Here's the text of the AMPTP's "Joint Statement" on the front of their website. As frustrated as we all have been with the congloms -- 41 days after they walked out -- this invitation is very significant.
Nowhere in the invitation does anyone mention preconditions or thresholds for these informal talks. There are no demands here that we take "distributor's gross" off the table, for example -- which was one of their precondition of resuming talks -- in fact, they just agreed to distributor's gross with the DGA.
So, both in the wake of the DGA announcement and on its own merits, we think this can be seen as progress.
JOINT STATEMENT
The agreement between the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers and the Directors Guild of America establishes an important precedent: Our industry’s creative talent will now participate financially in every emerging area of new media. The agreement demonstrates beyond any doubt that our industry’s producers are willing and able to work with the creators of entertainment content to establish fair and flexible rules for this fast-changing marketplace.
We hope that this agreement with DGA will signal the beginning of the end of this extremely difficult period for our industry. Today, we invite the Writers Guild of America to engage with us in a series of informal discussions similar to the productive process that led us to a deal with the DGA to determine whether there is a reasonable basis for returning to formal bargaining. We look forward to these discussions, and to the day when our entire industry gets back to work.
1/17/2008
AMPTP Asks For Informal Talks
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37 comments:
The DGA is undervaluing New Media. That revenue stream is getting ready to explode, probably starting in 2009. Remember how digital music came of age when iTunes was released, and the iPod? Well, the TV versions are coming sooner than you think.
Getting more per disc (DVD, Blu-Ray, etc.) is very important. But I can already stream video on Netflix and my Xbox, and even iTunes is offering video rentals for $3. The WGA should not punt this issue like the directors did. We didn't strike just to say "well, let's wait until next time".
The DGA is welcome to value their services any way they choose. In features, certainly the director can make all the difference, be a prime creative force. In TV, less so. (Sorry, but AD's and UPM's are interchangeable drones.) It all -- the whole damn process -- starts with the writer, and writers are correct to value their contribution highly. I hope we'll all stand strong against the torrent of abuse that's likely to come because our BROTHERS and SISTERS in the DGA made a deal four months in advance (how unnecessary was THAT, boys and girls??) whose only possible use is to weaken us. We deserve more and we'll hold out for more.
On this day in history...
January 17th, 2006...
The AMPTP's website was still displaying the more than a year old announcement regarding the conclusion of 2004's contract negotiations.
We must be sure we don't walk away with anything less than that and a realistic formula for residuals in "new media" because it will soon just be business as usual media again. A pig in a dress, if you will.
DVD/Blu-ray residuals are a dead issue. You can't drag something back onto the table now and claim it's important when you took it off in exchange for nothing the first time around.
If you're hoping for any change in DVD/Blu-ray residuals, you will be very disappointed.
I know that I am.
Sage Said:
"The DGA is undervaluing New Media. That revenue stream is getting ready to explode, probably starting in 2009
That is why thewre is a "sunset clause" in the contract that allows them to re-visit the New Media deal in 3 years (2009). By then it will be clear what exactly has or is emerging, and make a new deal not bound to this one.
I'm pretty sure that the DGA knew the minimum requirements that the WGA leaders were looking for going in as they did consult with them before going to formal talks. They would not have settled so quick if they thought that the WGA negs would reject it. As far as we know the calls have already been made to sit back down.
Hang in there with the rest of us.
BTL 399
the DGA's deal is good for them. I hope that we hold out and stay strong for a deal that is good, fair and right for us.
STAY STRONG! We haven't come this far to take bread crumbs.
That may be the way you negotiate in your neck of the woods, Harold, but in my world after the other side of the table makes haughty demands and walks away for 4 weeks to make a deal with someone else they can attempt to lord over me, all bets are off.
As you said, nothing was given in return for it, so technically equity was not afforded to the transaction. It should be a revived issue both for that reason and as a penalty for having the audacity to demand a whole slate of further issues also be given freely before negotiations could proceed.
