The writers and producers have given it a shot. Now the directors are planning to give it a try. Variety reports that negotiations between the Alliance of Motion Picture & Television Producers (AMPTP) and the Director’s Guild of America (DGA) may begin as early as January 7th, despite a contract that goes until June 30th. The focus of the negotiations, much like the Writer’s Guild (WGA) will be on emerging new-media areas such as online distribution.

Part of the reason for early negotiation is a hope that the DGA and AMPTP can come to a resolution without the need for the director’s to strike, and if that resolution can be made, perhaps it can serve as a model for the currently striking WGA, as well as the upcoming negotiations with the Screen Actor’s Guild (SAG), whose contract also expires June 30th.

The January date follows an announcement made earlier this month by the DGA that they would give the WGA and AMPTP one more chance to return to the table before starting their own negotiations. The WGA discussions ended December 7th, with no real date set to resume. Instead, our favorite shows and movies are held hostage as the two entities point fingers at each other over who’s to blame for the stalled talks. Just get back to the table already and get me more Chuck.

I think it’s a shame that it’s taking another group altogether to start negotiations to hopefully resolve this, but I’m also happy to hear the DGA is being proactive about this. That reduces the chance that we’ll be facing another strike around mid-year. At the same time, the AMPTP is going to be forced to come up with some resolution, because nobody is going to believe it if they try to blame both the WGA and DGA for failed talks. Multiple negotiations just might end this a little sooner.