Brent Swift
 6/14/44 - 4/18/05

Brent-sm

-VFX Outsourcing
Regional Victories:
- Glendale
- West Hollywood
- Burbank

Latest FTAC News

The law firm of Stewart & Stewart, representing the interests of Film and Television workers in the United States, will file a “Section 301(a) Petition” with the United States Trade Representative, intended to protect the jobs of American workers.

FTAC Needs Money to
Take Your Case to Washington

Please help us NOW

“The U.S. Economy has lost some 47,000 jobs per year and an estimated $23 billion in economic benefits related to the production of theatrical length films alone since 2000.”

Sephen Katz, the author of the 2005 CEIDR Report and co-founder of CEIDR was quoted in the Hollywood Reporter with this chilling accurate line: "This report is the wake-up call. The next one could be like playing taps."
 

On November 11th 2006,
Local 728 voted to support
filing a 301(a) petition with a
generous contribution of
$37,500.

Full details here

&


On October 22nd 2006
The Screen Actors Guild’s National Board Voted
to allocate $50,000.00 Dollars to the Stewart & Stewart law firm and its initial filing of a 301(a) petition for FTAC.
Click here for all the details

Go to Hollywood

Eight most asked questions about the
section 301 (a) petition are answered by

FTAC’s Trade Attorneys
Alan M. Dunn & William A. Fennell

Click here to watch
video of their interviews.

AKRON LAW REVIEW
Volume 39, Number 3, 2006, pages 739-861 University of Akron School of Law Copyright (c) 2006 Akron Law Review

HOLLYWOOD’S DISAPPEARING ACT: INTERNATIONAL TRADE REMEDIES TO BRING HOLLYWOOD HOME
By Professor Claire Wright

Synopsis and full article

Read the Los Angeles Times articles on Runaway Production

The Pros & Cons of Subsidies in California
With the pro and con debate surrounding AB 777, the California film subsidy bill, the topic of Runaway Production is again in the mainstream press. There are a few articles that spell out how desperate times have become for the film workers of this country and we wanted to pass them along. For the past 4 years the Runaway Production Industry Alliance has promised that legislation would go forward in California. We’re still waiting.

If the trade laws were enforced (301a petition,) a great deal of work would quickly return to the USA without any cost to the taxpayers of California. This would also "Turbo Charge" the state subsidies already in place. California would gain a huge portion of the returning work without a costly subsidy program.

The Outsourcing of the
 Visual Effects Industry!


VFX has become the next casualty
in the Outsourcing epidemic.

Canada hit by “Runaway Production” Blowback
Canada is suffering the full effects of Runaway Production.

Read about Runaway Production in Canada.

Superman’s
New Kryptonite is Outsourcing

“Truth Justice and the Australian way”
has triumphed!
“The Man of Steel”
has become
The Man of Subsidies.
They are all being Outsourced!

Click here to read all about the
Outsourcing of America’s
greatest Superhero

 

FTAC MEETINGS
1st Thursday of Every Month, 7:30 pm

Westmore Academy of Cosmetic Arts
916 West Burbank Boulevard, Suite R
Burbank California 91506
818 562 6808
Map and Details

 n 1 : those U.S.

productions which are developed and are intended for initial release, exhibition, or broadcast in the U.S. and that appear to be made in the U.S., but are actually filmed in another country.
2 : that hissing sound you hear as $10 billion drains out of the U.S. economy each year.

The crisis of outsourcing, known as runaway production, is a growing phenomenon throughout the United States and around the globe. Increasingly, film production and the jobs that go with it, are stolen and relocated to other nations. This is not based upon rational economic factors such as productive “A” list crews, infrastructure and the availability of production facilities but on the basis of how much governments of competing film centers offer to pay the 6 major studios and media corporations in the form of subsidies and other economic tax based incentives. In effect, a worldwide trade war is now underway, as one nation after another enters into a subsidy driven bidding war to see which nation, which state, or which community can offer the most tax dollars to the 6 major studios and media corporations for the favor of bringing film production jobs to their area.

The outsourcing (runaway production) of film work is most prevalent in the United States. In just the past six years, the film production subsidies ranging as high as 44% of payroll, have removed three quarters of U.S. long form television production and one quarter of U.S. feature film production from our shores. These films are now shooting in the 19 foreign countries that offer these subsidies. The economic impact of this crisis has been devastating to the 250,000 film workers, and the 10,000 small businesses that derive their income from the production of American filmed entertainment products.

