EXCLUSIVE LIVE-BLOGGING! (...keep refreshing for latest)
SUNDAY AT 10:02 PM: ALL DAY TALKS HAVE COLLAPSED! NEGOTIATIONS ENDED WHEN WGA EAST REFUSED TO STOP STRIKE! I'M TOLD THAT, BEFORE THIS, REAL PROGRESS WAS BEING MADE BY BOTH SIDES WITH MAJOR CONCESSIONS ON MAJOR ISSUES.
An AMPTP insider just told me: "The WGA went out on strike at 12:01 AM Eastern. At about 9:30 PM Pacific they informed us they were on strike and left the hotel." I heard this took place after AMPTP claims it made the following concession: to give the WGA exclusive jurisdiction for made-for-New Media.
Here's the just released statement from the motion picture and television producers' alliance president Nick Counter: "Notwithstanding the fact that negotiations were ongoing, the WGA decided to start their strike in New York. When we asked if they would "stop the clock" for the purpose of delaying the strike to allow negotiations to continue, they refused. We made an attempt at meeting them in a number of their key areas including Internet streaming and jurisdiction in New Media. Ultimately, the guild was unwilling to compromise on most of their major demands. It is unfortunate that they choose to take this irresponsible action."
But the WGA East claims in a huge headline on its website that AMPTP walked out of the negotiations. "As of 12:01 AM November 5th, the WGA strike is on in the Eastern time zone. WGAE members should report for picketing at Rockefeller Plaza starting at 9:00 AM today. At 12:30 AM EST, the AMPTP walked out of day-long negotiations. All Guild-covered work under the MBA ceased at 12:01 a.m. EST on Monday, November 5, 2007."
Before midnight, the WGA issued this statement:
"Early today, the WGA completely withdrew its DVD proposal, which the Companies said was a stumbling block. Yet, the Companies still insisted on the following:
"--> No jurisdiction for most of new media writing.
"--> No economic proposal for the part of new media writing where they do propose to give coverage.
"--> Internet downloads at the DVD rate.
"--> No residual for streaming video of theatrical product.
"--> A 'promotional' proposal that allows them to reuse even complete movies or TV shows on any platform with no residual. This proposal alone destroys residuals.
"--> A 'window' of free reuse on the Internet that makes a mockery of any residual.
"The AMPTP made no response to any of the other proposals that the WGA has made since July. The AMPTP proposed that today's meeting be 'off the record', meaning no press statements, but they have reneged on that."
Tonight, a frustrated and disappointed mogul source just called the day of fruitless talks "unbelievable" and told me about the WGA side, "We made concessions all day long. Then we asked them, 'Can you push back the strike tomorrow so we can keep negotiating?' They said no. Then someone went on the website and saw the WGA were already striking in NY."
Both sides made major concessions today right up until dinner. And when they came back from their meal, the strike deadline in the East was at hand. That. Was. The. End. Of. That.
I'll be trying to find out more about what happened inside of that negotiating room. Obviously, the AMPTP is off the mark first PR-wise. But tomorrow will be the WGA's camera time. Still, I'm deeply aggravated with both sides... not that I was really expecting a Miracle On Wilshire Blvd. I'll have stronger stuff to say on all this tomorrow.
SUNDAY AT 10:00 PM: BIG PROBLEM! I just heard the Hollywood moguls are furious that the WGA wouldn't stop or at least suspend the start of the East strike at 12:01 am while the talks out West were continuing. "They went out on strike in NY while we were negotiating. Game over," a producers insider just told me. The all-day talks have collapsed.
SUNDAY AT 9:01 PM: For the Writers Guild of America, East, the strike has started for the 4,000-strong membership: "Pencils Down" since it's 12:01 a.m. there. Here in Los Angeles, the WGA and the Alliance of Motion Picture & Television Producers keep talking. What a nail-biter!
SUNDAY AT 8:30 PM: BOTH SIDES ARE BACK TO TALKING AFTER A BRIEF DINNER BREAK. I must say that, from the looks of things right now, the WGA will be out in force on the picket lines Monday morning barring a last-minute miracle. The Hollywood moguls are hoping to avert tomorrow's walkout altogether and/or have a cooling off period before a strike starts. But the WGA leaders sounded adamant all day. "We are mobilized. Unless there is significant progress to the extent that Patric Verrone says the strike is off, we're going out tomorrow," a top WGA insider told me. A large showrunner meeting was held yesterday and some 85 top TV producer/writers attended to show their support for the strike. Meanwhile, in offices all over Hollywood, writers and showrunners and hyphenates were working feverishly to finish scripts tonight before the strike starts at 12:01 a.m so that, among other things, they'll get paid. I've just heard about one screenwriter who'll be directing the film he wrote: he penned three different drafts with three different endings in advance so he could change his mind as a director without breaking the WGA's "Pencils Down" rule.
Meanwhile, I hear an ad is being talked about for the trades expressing support of a WGA strike from a number of high-profile actors.
Earlier today, the Writers Guild Of America announced its 15 picketing locations on its website and in emails to members who'll show up in red shirts starting at 9 am -- CBS Radford Studios, CBS Television City, Culver Studios, Disney Studios, Fox Studios, Hollywood Center Studios, NBC Burbank, Prospect Studios, Paramount Studios / Raleigh Studios Hollywood, Raleigh Studios Manhattan Beach, Sony Pictures Studios, Sunset Gower Studios, Universal Studios, Warner Bros Studios. At the WGA east, picket lines will be set up in such prominent NYC locations as Rockefeller Plaza where NBC is based.
There are two picketing shifts, 9 am – 1 pm, 1 pm – 5 pm, and the Guild "expects" all members to picket 5 days a week/4 hours a day. Tonight, the WGA urged an "overwhelming response" pressured members to pull one 4-hour shift a day for the first week. "I've heard that a couple of people are greeting the news that their presence is required on the picket line with the very human and yet disappointing, 'Cool... So, um, what happens if we don't show up?'" a WGA email said. "So be aware: Failure to picket is a violation of Strike Rule 10, which says: 'You must picket and/or perform other strike support duties and cooperate with Guild committees charged with enforcement of the Strike Rules...' Absent a valid medical excuse, non-writing employment, compelling personal circumstances [necessary child or elder care] or emergency, you are obligated to perform these duties when and where requested. If there is a personal circumstance making strike support duties impossible when requested, members are required to arrange alternate times to contribute to the strike effort...' Basically, failing to picket is a punishable offense. The Strike Rules Disciplinary is now forming to handle disciplinary issues. Strike captains will keep track of people who don't show up and are required to first warn those people and then forward the names to the Committee."
Earlier, WGA members attending strike prep meetings heard how "Teamsters are risking their jobs to support us. SAG is encouraging members to walk the picket lines with us. Thus, it's crucial that WGA members be there, especially that first week. If we want this strike to be short and effective, a massive showing that disrupts production is critical."
The WGA also is "actively welcoming" non-members who want to join the picket line, and claims it's been "deluged" with volunteers.
In Los Angeles today, a dozen white vans were loaded up with picket signs, bottled water, snacks and folding tables at the Writers Guild of America-West headquarters late today in expectation of its union members taking to the streets instead of sitting at their computers. Red and black signs saying "Writers Guild of America on Strike," and others with red letters and a stylized combination exclamation point/lightning bolt, were unveiled to the assembled media reporters.
Meanwhile, on Saturday, ridiculous rumors began floating through the entertainment industry that chief WGA negotiator David Young, named executive director of the guild since last year, was going to use the tactics of his background as an organizer of garment workers, carpenters and construction laborers, and hire "goons" to disrupt studios and network business, incite violence and ensure arrests. Even the producers' side told me today this was fabricated b.s.
SUNDAY AT 6:30 PM: They're still talking... There was supposed to be a 6 pm WGA board meeting tonight, but it's been delayed because the two sides continue to meet. "There's some tentative optimism," an insider just told me.
SUNDAY AT 5 PM: I've just confirmed the federal mediator-ordered talks are still going on.
SUNDAY AT 3 PM: "Things are looking up a little bit at today's meeting," a good source just told me about the federal mediator-ordered confab Sunday.
SUNDAY AT NOON: I've learned that John Wells has the support of certain Hollywood moguls and certain WGA leaders to try to broker a writers vs producers settlement at this 11th hour. "It's hoped he can play a role like Lew Wasserman used to," one insider tells me, referring to the legendary MCA/Universal mogul who for decades took the lead settling such labor strife. 
It looks nearly impossible for Wells, the Writers Guild Of America ex-president who's also one of the most successful TV producers/writers (ER, West Wing, Third Watch), to stave off the strike starting Monday. But I'm relieved to hear that he's made some progress during these backchannel discussions because of a new willingness on the part of bigwigs on both sides to get a true dialogue going outside the AMPTP's Nick Counter vs WGA's Patric Verrone/Dave Young axis of paralysis. The big question is whether Wells et al can quietly keep at it. That's why I've been under pressure yesterday and today not to report what I've learned. But this is too important to stay under wraps.
Here are more details...
Anyone familiar with the go-round of writers vs producers negotiations from 1999 to 2001 knows that Wells was considered something of a sellout by WGA standards when he failed to make inroads for the guild on the vital issue of DVD residuals with the moguls. So it was with immense surprise that I heard his entrance into this weekend's pre-strike fray came not only with the blessing of moguls Barry Meyer of Warner Bros, Peter Chernin of News Corp/Fox, and Bob Iger of Disney/ABC among other CEOs, but also with the blessing of some of the WGA leadership. I hear that the WGA Negotiating Committee Chair John Bowman was specifically talking about Wells when he recently made reference to backchannel talks going on. "Bowman decided to use John Wells to try to get a dialogue going. The guild has put its trust in Wells," a top WGA insider explained to me. (UPDATE: Tonight, some of Wells' most ardent defenders tell me that, regarding Wells "selling out" as WGA president, "there's what we deserve and what we actually can get. Two very different things that I'm not sure our current leadership understands," one of his pals explains. "I think John is the perfect person to talk to everyone at this point. He has everyone's respect as he is a gentleman.")
This, needless to say, is a huge development. At the same time, Wells, one of the biggest names in Warner Bros' TV stable, was already quietly talking to Barry Meyer since the two have a long and close and profitable relationship. But I just heard tonight that Wells at first wasn't at all interested in getting involved in these negotiations because he'd felt so badly beaten up by his membership during the talks under his WGA presidency.
