tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2462026865900537983.post8796768102611240594..comments2023-08-28T01:47:52.421-07:00Comments on United Hollywood: "Misleading Investors Is a Federal Crime"Unknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger52125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2462026865900537983.post-32186886409074439232007-11-18T10:07:00.000-08:002007-11-18T10:07:00.000-08:00'I Love Writers' T-Shirts, Hats, Stickers, Mugs, B...<B><I>'I Love Writers'</I> <BR/>T-Shirts, Hats, Stickers, Mugs, Buttons, Magnets, and more are now available at: </B><BR/><BR/><B><I><A HREF="http://www.cafepress.com/ilovethisshirt/4072055" REL="nofollow">******* ILoveThisShirt.net *******</A></I></B><BR/><BR/><B>Show your Support for the Writers Strike!!!</B>Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2462026865900537983.post-6145634789268526462007-11-16T17:34:00.000-08:002007-11-16T17:34:00.000-08:00Caitlin,The only thing that will get the AMPTP bac...Caitlin,<BR/><BR/>The only thing that will get the AMPTP back to the table is the knowledge that they will lose. If they think they can win, they'll hold out. That's why instead of IATSE members bitching about the strike, they should be joining their brothers and sisters on the line. If that happened, the strike would be over in a week, not months. <BR/><BR/>But as long as they think they can practice divide-and-rule, they'll try to ride this thing out.<BR/><BR/>There's a reason we say "the longer the picket line, the shorter the strike."David Grenierhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07528086449155329742noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2462026865900537983.post-92020144446344633902007-11-16T10:47:00.000-08:002007-11-16T10:47:00.000-08:00Anonymous said... Here's my prediction for when...Anonymous said...<BR/><BR/> Here's my prediction for when the AMPTP will come back to the table. Some very distraught Below-The-Line Crew member about 4 months from now having lost his entire life savings, his home, his family his livelihood will get behind the wheel of his car that he can't make payments on because of the strike and he will drive to the closest picket line and then he will careen his car into a group of WGA picketeers killing an maiming an unknown amount. then you will see how fast this entire situation gets resolved!!!!!<BR/><BR/>Are you KIDDING?<BR/><BR/>Producers giving a rat's red puckered ass about another human life? That's so naive I don't think I can go on. Unless there's some sort of liability or profit loss connected to that accident, the AMPTP will not care in the least. It has to affect their wallets and those of their shareholders. The rest of the world can disappear: As long as the world leaves their wallets to loot, it'll never be anything more than business as usual.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2462026865900537983.post-87731487726839169302007-11-16T09:56:00.000-08:002007-11-16T09:56:00.000-08:00Don't get me wrong, I sympathize with ALL my write...Don't get me wrong, I sympathize with ALL my writer friends. But having seen the WGA leaders' "picketing with the stars" concept, I'd much rather join a producers union because at least they obviously know how to get what they want.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2462026865900537983.post-30514682488819791002007-11-16T06:02:00.000-08:002007-11-16T06:02:00.000-08:00Huston,Since it's not your strike, not your liveli...Huston,<BR/><BR/>Since it's not your strike, not your livelihood, and not your union that has to deal with the consequences, why the fuck do you think you get to tell people how to run their strike?<BR/><BR/>Sorry if the WGA is not living up to your fantasies of "militancy", but they exist to win for thier members, not to appeal to tourists.David Grenierhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07528086449155329742noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2462026865900537983.post-17918348051372994322007-11-16T05:15:00.000-08:002007-11-16T05:15:00.000-08:00For the folks who believe the writers are being 's...For the folks who believe the writers are being 'selfish'....<BR/><BR/>http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PzRHlpEmr0wJoe Publichttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08031448536320362694noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2462026865900537983.post-85783200238251439482007-11-16T00:50:00.000-08:002007-11-16T00:50:00.000-08:00I want to tell you a little story about what happe...I want to tell you a little story about what happened today. Number one, I'm a writer and I totally agree with the reasons of the strike and I hope it gets settled soon, but I am NOT a SAG or AFTRA or WGA writer. Everything I've ever done was in the UK.