I'm told that News Corp No. 2 Peter Chernin and Walt Disney President Bob Iger spent today talking about Internet issues with reps for the Directors Guild, including negotiations committee chair Gil Cates and executive director Jay Roth. The DGA contract doesn't expire until June (same as SAG's), but the helmers are bargaining early.
Here's what progress I've learned has been made already in the DGA talks with the moguls: "The directors proposed a framework against which everybody would sit down and negotiate," an insider tells me. "And then there were a couple of things, not major, that didn't seem to be insurmountable as far as economics left to be talked about. So they've started putting those on the table, and the meeting is going on today."
Even hardliners among the moguls like Warner Bros boss Barry Meyer are widely known to be "very eager" to get a DGA deal quickly in order to lord it over the striking WGA. But I've been hearing rumors that the official start of negotiations between the AMPTP and DGA -- originally thought to kickoff tomorrow -- is delayed because these pre-sessions have been a "grind" and not making as much progress as the DGA would have liked. "I wouldn't characterize it as delayed," an insider admits. "Both sides are being careful to say nothing has been officially scheduled. Semantics are alive and well in both camps."
Asked to explain what is causing the delay, the source tells me that the "DGA is being smart about this. This has to be a deal for the community and they know it now. They're not going to rush in until all the ducks are in order."
(Interestingly Chernin and Iger were also the two moguls who had that secret meeting back on November 17th with Writers Guild president Patric Verrone and chief WGA negotiator Dave Young and others at the home of Creative Artists Agency partner Bryan Lourd which was aimed at restarting writer-producer talks.)
Question - What’s to stop SAG/AFTRA from requesting talks to commence now like the DGA? Perhaps overworking the AMPTP negotiators is the key.
Comment by Agemt Provocateur — January 6, 2008 @ 5:56 pm
I’ve said it before, I’ll say it again…
Any deal AMPTP MAY make with the DGA has NO bearing on the WGA Negs. It may serve as a metric but it will never become a paradigm. The sooner DGA bonds with SAG and WGA, the sooner this whole thing might get settled.
We are open to and are making fair and reasonable deals with Companies who understand that doing so is simply good business. Further, those New Media deals have already been established. And more are to come.
I seriously suspect there will be more announcements to come, yes with smaller companies at first, but I wouldn’t be surprised if MGM may be the first “major” to make their own deal. Companies have different needs and don’t need to be held hostage by Fox and Warners. MGM is leveraged to the hilt, has debt to service, relationships with financial institutions to honor, far less product and no huge “fuck you” reserve fund.
Their responsibility is to their shareholders and they simply don’t have 6 months to wait this out.
I also hope Sony may follow suit as they are a Foreign Company and may not adhere to the behavior and tactics the AMPTP has used. But I don’t believe it will go beyond those 2 studios in the near term.
DGA is not stupid, they’ve seen how AMPTP operates. I recommend they address New Media issues immediately and see how the AMPTP responds. I seriously doubt they will be pleased.
Comment by PJ - Writer — January 6, 2008 @ 5:57 pm
Why are the moguls such deliberate monsters to the writers?
They are such childish men [and unattractive - that Peter Chernin looks like a real jerk]
Comment by TV Watchers — January 6, 2008 @ 6:07 pm
That’s great that everybody is deciding to sit down and discuss the issue , as everybody is ” Ready , Willing and Able to Bargain” would this be a good time the discuss Foreign Levies , while you have them all at the round table..
Comment by Concernd — January 6, 2008 @ 6:17 pm
DGA, WGA and SAG unite and walk in as one front to the AMPTP talks. UNITED we win.
Comment by We Can End This — January 6, 2008 @ 6:41 pm
PJ - Writer SAID:
Any deal AMPTP MAY make with the DGA has NO bearing on the WGA Negs.