That's how a negotiation is conducted in my world. Without kid gloves on. Start wearing kid gloves, and you start flushing billions down the drain unnecessarily.
Question. Does "sunset" mean the same in contract as it would mean in law. Example: The FISA bill will sunset in February. If it is not renewed, it expires. What shape would the guilds be in if in 3 years they decided not to renew contract & all residuals negotiated just went away?
For some reason, the word "sunset" bothers me.
Stay strong & united Mighty Writers!
As an aside, comparing that historical page to the current implementation of amptp.org should proffer a perfect visual representation of just how much can change in 3 years' time. Especially when it comes to anything technology-related, and especially when that technology involves computers; whether directly or indirectly.
As you can see, the old had pretty much zero substance. While the new has the flashy cost counters and the damnable "Writers make more than Bill Gates" animations.
They've drawn blood from the creative community, we must draw some in return or risk throwing away the next 3 years. Costing the conglomerates money only brings harm to the shade; it doesn't do much, in reality, to the personalities that control the abomination. Ever heard of a golden parachute? Heaven knows they have.
"jaw-jaw is better than war-war"
So... they're coming back to the table?
Sure, not officially and they'll spin this to their favor, but this looks like a good sign.
I remain cautiously optimistic.
Harold, you want me to say ugly things that impugn your intelligence, but I'll try to keep this civil: DVD's were not taken off the table for nothing...knowingly. They were taken off the table in exchange for SOMETHING that was subsequently withheld. That does not constitute an exchange.
Please, don't gum up the site with stuff like that, we've got a serious problem here.
"Captain Obvious said...That may be the way you negotiate in your neck of the woods, Harold, but in my world..."
In this world, people want to know the real value of what you're holding as far as you're concerned. It doesn't matter whether it's cards, deal proposals, or anything else. The big questions are "What is the value of what the other guy is holding? How valuable is it to that person?"
One of the ways that I might determine the value of something is that I ask you to exchange it for something of which I KNOW what the value is. The WGA negotiators exchanged DVD residuals for NOTHING. ZERO. NADA. WGA would have received nothing even if AMPTP had given what it promised.
So AMPTP already knows the value of DVD residuals. It has the same value that the reality writers proposal has. ZERO.
It will not be brought back. Are you seriously suggesting that the WGA is going to continue to strike over something that two months ago had ZERO value?
DVD residuals are dead.
Knowing the value of all of your opponents assets before you even start negotiating. That is negotiating without kid gloves.
Pretending that negotiations have magical "start over" points. That is naive fantasy.
The DVD residuals round is over. Value established - $0.
If the WGA had caved in whole or in part on the second ultimatum, it would have revealed the value of those proposals as well.
Because the WGA gave up DVD residuals for nothing and realized that it had inadvertently revealed its value, the WGA was forced into the odd situation of asserting that reality writing is a strike issue.
AMPTP knows that isn't a strike issue. They had only suspected that DVD residuals also wasn't one as far as the NegCom was concerned, so they tested it. AMPTP got its answer.
DVD residuals are dead.
I forgot to mention that I think the leadership has been fricking brilliant. The timing, organization, communication with members, and above all... the vision of the future (which is now) where creative people can operate & thrive outside the studios.
My prayers are that you remain strong & united and ALWAYS remember that they need more content now, now less.
So, if I'm reading this right, it would pay $1,200 for a year's worth of streaming a one-hour drama? ...once the 17 to 24-day free streaming promotional period has passed? Compared to what a regular TV repeat garners residuals-wise, $1,200 sounds kind of awful. Someone set me straight if I'm misunderstanding.
JimBob,
Read THIS and then read my reply to Captain Obvious.
The DVD proposal was COMPLETELY WITHDRAWN, because AMPTP said it was a stumbling block and they could not negotiate with WGA if it continued to argue for the DVD proposal.
