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Writers' Guild to vote to authorize strike, paving way for potential writers' strike
- Thread starter whyamihere
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Co-signed.
Garmonbozia
Member
Peak TV is taking a break.
If that's the only way for them to get the benefits that they deserve, so be it.
If that's the only way for them to get the benefits that they deserve, so be it.
smokeymicpot
Beat EviLore at pool.
Possibly depends on what TBS would do.
What did he mean by this?
Member
Time to finish that spec script folks
First thing I thought of. With Whedon doing batgirl I figured it would never happen...but maybe, just maybe it could if this happens.
BreezyLimbo
Banned
doubt it
it's still ongoing isn't it? I don't think game companies are buckling, as well.(What are the VA Guild rules for working outside the country?)
Thug Waffle
Member
I hope they strike. Storytellers in the storytelling business are making far too little money for their services (in most cases).
Without a screenplay, there really is no movie/show. There are a few occasions where films were made by "winging it" to some degree or another but they are rare.
Without a screenplay, there really is no movie/show. There are a few occasions where films were made by "winging it" to some degree or another but they are rare.
Phoenix RISING
Banned
Wow, it's that time again already, huh?
Hope yall like more reality TV....
Hope yall like more reality TV....
BreezyLimbo
Banned
Writers have as much stake shaping a product as a Director or Actor. They're more of a hidden hand, however.
Yes, it's still ongoing. The 11 struck companies are still sticking to their guns, but many other videogame publishers have got on board with the new contract terms. According to this announcement, some Casting Directors appear to be in a bit of a bind - now asking some SAG-AFTRA members to do struck work on the sly. Can't be fun, being in the middle like that.
SAG-AFTRA members abide by Global Rule One : a SAG-AFTRA member must always work under a union contract around the globe.
That means no hopping over to Canada, for a week, to record something there.
naw i understand writers are important, but it takes many different disciplines to produce these things, not just the one. The wording makes it seems like it's not a team effort. Don't know if it was intentional or not tho.
BreezyLimbo
Banned
I see, alright. If it's SAG-AFTRA, how does that apply to say...Japanese companies? LIke Keifer is in SAG, but I'm pretty sure that MGSV wasn't a SAG union game?
It's the same argument made by the video games thing-Like, the argument there(And I believe the VA of Drake made in the VGAs) was that games need programmers more than they need voice actors, so why are VAs asking for more just for them and not the programmers(...badly explained by me)
Basically, yeah movies are made by hundreds if not thousands of people, but alot of those aspects are dispensable compared to things like the Directors, Actors, Producers....(For the video game side, the argument being that voice actors are dispensable in the grand scheme of thing compared to the programmers or creative leads who make the game actually run).
Thug Waffle
Member
The idea that writers are supremely important actually comes from the film industry's business practices. The overwhelming majority of movies will not go into production unless its backers see a script. That's why writers feel so entitled. They're shown that projects do not get made without their efforts.
Sutherland would have been hired on a SAG contract, but I suspect someone of his stature would have negotiated for more than the minimum scale pay. The old contract for everyone else pretty much pays you for your time in the booth that day, and that's it forever. Very simple one-and-done things. Generally, even for upper-level VAs, it's hard to negotiate a better rate because you have no idea how important your character role(s) is in the game, or even what the game is, sometimes.
Foreign game companies hire SAG-AFTRA talent all the time. I don't believe they are also required to use union members for their own localizations. The contracts for film and television contain many more stipulations and requirements. The videogame contract the 11 struck companies want to keep using was written in 1995; definitely time to update it.
NeoGold123
Member
Looks like they announce the results of the strike authorization vote today, at least one has already voted yes. The deadline for a new contract is May 1st, I really hope the writers get what they deserve.
KarneeKarnay
Member
TV is going to suck, but they have the right and should strike. Good for them.
Dagobert Duck
Member
Is this the same guild that was on strike years ago? (around the last time prison break was on tv?)
Thank you for posting this...
Unions exist for those who need protection in their jobs because they make money on the low end of the scale (miners, blue collar, even teachers)
This is like computer engineers starting unions
Yeah, the last strike is why every other goddamned show on TV is about two idiots getting married, flipping a house (or something even less consequential), or trying to appraise and sell shit they found in their attic or at some foolish person's garage sale.
And don't even get me started on that grief vampire The Long Island Medium.
No, it's not.
The hours are insane. Work isn't guaranteed. You don't have an off-season salary. And there are more writers than just staff writers and showrunners who make far less than the two aforementioned positions.
Has nothing to do with the Guild.
You must be picking the wrong shows.
The high-end of shows are as good as television has been, and there's a wider breadth of quality shows.