Wow, you take that attitude before even seeing anything the DGA will present - some reasoning there that I can’t understand. If the DGA comes up with a framework for residuals and it is accepted to contract with the AMPTP it will be the model for the rest of the unions to fund their respective benefit progams. As a Teamster I am VERY interested in what happens with the DGA negotiations as it may very well affect my pension and residual IAP.
This “Stay the course no matter what” tactic will play itself out if the DGA can accopmlish a good contract. The patience by the rest of the industry to back the inflexible conditions of the WGA will be worn even thinner than they are now.
Let’s just wait see what the DGA can do….
399
TranspoBill
Comment by Bill — January 6, 2008 @ 6:55 pm
The whole thing is very simple really. Either the studios are willing to pay us all for the Internet or they’re not. And if they’re not, then here comes strike number two (and three).
Comment by Simple Simon — January 6, 2008 @ 7:09 pm
Agreed. If the DGA makes a deal, good for them. I won’t vote for a similar deal for WGA unless it’s damn good. Otherwise, let them settle however they want. Irrelevant to me.
Pattern bargaining is a convenience, not a rule.
Comment by A Writer — January 6, 2008 @ 7:14 pm
PJ……… wrong wrong wrong.
The WGA is out of leverage and support. The DGA deal will have a total bearing on the WGA outcome. They must accept it or be completely cut out of the mix. I know many tv showrunners in both guilds who vow to go fi-core if a reasonable DGA deal is not accepted by the WGA. You union wannabes are living in fantasy land. Thanks for nothing.
Comment by IATSE JE — January 6, 2008 @ 7:20 pm
get it straight, PJ-Writer — THERE ARE NO NEW MEDIA DEALS as yet — only strike waivers which costs the companies making them nothing because they will get the WGA/AMPTP deal as negotiated with everyone else — please try to keep it in your pants a little longer, okay?
Comment by skeptic — January 6, 2008 @ 7:35 pm
Actually, PJ, the new DGA contract will have direct bearing on the new contracts that will happen with SAG and the WGA. And you must know this, when you put the rhetoric aside. The sooner a workable contract is presented to all 3 guilds, the sooner this whole issue will be finished for the year. (This doesn’t mean that it won’t come back up in another 3 years.)
The WGA has made clear that it is open to making fair and reasonable deals, but not with everybody. Otherwise, there wouldn’t be an issue about the Golden Globes, as you already know.
I agree that there will be other deals with independent producers like Cruise/Wagner in the weeks ahead, just as there were back in 1988, as we all recall. It’s very unlikely that any of the major companies will do so, but it’s always possible that some of the smaller companies will do so. It’s a win-win for them and the WGA, particularly since those contracts switch over to the broader contract that will eventually be agreed upon between the WGA and the AMPTP.
I also agree that the DGA is not stupid. They know the responsibility they now hold. Rushing a bad deal will neither solve this strike nor head off a possible SAG walkout in July. But a fair deal that works for everyone will accomplish both tasks.
In the end, there will be new contracts for all 3 guilds and we’ll all get back to work, but it won’t happen tomorrow, and it won’t happen next week. We’re looking at somewhere between March and July before this is also settled, but no earlier than March before people are getting back to work. It is everybody’s hope that the WGA hardliners will be able to accept the new contract, since it will certainly not contain all the items they wanted. I strongly doubt that the DGA is negotiating a contract that includes reality jursidiction, animation jursidiction and the removal of the no-strike clause. And when the WGA accepts that pattern, it will have effectively agreed to the 6 item ultimatum that the AMPTP presented on December 7. Hopefully, that will sit well with the WGA. If it doesn’t, this matter will go a lot longer.
Comment by Kevin — January 6, 2008 @ 7:46 pm
Yay, DGA! Bring home the bacon — but if it’s too lean, don’t expect the WGA to sit down at the table.
Comment by Danzig — January 6, 2008 @ 8:15 pm
This is all a setup. Stay tuned.