So here's the chronology, best as I can put it together: On Friday, Desperate Housewives' Marc Cherry, who's also part of the WGA negotiating committee, talked with his studio boss, Bob Iger, to see if the moguls would meet with the WGA leadership this weekend. That proved a non-starter, and things really looked bleak Friday night.
With the strike about to start Monday, Cherry called Bowman, and Bowman decided to use John Wells "to try to smooth things". Then Wells called Barry Meyer offering to act, I'm told, as "consigliare" (because there are always Godfather references in everything Hollywood does). Then Barry Meyer called Bob Iger and Peter Chernin. And then CBS' Les Moonves and Sony's Michael Lynton and Amy Pascal and MGM's Harry Sloan etc were brought up to speed. And then the moguls phoned not just one another but also the top WGA screenwriters and TV showrunners/hyphenates with whom they've all had the longest relationships to schmooze them about the need for backchannel talks. As a WGA top insider said to me, "These relationships are what we need to get this thing going on the right track in the right direction." For instance, I heard that Moonves rang up Chuck Lorre since two of his shows -- Two And A Half Men and The Big Bang Theory -- are on CBS. Then there are the showrunners who sit on the WGA's negotiating committee and who almost all also have network series on the air right now: besides Cherry, they include Neal Baer (NBC's Law & Order: SVU) , Carlton Cuse (ABC's Lost), Carol Mendelsohn (CBS' CSI), Shawn Ryan (CBS' The Unit)and Larry Wilmore (Fox's The Bernie Mac Show which was cancelled last May). This is exactly in keeping with what I've heard all along: the only people able to end this are the moguls and TV hyphenates.
Right now, the moguls are desperately trying to keep quiet exactly which WGA screenwriters and showrunners they're lobbying out of fear that, according to one insider, "blood and guts unionist tactics by the Norma Rae's of some of the WGA leadership" will pressure them to "sit on the sidelines letting this train wreck of a strike happen." The goal of everyone, from the moguls to the WGA to Wells, was to try to ensure that all parties would go into today's federal mediator-ordered meeting with an open mind.
Look, no one knows better than I what an imperfect go-between Wells is here. I wrote back on October 19th that "I still marvel at the chutzpah of John Wells, who won the WGA presidency in 1999, even though he was the moneybags TV producer behind ER and West Wing. He then split the Writers Guild into haves and have-nots, and failed in 2001 to stand firm on any of the hard issues, ensuring in the process that no strike would interrupt his own wheelbarrows of cash. Then, shortly after the WGA pact was negotiated, Wells wound up the subject of a New York Times article for not honoring the provisions in his West Wing writers’ contracts for increased pay and promotions."
Today I'm saying to Wells' past critics: Give him a chance...
Urgent good or urgent bad?
Comment by Dagazzi — November 4, 2007 @ 10:56 am
Yeah, come on, Nikki, give us something…
Comment by Dmizzo — November 4, 2007 @ 11:21 am
Yeah! We’re dying out here.
Comment by RM — November 4, 2007 @ 11:23 am
What a cock tease…lol
Comment by jb — November 4, 2007 @ 11:26 am
if the strike was called off I assume that would be the headline
however I agree, hurry up Nikki I want the latest episode in this saga.
Comment by wamdue — November 4, 2007 @ 11:26 am
Nikki, I’m a writer. You’re my source. Keep up the good work, baby!
Comment by anonymous — November 4, 2007 @ 11:36 am
For the love of God… just tell us the both sides have come to an agreement and it’s business as usual tomorrow. Otherwise, I have to go get a job waiting tables or find a sugar mama to take care of me in these harsh times.
Comment by Paul — November 4, 2007 @ 11:43 am
YOU ROCK. This has been the best site for any info on the strike. Keep up the great work. I’m jamming on a rewrite this very moment and have a studio executive calling me every hour asking me what’s up. This is making me nuts.
Comment by deadhill — November 4, 2007 @ 11:48 am
Can we at least confirm that meeting TOOK PLACE??
Comment by Anonymous — November 4, 2007 @ 11:48 am
Can we at least CONFIRM that the Meeting took place at all??
Comment by anon — November 4, 2007 @ 11:49 am
Let’s keep our fingers crossed in hopes that, whatever the update is, is good news. *crosses fingers*
Comment by supernova8610 — November 4, 2007 @ 11:49 am
hopefully they will just put a delay on the strike while they continue the negotiations… PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE!
Comment by anonymous — November 4, 2007 @ 11:51 am
The meeting DID take place. It’s happening RIGHT NOW.
Comment by deadhill — November 4, 2007 @ 11:56 am
hurry up, nikki! i’m a writer and i rely on you!
Comment by anonymous — November 4, 2007 @ 11:56 am
Guild members should check the private forums at Writeraction.com for regular updates there. Good stuff for everyone at unitedhollywood.com too.
Comment by Jeremy — November 4, 2007 @ 11:56 am
Wow. Talk about pins and needles. We need information! (Thanks in advance.)
Comment by Harley — November 4, 2007 @ 11:56 am
C’mon, Nikki! You gotta tell us WHEN you’re going to update us! p.s. You rock!
Comment by vp — November 4, 2007 @ 11:59 am
please tell us something positive has come out of this weekend!!
Comment by 8hopeful* — November 4, 2007 @ 12:11 pm
Holy god. I keep reloading the page like I’m trying to score U2 tickets.
Comment by Dagazzi — November 4, 2007 @ 12:11 pm
“I want to choose my words very, very carefully” I think Nikki is trying to be mysterious
Comment by wamdue — November 4, 2007 @ 12:15 pm
did one side forget about daylight savings and not show up, making the other side think that they’d been stood up? LOL
Comment by Jill — November 4, 2007 @ 12:20 pm
desperately trying to finish all of these projects before midnight tonight…refreshing madly for the news!!
thank you in advance for your dogged hard work, nikki!!
Comment by tx — November 4, 2007 @ 12:26 pm
The Colbert Nation holds it’s collective breath….
We’re turning blue over here!! (Red, white, and blue, of course but still!)
Comment by h_babylon — November 4, 2007 @ 12:27 pm
You’re killing me here! Please let it be good. This was posted 2 hours ago. *sigh*
Comment by Brent — November 4, 2007 @ 12:29 pm
You’ve been an incredible resource. Keep it up. thanks.
Comment by anonymous — November 4, 2007 @ 12:29 pm
Wow! The desperation dripping off the pages of this comments page is so sad. Don’t you writers (I know I do) have savings? Don’t you people have contigency plans in case of: work stoppage, unemployment, act of god? Me: I could care less if there’s a strike as I figure out long ago I need to make a living writing for many different outlets. I suggest the rest of you do the same.
Comment by Strike, Schmike — November 4, 2007 @ 12:32 pm
The strike starts Monday, as scheduled.
Comment by PencilDown — November 4, 2007 @ 12:34 pm
Feels like false hopes are trying to be raised….
Comment by ReelBusy — November 4, 2007 @ 12:36 pm
Hang on. The same John Wells who sold us out the last time? Great!
Comment by harley — November 4, 2007 @ 12:36 pm
hopefully this means there wont be a long strike.
Comment by wamdue — November 4, 2007 @ 12:36 pm
Nikki, I respect your reporting, but for the love of god if this blog jeopardizes anything going on in the background, PLEASE REMOVE IT.
I’d hate for the reporting of progress to be a roadblock to progress.
Comment by Jimmy — November 4, 2007 @ 12:36 pm
Isn’t John Wells the same guy tht made a bad deal for the wrtiers last time around?
Comment by Matt — November 4, 2007 @ 12:42 pm
Am I the only one who has heard via more than one reliable WGA member source that John Wells is one of the reasons we’ve taken crappy deals in the past? That in fact JW scabbed during the last strike? I certainly hope it’s not true, but I can’t be the only one who has heard it.
Comment by ifwestrikeletsmakeitcount — November 4, 2007 @ 12:45 pm
Lest anyone forget, Wells screwed over his entire writing staff on West Wing mere days after settling the last labor dispute.
Comment by WewewellddWellsisatool — November 4, 2007 @ 12:46 pm
Tactically, this may be the foothold that the federal mediator needs to secure a 7-14 day “cooling off period.”
In that time, he might achieve a de-coupling of DVD and new media negotiations, though that would require a major concession from the producers (bootstrapping DVD rates into new media is a keystone of their strategy). If that happened, there is a ray of hope - although who knows what the writers would have to give up in-kind to get there.
Strategically, this might be a dead-end. Isn’t John Wells the guy that many writers think rolled in the last contract talks? There is a perception that he is more of a producer than writer … and I wonder how Mr. Verrone feels about an ex-president riding to the rescue, after Verrone just won an overwhelming mandate in his re-election …
Comment by SR — November 4, 2007 @ 12:47 pm
Strike/Shmike,
There are many other people reading this board other than writers whose livelihoods are on the line who don’t get big paychecks or residuals. I have savings, but not six months’ worth, that’s for sure. So keep fiddlin’ while Rome burns, buddy.
I for one have had fingers/toes/etc. crossed all weekend. I, even as a lapsed Catholic, went to church.
Comment by Average Joe — November 4, 2007 @ 12:47 pm
As a WGA member who was around when Wells was in charge last time… this news is kind of like being told that Dick Cheney is going to “help” broker a fair settlement between poor folks and Fortune 500 CEO’s.
Comment by Anonymous — November 4, 2007 @ 12:48 pm
Just got a message from Verrone ot WGA membership timed 12:19 PM and beginning, “On Monday morning, our strike will begin.”
Is this despite ongoing efforts or an indication they’ve fallen short?
Comment by Robert — November 4, 2007 @ 12:48 pm
we should all BE GRATEFUL for this site. Those who could care less about this strike you do not need to be on the site. This affect alot of people in this community. Nikki has this great website and we should be thankful that there is continous updates!!
Comment by anon — November 4, 2007 @ 12:50 pm
Gimme a break. He sold the writers down the river the last time. If the studios are hoping for a repeat of 2001- they should be warned the writers learned from their last go-round w/John Welles. He is firmly in the studios camp.
Comment by Anonymous — November 4, 2007 @ 12:56 pm
OMG, i can’t take it! let us know something.
Comment by rufus — November 4, 2007 @ 12:56 pm
Picket locations are now up on the guild website:
http://www.wga.org/subpage_member.aspx?id=2536
Comment by Jeremy — November 4, 2007 @ 12:57 pm
Fuck me. Of course John Wells has the mogul support…this is the same guy who pushed forward the continuation of the shitty deal we have now when he had numerous huge tv shows on the air in 2001….people John Wells screwed us in 2001 by negotiatin g for himself and 18 other guys in hollywood. He negotiated in bad faith while devisively misleading the guilds memebers (which quite frankly isn’t that hard to do, were a very diverse and often deparate group and can be easily fed because all you have to do is say JOB to most writers and were happy…that is what Wells did). BE WARY OF ANYONE THE MOGUL WANT TO TALK WITH. They have shown no interest in talking, not even now. John Wells is the 8th mogul and if we empower him AGAIN we should be prepared for more of the same.