Oh I know there's a lot of good stuff out there, but Ive just felt bored with the last year or so of TV compared to like 2009-2014. Could just be me though.
This is terrible pay if you're expected to live in the Hollywood area. Like basement pay. Because none of these guys have guaranteed work so the pay should reflect that.
Good writers should be paid on a similar level as good actors. Bad writing kills everything no matter who touches it. And great writing lifts mediocre actors. A perfect example of that is game of thrones. It's filled with mediocre actors being more bc of direction and writing.
You're expected to live in Hollywood or New York, or your expected to travel because your show films in Vancouver or Atlanta or Charleston.
We don't make a "ton" of money. No one is saying writers are poor, but the pay isn't "steady" since we often have a quarter of the year off.
And when we see how much money gets thrown around to directors, actors, producers, and production, we know there's more money available that could be thrown our way.
And, as I mentioned before, the writers below the staff writers make even less.
Brawly Likes to Brawl
Member
jesus, just pay your writers
dead souls
Member
Remember how everyone laughed at the writers last time for wanting changes for online streaming and distribution? Culminating in that South Park episode about Internet Money. It turns out the writers union actually knew what they were talking about.
This time they are striking over the change to shorter runs that take the same production time but they end up with less overall pay without the freedom to work on multiple projects that actors, directors and other crew enjoy.
This time they are striking over the change to shorter runs that take the same production time but they end up with less overall pay without the freedom to work on multiple projects that actors, directors and other crew enjoy.
Glendemonium
Member
Just after Youtube throwing millions of content creators under the bus in favor of Youtube TV...
I mean, strikes suck but that's the only positive thing I could think of.
I mean, strikes suck but that's the only positive thing I could think of.
Hari Seldon
Member
Not another reality-TV apocalypse. Uggg.
Ampersands
Member
I wonder how public opinion will be on this (if the strike goes through). On one hand, you have pretty much everyone enjoying some form of TV whether it be through Netflix or cable channels so there's little weight to the argument that writers aren't doing their jobs. On the other hand, we elected Trump. Not looking forward to knee-jerk reactions about how the "unions are taking our TV shows".
NOPE
Deadline: WGA Releases Trove of Data To Support Its Bargaining Position
Give this a read.
There's a great deal of data and reasoning in the article.
It's not that the writers think they alone make these things.
They're collectively saying they play a pivotal role like producers, directors, actors, etc., but get paid less and their current contractual terms are stymying them. It's become increasingly difficult for writers to get by in the industry.
The writers have to live where these things are being negotiated, New York and California, which aren't cheap places. They also have to pay their lawyer and agent for each deal (two things you need to get work and not get utterly screwed) plus pay their taxes, which are higher in New York and California.
Writers put an inordinate amount of time into the work. If you were to break down what the average writer grosses versus the amount of time they spend working, it'd be disproportionately distributed with way more time spent than money earned.
The current climate of the industry is pushing writers out. If you're an "A-list" writer, of course, you're getting by, but most of the Guild aren't "A-list" writers and they shouldn't have to be to survive.
tearsintherain
Member
I'm fine with a strike, got way too much TV to watch as is and last time the strike produced a lot of interesting things and a whole bunch of new people joined the industry too I think. And of course I hope the good writers get more, since they are the backbone of the industry.
I do think a one size fits all model doesn't really work anymore though, and every year FEWER people watch the same TV shows and while viewership numbers may be overall at record numbers, I don't really understand how any of these people are going to be making money soon. No one gives a shit about ads anymore, the goal of every viewer is to watch stuff as ad free as possible, live numbers are absolutely pathetic with everyone DVR/streaming, and I imagine a world where the bulk of content is viewed in a binge/stream format is very different from the current model, budget production and revenue wise.
I do think a one size fits all model doesn't really work anymore though, and every year FEWER people watch the same TV shows and while viewership numbers may be overall at record numbers, I don't really understand how any of these people are going to be making money soon. No one gives a shit about ads anymore, the goal of every viewer is to watch stuff as ad free as possible, live numbers are absolutely pathetic with everyone DVR/streaming, and I imagine a world where the bulk of content is viewed in a binge/stream format is very different from the current model, budget production and revenue wise.
Writers feel entitled?
Huh, that's news to me.
Please, fill me in on your obviously learned insight into my profession.
The inherent problem with this methodology is that per WGA rules during a strike, no changes can be made.
The actors can make "choices" and change the lines, but the director, producer(s), and writer(s) can't do anything except shoot the material already written pre-strike.
This hurts a project because things inevitably change up until the day and even when you're on set.
Pandora012
Member
Please no, the last strike killed a bunch of shows I enjoyed.
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