a.miller Posted November 2, 2007 Share Posted November 2, 2007 Hope this doesn't hurt any VCers. I have mixed feelings about strikes, labor unions, etc. LOS ANGELES (AP) Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Big Perm Posted November 2, 2007 Share Posted November 2, 2007 It has the potential to mess up TV pretty good, but with shows like FNL, the writers hurried to get production as many scripts as they could so they could keep filming through the strike, FNL is currently shooting episode 13 or 14 and may have as many as 3-5 scripts to go before they have nothing. On Average they shoot an episode in 8-9 days, so if this strike goes for awhile, it can crush production. This is just one example of a show I have knowledge of who knows the case for other shows. Movies are fine, so we'll see. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Sir Stewart Posted November 2, 2007 Share Posted November 2, 2007 I remember being highly entertained by Letterman during the last writers' strike. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Guest David Puddy Posted November 2, 2007 Share Posted November 2, 2007 I remember being highly entertained by Letterman during the last writers' strike. i don't understand what changes here. does he then just write everything himself or something? Quote Link to post Share on other sites
GtrPlyr Posted November 2, 2007 Share Posted November 2, 2007 Huh, I figured they already were on strike, and for quite sometime too by the looks of things. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
aricandover Posted November 4, 2007 Share Posted November 4, 2007 It's started LA Times article This article details how shows and line-ups will be affected. Basically for primetime shows currently on like sitcoms are OK at the moment until about mid-season, January or February. This can be milked with re-runs and what not. Shows that start mid-season like Lost and 24 only have a handful of episodes done. the last time the WGA was on strike in 1988, it lasted for almost 6 months. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Kicking_Television Posted November 4, 2007 Share Posted November 4, 2007 Immediate re-runs of Colbert and Steward... Lame. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
TheMaker Posted November 5, 2007 Share Posted November 5, 2007 As somebody who works in a grotesquely underpaid creative field myself, I'm sending all the good vibes I can muster out to the writers. FYI: most average television writers live in or around L.A. and are obligated to a single show. If he or she sells two scripts in a year at 45k each, that earns him about 90k for the year. Strip away agent's and lawyer's fees, not to mention taxes, and you end up with maybe 50k in take home income for the entire year. In big city California, lest we forget! In an industry which frequently sees onscreen talent walking away with multi-million-dollar a year paydays. That's seriously fucking disgusting in my book. Somethin's outta whack, you know? Quote Link to post Share on other sites
ZenLunatic Posted November 5, 2007 Share Posted November 5, 2007 As somebody who works in a grotesquely underpaid creative field myself, I'm sending all the good vibes I can muster out to the writers. FYI: most average television writers live in or around L.A. and are obligated to a single show. If he or she sells two scripts in a year at 45k each, that earns him about 90k for the year. Strip away agent's and lawyer's fees, not to mention taxes, and you end up with maybe 50k in take home income for the entire year. In big city California, lest we forget! In an industry which frequently sees onscreen talent walking away with multi-million-dollar a year paydays. That's seriously fucking disgusting in my book. Somethin's outta whack, you know? Why dont they writers just charge more or else go write for someone willing to pay? Isnt it all supply and demand? I guess it will be interesting to see how this strike plays out. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
TheMaker Posted November 5, 2007 Share Posted November 5, 2007 If you know of a studio that pays more than the multi-billion-generating NBC, CBS, Warners, etc., I'm sure the writers' guild would love to hear from you! No, it's a very simple situation. The union is at the mercy of the studios, and the studios are too busy making millionaires of themselves and their onscreen talent to even bother paying their creative staff on time. It's practically rape. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
ZenLunatic Posted November 5, 2007 Share Posted November 5, 2007 Well it's interesting. I guess this is the what its come to. What is the price of a tv show writer? We'll soon find out. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
tommyjacobs Posted November 6, 2007 Share Posted November 6, 2007 No, it's a very simple situation. The union is at the mercy of the studios, and the studios are too busy making millionaires of themselves and their onscreen talent to even bother paying their creative staff on time. It's practically rape. If it's that bad, then I don't see why anyone with talent would do it. Then again, that might explain a lot of the crap that's on tv. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
TheMaker Posted November 6, 2007 Share Posted November 6, 2007 Clearly, you've never tried to earn a living off your creativity. (Sorry. Bitter, drunk Monday night. But that's how it goes.) Quote Link to post Share on other sites
aricandover Posted November 6, 2007 Share Posted November 6, 2007 awesome! From IGN.com: South Park: Good news, South Park fans. This show will go on. Comedy Central informs us that South Park is a non-Union show and will continue as scheduled, including new episodes this week and next. It will then return in the spring with another batch of new episodes. Given how quickly the show is created and how topical it is, could a strike oriented episode be in the cards for next week's finale? (this week is scheduled to be Guitar Hero-centric). Quote Link to post Share on other sites