Comment by Julius Fort — January 6, 2008 @ 9:15 pm
I do not think the DGA talks are going to be the slam dunk everyone is expecting. I read one of the big points the DGA wants is to expand their jurisdiction in the internet/new media area. With the current “I want it all” stance the amptp has, I find it hard to believe there are going to roll over and give the DGA that expansion without some kind of fight.
Comment by nick — January 6, 2008 @ 9:36 pm
Hey skeptic.
The game’s over here now, got it?
The game is about making money and you can’t play without talent. Talent is and always has been what drives product in this town and they know it well.
The Letterman and UA deals are the full MBA. They serve as models for what we accept as fair deals and set precedent for future deals. The more Companies who sign on to it and prosper while the AMPTP is busy playing “fuck you” to Talent, the closer it becomes to what any AMPTP deal will be.
That is the big picture here.
The sooner they realize that keeping/hoarding over 90% of New Media Revenue (with Guild Deals in place) is a very very good thing for them, the sooner this town might get back to work.
Some are obviously looking at this from the perspective of the Companies. We tend to look at it from a different perspective.
Pardon some of us for looking at the glass half full.
Comment by PJ - Writer — January 6, 2008 @ 10:56 pm
Skeptic,
You get it straight. Spend some time learning the difference between AN INTERIM CONTRACT AGREEMENT (which WWP, UA, and others to follow have signed onto) and a waiver, then people may actually think you have a point.
I know it’s getting rougher out here for you, but at the very least be thorough in your trolling.
Comment by slk writer — January 6, 2008 @ 11:04 pm
I agree, the DGA talks are not a “slam dunk.” If the AMPTP plays hardball with the WGA on new media and internet, what is going to stop them from playing hardball with the DGA. They could impose an ultimatum saying that the DGA must drop this demand and this demand, and then leave when the DGA says no. Thgis would be followed by a full lockout of the DGA for not wanting to “negotiate fairly.”
Of course, a lockout would unlawful under the DGA’s current MBA, but the AMPTP has already broken quite a few laws in negotiations with the WGA so what do they care. After all the moguls control the AMPTP and they could get a collective pardon from President Bush on his last day in office after the WGA, DGA, and SAG are all broken into a trillion little pieces. This would make it easier for all studios and networks to shift all operations to Bollywood India.
Comment by Jessy S. — January 6, 2008 @ 11:25 pm
“Any deal AMPTP MAY make with the DGA has NO bearing on the WGA Negs.
Wow, you take that attitude before even seeing anything the DGA will present - some reasoning there that I can’t understand. If the DGA comes up with a framework for residuals and it is accepted to contract with the AMPTP it will be the model for the rest of the unions to fund their respective benefit progams.”
Yeah, nice try, “Transpo Bill”. Maybe you’d understand the reasoning if you bothered to check history. In ‘85, a good deal was negotiated for home video. (2.5% of 100%) in ‘88, the DGA undercut that deal with a worse deal to get something IT needed. (2.5% of 20% of 100%) the AMPTP used this as “the standard” in the WGA negotiations - and we’ve been stuck with that lowly number ever since.
Never again.
“The WGA is out of leverage and support. The DGA deal will have a total bearing on the WGA outcome. They must accept it or be completely cut out of the mix. ”
Jeez, I really HOPE you’re not some Lehane flack, IATSE JE, because if that’s the level of competency the AMPTP is paying to shill for them, they really DON’T care about the money here.
Come to a picket line, or talk to a SAG member and see if we’ve lost our support. See if we’ve lost our leverage when the AMPTP sees the billions they get from TV upfronts in May flush away (no pilots? no returning scripted shows? ALL REALITY?)
If you want the longer explanation, click below.
http://unitedhollywood.blogspot.com/2008/01/strike-is-lawyers-game-how-to-play-to.html
Comment by slk writer — January 6, 2008 @ 11:28 pm
As much sympathy as I have for IATSE members who are held hostage by having a president who’s the worst corporate bootlicker this side of Leno, I have to admit “union wannabees” made me laugh out loud.