Comment by NOT JOHN WELLS....PLEASE — November 4, 2007 @ 1:00 pm
Wasn’t JW partialy responsible for our settling for a less-than-desirable deal in the past, which is one of the reasons we’re in this predicament now?
Comment by writer — November 4, 2007 @ 1:00 pm
What took Benedict Arnold…ooops, I mean John Wells, so long to step up. Isn”t he the same guy that sold us down the river the last time?
This kind of action keeps us fractured and weakens our position.
The negotiating committee or as you call it– the axis of paralys– is doing what they believe is best for the WGA membership. Let’s not start second guessing them now.
Comment by Take A deep breath — November 4, 2007 @ 1:02 pm
Great work, Nikki. I was suspicious after reading the first post — just what we need, more obeisance from Wells — but the update was a big help, and if in fact the WGA leadership have approved this? Well. It gives one hope. At least until, of course, it doesn’t.
Comment by Harley — November 4, 2007 @ 1:17 pm
John Wells!?!?!
Isn’t this the guy the current WGA board ran AGAINST! Saying he was too weak in the last contract negotiations?! Now they ask him to negotiate?
For all the bluster the WGA negotiating committee put on, they are on the verge of exposing they have the balls of fleas. I think that the WGA honchos just put themselves out on the limb with the membership.
Comment by by a WGA writer — November 4, 2007 @ 1:21 pm
It is worth noting, however, that those same moguls who fear ‘unionist tactics’ — hey, at least they didn’t call us Commies — might have been better served by lobbying Nick Counter rather than those anonymous showrunners when it comes to these negotiations. For example, they might have suggested that Mr. Counter actually negotiate. That would have been nice.
Comment by Harley — November 4, 2007 @ 1:24 pm
Wow, Strike, Schmike, the compassion dripping off your comments is… nonexistent. Glad you’re comfortable. I’m in good shape too. But I don’t welcome the financial hardship this strike is going to wreak. And I certainly wouldn’t chastise others for their fear of what could happen.
Comment by kat — November 4, 2007 @ 1:26 pm
Nikki should run one of the studios. F*** it. She’d have us all working.
Comment by Donald Barthelme — November 4, 2007 @ 1:28 pm
great, maybe wells can negotiate a roll back on our DVD residuals, as well as convince the WGA negotiating committee that the internet is just too new and unknown to demand any residuals from… it’s great if he can be the conduit to a dialogue, but please don’t give john wells the keys to the car…
Comment by leery of wells — November 4, 2007 @ 1:29 pm
Wells to the rescue? It sounds as if the WGA is concedes defeat in this round, too. If the writers are lucky, maybe some other medium will be invented to replace the digital media, ’cause they can kiss any progress on what’s considered today’s “new media” with Wells in the picture…
Comment by Anonymous — November 4, 2007 @ 1:32 pm
After the unanimity displayed at last week’s meeting, there is simply no way the WGA leadership are conceding defeat of any kind. They understand the stakes here, short and long term. If Wells can help? So be it. But his participation, at whatever level, is hardly an indication that anyone is about to fold.
Comment by Harley — November 4, 2007 @ 1:40 pm
if the guild leadership really and truly has brought john fucking wells in to cut a deal with the studios then I for one, a WGA member for 22 years, will never, ever honor another guild rule as long as I live. and if we do strike and wells is in the mix, I will happily scab away my time while the schmucks with underwoods walk the picket line.
Comment by mutt — November 4, 2007 @ 1:49 pm
John Wells? Where’s Arnie?!!
Comment by Klaatu — November 4, 2007 @ 2:20 pm
I have faith our Negotiating Committee will know how to use Wells, instead of being used by him. They have dealt with him for years and are far far less impressed by him than the moguls are. And the moguls are not nearly as impressed with Wells as Wells is with himself.
If he wants to middle something, I’m sure it will be looked at very closely.
Remember, we don’t want to strike, we don’t want to shut L.A. down — that was the studios’ idea.
Comment by Fooled by Wells once — November 4, 2007 @ 2:21 pm
These comments are unreal. People more worried about who’s making the deal, than whether the deal is good or bad. The more comments I read on here, the more I’m convinced this is as much about egos as new media residuals.
Comment by unreal — November 4, 2007 @ 2:29 pm
Kat: Maybe I’m just tired of writers bitching and moaning constantly. “I’m not working!” “I’m not making enough money!” It’s endless even continuing here on a board filled with people who don’t plan. Honestly, I hope there is a strike (there, I said it!) because maybe when there are the next round of guild elections, we’ll place someone in a position that can actually prevent these things. Once more, writers have caved into the big, bad studio executive.
Comment by strike, schmike — November 4, 2007 @ 2:36 pm
Keep in mind also that this time around, TV writers have much more at stake than in 2001 … I don’t think Internet downloads had started at that time, and even if they had, they weren’t the factor they are today. So Wells may have a bit more self-interest this go around.
Comment by Dave L — November 4, 2007 @ 2:49 pm
All concerned should feel thankful that there are talks, and not a total shut-down. Stop dreaming of a perfect scenario, a perfect mediator, or a perfect deal, they do not exist. John Wells, like him or hate him, could be what stands between a negotiated deal and a very damaging and lenghty strike. I appreciate that Nikki uses her discretion to post, I’d rather veer on the side of less is more and be patient as not to inflame personalities that are prone to deal-breaking rhetoric. Peace.
Comment by Concerned — November 4, 2007 @ 2:50 pm
Amen, unreal. It’s ALL about ego– on both sides of the fence. No one seems to care about making the deal but rather how much they can scream “I’m right! I’m right!” while not noticing that they’re trampling people without a say in this argument underfoot.
Comment by Con Air — November 4, 2007 @ 2:56 pm
If “strike-schmike” hopes there is a strike, he or she is someone who:
Has family money.
Made enough money to save a lot.
Or married money.
Or is married to someone who earns enough money to get by.
And/or has no children to support.
None of those scenarios is the case for me or the writing staff on the show I work on. All of us prefer to work. All of us are very concerned about the sudden cessation of income, and the effects that will have on our families.
Comment by Jack — November 4, 2007 @ 2:58 pm
I actually get what you’re saying Strike Schmike. I’m a reader, and I’ve been planning for this strike since January, putting away a percentage of every $50 I made for a script. I was a reader in 88 also and saw how little the writers got after six months out. I also have diversified my work. My biggest fear is that a strike will shut things down, put my favorite copy shop out of business (the one right across from Kinkos, with the better prices) and put my favorite couriers out of business and eventually put me out of business AND then everyone will lose their resolve and there still won’t be a fair deal for writers. I’ll be on the picket lines with you my brothers and sisters, ’cause I sure won’t be at home reading.
Comment by kat — November 4, 2007 @ 3:05 pm
Con Air…
I don’t get it. What is your ‘a plague on both their houses’ pose based on? The characterization you toss around — both sides screaming “I’m right! I’m right!” is objectively false. The Companies have refused to negotiate or address WGA proposals. Their own proposals are aimed at a de facto elimination of residual benefits.
The idea that both sides are to blame for this impasse is utter nonsense. And btw, just the perception the Companies are hoping for.
Thanks but no thanks.
Comment by Harley — November 4, 2007 @ 3:05 pm
At least this should finally put to rest the theory that WGA leadership actually wants a strike.
The fact they’d accept Wells substantiates their claims that they’d reach out to anyone at all who could get the other side to engage in a dialogue — which had, up until today, not happened.
Comment by ChezAtreus — November 4, 2007 @ 3:07 pm
Let the chaos and panic begin… Folks, calm down. It’s way out of your collective hands at this point. Be supportive, picket, be strong as long as you can. This strike will resolve like all the others - maybe fast, maybe slow…some negotiating points will be met, others will fall by the wayside. You’re not going to get everything you want. Since when is Hollywood fair and just - especially to writers? I want to go to work tomorrow just like the rest of you. A two hundred person TV crew WANTS me to come to work tomorrow. But I believe in the issues and have enormous respect for the negotiating committee and our Guild President. Yes, Wells caved on some key issues last time, but did any of you miss a mortgage payment or have trouble paying your kids school tuition? No. So in that respect he was successful and could be a real help this week. Truth is, no one was talking AT ALL until he got involved. Don’t start eating each other alive yet. Trust me, when the time is right I’ll be first in line at the smorgasboard. You want to solve this absurdity, show up at a picket rally tomorrow. Block a teamster from driving on a lot. They don’t want to drive through, but they contractually have to. If the line is solid, they won’t cross it and production will grind to a halt. You want Rupert or Sumner to pay attention? That’ll do it.
Comment by ealist — November 4, 2007 @ 3:11 pm
I think it’s pretty safe to assume that anyone who WANTS a strike is either 1) independently wealthy, 2) bored, 3) frustrated with his/her writing, or 4) all of the above.
The WGA leadership has said, up until the last minute, that they DO NOT WANT TO STRIKE. Why in God’s name would ANYONE, with the exception of studios who hold the keys to hundreds of contracts they no longer need, want a strike?
“Wanting” a strike is tantamount to a child “wanting” a tsunami to hit so that he can miss school for a few weeks.
The ‘88 strike didn’t amount to jack for writers. And the studios? Please. See Nikki’s posts. They’d only benefit, as it’d allow them to shred contracts and save money in the end. They can afford a strike for a year. They don’t care about writers’ families or dry cleaners or couriers, et al.
WGA leadership is being incredibly smart here. They’ve galvanized their members and have prepared them for a “potential” strike. From Nikki’s latest post, sounds like they’ve known what they were doing all along, and they’re going to get what they want. 1) a decent deal. 2) no strike.
At least, let’s hope.
Comment by Kevin — November 4, 2007 @ 3:24 pm
Thanks for the updates Nikki, really appreciate it. Hoping for no strike. I love my TV shows.
Comment by Brent — November 4, 2007 @ 3:44 pm
Thankfully, the “I want a strike so I can say ‘nana boo boo’ to the other writers who didn’t plan for it as well as I did” is a fairly small contingent within the writer’s guild. Most writers I know have done their best to save in the eventuality of a strike, but some savings will last longer than others. Writing is not the most stable of careers. We love what we do - or at the very least, can’t see ourselves doing anything else - so we take the risk. Good luck to everyone, and let’s hope this can get resolved as quickly as possible.
