What's everyone's take on the Writer's Strike? I am of two minds about this. On one hand, I say that since the writers are the ones creating the programming, they should be allowed to partake in its success; such would ideally encourage more prolific creativity and quality. On the other hand, I think they should not get too greedy nor ambitious with this. What does everyone else think?
I would replace every one of them......
I think the writer's demands are valid. Studios are counting on DVD sales for profits now and the majority of the money the writer's get is from theatrical releases. They also do not have any good payment from digital distribution which is not a huge chunk right now but will be very big in the future.
See, I am of the opinion that the relationship between management and labor in this situation is purely symbiotic: they need each other. And for my entertainment needs, the strike happened all too quickly.
The big media companies have new revenue streams that aren't covered by existing contracts, so it's reasonable to assume the writers would want part of that since it's based on their work. If you can watch your favorite TV show on-line or buy it on DVD, why shouldn't the writers receive remuneration for their part in it?
It almost appears the media conglomerates are trying to avoid settling this dispute in an effort to break the writer's guild. Maybe they really believe we all prefer watching so-called reality shows or game shows. If they succeed in union busting and bring in cheaper writers, should we expect to hear things like, "Good evening and welcome to the XBS evening news. In Washington today, President Bush is fixin' to...."
Or how about Lost? "Hey, y'all! I found us some beer! Let's have us a barbecue! Start with the fat guy."
Good points, everyone.
Personally, no matter who comes out on top, I'd like to see it brought to a close and soon. Too many of the shows I currently enjoy are almost crippled by this strike.
quote:
Originally posted by mr.jaynes
Good points, everyone.
Personally, no matter who comes out on top, I'd like to see it brought to a close and soon. Too many of the shows I currently enjoy are almost crippled by this strike.
Halle-friggin'-lujah.
I'm not a big-time television watcher to start with, so the dwindling number of prime time shows hasn't really had an impact. Discovery or the History channel haven't changed, and the really riveting stuff is on the Weather Channel (or Old Folks MTV as it's known in our house).
The biggest beneficiary of the writer's strike is the Tulsa City-County Library. I usually read for pleasure and the strike is just getting me to read more. Right now, it's Patrick McManus' "The Deer on a Bicycle: Excursions into the Writing of Humor" and William C. Hammond's "A Matter of Honor". McManus is a hoot, even in a 'serious' book like this one. Hammond's book is a sea story set in the Revolutionary War era, not unlike C.S. Forester's Hornblower tales.
Honestly, folks, sitting on the kitchen floor reading cereal boxes might be preferable to some of the dreck on television.
This just all sounds like a really bad recipe for more reality shows. [B)]
Meet the demands and get 'em back to work.
I find it pretty ironic that wealthy, liberal Hollywood thinks it's a bad idea the rest of American industry is comprised of wealthy people at the top making a killing off the backs of a bunch of work-a-day schleps, yet they aren't so willing to spread their own wealth around.
I understand all sides of it:
1. Studios - we put up tens of millions to make an episode (concept, writing, set, equipment actors, distribution, ad sales) or a movie and very often it does not pay off. We take the financial risk and dutifully pay all others involved so that we might sometimes sow a reward for our efforts. In return for doing a good job the writers get what everyone else who does a good job gets - continued employment and rising stock which might see a raise or better prospects. To help encourage them to write better we gave them a small stake in their work, and now they want more. If we give them more they will want STILL more.
2. Writers - If I do well the studio makes millions and millions off of my work for DECADES to come as I continue to slave away. I just want a small cut. Plus, it will further encourage me to do well. Cheap studios just want to further pad their multi million dollar profits so they can pay executives and actors more millions.
3. Consumers - I'm tired of reality TV. 20% are amusing for the first season but most just suck. I mean wasn't Bret Michaels already in love?
- - -
Personally, I don't fault either party. My instinct is to cheer for the little guy, but I understand the studios perspective too. So I'm neutral, I'll just read more.
Here is yet another union with no purpose but to act as an instrument of blackmail. If you are unhappy with the amount of money you make for the work you do, then do something else.
If good writers leave the trade to peruse more lucrative ambitions, studios will react accordingly to retain these writers. It's just how the free market works, until the socialist mentality tries to screw with it.
If there was a union for every trade, nothing would happen because we would be so busy trying to cut up pieces of everyone else's pie that all ambition would be lost.
The only people that win are the union bosses and attorneys. The people that lose, either way, are the consumers. This goes for every single union without exception.
Posted in the wrong thread - moved here.
mspivey
(http://i.pbase.com/o6/46/526046/1/81966017.LDT6QyFy.Avatar64x64.jpg)
Civic Leader
12/30/2007 : 17:39:17
Boy, I can see it several different ways. It's hard to be sympathetic to the big media companies, but..........
If a carpenter builds an apartment building, he gets paid for his labor. He doesn't get part of the rent from now on. Why is a TV show different? Just because the actors have gotten a chunk of the action, is everyone entitled?
I don't know what these guys are making, so it's hard to judge.
In the end, this is America. The Media companies have the right to pay a certain price for the work. If the writers don't think it is enough, they can join together and strike.