You might want to save that term for your fi-core buddies, Jr., we actually like having oh, say, a strike fund and a president who takes our side over the AMPTP’s once in a while, as foreign a concept as that might be.
Comment by shillsaredull — January 6, 2008 @ 11:54 pm
You guys have to realize that any DGA Deal will NOT have a direct bearing to what we will accept. If they make a deal, fine, but as I said it will only serve as a measure for us not a model for us. We have very different needs and dynamics at play than the DGA.
Contrary to what the shills and the Dave McNary’s of the world want the public to believe…
The Companies are hoping they can lure DGA into a quick deal for less, like sheep to the slaughter, in order to “set precedent” but I guarantee you at least a MINIMUM of 60% of WGA Members will never approve anything less than what we believe is a fair deal for us. We know what is fair and now some of the Companies have agreed by signing deals with us at Full MBA with more Companies to come so that argument just wont hold anymore. Not when it comes to New Media, not when it comes to our Financial futures…
Comment by PJ - Writer — January 6, 2008 @ 11:57 pm
I may be an idiot Production Assistant, but doesn’t an MBA with UA mean jack shit insofar as they have zero television production and will therefore see no contest in the arena of streaming video/new media? Call me crazy, are there crowds currently rioting to see ‘Lions for Lambs’ on the internet?
Doesn’t that do a hell of a job of greasing the wheels on their interim agreement?
And while it may put pressure on the rest of the AMPTP to fall into line, the fact that everyone else has much more to lose than knucklehead Tom Cruise and his fledgling studio, could that possibly keep them hard-lined on this? Even with rumors of the Weinsteins and Lucas reaching agreements, it may look good for the WGA for a second, but they’re still fighting town hall, and until they actually learn to compromise on the original issue (oh, what, New Media? Remember when I lost my first job over new media? Remember when I lost my second? And remember when I lost my third fucking job, because of new media, three days before Christmas, two weeks after the WGA wanted to start a pissing contest over reality and animation jurisdiction?), we’re locked into a stalemate.
DCP’s looking for interim agreements. NBC wants the globes on the air. And nobody can remember what the hell the WGA wants at all.
-Not a shill, just a pissed off kid that worked damn hard to find a job where he makes 9 bucks an hour, get your own fucking breakfast.
Comment by Pissed-Off PA — January 7, 2008 @ 12:40 am
PJ Writer–
The WWP and UA deals are models for nothing, as they will revert to whatever the AMPTP agrees to when the strike is settled. If I agree to pay you $1million for your Toyota, at some time in the future, but I can reduce the payment to equal the market price of similar Toyotas, you would be deluding yourself to think you were $1million richer.
Also, MGM is not really a major. They are not financing movies. Mostly, they are releasing product for other companies, like the Weinstein company and UA. To that end, smaller companies signing agreements will help them but they will not break ranks. Neither will Sony. You say they are a foreign company but companies are people and the CEO of Sony is a naturalized American. Lynton and Pascall are Americans. They all have relationships with those that run the other companies. I have spoken to several executives there and they ramped up sufficiently to keep pumping out movies until the end of the year. Their TV production division is pretty weak, so not making more failing shows doesn’t hurt them. They will not break ranks.
You see, when people like yourself, with little experience or perspective with how studios work, try and analyze situations like these, mistakes are made. This is why the WGA needs professionals to take over the negotiation.
Comment by Gavin Polone — January 7, 2008 @ 5:44 am
Pj, It’s true. You’re a little off on what you’re talking about. Don’t get so upset. Get someone to sit down with you and explain it. These waivers, though good news for some writers, are not agreements or precedents in any way shape or form and will have no bearing on the numbers when the dust settles. They are only agreeing to adhere to the final solution, which they would have had to anyway.
Also you guys just can’t call anyone that doesn’t raise their hands and sing glory a troll or a skeptic. Coolers head need to prevail here and this message board is well read.
