Yahoo News Matthew Antonucci, Who Helped Restart Production After Covid Lockdown, Promoted To SVP Safety At Contract Services
Matthew Antonucci, who played an instrumental role in restarting film and TV production after the early days of Hollywood’s Covid lockdown, has been promoted from VP to SVP Production Affairs & Safety at Contract Services.
Contract Services is the entertainment industry trust fund that administers the safety, training and roster provisions of the collective bargaining agreements between the AMPTP and IATSE’s West Coast studio locals, Teamsters Local 399 and the Basic Crafts.
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Antonucci, who also serves as management’s co-chair of the Industry-Wide Labor-Management Safety Committee, oversaw its special Task Force in the drafting the White Paper that got the industry back to work in early June of 2020. Presented to government and public health agencies across the country, the White Paper enabled the industry to secure approval to return to work and paved the way for the companies and the industries’ guilds and unions to negotiate their Return-to-Work Agreement.
“Matt was exactly the right person to lead that unprecedented effort in an unprecedented time,” said Contract Services’ CEO David Gross. “He’s a thoughtful consensus-builder, even under the intense pressure of an industry shutdown. We are grateful to Matt for spearheading the White Paper project and proud to have him in such an important role.”
As senior vice president, Antonucci will continue to oversee Contract Services’ Production Affairs & Safety Department, which coordinates studio policymaking on a wide-range of issues affecting production, such as the recent Cal-OSHA Emergency Temporary Standards regarding Covid-19 safety. He is also the industry’s liaison to a variety of local agencies, including the Los Angeles City and County Fire Departments, and he works closely with the Motion Picture Association on legislation related to production and safety nationally.
“I’m pleased to see Matt receive this well-deserved recognition,” said IATSE’s Kent Jorgensen, who serves as co-chair representing the industry’s labor unions and guilds on the Safety Committee. “Our working relationship has always fostered a collaborative atmosphere on the Safety Committee, and I look forward to continuing our important work as co-chairs.”
The Industry-Wide Labor-Management Safety Committee meets monthly to discuss topics affecting production safety and develops industry guidance through safety bulletins, guidelines and fact sheets.
“Matt is a consummate professional whose solid safety background contributes to making Contract Services’ safety program unparalleled in its excellence,” said Silisha Platon, board chair of Contract Services and senior vice president of labor relations at Warner Bros. “By fostering a healthy dialogue between labor and management, Matt plays a critical role in consensus building and effectuating positive change focused on safety and environmental health, which are priorities for the industry.”
Antonucci, who joined Contract Services as vice president of Production Affairs & Safety in 2013, began his career in the entertainment industry working in production before becoming a field representative for the Screen Actors Guild. He later joined the Directors Guild of America, covering productions internationally, and became the DGA’s point person for production safety.
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