So WGA "completely withdrew" the DVD proposal in exchange for AMPTP's willingness to conduct negotiations.
Huh?
You can argue that AMPTP's willingness to negotiate was "SOMETHING" that was more valuable than the DVD residual proposal, but I think it's obvious that it's not, because AMPTP can use the same argument for EVERY PROPOSAL.
AMPTP wasn't trying to do anything other than determine what the value of the DVD proposal was to the NegCom. The answer was that it wasn't worth much.
Now, it would be difficult to put DVDs on the table, because it has already been given up previously for nothing. You can't pretend that something is important when you didn't treat it as an important thing.
You can be disappointed the DVD residuals are dead (as I am), but don't be surprised when that is confirmed.
I would prefer to be wrong about DVDs. In fact, I wish the NegCom would get the proposed rate and make me look like an idiot.
I'm all for that!
Harold said...
DVD residuals are dead.
I left off the 1st grillion times you pronounced it.
Harold, you sound like the AMPTP.
It's all finality to you.
There is an invitation to informal talks. That can encompass just about anything being put on or taken off the table. How about we wait & see?
If you're right, you can have a lollipop. Happy?
harold
beautiful. So DVD is worth zero. Therefore, the AMPTP will have absolutely no problem when the WGA insists on it. After all, it's worth nothing. What possible reason in the world could AMPTP come up with to keep thousand and thousands of people out of work over something that will cost them NOTHING!!! It's beautiful!!! A no brainer... so lets see what happens when it's put back on the table. I'll bet you they kick and fight like screaming toddlers. You wanna put money on it?
I think this deal is a good one for the next three years.
While I'm convinced digital film/tv media will grow in distribution on the computer/internet, I don't believe that it'll explode like digital music did until well after 3 years in the future. Here's why.
Digital music exploded for Apple when the cool status of the iPod was combined with the convenience and freedom of being able to legally take your entire existing CD collection and put it in your pocket. This provided the incentive for consumers to purchase future digital music through iTunes. You currently CANNOT do that with DVDs. I own over 250 DVDs, and iTunes does NOT allow me to digitize them onto my computer like it does music.
This lack of freedom removes the incentive for me to transition to digital film and begin purchasing films through iTunes. I don't see iTunes film rentals doing anything more than taking market share away from Blockbuster/Hollywood Video.
This explosion for digital film/tv will not take place until Congress passes a law legalizing consumers to digitize their own existing DVD collections in a similar manner as they were afforded by the Audio Home Recording Act (AHRA) with CDs.
Apple, Hulu, and whoever can invent whatever they want, but until consumers have the freedom to digitize their DVD libraries, there is no significant incentive to change consumer behavior as the iPod revolution did for their music.
It will happen in the future, but it will take at least 3 years in my view before Congress passes a law like AHRA for DVDs.
Harold, since I'm not sure how long you've been lurking here, I should give you some background and correct a couple historical points you made.
You said:
"AMPTP knows [reality coverage] isn't a strike issue."
The notion that reality was added to the negotiation later in the game was pure AMPTP spin-doctoring. Reality has been on the table since negotiations began last summer.
You said:
"They had only suspected that DVD residuals also wasn't one as far as the NegCom was concerned, so they tested it. AMPTP got its answer."
That's not what happened at all. The AMPTP was confident the WGA would never, ever budge on the home video issue. That's why they focused on it. It was not intended to test the guild's mettle. You give them too much credit. The intent was to force the guild to stand firm and then cast the WGA as the villains in this saga right from the start. That's why, when the WGA dropped the issue in return for focusing the negotiations on "new media" the AMPTP ran from the table. This option wasn't planned for. They were certain the guild would never cave on that issue.