Mike Binder
Comment by Mike Binder — January 7, 2008 @ 5:57 am
The devil is in the details, but the reason you would think that the DGA, SAG, and, eventually, IATSE would eventually be helpful here is that the strike isn’t about really about whether a few rich writers get paid a lot or a whole heckuva lot.
This strike is about whether Web work is real work and should be compensated as such. It’s a dispute as relevant to just about any U.S. worker who checks work e-mail from home or sometimes uses the Internet to work at home as it is to the writers. I hope the leadership of the SEIU and the AFL-CIO understand that, at least at a symbolic level, this strike is relevant to any worker — even a discount store cashier — who’s asked to “whip up a daily blog — and do it in your spare time,” or to answer customers’ e-mails “in your spare time” as it is to people in Hollywood.
Comment by a spouse — January 7, 2008 @ 6:16 am
thanks for the advice, slk writer — it turns out that a strike waiver is a writer-solidarity-busting side deal that binds the signatory to nothing more than taking the deal everybody else gets in the end; wheras an interim contract agreement is…well I think everybody gets the point save for the semantically challenged…
Comment by skeptic — January 7, 2008 @ 6:58 am
Please. The WGA is not solely made up of the non-working writers who dominate sites like Writer Action and would gladly strike forever because they have nothing to lose but their newfound sense of identity. If the DGA makes anything close to a decent deal, plenty of writers will want to take it. In fact, I worry it may split the guild.
Comment by Chris — January 7, 2008 @ 7:13 am
OK, it’s early still… but why does it seem/sound like the producers aren’t having trouble negotiating with DGA? If DGA signs a contract without too much hassle it is sure going to make it look (rightly or wrongly) that the WGA negotiaters were the major reason for this strike and not the producers.
Comment by John — January 7, 2008 @ 7:26 am
slk writer:
If WWP agreed to such a great deal why is it AN INTERIM CONTRACT AGREEMENT? (Without a Guild vote?)
Why didn’t WWP sign a 3 year contract with the WGA that was binding without a favored nations clause?
Maybe its because WWP knows there is no way the AMPTP and the WGA are going to sign a binding legal contract with a Guild vote that is close to the INTERIM CONTRACT AGREEMENT. And quite simply WWP doesn’t want to be stuck in a bad contract for 3 years. Just like the AMPTP.
Patric can call the WWP(and UA and others to follow….)deal(s) whatever he wants but all he “negotiated” was a free pass so Dave(and soon to be others) could go to work now - with the details to be worked out later.
Had Patric (or a quick typing WGA-E president) not called the strike in the first place this is exactly where everyone would be - WORKING - while the contract details were ironed out.
Is your family one of those being feed by a free pass, er, an INTERIM CONTRACT AGREEMENT?
Comment by Looking for an End — January 7, 2008 @ 8:15 am
To IATSE JE -
If you really are in IATSE, explain me this —
when sitcoms switched from film to digital video, IA workers were hit with a 33% decrease in pay. (Even though DV is cheaper than film!)
Many of my IA buddies responded by fleeing sitcoms altogether for one hour shows. Others just had to suck it up. Combine that with the fact that there are fewer sitcoms out there. IA guys used to work on 2 sitcoms a week, now the lucky ones are on just one. So now, IA sitcom workers are making only 1/3 what they used to!
This is what ‘not striking’ has gotten you. No owonder why the AMPTP loves your leadership!
Comment by SitcomWriter — January 7, 2008 @ 8:22 am
Kevin, please pay some more attention to the DETAILS:
The specific items included in that infamous “6 ITEM ULTIMATUM” you refer to actually INCLUDED NEW MEDIA PROFIT PARTICIPATION, as well as the various other items you guys keep harping on endlessly (reality, animation, sympathy strikes — those only add up to 3, you know).
