11/15/2007

"You Want to Take DVD Money from a Little Black Girl?"

Ali LeRoi, showrunner for "Everybody Hates Chris," coins the new slogan of the strike.

42 comments:

Anonymous said...

The Horror Writers Association, on behalf of its writer members, stands in support of the Writers Guild of America strike in seeking appropriate compensation for writers when their work is distributed digitally, either via DVD or Internet downloads. Although HWA is not a union, it is an organization of writers that advocates for authors' rights. Writers Guild of America and its demands fall solidly into this category. All writers will be affected by the outcome of this strike, and we stand in solidarity, resisting those who seek to distribute our work on the Internet, DVD, or any format without fair compensation.

Deborah LeBlanc, HWA President

VDOVault said...

This was one hillarious but brilliant video...thanks!

Anonymous said...

How wonderful that these people can keep such an upbeat attitude with the times that lay ahead for all of us behind the scenes...good luck guys

Anonymous said...

BWAHAHAHAHA!

Brilliant!

Stay positive, writers!
The world is on your side!

Anonymous said...

It is nice to know that so many of you are having such a good time striking. Too bad that all that fun is lost on many of the IATSE members (as well as many of the other guilds) who are currently scrambling to support their families. Perhaps one of you can help me fill out the home equity loan that I will have to acquire and subsequently run dry. If not, then maybe you could scribble out a letter from Santa to my 3 year old explaining that many of the joys of the holiday season may be lost on him this year. I know you will have to do this from the dire surrounding of your personal multi-million dollar domicile and not from a studio bungalow but I'm sure you can hammer it out.
When and if we do get back to work know that when close your powerbook hop out of your Herman Miller chair to go home I will probably be half way through MY 18 hour day trying to pay off that loan...........Great job guys. More money! More Money!

Oh....before I forget.....thanks for all your support when the position of the camera operator was abolished in OUR last negotiations.

bookdawg said...

First off...funny video!

I support the strike and the writers. A long time ago I worked for a different media conglomerate...Cumulus Broadcasting. In addition to my regular midday on-air shift, I was expected to do recorded voice-over shifts for three other radio stations, one of which was out of state! I was paid ZERO dollars for this extra work. In the meantime, other aspiring DJs were left unemployed, since it's cheaper to hire one DJ for multiple shifts.

I left the radio biz and am now a librarian. I know ALL about new media and Web 2.0 technologies, and how they are affecting ALL areas, from media distribution to academic research. Just like reality TV and "user-generated content" threatens the livelihood of writers, more and more users are turning away from libraries because they think we're not needed. After all they can "Google" anything, right?

Writers are needed to supply QUALITY creative content and they should be compensated everytime that content is used. By the same token, librarians are needed so users can find QUALITY content online. Believe it or not we're in this together! We're on the same page! (huh, that line works for libraries too, lol!)

Anonymous said...

Perhaps Anonymous at 9:07 would be better served by forwarding that comment to AMPTP, since they are the ones not willing to negotiate and the only ones responsible for letting people go.

Anonymous said...

As an IA member, I'd like to say to the anonymous poster complaining about no support when the camera operator postion was eliminated --

Why are you complaing that the writers are striking -- complain to Tommy Short and the other IA honchos who wouldn't stand up for our rights -- why do we have to work 18 hour days -- why is it now impossible to save enough to pay our mortgage -- why don't we get decent minimum pay bumps to keep up with the cost of living.

It's not the writers' fault our union bends over for the studios, lube at the ready. Yes, it truly sucks we are out of work, but in the end for every 4 cents the WGA gets per DVD we get 20 -- that's 5 times as much -- that DIRECTLY funds our health insurance and pension. So if they begin to get zero cents, we'll still get 5 times that -- or ZERO. Explain to your 3 year old why she can't go to the doctor when she's sick, or explain why it's a choice between that antibiotic she needs or that extra little bit of food.

Yes it sucks we don't get paid nearly as much as writers, or anyone else above the line, but dragging everyone else down to our level only makes the Moguls richer. Hell, my non-union friends bitch at me about what I make -- they only make 150 a day. "Can't we just shut up and be happy for what we get?"

We should be focusing on how to climb UP above that damn "line" and get decent compensation for all the people whose sweat is VITAL to making the product that seems to be making everyone else rich.

eRobin said...

"Broke and dumbfounded."

eRobin said...


Yes it sucks we don't get paid nearly as much as writers, or anyone else above the line, but dragging everyone else down to our level only makes the Moguls richer.


Hear, hear. Gotta lift people up. That's what unions do.

Anonymous said...

Are you part of the revolution?

Unknown said...

Hilarious!!!!
Keep the faith!
Stay strong!

And kudos to the writers for using the most powerful weapon in the world....humor.

Keep up the good work.

Bridget Walsh
phetasy.com

Brian Rubin said...

That's freaking funny! Good luck you guys, stay strong!

Anonymous said...

Allan Johnson and crew anon, the WGA didn't fire anyone, and they aren't the ones who sign your check, never were. Direct your anger where it belongs. And maybe get a day job to tide you over, like all the members of SAG and WGA do all the time.

There is no such thing as a steady job in entertainment and you know that. We all know it. It has always been that way. Everyone knew this strike was coming for at least a year. Get a regular job if you can't hack it, but stop blaming the people who stand up for themselves. They have no contract, you do.

If you need to improve your own union, do it instead of complaining. Stand up for yourself. Short/IATSE is not looking out for you.

Josh said...

Jill Golick has some interesting posts up on her site about the International Affiliation of Writers Guilds meeting that took place (is taking place) this week:
http://www.jillgolick.com/2007/11/international-day-of-solidarity/

Josh said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Miss M said...

