Alexandra Daddario: Deal agreed on San Andreas

By Don Groves

A dispute between the crew and the producers of San Andreas, a 3D Hollywood action adventure which is set to shoot in Queensland next month, has been resolved.

Village Roadshow Pictures and New Line Cinema are co-producing the $100 million movie which stars Dwayne Johnson as a helicopter pilot who embarks on a treacherous journey to search for his missing daughter after a massive earthquake hits California.

After the crew voted to reject the proposed working conditions, the Media Entertainment and Arts Alliance put counter proposals to the producers and a deal has been agreed.

“MEAA has negotiated a compromise that will see 6th day overtime improved and a Monday- Saturday working week re-instated,” the union said in a newsletter to members.

“Congratulations to crew for sticking together to win a better deal. A vote for the new proposed agreement will take place next Monday, March 31.”

Mal Tulloch, director of the Entertainment Crew and Sport section of the MEAA, told IF today, "This is the first time in my memory that the workers stood up and challenged a sub-standard agreement.

"We now have some boundaries as to what is acceptable and what is not. We welcome the producers to Australia and thank them for the approach they have taken in negotiations.

"It's important we seek productions from overseas but the rights of the workers must be respected."

The director is Brad Peyton, who collaborated with Johnson in Journey 2: The Mysterious Island and also directed Cats and Dogs: The Revenge of Kitty Galore.

The producers are Beau Flynn (Hansel and Gretel: Witch Hunters, Requiem for a Dream), Hiram Garcia and Rob Cowan (The Conjuring).

Alexandra Daddario (Percy Jackson: Sea of Monsters, TV’s True Detective) will play Johnson’s estranged daughter. Carla Gugino (TV's Entourage, Sin City, Watchmen) is cast as the ex-wife of Johnson’s character who journeys with him from Los Angeles to San Francisco to save their daughter.

The producers secured a chunk of the $20 million incentive for offshore production announced last year by the Labor government. San Andreas also benefited from Queensland's Production Incentive Scheme and payroll tax rebate.