Industry & Labor

The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences and its board of governors, meeting virtually, have approved rules changes for next year’s 93rd annual Academy Awards, including lightening eligibility requirements for films debuting on streamers and VOD, There are are changes for some categories including broadening eligible voters in the International Film nominating process and combining Sound Mixing and Sound Editing into one. This also will be the final year that physical DVD screeners are allowed as the Academy moves boldly into the digital frontier with its own screening platform for members.

A coalition of industry unions and organizations is asking Congress to update a Reagan-era tax benefit for workers in the entertainment industry that hasn’t been adjusted in nearly 35 years.

Download Local 600 Workers Memorial Day art to share on social media on Tuesday, April 28.

(CNN) — Allen Daviau, an Oscar-nominated cinematographer whose work produced some of the most iconic film images of our time, has died from complications related to Covid-19, his talent agent Karin Martin tells CNN. He was 77.

Some good news for those of you on the Spectrum home feeds. The IATSE is happy to inform you that Charter/Spectrum has agreed to pay previously booked members of its home Lakers, Dodgers and Galaxy crews and traveling Lakers crew for days booked in late March, early April. Read more for dates to be paid.

On Thursday, Apr. 9, the MPIPHP Directors extended eligibility for Active Participants in the Motion Picture Industry Health Plan who are currently enrolled and whose Benefit Period ends on June 30, 2020 – ie, for the Qualifying Period that ends on April 25, 2020. Members who are on COBRA and those enrolled as Disabled are not eligible for the new hourly exception.

At the last NEB meeting, I rolled out the 600 Strong website we put together to connect members in need with those who would like to volunteer. The responses I heard were overwhelmingly positive and I can’t thank you enough for that. Since then, IATSE has launched a website called IATSE Cares (www.iatsecares.org), which not only does exactly what we were trying to accomplish, but in some ways does it better.

New York, NY — IATSE launched its mutual aid program, dubbed Coronavirus Active Response and Engagement Service (C.A.R.E.S.) on Saturday. Through a new website, iatsecares.org the program facilitates volunteer deliveries for at-risk members, as well as a system for volunteers to intermittently check in with other members by phone.

Washington — In its latest response to the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) crisis, Congress has passed a third package of emergency relief legislation, the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security “CARES” Act. This bill will provide tangible and immediate economic relief for entertainment workers across the United States, many of whom found themselves out of work overnight due to COVID-19 related cancellations across all sectors of the entertainment industry.

New York, NY — With thousands of entertainment workers displaced as a result of social distancing measures to stem the spread of the COVID-19 virus, the IATSE General Executive Board approved $2.5 million in donations to three entertainment charities Tuesday. The funding will go to the Actors Fund, the Motion Picture and Television Fund, and the Actors Fund of Canada.

John Lindley, ASC, Elected National President of International Cinematographers Guild In Special Election. Voting Conducted Online to Alleviate COVID-19 Safety Concerns.

In the interest of addressing the health and safety concerns of our stakeholders and in consultation with partners throughout the media and entertainment industry, [we] have decided not to move forward with NAB Show in April.