Comment by Norna Rae's pants — November 4, 2007 @ 3:49 pm
We who happily write “producer’s passes” and don’t get paid. We who trust in “good faith” clauses. We who watch our (frequently) original stories make fortunes for the studios while we hold our breath for that mythical back-end check and watch the DVD market positively burgeon and the advent of a brand new story-telling medium…are we not a brotherhood and sisterhood - a tribe - of idealists? Even the most cynical writer I know believes that he can, one day, see his work well-produced and afford to raise his family.
What we seek for this new contract is nothing if not reasonable, humble, and 20-odd years overdue. Our idealism and willingness to work for nothing (those “producer’s passes”) for the sake of a film or a show is common knowledge throughout the industry.
And this is an industry whose excesses are fucking legendary.
And we’re seeking pennies.
We are on the side of righteousness and common sense right now.
We’re fighting for our interity as artists and if there is truth to the allegations that Mr. Wells failed to honor the contract that he once negotiated…that he scabbed during the last strike, then he should have no place in this drama.
I’m all for moving our agenda - a fair deal - forward, but I would urge Mssrs. Verrone & Young not to allow themselves to be re-written by Mr. Wells.
Comment by Dakkar- WGA Writer/Producer — November 4, 2007 @ 3:52 pm
I lived through the 81 and 88 strikes (and it cost me dearly) plus all the subsequent contracts and compromised deals and I’m sick and tired of the WGA membership always caving in and giving away the future. Read the story in todays Weekly Variety and if that does not convince you where things are headed nothing will.
We must get a fair share of the new technologies.
Sure a strike means lots of people and business will suffer but just think back (if you are old enough) to 1981 and the beginning of home video…the future was in our sight and very few of us saw it’s potential value. We have the advantage of knowing now what we gave up then…We cannot afford to give it away again!
Comment by Take A Deep Breath — November 4, 2007 @ 4:13 pm
I saw the feed for tonight’s NBC network news a little earlier. They had a pretty long piece on the negotiations. The upshot was, according to them, that the meetings today didn’t result in anything and the strike is still on.
Comment by Dan Barker — November 4, 2007 @ 4:20 pm
Wow you are good.
Comment by Marcello Robinson — November 4, 2007 @ 4:20 pm
If you are a screenwriter and you don’t want to be a part of the union, what are your options?
Comment by Joseph — November 4, 2007 @ 4:27 pm
I hear there’s going to be a site set up to name producers and writers who cross the lines and work anyway. I’ll send the URL when I get it.
Comment by Russell Simmonz — November 4, 2007 @ 4:42 pm
And how would someone named on that site defend themselves if they were innocent?
Comment by russell Simmonz — November 4, 2007 @ 5:01 pm
Joseph,
You can get financial core status, which makes you a dues-paying non-member. I wouldn’t recommend it. But google ‘financial core’ for more details.
Comment by Harley — November 4, 2007 @ 5:04 pm
I heard the WGA is going to fine members who don’t show up to picket — anyone know if this is true?
Comment by ceci — November 4, 2007 @ 5:06 pm
Joseph, I guess if you never want to become WGA then you can do anything you want. But keep in mind that a lot of the producers who hire writers are also WGA, and will likely hold scab work against you.
Comment by Writer EO — November 4, 2007 @ 5:07 pm
@Joseph - You’ve got no options. If you scab and are caught, not only will you be banned from the union, but you’re basically never going to work again for a signatory company. And most (if not all) signatory companies would be remiss to employ a non-union writer during a strike, as also if they’re caught huge fines can be levied against them by the guild– basically making it not worth their while to employ a scab.
Also, no agency or management company can or would represent you. Doing a deal for a scab writer will also get a fine from the guild– or revocation of signatory status.
In the end, it’s not worth anyone’s time to try and cross the line, and the guild does their best to ensure this.
Comment by IJustMadeThatUp — November 4, 2007 @ 5:14 pm
I doubt anyone would get fined for not showing up. But they want 20 hours of your time, per week, to walk the line. Morning or afternoon shifts.
Comment by Harley — November 4, 2007 @ 5:15 pm
Harley,
Why do you not recommend going fi-core?
Every now and then I see a mention of fi-core and the person who mentions it (as if it were some Skull and Bones organization) says not to join it but they never say why.
As someone who is not in the guild yet (but has a non WGA movie going into production soon), I’d love to know the answer.
Comment by Non WGA Writer — November 4, 2007 @ 5:17 pm
Yes, well, I have a life, and I don’t want to give up twenty hours a week to the WGA.
Comment by ceci — November 4, 2007 @ 5:23 pm
The studios are being typically myopic in trying to monopolize revenue from Internet downloads. For this contract period at least, the major cash will come from ad revenues. Guild negotiators should get the best possible deal on DVD residuals but offer to concede Internet downloads in order to get a share of ad revenue from any material distributed digitally. (See Digital biz is WGA sticking point
Comment by Not an expert — November 4, 2007 @ 5:24 pm
Thanks Nikki for being the bang-up journalist that you are. I don’t know what I’d do without you in this sea of propaganda.
Dumb question… Anyone know whether the strike is set for 12:01 eastern or pacific? I.e. will Rockefeller Center get picketers at 12:01 local time or 3:01? I’m trying to figure out when the actual deadline is for the AMPTP and WGA to come up with a miracle.
Thanks in advance…
Comment by below the line — November 4, 2007 @ 5:25 pm
I was wondering…..not a guild member here, but aren’t agents guild signatories but management companies not?
Comment by JOe — November 4, 2007 @ 5:31 pm
I assume cessation of work must begin at 12:01 for the place you’re in. Picketing begins at 9:00 am. And, there is no deadline for an agreement. They can and will keep negotiating during the strike.
Comment by Klaatu — November 4, 2007 @ 5:32 pm
Below The Line: According to the WGA site, picketing begins at 9am PST in Los Angeles. Unsure technically when “pencils down” time is, 12:01am EST or PST.
Comment by Unsomnambulist — November 4, 2007 @ 5:40 pm
Below the line-
They strike starts at 12:01 where you are located. Any material is due before 12:01 wherever the company is located that you are sending the material to, not after. Picketers are to report at 9am east coast time at rockefeller and 9am pacific for morning duty at the studios across town.
Comment by Marty — November 4, 2007 @ 5:44 pm
Strike starts at 12:01 *in your time zone*. So the East Coast writers strike three hours earlier than the West Coast ones. I don’t think anyone’s hopping on the subway at midnight to picket 30 Rock, though.
Comment by wgae member — November 4, 2007 @ 5:47 pm
The strike begins at 12:01 am Monday in WHATEVER TIMEZONE YOU ARE IN. so for new york, that’s 3 hours ahead of LA, obviously… Still 12:01 am, wherever you are. This comes from a letter that’s posted on the WGAE site (I believe).
Comment by metinker — November 4, 2007 @ 5:48 pm
lol ive been think its midnight:01 LA time.
Comment by wamdue — November 4, 2007 @ 5:54 pm
Wells screwed the Guild members once already and that is why the moguls will encourage him. The 2001 contract literally destroyed the financial process so people could become - or remain - middle-class or upper-middle-class writers. Listening to him again would be a disaster for the guild which is exactly why the moguls endorse and request his meddling.
The fact the Guild has nothing but hypenates in their negotiation ranks is an ominous sign against financial security in this contract.
The worst business people in this business run the WGA. The most disenginuous are the producer’s negotiators. And once the internet distribution systems are built, the most unnecessary people will be the moguls. All in all it is a recipe for disaster, but in the short term the WGA needs to hold their ground, ignore Wells, and grow a pair so they demand twice the monetary structure they are even asking for now.
But i fear they will wuss out and once again be ashamed to show a Guild card except for the six weeks of free movies at the end of the year.
Comment by Big C — November 4, 2007 @ 6:00 pm
The time has come for a paradigm shift… The old entertainment business models doesn’t work. Artists/writers must unite, and must unite now! It’s time to end the tyranny of corporate greed. Do shareholders really want to support a company that continues to exploit writers/artists? Isn’t it possible to have a profitable (extremely profitable) entertainment enterprise that treats artists fairly, one that honors and values their incredible contribution to American culture? Yes… And the time is now. Let’s put an end to the madness. Today. Today…
Comment by Dante D'Po — November 4, 2007 @ 6:02 pm
so will this set of talks continue after the strike (probaly Monday morning) or is it back to them not talking to each other?
Comment by wamdue — November 4, 2007 @ 6:03 pm
Does anyone know how to get in contact with Strike Captains to report a location to strike? I know of a location that will be shooting a TV show tomorrow.
Comment by Guess Who — November 4, 2007 @ 6:13 pm
a few more hours. Maybe we will reach an agreement. It would be nice to know that we have jobs during christmas.
Comment by anon — November 4, 2007 @ 6:27 pm
As another great writer, Robert Hunter, once said:
I got a feeling and it won’t go away, oh no
Just one thing then I’ll be OK
I need a miracle every day!
Comment by Tony S — November 4, 2007 @ 6:47 pm
im starting to think this strike may not happen, if it does, it wont be for long.
Comment by wamdue — November 4, 2007 @ 6:49 pm
Does anyone think that if serious progress is made that the writers would consider to work or stiking? As long as real progress is made it seems like the prudent thing to do. A strike is still a possibility if progress is halted.
Comment by Anonymous — November 4, 2007 @ 6:56 pm
For Non WGA writer - try to google Beck vs Communication Workers of America, or Executive Order 13201 (I think thats the right #). I think writers need a new model too - sell your work on the open market and use your head when you sign a contract! Most of the commments on the board talk about new tech which is something I dont think anyone can pin down or health care and pension which leaves me with a big ???? - you write a screenplay and someone pays you for it and they also have to contribute to your health coverage and pension fund? Thats exactly what killed the US auto industry - having unions soak them for costly pension plans and health care policies that tacked so much onto the sticker that they couldnt compete with the overseas guy.
Look - writing is the foundation of everything we see on the big an little screen - even “reality” programs are no good unless you have someone who knows how to “shape” a storyline - but the money man (and woman) is not the corporation in the long run but the ticket buyer or the advertiser who thinks the product is worth paying for - you think “Corporate” is happy with the bath they take on stinkers like “Rendition” and “Caveman”?
