The Strike Before Christmas
THE STRIKE BEFORE CHRISTMAS.
In the month before Christmas,
the WGA Strike
put
8 drivers
7 wardrobe people,
6 construction workers and production office personnel,
5 set dressers,
4 assistant directors, caterers, grips, electricians, writers assistants, makeup artists, hair stylists and props handlers,
3 casting people, post production personnel, art department employees, sound men, stand-ins and accountants,
2 cameramen, camera assistants, location managers, set PAs, editors, editors assistants and craft service people,
1 script supervisor, unit manager, facilities manager, DGA trainee and medic
and a producer who's not a writer.
all out of work.
==================================
Let's say it's a bad time for a strike because of all the workers who aren't writers or studio heads who will be affected.
Let's say it's a bad time for a strike because it will disrupt the fall television schedule so that the only show to get a full season run will be the nine episodes of Jericho already in the can.
Let's say it's a bad time for a strike because if it runs into the Spring it will impact Pilot Season and without new pilots there may not be any new shows ready for Fall of 2008 and the next TV season may not start until January of 2009.
Let's say it's a bad time for a strike because the East Coast writers will have to march in the snow.
Let's say it's a bad time for a strike because without talk shows the major studios can't promote their new Holiday movies.
Let's say it's a bad time for a strike because Winter is the peak viewing season for housebound TV audiences.
Let's say it's a bad time for a strike because of all the people out of work at Christmastime.
That leaves one question.
When would be a GOOD time for this strike?
Because if they wait until the studios decide "Remember that 30% cut in royalties we talked them into in '88? We should give that back."
Because if they wait until the studios decide "We really are making money from commercials and web site paid ads with this internet streaming video, we realy ought to pay the writers of the content."
Because if they wait until the studios decide "Considering how much the price of living has gone up in the last 20 years, we should pay a better residual rate for DVDs than we did for Betamax tapes and laser discs back in 1988."
Because if they wait until none of those people would be put out of work, no viewers would miss their favorite shows, the studios wouldn't be losing millions of dollars every day their out and no one would be inconvenienced...
Well, there'd never be a strike.
And everyone else would be happy.
But the writers wouldn't get a raise for DVDs and downloads or any pay at all for internet streaming video.
And then they'd be sad.
= Napoleon Park =
"Now, if you haven't got an answer, you'd never have a question
And if you never had a question, then you'd never have a problem
But if you never had a problem, well everyone would be happy
But if everyone was happy, there'd never be a love song"
- Harry Nilsson, "Joy" -
In the month before Christmas,
the WGA Strike
put
8 drivers
7 wardrobe people,
6 construction workers and production office personnel,
5 set dressers,
4 assistant directors, caterers, grips, electricians, writers assistants, makeup artists, hair stylists and props handlers,
3 casting people, post production personnel, art department employees, sound men, stand-ins and accountants,
2 cameramen, camera assistants, location managers, set PAs, editors, editors assistants and craft service people,
1 script supervisor, unit manager, facilities manager, DGA trainee and medic
and a producer who's not a writer.
all out of work.
==================================
Let's say it's a bad time for a strike because of all the workers who aren't writers or studio heads who will be affected.
Let's say it's a bad time for a strike because it will disrupt the fall television schedule so that the only show to get a full season run will be the nine episodes of Jericho already in the can.
Let's say it's a bad time for a strike because if it runs into the Spring it will impact Pilot Season and without new pilots there may not be any new shows ready for Fall of 2008 and the next TV season may not start until January of 2009.
Let's say it's a bad time for a strike because the East Coast writers will have to march in the snow.
Let's say it's a bad time for a strike because without talk shows the major studios can't promote their new Holiday movies.
Let's say it's a bad time for a strike because Winter is the peak viewing season for housebound TV audiences.
Let's say it's a bad time for a strike because of all the people out of work at Christmastime.
That leaves one question.
When would be a GOOD time for this strike?
Because if they wait until the studios decide "Remember that 30% cut in royalties we talked them into in '88? We should give that back."
Because if they wait until the studios decide "We really are making money from commercials and web site paid ads with this internet streaming video, we realy ought to pay the writers of the content."
Because if they wait until the studios decide "Considering how much the price of living has gone up in the last 20 years, we should pay a better residual rate for DVDs than we did for Betamax tapes and laser discs back in 1988."
Because if they wait until none of those people would be put out of work, no viewers would miss their favorite shows, the studios wouldn't be losing millions of dollars every day their out and no one would be inconvenienced...
Well, there'd never be a strike.
And everyone else would be happy.
But the writers wouldn't get a raise for DVDs and downloads or any pay at all for internet streaming video.
And then they'd be sad.
= Napoleon Park =
"Now, if you haven't got an answer, you'd never have a question
And if you never had a question, then you'd never have a problem
But if you never had a problem, well everyone would be happy
But if everyone was happy, there'd never be a love song"
- Harry Nilsson, "Joy" -
posted by Napoleon Park at 1:36 AM
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