Since they decided to bolt from the table rather than make good on their end of the bargain, it is rendered null and void in my mind and in the minds of many others. The negotiating committee may not see it that way, and may elect to not rock the boat, but that doesn't mean I have to agree with that approach. I'm sure it's more to avoid encouraging the AMPTP to hold out even longer; more to avoid the inevitable "Writers are derailing the talks again" PR campaign; more to avoid handing the AMPTP an opportunity to truly change some BTL hearts and minds; and less about being afraid to stand their ground on the subject of home video residuals.
Which brings me to...
Harold said:
"Pretending that negotiations have magical 'start over' points. That is naive fantasy."
On the contrary, the naive fantasy is the one where the WGA is duty-bound to uphold some sort of negotiating code of ethics while the AMPTP is free to do as it pleases like a band of, as Letterman so aptly called them, cutthroats and weasels.
It's always said that nice guys finish last, but in my opinion those are only the nice guys that allow others to use them or walk all over them. One can be a generally decent person and still handle one's business effectively. Decent and business savvy aren't mutually exclusive.
...I don't think the AMPTP got that memo.
John said : "Digital music exploded for Apple when the cool status of the iPod was combined with the convenience and freedom of being able to legally take your entire existing CD collection and put it in your pocket. This provided the incentive for consumers to purchase future digital music through iTunes. You currently CANNOT do that with DVDs.I own over 250 DVDs, and iTunes does NOT allow me to digitize them onto my computer like it does music.
This lack of freedom removes the incentive for me to transition to digital film and begin purchasing films through iTunes. I don't see iTunes film rentals doing anything more than taking market share away from Blockbuster/Hollywood Video."
John,
I think what you're not factoring is that music consumption isn't a disposable game -- meaning, if I love The White Album/Beatles -- I'm not going to erase it from my Itunes after I listen to it a couple of times. That is a COMPLETELY different attitude in television watching -- and THAT'S the game that this DGA deal is giving away for the next three years. Chances are, you'll only watch an episode of television ONCE, or, if it's your most favoritest episode of The Office ever ever, you'll watch it three, four times, tops. Then you're done. And an Apple TV box will be able to deliver that disposable content directly to your TV screen, without a computer, on demand for a buck 99. And this isn't happening three years from now. The new Apple TV box ships in two weeks. TWO WEEKS. So the revolution of "I can now transfer my 250 DVDs to a digital library!!!" isn't the revolution we should be talking about. Because that revolution IS years away. The revolution we should be thinking about is the "I can now watch almost any TV show from any season, any channel -- right now!!!" revolution. And that revolution is taking place right now.
Also -- are you saying that Apple, Netflix, Xbox etc don't have to have a DVD-killing technology in order for the WGA to negotiate a cut of profits made off of EST?
Something no one has answered yet. It read as COMPLETELY WITHDREW ITS DVD PROPOSAL. That can be taken two ways:
Withdrew its DVD proposal INCREASE?
Withdrew its DVD residuals altogether?
Please someone tell me it's NOT the second one.
So, Harold, if I sell you a dime bag of weed and after you give me your money and I disappear around the corner, you discover you just bought some catnip -- what? You shrug your shoulders and tell yourself, "It's okay. My ten dollars wasn't really worth anything anyway, since I traded it for catnip."
What business school did you go to, dude?
Go forth, WGA and forge a deal that is beneficial to you all. Now is the time to put bad feelings aside and hash out what both sides can lives with.
I want to see you all back to work ASAP along with your production staffs.
"reasonable said...There is an invitation to informal talks. If you're right, you can have a lollipop. Happy?"
The hilarious thing is that you actually think AMPTP has somehow changed as a result of the DGA deal. It's the same guys with the same shitty deal. I would LOVE to be wrong about DVDs.
"Venice said...beautiful. So DVD is worth zero. Therefore, the AMPTP will have absolutely no problem when the WGA insists on it. You wanna put money on it?"