Comment by Barbara L. — November 4, 2007 @ 7:00 pm
Writer’s don’t want to strike. So YEAH, if there’s any possible progress, the strike will be put on hold. We want a fair deal way more than we want to don red t-shirts and wave placards.
Comment by metinker — November 4, 2007 @ 7:04 pm
it would have to be real serious progress for them to call off the strike, however if progress is made tonight, then, both sides can start the strike with a positive out look and that can only be a good thing.
Comment by wamdue — November 4, 2007 @ 7:06 pm
I read the comment about Rendition and Caveman and I’m a little confused…Is the writer the sole reason they flopped? Do the producers, directors, actors and marketing ahve anything to do with it?
Or are we like Warner Brothers and their belief that female protagonists won’t sell solely because of the fact a woman starred in the film?
It sounds all the same to me.
Once a writer lets the material go…even good material can be ruined by the process. Or perhaps, maybe the audience jsut wanted something different.
Comment by Joe — November 4, 2007 @ 7:18 pm
You’re kidding, right? Setting aside the importance of both pension and healthcare plans, that isn’t a business model, it’s an adolescent fantasy.
Comment by Harley — November 4, 2007 @ 7:24 pm
Barbara L.
Yeah, if it only it weren’t for we selfish writers and our extortionary demands for pension and health contributions, the entertainment business might have by now become one of the most profitable industries in the world.
No doubt they’ll be looking for a government bailout any day now.
Comment by WriteHanded — November 4, 2007 @ 7:27 pm
The talks must be succeeding. Otherwise, most of the Guild would be drunk and flaming each other online.
Comment by pumpkin — November 4, 2007 @ 7:42 pm
WTF?
Nikki, come on! Post. For the love of Church, let us know what’s going on. It’s 745PM!
Pins & Needles,
BG
Comment by Brian Grazer — November 4, 2007 @ 7:44 pm
Here is hoping the studios stick to their guns and get the $$$ that is rightly theirs’. I am behind you all the way Iger!!!
Comment by Ramrod — November 4, 2007 @ 8:00 pm
yeah, it’s health and pension benefits that destroyed the american auto industry. yeah, that’s what it was.
Comment by r.mutt — November 4, 2007 @ 8:09 pm
Just curious - how long can these talks reasonably be expected to continue? I’m presuming it isn’t a situation where they’re going to try to filibuster each other long into the night. It just passed 8:00 pm on the West Coast, so does anyone know what’s the latest we can expect word of either a delay or a definite strike?
Comment by carol anne — November 4, 2007 @ 8:10 pm
Yeah, the nerve of writers wanting Health Care! Next they’ll want Life, or Liberty or the Pursuit of Happiness! Sigh.
There will be a strike tomorrow. It will be ugly, destructive and, I pray, short. But until someone on the corporate side stops the nudge-nudge, wink-wink and accepts the concept that a streamed TV show with ad breaks is not promotion, but, shockingly, what it looks like - a show, the strike will, I hope, continue.
Comment by IWalkTheLine — November 4, 2007 @ 8:22 pm
^ The material can always be ruined in the process with so many cooks in the kitchen. I think Barbara’s post was a reference to technology and the rolling cason that is new media. That is, the comparison to the auto industry and how the noble, honorable way to do business (my words) could be toppled by digital’s strength: the global reach of instant media. The studios can discard contracts, carry on… writers have more to lose. Obviously, there’s much to protect right now and in years to come. But it’s not a fair playing field. I hope negotiations are successful. Much has changed since the last go-around.
Comment by Dreams in Sentences — November 4, 2007 @ 8:22 pm
Joe,
I don’t think she wasn’t arguing that writers were the sole reason for those “flops”. But if you argue a writer is exempt from such “flops”, that’s just BS and feeds her ultimate point.
Maybe you should try attacking her point directly as apposed to whining about it.
She says writers don’t deserve what they get or what they’re asking for. That’s an argument worth having, and you might just win.
Comment by Anonymous — November 4, 2007 @ 8:32 pm
Comment by ceci: Yes, well, I have a life, and I don’t want to give up twenty hours a week to the WGA.
Well, if you’re a TV/film writer then you can’t work and you will be actually getting extra free time even if you picket for twenty hours.
And if those twenty hours really eat into your free time, then you’re not a working writer anyway.
Comment by Klaatu — November 4, 2007 @ 8:32 pm
Thanks Nikki for the updates. You’re doing awesome reportage on this. I’m sorry to hear that “significant” progress doesn’t appear to being made. I had hoped after all these hours of talking, something would break tonight and we’d all be relaxed and laughing tomorrow about the strike that almost was. Wishful thinking I guess.
Comment by metinker — November 4, 2007 @ 8:37 pm
Gee, Ceci, you have a life! How special. God forbid you give up any of your precious time for this silly strike! How dare the union that’s fighting to get you a better deal ask you to walk a picket line
Comment by Vince — November 4, 2007 @ 8:53 pm
Just faxed in my last pages (East coast writer). I’ll be walking the line 9 AM tomorrow.
For those of you who think a strike won’t be effective, I think you underestimate the guilds’ unity, on both coasts, and at all echelons (something decidedly not the case in years past).
I also think this is a strike issue all writers and actors understand. The strike of ‘88, I was part of it, but I don’t remember what the issues were. This one is simple: Internet. If we don’t get a share of the money from downloads and ad revenue, there will be no residuals for us five or ten years from now.
We are on strike for our future, and the future of writers and actors who will follow us. The AMPTP has forced us into this strike. My belief is they have miscalculated. It wouldn’t be the first time.
Comment by East Coast Cinderella — November 4, 2007 @ 9:10 pm
<>
if you’ve ever worked on a tv show, you know that what gets on is almost always a PALE REFLECTION of what you intended — after the studio, the network, and even the actors have given you notes. the “best” network shows are generally accidents, (seinfeld).
of course, some things are just shit… but even the people who wrote the shit set out to win an emmy.
Comment by anonymous — November 4, 2007 @ 9:15 pm
I am having all my employees (including myself) take a 50% salary cut starting tomorrow. All my support staff will work reduced hours and several will be laid-off. For the sake of everyone, let’s hope this strike gets averted or ends really quickly.
Comment by Producerman — November 4, 2007 @ 9:17 pm
Can someone tell me why I should applaud all the people who are “racing” to meet deadlines? Or writing three different endings to an episodic they’re directing?
Won’t those moves help the studios… by giving them more content to deal with this winter?
I understand that people want to get paid, but… come on. Why should a WGA writer want to help his/her bosses at this point?
I’m a lowly staff writer: All I know is… starting tomorrow… I’m losing a solid weekly paycheck.
I’ll hang up and wait for my answer.
Comment by Rhino — November 4, 2007 @ 9:22 pm
Comment by East Coast Cinderella: I think you underestimate the guilds’ unity, on both coasts
Maybe after this is all over we can merge the two WGAs already. Not sure why there’s a west and an east, It can’t help writers to be split like that.
Comment by Klaatu — November 4, 2007 @ 9:22 pm
East Coast Cinderella wrote, “Just faxed in my last pages (East coast writer). I’ll be walking the line 9 AM tomorrow.”
I’m a working writer and I support the strike but here’s what I don’t understand…
We keep hearing about all these writers who are “rushing” to get scripts done before the deadline and then getting ready to “stand strong” on the picket lines. Isn’t there something inherently contradictory here?
We want to inflict maximum damage to the producers but, at the same time, many of us are doing anything we can to get last-minute material into the same pipeline we’re hoping to shut down. I just have a hard time listening to people talk about solidarity and the good fight when they’re doing everything they can to squeeze out pages (and get paid) before the deadline.
Comment by Hmmmm.... — November 4, 2007 @ 9:27 pm
Just so everyone knows, I wrote a movie (I am a WGA member) and received a whole 4 cents per copy sold. Yes, I am not joking! That is about what a writer gets on a DVD sale. 4 pennies! The people who press the DVD make ten times that.
Comment by B — November 4, 2007 @ 9:29 pm
So instead of writing or editing or, say, doing the crossword, I’ve been reduced to hitting refresh on the computer.
It’s going to be a long night… and a long week… and maybe… hopefully not… aa long few months.
Comment by Pilotinpost — November 4, 2007 @ 9:31 pm
I am on the crew side of this ordeal. I know the writers as well as the producers on my tv drama show. I know the toll it is taking on them and not to mention the son is a writer and the dad a producer. Not only is this business but its also personal. Here is hoping we can agree and no one is hurt in the process. Try and be somewhat nice some of these writers are soooo young and don’t deal with the pressure as well as some of the elder ones
Comment by abcsupporter — November 4, 2007 @ 9:42 pm
I turned in a script a couple of days ago. But it was due, as in I’d had my notes and my writing period was up. And now I’m due to be paid, which I will need. Should I not have turned it in?
Comment by ifwestrikeletsmakeitcount — November 4, 2007 @ 9:46 pm
In re: to people rushing to finish projects.
Technically, we’re not on strike yet and they are on contract and as such, have a duty to the producers to do their best.
We will all be working together again soon (hopefully very) so it’s best to go out on the best possible note.
Also, if there’s a crew involved, I think, just my opinion, it’s best to fill their pockets with money that lasts as long as possible for them. It would be nice if the strike is settled before people’s lives are crushed.
It’s a tough call and I think if people’s livelihoods are depending on you, you want to help. Now, having said that… after the strike, PENCILS DOWN, EDIT BAYS EMPTY. Or so I think.
Comment by metinker — November 4, 2007 @ 9:46 pm
i hope no updates in the past hour is a sign of major development shaping
Comment by 40yearoldstitzer — November 4, 2007 @ 9:59 pm
If ALL home-based entertainment migrates to the Internet and we do no have a piece of that… game over.
I hope they have decent snax on the picket lines tomorrow.
Comment by Residsbeengood2me — November 4, 2007 @ 10:00 pm
To Joseph (4:27 pm): You directed your question to union writers (what are a screenwriter’s options if he doesn’t want to join the guild?), and you got a union answer. The fact of the matter is that hundreds of non-union independent movies are made every year, all over the country. And with the rise of web entertainment, there are lots and lots of possibilities there, too.
You shouldn’t expect to get a lot of money from them (much less make anything resembling a living), but if what you want is for your work to be realized on the screen, you can always go those routes. Working in those areas wouldn’t make you a scab writer at all; just an artist with a day job.
I’m just making sure you get a complete answer to the question. Most folks here justifiably have a LOT on their minds right now, so it’s to be expected that their answers are going to be blunt. But if you ever want to make a living solely from script writing, you may need to rethink your options.