The companies know as well as we do that this strike is about ONE THING and ONE THINGS ONLY — and that is PROFIT PARTICIPATION FOR SCRIPTED ENTERTAINMENT DELIVERED VIA THE INTERNET.
The rest is all smoke and mirrors, propaganda and spin.
We’ll see in the end whether the WGA’s approach to gaining a foothold for writers in that area succeeds or not. But like it or not, no matter your personal opinion, the truth is it all boils down to only ONE DETERMINING FACTOR:
How long the WGA membership can stick together and continue to hold the line.
For myself, I’m out picketing every day, a stone’s throw from my showrunner office on the WB lot, even if it takes until July, when I expect we will be joined by 100,000+ members of SAG.
If the DGA manages to wrest real internet profit participation out of the AMPTP long before then, the WGA will sign on and I imagine so will SAG when it’s their turn, and I will buy some directors I know a drink, or lunch for the former alcoholics among them.
If not, then I will just keep HOLDING THE LINE — along with the lion’s share of my fellow WGA members.
Comment by Ethan — January 7, 2008 @ 8:24 am
Having read some of the testosterone laden comments here I am quite disgusted. Yes the producers should ante up and I hope that they do, but the WGA members need a reality check too. The 12, 000 or so of you have put over 60,000 people out of work. We don’t have a support network and while you still have healthcare, we are losing ours. Not to mention starting a 3rd month of no pay with NO residuals to help us along. So while you cavil on there is another world you will have to face eventually, the people who produce what you write.
As I see it, there have been major mis-steps by the WGA. Have reality shows and animation become your priority now? If yes, then the writer above is right, this could go on forever. If not, then stop making them an issue and get down to the nitty gritty details. I can tell you that, having talked with all the other people who have no horse in this race and yet are still paying as big, if not bigger price than you, both sides need to get back to the table and start acting like adults.
Comment by Interested Party — January 7, 2008 @ 9:01 am
These will have major bearing on WGA negotiations, the only chance of settling this strike is if the DGA can bring in the WGA through the back door and everyone can save face
Remember there is no point in the DGA getting a good deal if we come to June 30 and the writers are still on strike and are joined by the actors, after all what would they direct
Comment by dave c — January 7, 2008 @ 9:47 am
Those of you saying WWP/UA signed a new deal whose terms are final are embarassing yourselves. This is a direct quote from the WWP deal published on the WGA website.
“Favored Nations: If the successor to the 2004 AMPTP MBA contains different terms and
conditions, those terms and conditions shall be applicable to this Agreement.”
That means whatever terms are negotiated with the AMPTP will be the terms of the WWP (and it’s probably safe to assume, UA) agreement. They make an interim deal to give you these terms until the overall deal is done, and when that happens, those terms are applied to the deal with interim deal.
How are you supposed to bag on a deal the dga hasn’t made yet when you don’t even understand the deal that’s been made with Letterman?
Comment by c'mon now — January 7, 2008 @ 2:44 pm
Mike Binder:
You’re quite right — this message board is well read, and I can assure you that a lot of people in this town will not forgive you for undercutting the position of the WGA.
Oh, and by the way, I thought your HBO show sucked, mostly because you were in it. Consider letting cooler heads prevail next time and hire a better actor.
Comment by The Wanderer — January 7, 2008 @ 4:23 pm
Again, my points are simple…
1) If DGA makes a deal which is unacceptable to WGA it will be rejected by the WGA Membership. It’s that simple. We have different needs and won’t be following pattern bargaining with DGA. It may be more likely that might happen with SAG IMO, but not with DGA.
Of course if they work out a fair deal, it WILL make a difference but many Writers are assuming, based on AMPTP behavior and tactics, that it isn’t likely.
So, yes, maybe I should have been clearer on that. Writers are well versed on the Economics of New Media residuals and how they affect our pocketbooks. We also see how NEW Media is growing rapidly before our eyes on almost a week by week basis. Now something like 35% polled say they download or stream scripted content. And the new CES deals are eyepopping to say the least.