AMPTP established that the DVD proposal is worth ZERO TO THE WGA. The value of the DVD proposal to AMPTP is unknown, but AMPTP established its value to the the WGA NegCom. When this strike started, I'm certain no one expected that the DVD proposal and the reality proposal were worth the same amount. Yes, I would take that bet. Say, $50k? How do we do that?
"Captain Obvious said...The notion that reality was added to the negotiation later in the game was pure AMPTP spin-doctoring."
The reality proposal has been there from the beginning. It's one of the chips that would be tossed away. AFTER DVDs were given up, the NegCom pretended as if reality was a strike issue. No one seriously believes that. 2006 proved that it's only a negotiating point to give away.
"Captain Obvious said...The AMPTP was confident the WGA would never, ever budge on the home video issue. That's why they focused on it. It was not intended to test the guild's mettle. You give them too much credit."
Here's what I see. WGA dropped the DVD residual proposal in exchange for a promise from AMPTP that they would negotiate. That's it. AMPTP tested the NegCom. They revealed how valuable the DVD proposal was. What was the AMPTP reaction? "They gave up their DVD proposal for nothing. What else will they give up?" Then, the SECOND ultimatum arrived. Not doing the same idiotic thing twice is one of the NegCom's few intelligent moves in this strike.
"actorinsupport said...Withdrew its DVD proposal INCREASE? Withdrew its DVD residuals altogether?"
The WGA completely withdrew the DVD proposal meaning that existing DVD residual provisions would continue.
"JimBob said...So, Harold, if I sell you a dime bag of weed and after you give me your money and I disappear around the corner, you discover you just bought some catnip -- what?"
In this case, AMPTP sold the promise of talking to WGA about selling it weed. You don't seem to know how little the WGA sought in exchange for dropping DVDs.
The WGA was getting NOTHING even if AMPTP gave what it promised. The WGA basically said, "If you negotiate my proposals with me, I will give up the DVD proposal."
That's weak. WEAK.
Whatevs on DVD's being worth nothing to the WGA. That's just asinine spin. The DVD residuals proposal was not traded for the right to negotiate; it was traded for the promise of a good deal on New Media, the value of which both sides know is > zero. By the way these zuckers are fighting like alley cats over it, we can all assume it's an enormous number.
The AMPTP's bad faith "bargaining" shouldn't be rewarded with informal meetings. That would just prolong the strike and keep thousands out of work for no reason. There's no need to see if there are grounds to resume negotiations. The grounds were already there when the AMPTP walked away on December 7th. What the AMPTP wants is unilateral concessions from the WGA and they want them in private, so when they don't get them and storm off again, it's not such a PR nightmare. They don't want their true nature out there in the light where everyone can gawk.
We should insist that formal negotiations resume as we need to move this along and get everyone back to work -- formal negotiations with a Federal mediator and neutral party observers (or just televise it).
Then the DGA contract should be seen as the counterproposal that should have been forthcoming when the AMPTP walked away.
JimBob said...
...(Sorry, but AD's and UPM's are interchangeable drones.) It all...starts with the writer...our BROTHERS and SISTERS in the DGA made a deal four months in advance (how unnecessary was THAT) whose only possible use is to weaken us. We deserve more and we'll hold out for more.
Being an interchangeable drone, someone forwarded me this blog thinking I would enjoy reading the attacks on my profession and my union. I don't. For one thing, the WGA striking in November was a pointless power play which has proved very little. It proved that plenty of shows can keep shooting with all their drones b/c most of the writers decided to bang out a few extra scripts to make sure they had enough money to last through the strike. Films are still shooting. TV is not yet dead; it's just cheaper to produce now. The writers overvalued themselves in thinking by walking off the job they would shut down the town; it didn't happen. Now, if the WGA had been smart and waited until June and walked with SAG, they could have received any deal they wanted, very quickly.
Also, the point of negotiating early, which the WGA leadership failed to understand, is to prevent a strike by having a deal in place. When you wait to begin bargaining a month before your contract is up, it doesn't leave much time to work things out.
