the OK for 18 cameras? Not many, which is why it's worth the read.

Read the full article here.

Transportation strike may paralyze Hollywood (THR)

The hang-up is a single issue: Will the Teamsters' annual raise be 2% or 3%? That 1% difference amounts to tens of millions of dollars per year, according to a management-side source -- not insignificant to an industry reeling from the recession, collapsing DVD revenue and uncertain new-media business models.

I sure as heck don't begrudge anyone a raise, but doesn't it occur to anyone (or rather, everyone) that the amount of money lost by going on strike will never be regained, no matter if the extra 1% is given or not. All parties lose with a work stoppage. Let's hope the Teamsters contract gets settled before that happens.
Read the full article here.

WGAW, Consumer Groups Warn of Comcast-NBCU 'Behemoth' (The Wrap)

Warning that the Comcast-NBCU combination creates a “behemoth,” [the WGA's letter] claimed, “The merged entity will exert a degree of market power unrivaled in our nation’s media history.” ...
The union pointed to Comcast’s previous citing as a benefit of the deal an ability “to ameliorate the negotiation friction” that has made it difficult to obtain content.

“The ‘negotiation friction’ between independent parties is what determines the fair market value of the content,” the union said. “Eliminating this friction will allow only one party to decide the value of content.” ...

Comments came in bulk on both sides of the issue. Indeed, while the WGAW expressed concern about the deal, the Directors Guild of America suggested the deal would produce jobs.

I might be wrong, but I think this is a disaster waiting to happen. AOL-Time Warner, anyone?

Read the full article here.