2) These side deals set precedent for what some Companies have agreed to pay us for New Media. If more and more Companies sign on to the Full MBA and are happy and Productive, the more likely it is that a Full MBA or far closer to it will become the acceptable norm than if side deals weren’t being made.
Some are betting the final AMPTP NM deal might be far less than the full MBA. Some say 1.25%. Well, if 20 companies are paying 2.5% by the time we get to that, it is far less likely, isn’t it? And that’s my point guys. We’ll just have to wait and see…
Btw, Bear Stearns Analysts have stated that WGA Full MBA proposals are “largely neglible” to the Companies so some of us are looking at this from a different perpective than those who support the Companies.
Comment by Pj - Writer — January 7, 2008 @ 4:57 pm
“Yeah, nice try, “Transpo Bill”. Maybe you’d understand the reasoning if you bothered to check history. In ‘85, a good deal was negotiated for home video. (2.5% of 100%) in ‘88, the DGA undercut that deal with a worse deal to get something IT needed. (2.5% of 20% of 100%) the AMPTP used this as “the standard” in the WGA negotiations - and we’ve been stuck with that lowly number ever since.
Never again.”
slk writer, please actually read up on the history before you make statements like this. You will find that this is absolutely not what happened in 1985 or in 1988. Sorry. In 1985, the WGA led a disastrous strike and wound up accepting the low formula you have mentioned. The DGA agreement of 1987 actually was a dispute over one hour episodic syndication residuals, NOT home video. In 1988, the WGA went out for 5 months regarding the episodic syndication residuals, not the home video battle which had been lost 3 years earlier. There’s plenty of material on this you can look up. I personally recommend the excellent articles written by Anne Thompson in her “Risky Business” column at the LA WEEKLY at that time.
Ethan, if you read my post, you’ll see that I am paying quite close attention to this matter, since it is affecting the livelihood of my entire crew - in that they’re all unemployed right now, as am I. I don’t blame the WGA for that - it’s just a fact of the strike, and one that both sides should be keeping in mind. But let’s take those 6 items in order, so you may understand my position a little more clearly. One item has to do with “Industry Standards” so that the AMPTP will not be able to subcontract with non-union providers. That’s great, but AMPTP has made clear that they will not be bound by any guild in terms of who they do business with. The DGA is not likely to include this in their contract pattern. Second, Distributor’s Gross - I agree with this point by the WGA in that the AMPTP hides a lot of money by saying it never came to the producer. We’ll have to see if the DGA contract redefines this in a different way. It might, but not in the same manner that the WGA wishes to do it. Third, Fair Market: I again agree with this point, as do most people. Best example we have of this is the Duchovny suit against Fox for selling “X Files” for a pittance to itself. But will anyone be able to force the AMPTP to submit to third party oversight? It’s more likely that the DGA will take a different tack with this, but again, we’ll see once that contract is unveiled. Given that the DGA position on these matters will result in less strident contract terms, and that the other 3 items (Reality jurisdiction, Animation jurisdiction, and removal of the no-strike clause) will not be in the pattern, I repeat my statement that when the WGA goes with this pattern, that action will de facto be compliance with the ultimatum it was given on December 7.
I admire your resolve and tenacity. You may not believe that, but it takes great strength to do what you are doing day in and day out. But holding the line is not what will bring this strike to a close. Effective negotiating is the only way to do it, regardless of what one side thinks of the other. It is my hope that the DGA can come up with a pattern that is acceptable to the moderates in SAG and the WGA. And the DGA is well aware that failure to do this will mean a much longer strike.
As for SAG joining the strike, I agree this could happen. But if the strike stretches all the way through next summer, you should be aware of the possible ramifications. Or do you not remember SEG? Or the Hormel strike of the 1980s? The P-9 workers were absolutely right to strike too, but it didn’t help them in the end.