The WGA should take the same deal the DGA received and soon, because the longer you keep the strike going, you will lose whatever good will is left from the various drones and crews who have been supporting you until now, myself included.
Ahhhh.....
Comment moderation has been enabled. All comments must be approved by the blog author.
(Sorry, but AD's and UPM's are interchangeable drones.)
Uninteresting drivel...!
j.y.m,
Thank you for your thoughts. My view is that most contemporary music is in fact disposable. It's rare that an artist today creates a Beatles White Album. Most rappers and pop musicians today seem committed to only producing one or two "singles" that get people to buy their CD, and have a much shorter shelf life. Actual artists like The Beatles were committed to quality by producing entire albums, which is what makes them so great, and their music last so long.
I think the same can be said about tv/film. Shows like Cosby and Seinfeld I enjoy watching in perpetuity. Shows like the American Inventor are one and done for me. Great films like the Bourne trilogy I will watch for the foreseeable future. A film like POTC 3, once was more than enough.
I empathize with your concern over Apple TV. I'm just saying, the only catalyst that will change consumer behavior is an incentive to legally digitize their libraries. Otherwise, Apple TV and the rest really amount to nothing more than all of the existing video on demand services that have been around for years.
The only change with Apple TV 2 that is any different from their failed Apple TV 1 is the freedom not to have to stop by Blockbuster. But are people really going to pay $200-$300 dollars for that freedom? Only the die hard Apple fans or computer nerds like me.
=^)
Richard: Couldn't disagree more. The WGA should by no means "take the same deal the DGA received," but must attain a contract that's good for writers.
Harold: The DVD deal can be un-withdrawn. And should be. We should get a cut every time our work is sold.
All you whiney babies need to get back to work already. Some of you are already dismissing the DGA deal. Your stupid leadership better not nit pick at this deal and just slightly mold it. We, the BTL workers are suffering for your crusade. You're all whining but guess what, you make more than we do. You guys have your funds from your union, who's giving us a hand? Stop whining and be open minded to this deal.
John -- good point about current music being disposable for the most part. In my mind, if I pay 99 cents for a song I listen to once or twice, I still keep it around because it takes up so little space on my harddrive. But a movie that I'm only going to watch once or twice takes up 1000 times more harddrive space -- so I'm probably not going to buy too many of them -- but I will rent them for $2.99 if all I have to do is click a button on my apple tv, and suddenly it's streaming onto my widescreen tv in 30 seconds, then gone -- leaving my harddrive uncluttered by Taladega Nights 2 or whatever. Bye bye Netflix AND Blockbuster. I think it's a habit changing device, and at $229 its affordable to non-Apple heads.
Okay. Enough shilling for Steve Jobs. ;)
All that to say, a lot of profits that used to come to the studios via DVD rentals (which is actually DVD sales, since the hard dvd disks were sold to Blockbuster, Netflix etc) will all-to-soon be rechanneled through these on-demand boxes like AppleTv. Writers/directors/actors were pretty much screwed on the DVD formula back in the day, but we now have a chance to negotiate a bigger portion of this redirected revenue stream. Here's to hoping we can get a little bit bigger portion than the DGA just negotiated. One percent would be nice. Sigh.
"Frustrated BLT" is clearly a plant or an idiot or both. The WGA residuals happen to feed the IATSE pension and welfare, for openers.
Frustrated has never created a thing in his life so he can't understand why those of who entertain him don't just roll over for the corporations. The moguls offer $1200
for a first run, which once brought in $20,000 plus. It is likely that all reruns will air on the web during this contract. For us, this would be an enormous rollback. It will decimate the residual system which is what the AMPTP is after. You will also see a massive amount of product being made for $299,999.99 because people are willing to sell themselves out for less and less to work in our industry.
The AMPTP are pulling out all stops and working their stooges online and off to sell this to the public and force us into a deal. As far as the "Sunset Clause"...is the AMPTP going to revisit it in the same way they're revising the promises they made in '88? Do you think when they say "gotcha" again three years from now, we'll be to organize another strike?