Comment by Mark R. — November 4, 2007 @ 10:02 pm
Giving the studios product will help them survive a strike longer.
Getting paychecks will help writers survive a strike longer.
Perhaps it winds up being a draw?
Comment by DLW — November 4, 2007 @ 10:06 pm
The WGAE website is stating that the AMPTP walked out of the day-long talks at 12:30 a.m EST and the strike is on.
Comment by DLW — November 4, 2007 @ 10:09 pm
If We Strike wrote, “I turned in a script a couple of days ago. But it was due, as in I’d had my notes and my writing period was up. And now I’m due to be paid, which I will need. Should I not have turned it in?”
I don’t know. It seems to me, though, that if you’re waving the stick-it-to-the-studios flag, you should know that you’ve just helped the very system that you’re striking to undermine. There’s definitely some hypocrisy there.
Metinker wrote, “It’s a tough call and I think if people’s livelihoods are depending on you, you want to help.”
This would be an exceptionally admirable notion if it were even remotely true, but I sincerely doubt that this is the case. The writers who are rushing projects in before the deadline are trying to get paid. Plain and simple. This idea that they’re trying to protect the livelihoods of crew members is pretty ridiculous.
The point here is that to write these posts about how we’re all in it together while, at the same time, putting the finishing touches on some script that you’re gonna submit before the deadline is a load of shit. Don’t lie to us and yourself when you talk about standing together.
Strikes are about sacrificing everything for the cause. They’re not about grabbing as much loot as you can before you walk the picket line.
In my opinion, if you’re apprehensive or ambivalent about the strike (as most reasonable people are), it’s fine to try to get out a last pages so you can support your family. It’s a reasonable thing to do.
I’m just tired of hearing about people who are so “committed” to the cause but, at the same time, just closed some big-ass deal so they can still go to Hawaii over Christmas.
Comment by Anonymous — November 4, 2007 @ 10:12 pm
By the by, the scenario Barbara L describes is exactly what happens with spec scripts and book buys etc. (as long as the buy is not below guild minimums). But the writing that gets health care and set fees is writing for hire. It is a job, where you craft a story that works for producers, sometimes advertisers, always actors, as well as budgets, locations, weather, casting etc. And, hopefully, the audience.
All right, time to get to bed, I’ve some striking to do tomorrow. Shut ‘em down hard. End this puppy fast.
Comment by Freemarketeer — November 4, 2007 @ 10:12 pm
Ended, and didn’t end well. Strike’s on - and it’s not “let’s get a good night’s sleep and start tomorrow.”
Patric got the strike he promised when he was elected. Hope he’s happy.
Comment by Peter M. — November 4, 2007 @ 10:15 pm
Totally lame that they couldn’t hold off the strike on the East Coast for a little bit longer. It’s called good faith. What a disaster.
Comment by pissed — November 4, 2007 @ 10:18 pm
Comment by it's like the west bank up in here — November 4, 2007 @ 10:21 pm
I think the WGAe striking as planned was a smart move and took courage on the part of the WGA. I’m on the cusp of having a project set up and joining the guild and would rather wait and watch WGA members do the right thing and be strong, than join the guild tomorrow with the guild settling for less. I watched the last deal get negotiated and was sad that folks didn’t stay strong regarding DVD residuals. WGA should stay on the strike schedule - the producers had a long time to see this day coming. They knew it would be here. If the strike were delayed, it would put the guild in a weak place because the longer the negotiating without a strike goes on, the more scripts are TV and movies get handed in and the more the studios get more of what they want. I’ll be striking with you come tomorrow in LA. I hope to see you all there. Stay strong and hope the leaders continue to show courage and do the right thing.
Comment by outsidelookingin — November 4, 2007 @ 10:24 pm
I am curious. I am a non-union employee in the computer department at one of the major studios that will, in all liklihood, be experiencing pickets starting tomorrow, barring a settlement tonight. With the location of my office being right inside the main gate, I will have to walk through the picket lines in order to get to work. I guess what I am asking is, what is the union’s view of those of us that aren’t union crossing the picket line. I support the basic premise of the writer’s cause but I am in no position to pick up a sign and walk out myself. Will the picketers be civil? I would assume so but then I remember back to the supermarket strike a few years back and if I wanted to simply buy groceries, I was threatened and intimidated. I’d just like to know how some of the writers here view my circumstance.
Hooper
Comment by Hooper — November 4, 2007 @ 10:25 pm
Is there something I am missing? Did people start picketing just after midnight in New York? No.
Why is it such a big deal that midnight past? Yes, technically the strike started, but all of the striking writers in the east would be either in bed or glued to sites like this. I don’t think a strike takes effect until people wake up to go to work then don’t go.
Seems like a bogus reason to walk to me.
Comment by Jimmy — November 4, 2007 @ 10:25 pm
despite the last minute walkout, the fact that concessions were beginning to be made on the amptp side makes me think that once the pissing contest dies down an agreement will be reached.
Comment by Anonymous — November 4, 2007 @ 10:26 pm
This is a total disaster. If there was actual progress on new media and the writers walked in the middle of negotiations… now they look like complete morons.
Comment by Jimmy — November 4, 2007 @ 10:27 pm
The AMPTP walked out because the strike wasn’t postponed in the middle of the night? After months of not negotiating seriously, they think one single day of negotiating will call it off? Are they INSANE?!
Comment by George Glass — November 4, 2007 @ 10:28 pm
Nick, Nick, Nick. I’m getting so tired of this guy. “Start their strike?” “Most of our demands?? I don’t even know what to say.
Comment by ifwestrikeletsmakeitcount — November 4, 2007 @ 10:31 pm
I think it’s kind of funny that now one of Nick Counter’s complaints about the WGA, is that the organization apparently lacks the ability to stop time.
And here I thought he got a kickback for every second that passed…
Comment by Jimmy — November 4, 2007 @ 10:34 pm
Anonymous wrote, “despite the last minute walkout, the fact that concessions were beginning to be made on the amptp side makes me think that once the pissing contest dies down an agreement will be reached.”
The last pissing contest lasted five months.
Comment by Anonymous — November 4, 2007 @ 10:35 pm
Nikki, you know this is bullshit on the companies part. Smells a lot like they were just interested in delaying the strike to get more stuff in the can. There’s simply no good reason to walk out with all the picketers safely in bed for 8 hours!
Comment by Mike — November 4, 2007 @ 10:36 pm
My feeling is it was too late to delay the strike. If calls started going out to guild members this late not to show up at picket lines, and then the studios started throttling their “attempts to meet us” and the strike had to be back on, the confusion would have resulted in much smaller numbers of picketers and a domino effect from there — press, teamsters, etc.
They can still negotiate during a strike.
Comment by Klaatu — November 4, 2007 @ 10:37 pm
Well dammit. Wouldn’t have killed them to wait.
Comment by Anonymous — November 4, 2007 @ 10:39 pm
This sucks. I hate all these people if what Nikki is reporting is true. Talks should break down if there is a negotiating impasse, not because of arbitrary timelines in the sand. There’s far too much at stake.
Comment by Tony S — November 4, 2007 @ 10:40 pm
Nikki, you have to know this is bullshit on the companies’ part. Smells like they never intended to do a real deal and just wanted to delay the strike. Let’s remember that this is five months of NOTHING until now.
Why would the companies walk out when the very first picketers were all still safely in bed for the next eight hours?
Comment by Mike — November 4, 2007 @ 10:47 pm
Well, that’s that.
Going to sleep. Then, going to strike.
Comment by Anonymous — November 4, 2007 @ 10:47 pm
It’s not a disaster. The AMPTP had weeks to move on this stuff and refused. The headline I took from this is that the AMPTP is actually talking about internet revenue… that’s new. This is all baby steps. If we want to get a good contract, we have to have some courage and stop complaining every move the WGA makes. This will take some time. We have to have the guts play chicken. We can do this… As writers we’re used to breaks in employment.
Comment by Tim — November 4, 2007 @ 10:51 pm
No, this was a ploy. The AMPTP seemed to have a press release ready. We have no idea how close they really were on serious issues. This was a calculated maneuver to try to undermine the WGA rank-and-file’s faith in their leadership. It’s what Counter has been doing the entire time. When the dust settles a bit, and we hear what really happened in there - I’m sure it’ll become clear that this session (like all the others) was designed for an AMPTP press release.
Comment by Former Moderate — November 4, 2007 @ 10:52 pm
Jesus Christ. Whoever mentioned “a pox on both their houses” had it dead right.
Comment by Average Joe — November 4, 2007 @ 10:53 pm
So the WGA is supposed to delay their strongest instrument in this negotiation, a strike, because the moguls at the last minute finally decided to start offering minimal concessions?
They didn’t seem hungry to avert a strike last week when they declared the two most important issues on the table non-negotiable. Nor did they seem so panicked for time when they refused, on several occasions, to negotiate, wasting not just valuable days this month, but most of July through September.
How about the negotiations continue while we writers proceed with the action that finally got them going in the first place - striking. If the moguls mean business and simply aren’t stalling, they can live with a day or two of work loss.
But if this is just posturing and bullshit, which it is, except them to hunker down as they always were intending and simply blame us in a childish treble.
Comment by Norm A. Rae — November 4, 2007 @ 10:54 pm
I’m not a WGA member, but I work in TV. And I have to say… Blaming the WGA for this? Are you kidding me? The AMPTP refused to negotiate in any way until the last minute and suddenly the WGA is at fault for not pushing off the strike they promised would happen if the AMPTP refused to move on their negotiations? Crazy talk. I love that the Moguls didn’t even meet until this weekend, and the WGA is the one supposedly causing this. The bottom line is the AMPTP isn’t taking this seriously. They’re going to lose a lot of money for a lot of people, including themselves.
Comment by Tim Tebow — November 4, 2007 @ 10:59 pm
I have some issues with the NegCom’s general approach to these negotiations, but I have to say that in this situation, without knowing specifically what concessions AMPTP offered, I trust David Young’s judgment about whether or not to stop the clock.
Comment by Mike S — November 4, 2007 @ 11:01 pm
I completely agree with Norm A. Rae. Well said. Say - you a writer? You really should consider it… Let them negotiate while the writers strike. I would love to see folks outside the WGA joining members picketing the studios. Would be great to have big numbers. See you in the morning.