<BR/><BR/>I'm passing Universal today and see the protesters, standing like sheep, or black plague rats, in one little clump holding signs like posers. I say "Hey I'm on my way up the hill to city walk, let me have one of those signs, I'll casually stroll through till I get thrown out" They said "You have to get one from the organizer across the road"<BR/><BR/>I went to the guy and he would NOT let me have one "because it’s an organized strike" I said "so you clump them all into one little pile? Why not have them here and there and everywhere? On every corner that’s public property" he said "Thank you for your support goodbye" like the self destroying stooge that he was.<BR/><BR/>I said "Look, I just want to walk through holding the sign" he said "they could arrest you" I said "Let them try to arrest me! If the WGA is depending on spinless people like you to lead them to freedom, they're never going to get anywhere!" I then called the strike heads at the WGA and explained what happened. They totally agreed with the private organizer who according to them is one of the MILITANT leaders of the group! HA!<BR/><BR/>For them to be too frightened to actually do anything rather than "Honk your horn if you agree" shows the mentality of the Hollywood writers. I assure you a Hollywood producer would have kicked someone in the crotch by now and beat up his mother to get what he wants, and that’s why this thing is going to drag out for another 4 months because American writers are just ‘too darn scared… They probably got that way from writing American sitcoms. Remember the 60's anyone?Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2462026865900537983.post-40743465993634430462007-11-15T23:24:00.000-08:002007-11-15T23:24:00.000-08:00Sorry, this is off topic, but since there's surpri...Sorry, this is off topic, but since there's surprisingly no email contacts for any of the writers of this site, I have to leave my message here where it's liable to be overlooked.<BR/><BR/>Nevertheless, a really effective way to spread the word for the WGA would be if someone could write a program that could be implemented on Facebook. The network already has a ton of "Support Hilary," "Support Obama," etc. type of applications. One to support writers would be an excellent way to continue to get the message out. Sadly, I don't know how to author such programs.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2462026865900537983.post-74438499829755598292007-11-15T22:04:00.000-08:002007-11-15T22:04:00.000-08:00Here's my prediction for when the AMPTP will come ...Here's my prediction for when the AMPTP will come back to the table. Some very distraught Below-The-Line Crew member about 4 months from now having lost his entire life savings, his home, his family his livelihood will get behind the wheel of his car that he can't make payments on because of the strike and he will drive to the closest picket line and then he will careen his car into a group of WGA picketeers killing an maiming an unknown amount. then you will see how fast this entire situation gets resolved!!!!!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2462026865900537983.post-65678514426197746972007-11-15T21:52:00.000-08:002007-11-15T21:52:00.000-08:00Well put, Anonymous.There's a considerable risk on...Well put, Anonymous.<BR/>There's a considerable risk on the part of the writer as well. It takes time to outline and write a good script, time that freelance writers are not paid for. If the stars don't align and the project never sees the light of day, there's no payday for the writer. It's actually a much bigger "risk" fr the writer, since most writers don't have the same financial resources as these conglomerates do to sustain themselves when the pilot doesn't get picked up.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2462026865900537983.post-31810121124645216562007-11-15T21:35:00.000-08:002007-11-15T21:35:00.000-08:00houdini'sghost said...Can I assume you will return...houdini'sghost said...<BR/><BR/>Can I assume you will return your salary to your bosses if your company has an off year?<BR/><BR/>November 15, 2007 7:27 PM<BR/><BR/>I thought about saying something like that. Retail shops, restaurants and the like tend to run at a loss most of the time, making profits only at peek periods, like lunch hour, dinner hour or Christmas. I'd love to see somebody tell workers in these industries that they should refund their wages for the hours when there weren't enough customers for the store to make those hours profitable!