After negotiations with industry war horse PACT over the last year and a half, Equity have stated that they aren't satisfied with "the lack of progress" and, as the current arrangement runs out in November the gloves are now off.

A spokesman told Screen Daily last week that "(Equity) has extended the deadline that was on the agreement from November 1 because it wants serious talks to go ahead. "The very last thing that Equity wants is for any feature films to be damaged by this."

But it looks like feature film production will be hurt by the first strike action of this kind in memory. Ion's new Bond movie and Working Title's next blockbuster begin production in the New Year not to mention foreign investment in the UK which would be hit hardest.

Equity is fighting for the same rights as that of US cousin the SAG for its 36,000 members - a change from the cheeky flat fee to a share of box office gross that big budget producers receive.

PACT's side of the story is more understandable considering UK financing methods. They argue that indie producers have to pre-sell their products and that negotiating a percentage for talent would harm their chances of finding funds - ultimately damaging the industry in the long run, especially foreign investment in British studios and facilities houses.

The industry news site sited an apt example by quoting Shooting Fish producer Richard Holmes who said, "We can't start giving out profits until we've seen them ourselves." The comedy was released nearly 5 years ago and is only now starting to recoup it's initial investment. Holmes understood the actors' qualms but suggested they "fight with the distributors."

Equity maintained that the last thing they want is to damage the industry through a strike by saying that they have, " extended the deadline that was on the agreement from November 1 because it wants serious talks to go ahead."

Many with an impartial point of view on the subject feel Equity's announcement is poorly, if not unfortunately, timed considering recent events but most agree that the situation needs to be resolved quickly.