Comment by outsidelookingin — November 4, 2007 @ 11:02 pm
Well, anonymous. How far back do you take that silly argument? I turned my script in before the strike was announced. Before thursday’s meeting took place. It was actually due and nearly ready about a week before that, at which time, silly me, I hoped there wouldn’t be a strike. Should I have stopped working two weeks ago, so I’d be sure not to give them one more script in case a strike was called? Should I have finished, but held the script until…. when? Until after a strike I wasn’t positive was happening, and which, silly me, I was hoping would not happen, or at least that talks would continue on without a contract? That’s ridiculous. I can possibly see your argument for people hammering away at work tonight, using up every minute until midnight, but puh-leeze. A strike is called to begin at a particular time. It’s not called to begin at a particular time, but you can’t write any more two weeks before that time.
Comment by ifwestrikeletsmakeitcount — November 4, 2007 @ 11:02 pm
Another media manipulation tactic by the AMPTP. No surprise.
Hey, moguls: You *can* negotiate during a strike. Why would you walk out on talks just because the planned strike was continuing?
Oh right. So that you can place blame somewhere other than on your greedy selves. So transparent.
Fuck you very much for forcing an entire industry out of work.
Comment by TV writer — November 4, 2007 @ 11:03 pm
I wouldn’t believe anything coming out of the studio’s side of this story. And it’s not just because I’m a WGA member. There just seems to be a huge disinformation campaign being waged here. A vilification of the WGA and is members and an attempt to make us look like money-grubbing, jealous hacks has been underway for years now. It pisses me off when I have members of my own family suggest we get too much money. If we did go out on strike while the negotiations were underway, I can understand why. There is a huge, boiling sea of resentment out there that may just sweep over the studios. I predict the crowds on the picket lines will be very large and very loud.
Maybe then they’l;l finally hear us.
Comment by Chris Darling — November 4, 2007 @ 11:05 pm
Thank God the WGA had the balls to do what the AMPTP thought they were too chickenshit to do.
If they had delayed the strike everything would have fallen to pieces.
Comment by itsnotornever — November 4, 2007 @ 11:06 pm
Total BS posturing. Maybe the WGA leadership is a bit too rigid, I don’t know, but the AMPTP is full of shit. This feels totally orchestrated. I was just commenting to friends how public sympathy seemed to be shifting towards the writers over the weekend. The AMPTP decided to do something about that. Absolute BS. That press release is classic, hawkish, & swift-boat worthy if you ask me.
Comment by P — November 4, 2007 @ 11:13 pm
Giving the studios product will help them survive a strike longer.
Getting paychecks will help writers survive a strike longer.
Exactly what I was going to say DLW. Just want to make one change though because I don’t think that giving them product will matter since the Teamsters could disrupt work even more.
Still, I applaud the writer who did three endings to his screenplay. No matter when he does get to film it, he can do all three endings and then go to the editing bay and see which one is best for the movie. Don’t get me wrong because this is common in Television when you have a questionable future regarding borderline shows.
Comment by Jessy S. — November 4, 2007 @ 11:16 pm
Oh boy, the shareholders of the stocks that control the studios are really in for a big surprise if, you know, 20 years from now, somebody informs them about this strike.
Go get ‘em, WGA!
Comment by pumpkin — November 4, 2007 @ 11:21 pm
Non-union writer here on the cusp of becoming one. The strike will delay my admittance, but I’ll be out there picketing with the rest of you!
Comment by Non-Union Writer — November 4, 2007 @ 11:23 pm
I completely agree that this is PR bull crap on the part of the AMPTP. What I’m wondering is how and when will the WGA get its own PR going to counter Mr. Counter. I wish everyone read this column and others, but the fact is, they don’t. Even SNL adopted the erroneous “average working WGA member makes 200K a year” into their very funny pro-writer sketch. How much funnier would it have been if they’d used the actual number - 5k?
Comment by IFwestrikeletsmakeitcount — November 4, 2007 @ 11:25 pm
Why is it that every time a negotiation or a deadline or whatever ends, the AMPTP has a press conference or a press release that’s available on the cuff, and our side gets one out the next day. Meanwhile the press is reporting their side. WHat is so hard about our leadership just making a basic statement. It’s incredibly frustrating.
Comment by Darren S. — November 4, 2007 @ 11:30 pm
You can’t say this day wasn’t coming. This from the LA TIMES in 2001!
——————————————–
Complex New Media Issues Are Put Off Until Next Time
By James Bates And Claudia Eller, Los Angeles Times Staff Writers
****July 4, 2001****
Although Hollywood averted actor and writer strikes this year, maintaining labor peace will only get harder amid rapidly changing technologies, huge media mergers and shrinking film and TV profits.
While writers and actors made some gains in contract negotiations, they fell short of a full-scale restructuring of pay formulas they believe inadequately reflect the growth in cable TV, foreign, video and DVD markets.
They also made few inroads into fledgling new media outlets such as the Internet.
*****As a result, the day of reckoning that many in Hollywood thought would come this year has only been postponed, perhaps for as little as three years.
———————————————
Hello day of reckoning.
Comment by metinker — November 4, 2007 @ 11:32 pm
The WGA is over. You will pay for this. You had 15 years to figure out the internet thing–15 years in which you debated the merits of scripts, and bitched about studios, and whined about pay, and you did it all in AOL chat rooms, afraid to offend the executives you worshipped on the chance they’d buy your next “heist” script. You big fat fucking pussies!
Time to pay the piper, motherfuckers.
Go on strike. Stay and rot there. Nobody cares.
Comment by Average American — November 4, 2007 @ 11:32 pm
Nick Counter just closed down Hollywood. The folks at Google and the other Internet companies must be popping the champagne!
Comment by Silicon Valleygirl — November 4, 2007 @ 11:39 pm
To anonymous who said the last pissing contest was five months: it ain’t 88. We’re united. We understand the issues. TV and film writers are on the same page. We have the Teamsters on our side. And we have the benefit of striking mid-season.
Yeah, this could go on. It really could. I worry about that. We all do. But we also don’t know the future. What we do know is that we have a lot more advantages than last time. I for one am ready to sit out an entire year. I will have to go into serious debt to do it. But I owe it to myself, my fellow writers, and the next generation of writers who will be creating content for media we don’t even know about yet. In the 40s, they went on strike for a year to get us residuals. I believe the WGA is willing to do the same to save our industry from the conglomerates.
AND, I think it will be a short strike. We should start a betting pool.
Comment by Anonymous — November 4, 2007 @ 11:45 pm
I agree with P. It’s BS. AMPTP can’t negotiate during a strip. It’s rubbish.
Comment by R.M. — November 4, 2007 @ 11:58 pm
This is a total disaster. If there was actual progress on new media and the writers walked in the middle of negotiations… now they look like complete morons.
QUOTED FOR TRUTH!
Comment by Bouncing Castle — November 5, 2007 @ 12:03 am
Remember that in ‘88 we went out in the late spring which is the weakest time of year for us to bargain. They didn’t need us for the first 3 months because of the nature of the TV schedule and then once they did, the strike only went 8 more weeks. I’m betting this thing is over before the year is out. Hoping, at least.
Comment by TV Writer — November 5, 2007 @ 12:07 am
Nikki,
The WGA responded by pulling a huge sticking point. Huge. DVD was huge. If the AMPTP had made similar concessions they would have specified. They didn’t. So logic would say, the AMPTP stop these negotiations.
Comment by NO NIKKI — November 5, 2007 @ 12:39 am
Doesn’t sound like there was any progress to me. Sounds like we’re still “negotiating with ourselves.” And come on, AMPTP couldn’t keep talking while the east coast writers were sleeping? Gimme a break.
Comment by writer — November 5, 2007 @ 12:40 am
R.M., I don’t think the AMPTP can negotiate during a strike OR a STRIP. But a strip might at least put in the mood to give a little.
Comment by writer — November 5, 2007 @ 12:42 am
This will not be over by the end of the year, unfortunately. Once the trigger has been pulled, these things tend to take on a life of their own.
The earliest you’ll see a resolution is the beginning of the year. Might be later than that. If the strike goes into February, the TV season is toast, and then so is the WGA’s leverage. I don’t think they’ve figured that out yet. If that happens, this won’t be over until mid-June or July. And that might be without the WGA, but we’ll see how everyone does.
Comment by Working AD — November 5, 2007 @ 12:51 am
It’s really hard to side with the WGA this time. Obviously, there’s no defending the AMPTP’s business ethic. But the WGA’s actions will not be worth the sacrifice for the other production departments and laborers that will ultimately be affected.
Thumbs down to both parties
Comment by 40yearoldstitzer — November 5, 2007 @ 1:15 am
Sadly, the WGA leadership has been seduced by their very wealthy members who are at the head of the line in finding ways to monetize “uncovered work” on the web. They will continue to go to the bank, and hob-nob with industry executives, as the rank and file become more compromised and stressed. This could signal the final act of the golden goose that has been working in Hollywood. The conspiracy to compromise creativity, and run movies and television the way the Bush administration has run the country, is nearly complete.
Comment by Cooler ead — November 5, 2007 @ 4:57 am
Very smart move by the WGA–take DVD residuals off the table, keep Internet / new media content on. The AMPTP had been claiming DVD’s were the only revenue producers and that new media was an unknown. It’s obvious now that the studios see new media / digital distribution as the new cash cow (and saw it this way all along). Now that the Counter has refused the guild’s offer, his only recourse is diversion (”we can’t negotiate because they’re on strike”–which rewrites the history of collective bargaining). It’s turned into a PR war, and the guild needs to improve its public information. A logical next step would be to look at the digital / new media revenue sources that are unlikely to make a difference (like Internet downloads) and those that will be profitable (streaming, ad revenue) and offer to concede the loss leaders. At the very least, the strike managers need to inform the media of the AMPTP’s new media shell game.
Comment by Not an expert — November 5, 2007 @ 6:05 am
“In the 40s, they went on strike for a year to get us residuals. I believe the WGA is willing to do the same to save our industry from the conglomerates.”
In the 40s, they didn’t have internet. In the 40s a ridiculous amount of their revenue didn’t stream from foreign markets.
Come on, this ain’t a love story. Emotion in business is useless. If a strike lasted a year Hollywood would cease to exist. You’d NEVER get paid again.
Comment by FK — November 5, 2007 @ 6:13 am
>I don’t think the AMPTP can
>negotiate during a strike
Yes they can. GM and the UAW continued negotiations without interruption when the UAW went out on the picket lines a few weeks back.
Comment by Dave — November 5, 2007 @ 6:46 am
This process has become way too personal between the negotiating teams. It’s obvious that these guys hate each other. They’ll never reach an agreement. There are too many big egos standing in the way on both sides.