I join with others in urging us to stay strong and united. It's great that we're returning to talks. But let's not sell ourselves out because we are so sick of this strike and scared of the future. We have accomplished so much and have had such a profound impact on our industry. There's a wonderful article in a
UK paper praising us for doing what the "big boy" unions have failed to do -- fight back.
Honestly, frustrated btl, and I hate to say it; but it's better for us to rake the industry over the coals now rather than have to do so Every. Three. Years.
"Do it right the first time."
Less short-term thinking more long-term, please. There's much at stake in this both for every member of the creative community. We, regrettably, have to fight for every thing we have. The conglomerates aren't smart enough to just give it to us so we can put out quality product. It's a vicious and self-serving cycle.
^ both for writers and for every member of the creative community.
I got distracted, and I'm too on strike for rewrites...
""Frustrated BLT" is clearly a plant or an idiot or both. The WGA residuals happen to feed the IATSE pension and welfare, for openers.
Frustrated has never created a thing in his life so he can't understand why those of who entertain him don't just roll over for the corporations. The moguls offer $1200
for a first run, which once brought in $20,000 plus."
Bonnie, you are despicable. And very arrogant.
No BLT, no movie. Your script would be just a doorstop.
If you don't believe me, then give life to your script without a crew, then call me.
And no matter what writers say, the movie's authorship belongs to the Director. Period. In fact, you don't even legally OWN the copyright, you know that, surely.
And it really doesn't matter what you guys say, you really don't count.
WGA WILL take a similar deal.
Why? Because the NegCom is made of A list writers and not wannabe like the posters on these boards.
They don't care much about the minimum, they just want to go back to their lucrative projects.
Artful Writer has posted a spin on the deal, they are trying to give you the heads up, preparing you to accept similar terms.
And Mazin is the spokesman of A list writers. So there. You can scream until the cows come home, you still are going to get it.
One A list writer said "Many of us feel that this is the deal to make and if we don't embrace it, it's over because people will go fi-core, immediately."
You grasp the meaning of that, right?
But go ahead, live in your delusion.
Reality is, when you all go back to work there will be WAY less jobs available for writers.
Pilot season won't exist anymore, right there, a big loss for the writers.
Less scripted programs, less jobs.
Congratulation. You shot yourself on the foot.
But I guess that the 1200 dollars that you'll make for the internet will cover your lost wages.
It will be fun to hear struggling writers complain even more that they can't find a job. I'll remind them of the strike. Can't wait.
Oh, and by the way, calling me a "shill" won't change what will happen.
Josh, you said:
One A list writer said 'Many of us feel that this is the deal to make and if we don't embrace it, it's over because people will go fi-core, immediately.'
You grasp the meaning of that, right?
But go ahead, live in your delusion.
If anyone thinks "this is the deal to make" then they must be singing a parody that goes a little something like this:
"Any deal's a good deal, so I took what I could get. Yes I took what I could get. Then I bent over and spread em real wide and the congloms said: 'You ain't been bumfucked yet. Wr-wr-wr-writer you just ain't been b-b-bumfucked yet."
Writers, please, go fi-core if you feel like showing your true colors. Sign those deals. Just don't expect us to respect you in the morning when we know that SOCBNBMWGFOBNMUCSXYMediaCorp had its way with you. Oh and don't come crying to us when you realize how much of your future you threw away to get back to work today rather than tomorrow.
Don't believe the hype, Josh. I'm one of those that's mostly unaffected by the issues involved in this negotiation. If I wasn't a writer I'd be as far removed from it as anyone could be, but you know what? Not everything has to be about me. I'm here sticking up for the little guy. As everyone should be. I won't stand idly by and watch my friends be bullied by the truly arrogant elephant in the room, Josh, the giant mega media mega corp.
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