Comment by Kevin — January 7, 2008 @ 5:07 pm
Dear pissed off pa,
I was once a pa and thanfully became a writer. And I’m forever greatfull to the writers who came before me who fought and struk to get what we have now. My advice, either appreciate what we are doing for YOUR future now, or go to law school.
Comment by ex pa — January 7, 2008 @ 8:13 pm
Skeptic, you first.
“it turns out that a strike waiver is a writer-solidarity-busting side deal that binds the signatory to nothing more than taking the deal everybody else gets in the end.”
Come to a picket line and see how our solidarity is busted. You haven’t been on the lines so your position seems either blatently ignorant or willfully deceptive to try to prove your empty point.
Looking For An End, Let’s get you fed, Trolly!
“Maybe its because WWP knows there is no way the AMPTP and the WGA are going to sign a binding legal contract with a Guild vote that is close to the INTERIM CONTRACT AGREEMENT. And quite simply WWP doesn’t want to be stuck in a bad contract for 3 years. Just like the AMPTP.”
Do you know the terms of the contract? Unless you do you’re spewing ill-informed conjecture, but that would be par for the course. It’s the Guild’s position that we will get an equal or better deal with the AMPTP–but if not, why shouldn’t the companies that decide to do a favorable deal with us in the middle of the strike be punished with a worse deal than we end up with at the end?
If you’re caught up with just the numbers of the deal, you’re missing one third of the story. Part of the win here is PERCEPTION–we are taking the offensive, and companies are siphoning themselves off to do business with us, proving to most (except to the shills, trolls, and Bonehead Gavin) that contrary to the AMPTP talking points, the guild isn’t being unreasonable and the deal we’re looking for is do-able.
And no, pal, I’m out on the lines every day. I’m out of savings and temping and bartending to keep food on the table and it SUCKS, but I’m sacrificing because I have conviction in this cause. I have a real dog in this fight. Do you?
Game on.
Comment by slk writer — January 7, 2008 @ 11:36 pm
Gavin! Here an awful lot lately, aren’t you? Allow me to retort.
“If I agree to pay you $1million for your Toyota, at some time in the future, but I can reduce the payment to equal the market price of similar Toyotas, you would be deluding yourself to think you were $1million richer.”
Yes, Paloney, but if I get $900k for that Toyota based on the fact I had an offer in hand for a million, that real offer is anything but delusional.
See, we haven’t reached the end yet, but you have us already losing. Perhaps this is some projection on your part.
The end game (the AMPTP deal) isn’t written but here you are, like clockwork, at the moment of any news, good or bad, in your Debbie Downer outfit to “educate”/bully people here with your big fat credits and your big fat mouth.
Most of us would prefer you’d limit your bile to those that have no real choice in hearing it–your family who didn’t choose you, the unlucky people that have to work for you, and the Santa Monica Blvd trannies with the unfortunate hourly task of making you feel like you’re not alone in this world (ok, that last part I’m making up, but I feel I’m not far off.) But hey, speak up, free country. As I said, I’ve just heard you’re here a lot. Gotta say…it smacks of try-hard.
I’m just a small tv writer-producer, and maybe people like ourselves don’t all have the benefit of your experience or perspective with how studios work, but we know a hired gun who is only posting here with a pathetic attempt to weaken our resolve when we see one.
Or maybe you’re just looking for more attention. It has been raining on Santa Monica Blvd, too.
It’s too bad, because I’ve walked on the line with some people you’ve worked with. You said in an earlier post that you want to know the people that don’t want to work with you in the future. You want to know your enemies. That’s good, because after all this is done, I’m not sure you’re going to be able to trust your friends. Not that you care what I say.
Mike Binder, I respect your opinion. But this is a fight, plain and simple. People are hurting, out of work, out of money, worried about their kids. This is not frivolous, the stakes are high, and heads can only be so cool when mis-information is passed out so often it’s taking the air of fact.
Jorge A. Reyes
Comment by Jorge Reyes — January 8, 2008 @ 12:20 am