SAG-AFTRA Issues Do Not Work Order Against Movie Marketing Company (Exclusive)

12:15 PM PDT 6/22/2012 by Jonathan Handel

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The action against Cimarron Group was triggered by the company’s alleged failure to make payments to “many performers.”

SAG-AFTRA has issued a Do Not Work order against Cimarron Productions, also known as The Cimarron Group, The Hollywood Reporter has learned. The order comes in response to what the union says is the entertainment marketing agency’s “failure to make payments of compensation due to many performers as well as pension and health contributions.”

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•Labor

The notice against the 33-year-old company also says, “Members may not provide services to this company until further notice.”

UPDATE: An agreement was reached several hours after this story ran.

The union declined comment, but a source close to SAG-AFTRA confirmed that the order had gone out in an e-mail blast to all members. A source also said that the company is in discussions with the union to rectify the situation, with a resolution hoped for by early next week.

Company executives were not immediately available to comment.

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Cimarron produces a wide array of audiovisual, print and digital content, including brand advertising and behind-the-scenes videos for major studio films. The company has more than 150 employees, with offices in Los Angeles, Beijing and Singapore, according to LinkedIn and a Businessweek database.

Voice-over and acting work for the company presumably is covered by the union’s order. It’s less clear whether actor interviews in making-of videos are covered, given that such work generally is performed on behalf of the movie producer rather than the producer of the making-of featurette itself.

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Also unclear is whether print work would be subject to the order. On one hand, such work is not within the union’s jurisdiction -- but on the other hand, it does constitute “services to the company,” in the words of the order.

The order adds that performers who are owed compensation by Cimarron should contact the union if they or their representatives have not already done so.

Bookmark The Hollywood Reporter’s Labor Page for the most in-depth coverage of entertainment unions and guilds.

Email: jhandel@att.net

Twitter: @jhandel