I'd say turn off the TVs. Good riddance.
Posted in the wrong thread, moved here.
Waterboy
(http://www.tulsanow.org/forum/avatars/sailorsaluting.gif)
Posted - 12/30/2007 : 21:22:52
Do you feel the same way about life insurance commissions? Agent receives part of every payment you make. The creatives are not paid much up front because every work is a gamble, so they take a smaller upfront with the promise of a percentage if it succeeds. Pretty common actually among that industry and others as well. The entertainment corporations are trying to get new revenues without cutting in their partners, yet they don't want to pay anymore upfront either. So who are the greedy ones?
All I know is if Heroes goes in the toilet because of this I will be very pissed off. They have enough shows to get through this season....but they have to start shooting next season too.
quote:
Originally posted by inteller
All I know is if Heroes goes in the toilet because of this I will be very pissed off. They have enough shows to get through this season....but they have to start shooting next season too.
Heroes is a guaranteed return but they weren't able to do any mid-season rewrites which would've helped ratings.
quote:
Originally posted by sgrizzle
quote:
Originally posted by inteller
All I know is if Heroes goes in the toilet because of this I will be very pissed off. They have enough shows to get through this season....but they have to start shooting next season too.
Heroes is a guaranteed return but they weren't able to do any mid-season rewrites which would've helped ratings.
well no actually the way the last chapter ended so abruptly makes me think something was really amiss.
You have this grand plot and you wrap it all up in one episode and kill off two major characters? It seemed really sloppy to me.
quote:
Originally posted by Moderator
Posted in the wrong thread, moved here.
Waterboy
(http://www.tulsanow.org/forum/avatars/sailorsaluting.gif)
Posted - 12/30/2007 : 21:22:52
Do you feel the same way about life insurance commissions? Agent receives part of every payment you make. The creatives are not paid much up front because every work is a gamble, so they take a smaller upfront with the promise of a percentage if it succeeds. Pretty common actually among that industry and others as well. The entertainment corporations are trying to get new revenues without cutting in their partners, yet they don't want to pay anymore upfront either. So who are the greedy ones?
I figure if they give writers a cut of the take, it will not only be a good idea in terms of retaining the writer, but if the writers owns a piece of the show, they will have a vested interest in turning in quality work. Of course, that is speaking in terms of an ideal situation, and it may not always work. I might also mention that it is an idea that may not translate well to other industries either.
As for greed, this can be manifested in many ways, and not just from the writer's interests. For instance, is anyone familiar with the accounting methods employed by some of the studios to hog the profits all to themselves? Take a movie like
Forrest Gump. Had a budget of around $50 million, took in $679,693,974, and supposedly it lost money rather than turned a profit. And the list goes on with successful media that do well in layman's terms, but do poorly when applying certain creative accounting practices.
quote:
Originally posted by Conan71
This just all sounds like a really bad recipe for more reality shows. [B)]
I can only hope that there will be no onslaught of reality shows. About the only ones I have ever followed was
Big Brother and
America's Top Model; the former because it was a window on the personality foibles of people that have their ambitions fixated on the grand prize, and the latter because I'd give my eye teeth to work on that show. Hey, how about reality shows dealing with the strike, now that would be pretty ironic!
quote:
Originally posted by cannon_fodder
I understand all sides of it:
1. Studios - we put up tens of millions to make an episode (concept, writing, set, equipment actors, distribution, ad sales) or a movie and very often it does not pay off. We take the financial risk and dutifully pay all others involved so that we might sometimes sow a reward for our efforts. In return for doing a good job the writers get what everyone else who does a good job gets - continued employment and rising stock which might see a raise or better prospects. To help encourage them to write better we gave them a small stake in their work, and now they want more. If we give them more they will want STILL more.
2. Writers - If I do well the studio makes millions and millions off of my work for DECADES to come as I continue to slave away. I just want a small cut. Plus, it will further encourage me to do well. Cheap studios just want to further pad their multi million dollar profits so they can pay executives and actors more millions.
3. Consumers - I'm tired of reality TV. 20% are amusing for the first season but most just suck. I mean wasn't Bret Michaels already in love?
- - -
Personally, I don't fault either party. My instinct is to cheer for the little guy, but I understand the studios perspective too. So I'm neutral, I'll just read more.
This is actually my perspective in many ways. It is a business, and should be viewed and adressed as such. On the other hand, there is a vital component on the creative end as well. If both sides can consistently have their artistic and economic needs met satisfactorily, I think the product (in this case, entertainment media) will ultimately stand to gain in terms of quality and quantity.
quote:
Originally posted by spoonbill
If good writers leave the trade to peruse more lucrative ambitions, studios will react accordingly to retain these writers.
The people that lose, either way, are the consumers.
I think, once again, that the entertainment field is a unique case where management and talent actually need each other, can't have one without the other; where the greed and ambitions of one side is tempered and offset by the other.
For the part of the studios, they want to make their paper and lots of it-that's business. The writers want to be paid more for their creative endeavors-also business. In the case of the writers, however, it is also a matter of being able to create, I think, and to do so prolifically and as a profession. Show business is one of the few places where art and commerce come together so beautifully.