In order to impede this crisis and to save our industry from extinction, workers, labor unions, and small businesses have rallied together under the banner of the Film & Television Action Committee (FTAC) to campaign for the trade remedy known as the Section 301. This is the same trade remedy that the Motion Picture Association of America (MPAA) has endorsed and is currently using to fight the battle over piracy. Implementing this trade remedy will terminate the 19 subsidy programs, and finally put an end to a trend that threatens the job security of film workers and small businesses throughout the world.

This page has been viewed times since May 18, 2002.

 

 

“For the Price of
Movie Tickets”

There is a cure for outsourcing.
It is called personal involvement. We’re doing it. You can, too!
“For the Price of Movie Tickets”
You can help bring Film & Television jobs BACK to the U.S.
Donate Now
Printable Flyers
Front - Back

Commissioned Reports

DGA/SAG Report on the Economic Impact of U.S. Runaway Production

Center for Entertainment Industry Data and Research CEIDR
2005 Report -
2001 Report (PDF)
2000 Report (PDF)
1999 Report (PDF)

U.S. Dept. of Commerce report on Runaway Production (Very large file in PDF format)

AFL-CIO Resolution 6

AFL-CIO unanimously approves Resolution 6 which calls for vigorous enforcement of all U.S. trade laws in support of threatened U.S. manufacturing industries.
Complete text of Res. 6

MPAA Gets Caught Pirating an
Independent Film!


Avast, Ye Pirates!

   If it's your job to stop people pirating movies, you should really be very careful not to get caught making pirate copies. But that's what the Motion Picture Association of America (MPAA) has managed to do.
   The MPAA's website says, "Manufacturing, selling, distributing or making copies of motion pictures without the consent of the copyright owners is illegal, Movie pirates are thieves, plain and simple.... ALL forms of piracy are illegal and carry serious legal consequences."
   Just like the MPAAs feelings on FTAC’s 301(a) petition and piracy their actions speak louder than their words!
   Don’t do what I do. Do what I say, the MPAA has really taken this to heart.
READ THE ARTICLE HERE

We Support Rule One

FTAC vigorously supports “Global Rule One”, which asks all SAG members to “stand together as actors and do not work without a Guild contract.” See Global Rule One on the SAG web site.

Runaway Production 101

Information about outsourced production for those of us who are not entertainment industry insiders. This flyer explains the 12 most asked questions about Outsourcing. (Runaway Production)

Help STOP Outsourcing by downloading and printing the flyer. Pass them out to everyone you know.

FTAC’s Attorneys’
Rebuttal to the MPAA


Alan M. Dunn and William A. Fennell of the Washington DC based Trade Law Firm, Stewart and Stewart Rebuttal to the MPAA’s arguments against the adoption of the proposed resolution by the Burbank City Council. This rebuttal was written to show the Staff and Council Members of the Burbank City Council that the MPAA’s statements are flawed and from a perspective of “Trade Law” how the MPAA has misrepresented itself. In doing so, the memo strengthens FTAC’s arguments for the Burbank City Councils support of a 301a petition.

HEARD ON NPR

NPR's Morning Edition coverage of the Outsourcing of American film workers jobs (Runaway Production)

CANADIAN
SUBSIDY WAR

Some worry that Canada’s provincial governments are in effect just moving deck chairs on the Titanic. Many believe the studios and production companies here and in the U.S. are pitting the different jurisdictions against each other, as a way to get bigger and bigger subsidies.

WHAT IS 301(a)?

The Subsidy programs, that 19 other countries offer to lure film production, are World Trade Organization (WTO) inconsistent with our trade agreements. The 301(a) is specifically designed to use these existing trade agreements to protect our jobs. The Motion Picture Association of America (MPAA) itself has filed over a dozen similar petitions in its battle to end Piracy. Learn more About the 301(a) Petition and how this protection can Stop Outsourcing.

These Representatives have shown a fiscal interest in stopping Runaway Production

Senator Kerry
Gov. Schwarzenegger
George E. Pataki
Gov. Jeb Bush
Gov. Rick Perry
Here’s how you can contact them

[Home] [About FTAC] [Economic Impact] [Support-O-Meter] [Trade Remedies] [Meetings & Events] [News & Research] [Elections] [FTAC's Attorneys] [Union Relations] [Make a Donation] [Join FTAC] [Links] [Site Map] [Contact Us]

Copyright © 2002-2006 FTAC Film and Television Action Committee - All Rights Reserved

By use of this web site, you agree to hold harmless FTAC, its members and
the operators of this web site from any and all claims arising out of said use.

Web site designed and maintainted by Laurence B. Abrams