Top Agencies Lead New Coalition Pushing for Independent U.S. Production

A group of talent agencies and producers have joined the American Entertainment Alliance, a new coalition dedicated to promoting independent U.S. production. They are pushing for legislation that would require major studios and broadcasters to allocate half of their original content budgets to independent productions. Founding members include CAA, WME, UTA, Anonymous Content, Blumhouse, […]

A group of talent agencies and producers have joined forces to create the American Entertainment Alliance, dedicated to promoting independent US production. The new coalition will push for rules that would require major studios and broadcasters to allocate half of their original content budgets to independent production.

Founding members include CAA, WME, UTA, Anonymous Content, Blumhouse, CAA, Ron Howard and Brian Grazer, Imagine Entertainment, Jeff Sagansky, Legendary Entertainment, MRC, Peter Chernin's North Road, Producers United, Propagate Content and Ziffren Brittenham. RELATED STORIES CAA Agencies Sign 'Off Campus' Star Ella Bright Dies Stephen Carbone Dies: Longtime agent who headed business units at ICM and CAA at 84

Focused on strengthening competition, expanding opportunities for independent producers and creators, and supporting film and television production in the United States, AEI is fundamentally reshaping the entertainment business. UTA announced on Instagram today that mergers and streaming studios have dramatically narrowed the market for independent content and disrupted the film and television economy, noting that it is "proud to be a member of the American Entertainment Alliance."

AEA supports "modern creative property laws that reflect today's streaming market" and policies that make the United States more competitive as a production destination. Watch on Deadline

The number of original TV series has fallen sharply in recent years after what has been dubbed "peak TV" and has shaken the industry's foothold, more so than the $110 billion merger between Paramount and Warner Bros. Discovery that closed last week.

The giant company, now Skydance Media, made commitments to the independent film space and settled with a group of attorneys general who had sued to block the merger. They include a promise that four films a year will be from a combined independent studio portfolio, defined in this case as either an original script or a Paramount co-production. Paramount would also establish a $25 million independent film fund ($5 million per year for five years) specifically designated to acquire and finance independent films.

Likewise, the idea behind the new alliance is that getting Hollywood's biggest players to outsource a large portion of their content will re-energize the market.

"As film and television increasingly merge, we need a legal framework that puts creators first, protects industry workers and preserves competition," said UTA Vice President Jay Sours.

The alliance was first reported in The New York Times.

The group's push in Washington, D.C. follows key legislation introduced last month that would provide the first federal tax credit for US manufacturing, which could be placed on top of state incentives. It's unclear if or how it will move forward, but a bipartisan group of lawmakers who support the measure hope to pass it in January, possibly attached to a spending bill later this fall.

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"How can we break the solid foundation that remains for the production and sale of traditional big-budget scripted shows? Aha!!"

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