You're right, the consumers do stand to lose. The shows I enjoy are affected by this, and perhaps soon the movies too, will also be affected.
Does anyone here watch
30 Rock? I thought it interesting when the star and creator, Tina Fey went on the picket line!
30 rock started out good....but the more I watched it the more I think it was crap. I hope it goes away...Fey can stay on the picket line for all I care.
All I can say is that my life has not been the same without John Stewart. Lately, I have had to resort to watching the real news to figure out what is going on in the world--what a drag.
quote:
Originally posted by pmcalk
All I can say is that my life has not been the same without John Stewart. Lately, I have had to resort to watching the real news to figure out what is going on in the world--what a drag.
So where do you get your news these days?
quote:
Originally posted by inteller
30 rock started out good....but the more I watched it the more I think it was crap. I hope it goes away...Fey can stay on the picket line for all I care.
I actaually like Tina Fey now on episodic TV than I ever did on SNL, believe it or not-and this coming from me, a true SNL devotee!
quote:
Originally posted by mr.jaynes
quote:
Originally posted by pmcalk
All I can say is that my life has not been the same without John Stewart. Lately, I have had to resort to watching the real news to figure out what is going on in the world--what a drag.
So where do you get your news these days?
Fox--it's almost like a fake news station. [;)]
quote:
Originally posted by pmcalk
quote:
Originally posted by mr.jaynes
quote:
Originally posted by pmcalk
All I can say is that my life has not been the same without John Stewart. Lately, I have had to resort to watching the real news to figure out what is going on in the world--what a drag.
So where do you get your news these days?
Fox--it's almost like a fake news station. [;)]
Is that Fox News Channel or is that Fox 23?
The strike is a conspiracy to keep Americans from laughing out the GOP....
I think the writer's demands are valid as well. Instead of sitting in front of the television set, more and more people are sitting in front of & downloading shows from their desktops, laptops and cellphones!
For myself, I'm concerned about the trickle down effect of this strike. I know of one small post production company that's closed it's doors & laid off employees b/c there aren't any new shows to cut/edit.
I'm socking some extra $ away just in case!
Speaking of reality shows... I went to a little rally last month because I heard Tenacious D (Jack Black) was going to perform and since it was just a few doors down, I walked over. It was a Reality Writer's rally! "It's ALL Written" were the picket signs.
http://weblogs.variety.com/wga_strike_blog/2007/12/tenacious-d-to.html
I thought this was a pretty good explanation .. from writers point of view.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oJ55Ir2jCxk
And something the silly side.. again writers point of view.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PKtKteRTA-8
There was an article in today's Tulsa World about this very subject. Seems that back in the day, the old writer's contracts specified a residual of 4 cents per video cassette (or DVD) sold; now they are asking for 8 cents. Seems like a pretty reasonable demand to me.
I don't blame the writers one bit for wanting a fair share piece of the pie. I hope they are successful. The recent TV barage of reruns and worthless "reality shows" only emphasizes how important they are.
quote:
Originally posted by Steve
There was an article in today's Tulsa World about this very subject. Seems that back in the day, the old writer's contracts specified a residual of 4 cents per video cassette (or DVD) sold; now they are asking for 8 cents. Seems like a pretty reasonable demand to me.
I don't blame the writers one bit for wanting a fair share piece of the pie. I hope they are successful. The recent TV barage of reruns and worthless "reality shows" only emphasizes how important they are.
But today, "American Gladiators" came back...
quote:
Originally posted by sgrizzle
quote:
Originally posted by Steve
There was an article in today's Tulsa World about this very subject. Seems that back in the day, the old writer's contracts specified a residual of 4 cents per video cassette (or DVD) sold; now they are asking for 8 cents. Seems like a pretty reasonable demand to me.
I don't blame the writers one bit for wanting a fair share piece of the pie. I hope they are successful. The recent TV barage of reruns and worthless "reality shows" only emphasizes how important they are.
But today, "American Gladiators" came back...
OOOHHH, I can hardly wait! Next will probably be "That's Incredible, 2008," and they will dig up John Davidson to host, Botox, hair plugs and all.
quote:
Originally posted by Steve
Quote
OOOHHH, I can hardly wait! Next will probably be "That's Incredible, 2008," and they will dig up John Davidson to host, Botox, hair plugs and all.
Can I get an amen?
(http://www.johndavidson.com/images/JDstanding.jpg)
LOL then ewww!
quote:
Originally posted by Steve
quote:
Originally posted by sgrizzle
quote:
Originally posted by Steve
There was an article in today's Tulsa World about this very subject. Seems that back in the day, the old writer's contracts specified a residual of 4 cents per video cassette (or DVD) sold; now they are asking for 8 cents. Seems like a pretty reasonable demand to me.
I don't blame the writers one bit for wanting a fair share piece of the pie. I hope they are successful. The recent TV barage of reruns and worthless "reality shows" only emphasizes how important they are.
But today, "American Gladiators" came back...
OOOHHH, I can hardly wait! Next will probably be "That's Incredible, 2008," and they will dig up John Davidson to host, Botox, hair plugs and all.
John Davidson? Now that's going back a way isn't it?