News

Urgent – All Agents with regular cast members on Eastenders

By DavidMarsden

Dear All,
Please see below a letter from Equity regarding the cessation of the Eastenders omnibus.
If you rep current regular cast, please try and attend the meeting (or send a representative) at 10:30am on Wed 1st October.
Equity
Guild House
Upper St Martins Lane
London
WC2H 9EG
Thanks,
David
29th September 2014
Dear Agent
EastEnders – Cessation of the Omnibus Transmission
At lunch time today the BBC will announce to the cast and crew that the omnibus edition of the drama will cease being broadcast in April 2015.
The artists currently receive 90% of 80% of their episode fee for omnibus transmission and this will stop.
This BBC are proposing the introduction of a weekly fee for core/ regular cast on Eastenders which will enable them to broadcast up to two transmissions on BBC One.
The BBC have informed Equity that they shall be emailing you shortly to confirm this change and Julia Crampsie will then follow this up by calling you.
The BBC has consulted with Equity regarding this matter and the union have raised a number of concerns which we would like to share with you, these include:
– Querying the methodology used to determine future weekly fees for both established and new cast members.
– Equity has sought assurances that the number of days per week that the actors could be called to work will not increase when the switch to weekly payments commences, not just in terms of their storylines but also being potentially called to populate the Queen Vic and the street market as supporting artists.
– Finally we would like to discuss a proposal from the BBC regarding calculating the artist’s residuals.
Equity in conjunction with the agents of all current regular Eastenders cast members would like to reach a collective consensus with the aim of trying to establish some consistency regarding this changeover and the subsequent terms offered to you on behalf of your clients.
To progress this matter I would like to invite you to attend a meeting at Equity, Guild House in the Council Room on Wednesday 1st October 2104 from 10:30 to 12:30.
I apologise for the short notice but I have consulted with David Marsden (PMA) and we hope you’ll agree it’s imperative that this meeting take place as soon as possible.
I look forward to meeting you on the 1st October.
All best wishes
Ian Bayes