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.
“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 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
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.
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n1 : 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.
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“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
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 StewartRebuttal 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.
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
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