The WGA and AMPTP should both send in new teams and start over. Hopefully, the new teams will focus on making a deal that preserves thousands of jobs and billions in profits. Let’s get some new negotiators in as quickly as possible. What they’re doing now isn’t working. It’s time to try a new approach.
Comment by obvious solution — November 5, 2007 @ 6:56 am
Hey did you guys see the premiere of The Great Race last night? Between that and The Next Iron Chef and Football I’d say my evening entertainment was pretty good. I have seen the future and it doesn’t include a lot of the writers on this board. Smooth move idiots.
Comment by allswell — November 5, 2007 @ 7:00 am
can’t we just all get along?
Comment by Audience Memeber — November 5, 2007 @ 7:03 am
I was quoted by Bouncing Castle at a time when I was buying into the AMPTP posts about having made an effort in these negotiations, but now that I’ve seen what they were actually offering, which was essentially NOTHING, I do think the WGA did the right thing.
It’s very unfortunate that there has to be a strike, but I think the AMPTP forced it.
Comment by Jimmy — November 5, 2007 @ 7:04 am
“I heard this took place after AMPTP claims it made the following concession: to give the WGA exclusive jurisdiction for made-for-New Media.”
Possibly so. This is pure spin by the AMPTP since they don’t expect “made-for-New Media” to be profitable. The major studios do, however, expect old media content repackaged via new channels to be profitable, hence this assertion from the “did you know” box on the AMPTP home page (which reloads a different spin message each time the page is loaded): “Revenues obtained in the initial market of release no longer cover the costs of production, much less distribution and marketing. There is no such thing as supplemental or ancillary or secondary market any longer and hasn’t been for years. All windows and media are needed for the vast majority of productions just to recoup initial costs, much less break even or make a profit.”
Comment by Not an expert — November 5, 2007 @ 7:08 am
Here’s another spinoid from the AMPTP box of misinformation erroneously titled “did you know?”:
“As agreed to in past negotiations, the writer gets paid (plus gets pension and health contributions) for projects made specifically for New Media. The amount of the compensation is not a fixed amount, but negotiated by the writer (and/or his/her representative) with the producer.” Of course no one is saying the creators of new media for the studios (if there are any) are working for free–what the guild proposal seeks to do is have new media content covered by the Minimum Basic Agreement, in which case new media creators would also be able to earn residuals for their work. Of course, since the AMPTP is willing to concede “made for new media” jurisdiction to the WGA, the point would seem moot, but not if the AMPTP wants to use “made for new media” issues to divert the public from their attempts to bilk writers out of residuals for old media content presented through new media channels.
Comment by Not an expert — November 5, 2007 @ 7:21 am
The AMPTP wants a strike — at least until the end of the year. The first month to get out of bad deals they made. The second month to avoid paying people around the holidays when there’s a lot of time off. A two month strike will not affect them negatively at all. This has always been their plan.
Comment by Klaatu — November 5, 2007 @ 7:26 am
Does anyone here realize how easy it is to see new movies and tv, download it or stream it, on the internet? Piracy is so rampant, and it really does seem like we are rearranging deck chairs on the Titanic. The canary in the coal mine is porn. And they are getting eaten alive by all the one click share companies, like Megaupload and Zshare.
Where are people streaming their movies and TV from… NBC.com, or Emule? Megaupload? Bittorrent? Zshare? Rapidshare? Limewire?
Times have changed DRASTICALLY. The internet operates by a completely different set of rules than Hollywood does, and if Hollywood tries to impose it’s rules to the internet, it WILL LOSE. Just ask your friends in the Record Industry. Meet up with them at Tower Records to discuss it… oh, wait….
That is why this strike is really stupid… and not because the AMPTP isn’t greedy, because they are. It’s stupid because the WGA thinks that these corporations have some control over the internet, like they had control over Hollywood in it’s heyday.
We have to come up with radically different new business models for the future, because the next generations are not even thinking about entertainment in ways that correspond to way the unions and Hollywood are set up. Facebook. Google. Myspace. Yahoo. You think you are going to unionize them,like Hollywood? Good luck.
All this strike does is hasten Hollywood’s demise.
Comment by Death by Internets — November 5, 2007 @ 8:16 am
“The WGA completely withdrew it’s DVD residual demand?” Are you frigging kidding me???????? WHAT ARE WE STRIKING FOR WITHOUT THAT? We’ve been screwed for years on DVDs and yelling about it and we wipe it off the table on the first day????!!!! Man up, you idiots. Hang in for all our demands.
Comment by Chris Darling — November 5, 2007 @ 8:19 am
As a 30 year member of SAG/AEA/AFTRA, I support my brothers and sisters in WGA. I walked the lines in 1981 and 1988 and it can be long and disheartening. A strike should always be a last resort…not a sabre to rattle while collective bargaining is underway. Both sides are smart enough to know about the immense damage a strike can do to the industry. There will plenty of time to grill your leadership about how they failed to get you a contract that you could swallow. The time in now upon you to scream and get attention and deflect bad publicity that will befall the WGA. It won’t be an easy sell to garner sympathy from the viewing public. They generally don’t get the issues nor do they care. So, make certain your leadership continues to take this fight to AMPTP and be prepared to settle for something you can live with. Cause living and surviving in our world is what it’s all about. Union!
Comment by Mark — November 5, 2007 @ 8:22 am
There are a lot of producers who should be upset with the AMPTP for refusing to negotiate on the big issue and forcing this strike. The conglomerates/moguls see this as a chance to rid the playing field of as many smaller producers and production companies as possible.
By eliminating their own competition and canceling existing producer deals, they will only further consolidate their power.
Comment by Westclox — November 5, 2007 @ 8:49 am
[b]
This is a total disaster. If there was actual progress on new media and the writers walked in the middle of negotiations… now they look like complete morons.[/b]
I think WGA Jimmy said it best. Writers are now on everyone’s shit list.
Comment by Bouncing Castle — November 5, 2007 @ 8:52 am
the members are AMPTP are truly disgusting. The writers are not asking for too much and the producers and studios are greedy pigs. They wouldn’t be making all the money that they do without the writers. How greedy do you need to be. Stand your ground writers!! You deserve more… and by the way I am not a writer. Nick Counter, you are embarrassing!
Comment by jennifer — November 5, 2007 @ 9:09 am
I think it’s important to remember the risks union leaders take when they fight for the union on behalf of its membership. Many of them have been blacklisted, some since 1980 and 1988. They have, in some cases, endured death threats. Yet, they continue to serve and fight. They aren’t ignorant to the reality that new media is a totally different animal and that the rules need to be re-written. But you also can’t change every angle of how an entire established industry operates overnight. There’s a transition period, and that’s what we’re in now. The AMPTP knows it and wants to hoard as much of the revenue as possible before everybody figures out how to make their own money in new media.
Comment by Kris — November 5, 2007 @ 9:09 am
it is bad enough fing Klaatu without people spreading lies
NOBODY was planning on a strike till June
I can tell you that first hand
Shut the hell up unless you have an idea what you are saying
Comment by Bouncing Castle — November 5, 2007 @ 9:35 am
Death by Internets — Sure, the Internet changed the music industry. But does the rampant online piracy of music mean that musicians should give up all claims to their iTunes profits?
For a while people used Napster and everyone freaked that the sky was falling. Then iTunes came along, figured out that we’d all pay 99 cents for a song and started making money hand over fist. Everybody makes money - Apple, the record labels and the artists. Imagine if the musicians had agreed to simply give their portion of the music profits away (free reuse of their music, free promotional use of their music, free window of use) for THREE YEARS when iTunes was coming out.
The writers are smart to see that video games like WoW and 2ndLife are actively making billions through electronic distribution of product. Porn makes billions through electronic distribution and downloads of its product. And many of these very same congloms that are leading the AMPTP have gaming divisions that have figured out how to successfully turn a big ol’ profit off their online game titles. They should be able to do the same with their movie and TV titles.
Comment by Wstcloxx — November 5, 2007 @ 10:03 am
So the AMPTP walked out of the negotiations at 9:30 and then Counter lied about it to the trades, as was revealed today.
Counter has proven himself to be as much of a liar now as he was years ago. Those in the AMPTP with scruples - and there are many of you - should really take Counter to task over this embarrassment.
Comment by JS — November 5, 2007 @ 10:13 am
I am so sick of seeing showrunners being quoted as saying residuals get them through the lean times. Showrunners typically earn $100,000 an EPISODE and a typical season is generally 22 episodes. Let’s be honest, this is about two wealthy, gready sides who have fucked over the working people and are arguing over how to split the spoils. NO SYMPATHY for the writers.
Comment by Anonymous — November 5, 2007 @ 10:22 am
Let’s be honest. Showrunners are not being taken advantage of. They generally earn $100,000 an EPISODE and they generally shoot 22 episodes a year. This is about two rich sides who have already raped the rank and file for everything they could get and are now arguing over how to divide the spoils. I’d settle for 4 cents a DVD if I earned 2,000,000 a year. How about you?
Comment by Rank and File — November 5, 2007 @ 10:27 am
Fuck Nick Counter.
Fuck the AMPTP.
Fuck the studios.
Fuck the conglomerates.
Fuck the networks.
Fuck the producers (those without a hyphen preceding their titles).
Fuck the people who believes any of the above have any right not to offer a fair and reasonable contract to the people who make their livelyhoods possible.
Thank you WGA Members.
Thank you WGA Leaders.
Thank you striking showrunners.
Thank you SAG supporters.
Thank you teamsters.
Thank you Nikki Finke.
Thank you to all the people who still believe you can succeed in America by uniting together to fight for a common cause when you believe something is right and that no amount of greed, conglomerate pressure, or negative and subversive press can subvert you from prevailing in what is just.
Comment by How's this for quality writing? — November 5, 2007 @ 10:38 am
Kind of funny to read all the “hoping to soon be WGA” kiss ass type posts. Stop sucking dick, it won’t help you get in anyway.
Wonder if the “moguls” read this. They would sure know the feelings and morale of the enemy. Food for thought.
Comment by Unbelievable — November 5, 2007 @ 11:04 am
It’s time for the name-calling to end and real negotiations to begin. I don’t know whose fault it is and I don’t care. I do know that my wife and I and thousands of other people will be unemployed soon if the strike continues.
Comment by the ref — November 5, 2007 @ 11:38 am
Nikki - I again thank you for your talent and for making this available.
And to everyone writing here — thank you for letting us hear your unedited opinions. We may not all agree with each other, but I learn more listening to how everyone REALLY feels than from anywhere else.
m.
Comm