Hollywood's Writers' Strike

[Gemini Cricket]

I thought this would be a good topic for a thread.
Your opinions?

The strike has finally struck.
After an 11th-hour 11-hour-long (go figure) meeting between the Writers Guild of America and the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers flamed out Sunday, the pens that power Hollywood are taking to the pickets.
According to the writers' union, scribes plan on picketing 15 Los Angeles locations, along with NBC's Rockefeller Center studios in New York, in four-hour shifts beginning at 9 a.m. Monday, every day until a new deal is reached.

Source

[Ghoulish Delight]

Are they allowed to write picket signs?

[Kevy Baby]

They stockpiled them before the strike began. They didn't want to have to use scab picket-sign writers.

[BarTopDancer]

I think the writers should be compensated for the work they do on direct to internet shows and the contracts should include compensation for the dvd sales. These things were not around or not projected to become what they are when the contracts were written.

I am not aware of what they are asking for, so I can't form an educated opinion if it is reasonable or unreasonable.

[Ghoulish Delight]

Originally Posted by BarTopDancer

I think the writers should be compensated for the work they do on direct to internet shows and the contracts should include compensation for the dvd sales. These things were not around or not projected to become what they are when the contracts were written.

A commentary I heard pointed out that they will be stupid to focus on DVD revenue. Yes the failure to predict that relevance of that at the time of the last contract has cost them big over the last several years...but that's the last several years. DVD's aren't going to last forever and they'd be smarter to not make that they're main sticking point, but try to get a contract written that will account for the emerging new media distribution methods, otherwise they'll find themselves in the exact same position with DVD sales disappearing and not getting a cut of whatever takes its place.

[Morrigoon]

Originally Posted by Ghoulish Delight

A commentary I heard pointed out that they will be stupid to focus on DVD revenue. Yes the failure to predict that relevance of that at the time of the last contract has cost them big over the last several years...but that's the last several years. DVD's aren't going to last forever and they'd be smarter to not make that they're main sticking point, but try to get a contract written that will account for the emerging new media distribution methods, otherwise they'll find themselves in the exact same position with DVD sales disappearing and not getting a cut of whatever takes its place.

Excellent point. Worth repeating.

[BarTopDancer]

Originally Posted by Ghoulish Delight

A commentary I heard pointed out that they will be stupid to focus on DVD revenue. Yes the failure to predict that relevance of that at the time of the last contract has cost them big over the last several years...but that's the last several years. DVD's aren't going to last forever and they'd be smarter to not make that they're main sticking point, but try to get a contract written that will account for the emerging new media distribution methods, otherwise they'll find themselves in the exact same position with DVD sales disappearing and not getting a cut of whatever takes its place.

That is a great point. I should have said (because it's what I meant) was that the new contracts should include dvds now as well as new media (because who knows how things will be in 10 years).

An ideal contract would account for all new media distribution methods.

[Disneyphile]

Ok, I'm being extremely selfish about this one - this strike couldn't have come at a better time for me, and I'm thankful for it. Because of this, investors are "chomping at the bit" right now to find shows that aren't affected by this. The show I'm working on is a prime candidate for those investors.

[BDBopper]

Originally Posted by Disneyphile

Ok, I'm being extremely selfish about this one - this strike couldn't have come at a better time for me, and I'm thankful for it. Because of this, investors are "chomping at the bit" right now to find shows that aren't affected by this. The show I'm working on is a prime candidate for those investors.

Woot Woot!

[BDBopper]

I can't help it. I have to quote Animaniacs...

"Our Writers flipped. We have no script! Why bother to rehearse?"