Respect to Todd Bridges for being able to laugh at his past and live in the present!

Anonymous said...

I'm curious: Just how much does a TV writer make per week?

The UnMighty said...

Why do you think a little black girl is more entitled to that money than I am. Sorry little black girl.

Anonymous said...

Check out the MBA, 12:29pm anon. You can find it on the WGA's site.
In short, it varies wildly depending on the show, format, network, and staff/freelance status. That's if they're lucky enough to be employed. Most go a year or more between staff positions and/or assignments.

Anonymous said...

To the person who told Allan Johnson to get a job, you are a really an asshole!

Anonymous said...

that beats the lame grey's anatomy picket line clip.

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Random said...

Hey, this comment is for John Aboud, I couldn't figure out any other way to contact you.

I wanted to let you know I created a logo I thought people would like for the strike, I know it not anything official, but thought people on the blog might be interested in seeing it.

I posted it onto a t-shirt on my zazzle.com account. Here's a link.

http://www.zazzle.com/rforrandom/

Thanks,
Random Vaughn

Anonymous said...

I've spent the entire evening watching the videos that are on this web site. The networks lost one more viewer this evening.

So why don't the writers work on a way to skip the producers and go straight to the viewing public? Marc Andreessen (who knows a bit about this) wrote an excellent post about this on his blog.

Why work for The Man when you can be your Own Man?

Anonymous said...

Anonymous is unhappy again. Today it's about IATSE. His/her general complaint is that anybody has a sense of humor. Apparently he thinks that if we laugh it means we're not serious. As a cancer survivor with a high risk of reoccurence I am DAMN SERIOUS about this strike. I desperately need my insurance. Not to mention money on a regular basis to support my habit of eating and helping feed my family. But even during my cancer treatment I was able to laugh which is probably why I can call myself a survivor rather than a victim. Anonymous needs some meds.

eRobin said...

If there is a rebuttal to the full page ad the AMPTP took out in the NYT today, please link to it. My husband just showed it to me and then grew angry when I mocked it without statistics to prove that it was a pack of distortions.

randomthought said...

So, why don't the richer writers spend some of their money, get some cameras, and start their own studio.
Put the vids directly on the web.

All of these blogs I have been reading, I haven't even been watching the L&O CI episode, even tho it's new, cause these blogs are fun, and funny.

Toss the signs down, give em the finger, and start your own "new media". As many people as are behind you, I bet in a heartbeat, you could bury the studios....advertisers would line up and give YOU all of that $blahbillion ....

This way you can do what you love, and and you don't have to deal with that crap they are giving out.

It's no different than a store. If the talent and good employees leave, then the store ends up closing.

You guys can do the same. Take your band of people that are standing outside, get back on to writing, and come up with stuff just on new media.

I would pay for that!

As much as I would hate to see my fav shows go away, instead of

Anonymous said...

Bookdawg--you might know about technology in your library, but you know little about show biz. Reality shows employ writers, some of whom belong to the WGA--they just have different titles and different pay.

Ashley Gable said...

To Ms. LeBlanc, Horror Writers Association president -- thank you for your group's support. The outpouring of support from our brother and sister writers in all media has been extraordinary and inspirational to us all.

Anonymous said...

great job you guys - btw where's the internet money for the editors, sound mixers, dp's, etc????

Anonymous said...

check out the following website from the editor's guild

http://www.editorsguild.com/v2/pdfs/WGA_Letter_from_President_Short.pdf

As our president says, get that idot Young out and put your egos aside and start getting back to work.

yes, were are the residuals for all the other people in the industry? why don't dp's, editors get any? is their contribution to a movie not as valuable?

and the world is definitely not on your side au contraire my friend!!!

Anonymous said...

WGA these tactics you’re employing are disgustingly selfish. You're driving the REAL middle class out of the industry, people who; don't have agents and multi-million dollar deals, have to work just as hard and as long to make it in the business and then deal with the same job uncertainty you do with much smaller pay and without residuals every month… these are the people that will suffer the most from your selfish strike because they can’t afford to be unemployed for 6 months like you.

A. J. Luxton said...

Anon (meaning the disgruntled camera operator), I bet if people were wandering around singing Taps and weeping into their sleeves you'd complain about the low morale...

It's as the cancer survivor said: the more serious the situation, the *more* important it is to laugh. Even if it's tough. I know how difficult it is to keep a smile on in a job interview when I'm worrying about what will happen if I *don't* get the job. But I've never gotten hired when I've gone in nervous.

Anonymous said...

Is anyone else disturbed by all these pictures of writers kids in Paul Frank and Oilily clothes?

Anonymous said...

I know how difficult it is to keep a smile on in a job interview when I'm worrying about what will happen if I *don't* get the job. But I've never gotten hired when I've gone in nervous."

could something be less poignant?

Visual Entertainment is a directors medium.

bookdawg said...

Anon @ 8:00 pm, my mistake, re: reality shows. Those have to be scripted, IMHO! I mean come on, anybody seen "The Hills" or "Keeping Up With The Kardashians" lately? Okay, maybe that wasn't funny. See? I can't be funny...this is why we need you guys back! AMPTP, meet the WGA's demands...they just want what's fair!

Anonymous said...

"great job you guys - btw where's the internet money for the editors, sound mixers, dp's, etc????"

I don't know, have you guys negotiated for it yet?

Right now I don't think anybody gets residuals on internet viewings. But if the writers end up getting it, that sure as hell sets a precedent that should make it easier for everybody else to get it.

If you're smart, you'll support the writers.

Anonymous said...

why was the video removed??

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Moneyman said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Anonymous said...

The way I see it... stay on strike and do our nation a favor. you are not needed...