gogo Posted November 6, 2007 Share Posted November 6, 2007 South Park is a non-Union show My dad is not going to be happy to hear that. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Mr. Heartbreak Posted November 6, 2007 Share Posted November 6, 2007 As a fellow creative writer who makes his living with words, I'm with TheMaker on this one.It's absurd how poorly writers are paid, even in Hollywood. If you don't have a script, you don't have a show. I could never understand how writers could be the low men on the totem pole. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
ZenLunatic Posted November 6, 2007 Share Posted November 6, 2007 As a fellow creative writer who makes his living with words, I'm with TheMaker on this one.It's absurd how poorly writers are paid, even in Hollywood. If you don't have a script, you don't have a show. I could never understand how writers could be the low men on the totem pole. Not disagreeing with their low pay, but isnt their fault for not being good negotiators. I dont understand how pay is industry wide and not specific to each show or situtation. If you walk out and your talent is really important, you will get the money or else you are replacable. Each has different talents right? Is there some hollywood salary cap on writers? Quote Link to post Share on other sites
jenbobblehead Posted November 6, 2007 Share Posted November 6, 2007 i thought the beef wasn't the low pay but the inaction on the studios et al to come up with some sort of policy to deal with residuals on DVD and On Line content, which frankly seems pretty fair. If the writers get paid residuals when ER is re-run on TNT, why wouldn't they get something for DVD sales, and for when ABC puts Grey's Anatomy up on line for free? Quote Link to post Share on other sites
ZenLunatic Posted November 6, 2007 Share Posted November 6, 2007 i thought the beef wasn't the low pay but the inaction on the studios et al to come up with some sort of policy to deal with residuals on DVD and On Line content, which frankly seems pretty fair. If the writers get paid residuals when ER is re-run on TNT, why wouldn't they get something for DVD sales, and for when ABC puts Grey's Anatomy up on line for free? It's all sounding to me like a bunch of millionaires squabbling about a few million dollars. In any case, you gotta fight for higher pay if you feel like you deserve it or else they will just take advantage of you as much as possible. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
gogo Posted November 6, 2007 Share Posted November 6, 2007 It's all sounding to me like a bunch of millionaires squabbling about a few million dollars.I think the point is that the producers, network executives, etc., are far more likely to be millionaires than the writers. If they're going to make a few more millions off the alternate revenue streams, don't the writers deserve at least a cut of that? Quote Link to post Share on other sites
ZenLunatic Posted November 6, 2007 Share Posted November 6, 2007 I think the point is that the producers, network executives, etc., are far more likely to be millionaires than the writers. If they're going to make a few more millions off the alternate revenue streams, don't the writers deserve at least a cut of that? Definitely, a cut is obvious. We just dont know the details of what kind of cut was being asked and offered. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
gogo Posted November 6, 2007 Share Posted November 6, 2007 Some details on the $ issues highlighted below. Also in this article: coolness from Jon Stewart, the cast of The Office, and the producer of The Shield. Hollywood Stricken by Writers' Strike by Gina Serpe The strike has finally struck. After an 11th-hour 11-hour-long (go figure) meeting between the Writers Guild of America and the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers flamed out Sunday, the pens that power Hollywood are taking to the pickets. According to the writers' union, scribes plan on picketing 15 Los Angeles locations, along with NBC's Rockefeller Center studios in New York, in four-hour shifts beginning at 9 a.m. Monday, every day until a new deal is reached. The strike does not preclude the squabbling unions from continuing talks Quote Link to post Share on other sites
ZenLunatic Posted November 6, 2007 Share Posted November 6, 2007 Some details on the $ issues highlighted below. Also in this article: coolness from Jon Stewart, the cast of The Office, and the producer of The Shield. I wish I was part of some union so I could picket too. Looks kinda fun, I have never picketed anything. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
tommyjacobs Posted November 6, 2007 Share Posted November 6, 2007 As a fellow creative writer who makes his living with words, I'm with TheMaker on this one.It's absurd how poorly writers are paid, even in Hollywood. If you don't have a script, you don't have a show. I could never understand how writers could be the low men on the totem pole. Unless there is some sort of illegal collusion going on, then I'd have to assume that wages are low because there are far more people willing and able to do the job than there are available positions. Being an essential part of the show doesn't necessarily equate to great wages if you are easily replaced. I have no idea if the writers are getting screwed or not, but I do wish that my employer would pay me for two weeks even though I abandoned my job. That's not a bad deal. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
parisisstale Posted November 6, 2007 Share Posted November 6, 2007 Band of Horses were supposed to be on Conan last nite, and instead we got served with an Art Brut re-run. Rats! Quote Link to post Share on other sites
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