<BR/><BR/>As an engineer I've worked on projects that were subsequently cancelled or never made a profit. I can't imagine any company demanding salaries be refunded to the company for those projects. When a company in entertainment, engineering or any other area invests in a project they know they are taking a risk. One of those risks is the loss of the wages they have to pay the people they hire. That's the responsibility of the company, not the workers.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2462026865900537983.post-5037291454473068502007-11-15T20:53:00.000-08:002007-11-15T20:53:00.000-08:00Sorry, I should have added: I realize most of that...Sorry, I should have added: I realize most of that didn't have to do with this specific post. Consider it a general repsonse to this and everything else these past few days, lol.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2462026865900537983.post-43107263033298088332007-11-15T20:50:00.000-08:002007-11-15T20:50:00.000-08:00I don't care if it's Arnold Swarchenegger, agents,...I don't care if it's Arnold Swarchenegger, agents, fans, the House or Congress, the law, shareholders, or someone who just goes in and physically drags Nick Coulter out of his office. Someone needs to get the AMPTP back to the table by any means necessary. (Within reason) Don't get me wrong, I fully support the writers. But all this with such a simple solution is lunacy. Maybe this will FINALLY break through the studio's stupidity. I understand the strike, but the very idea that it should have to go on for longer than an hour is rediculous. STEP THE FUCK UP, YOU IDIOT EXECS BEFORE YOU SCREW YOURSELVES OVER ANY MORE.<BR/><BR/>I will say one thing: much as I understand the writers being angry, it helps nothing to hold signs insulting the people they need to make a deal with. I know they're being dicks, but if WGA wants to be the bigger man, it has to be. There's far more than TV shows or even just their jobs on the line here. For the sake of many others already or soon to be out of work, I wish they'd be as mature as possible in the face of their enemy. It would be hard and someonewhat degrading, yes. But this is about more than pride. Besides, it makes the assholes look even worse, screaming at a calm and peaceful opponent.<BR/><BR/>Again, totally behind the writers. But this focus needs to be on ENDING this, for everyone involved, and I think they need to do everything they can, just as fans and everyone else should. There has to be some sacrivice to win the war, and if we make it, we will succeed.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2462026865900537983.post-49874821468902619782007-11-15T20:42:00.000-08:002007-11-15T20:42:00.000-08:00"According to Wikipedia".Please."According to Wikipedia".<BR/><BR/>Please.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2462026865900537983.post-78087042948231249282007-11-15T19:27:00.000-08:002007-11-15T19:27:00.000-08:00Anonymous 3:00PM,So we should "give back" the mone...Anonymous 3:00PM,<BR/><BR/>So we should "give back" the money we get for a pilot that doesn't air. Fair enough.<BR/>Can I assume you will return your salary to your bosses if your company has an off year?Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2462026865900537983.post-4573628466742951572007-11-15T19:20:00.000-08:002007-11-15T19:20:00.000-08:00Someone should sue these studios for antitrust if ...Someone should sue these studios for antitrust if they are hiding profits, cooking their books, and practicing overall decievery so as not to pay money on backend profit participation deals. This is called antitrust and is not legal in the United States of America.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2462026865900537983.post-40776551876332533602007-11-15T18:35:00.000-08:002007-11-15T18:35:00.000-08:00GO BACK TO WORK GUYS!!!! YOU ARE HURTING AMERICAS ...GO BACK TO WORK GUYS!!!! YOU ARE HURTING AMERICAS ENTERTAINMENT!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2462026865900537983.post-4416881049053849932007-11-15T17:01:00.000-08:002007-11-15T17:01:00.000-08:00Well, it will and it already is. Simon Fuller is w...Well, it will and it already is. Simon Fuller is working with Google to create an online production house. There are rumors of at least three others that I know of. The studios are really just digging their own grave here. In just a matter of years, writers will make deals, get money, put up their own content without "notes" and off they go.<BR/><BR/>Why would I write for a studio if I can make more money and have creative control. The studios are handling this the same way the music business did and that left them devastated.<BR/><BR/>The end is near.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2462026865900537983.post-47178610781021929942007-11-15T16:49:00.000-08:002007-11-15T16:49:00.000-08:00What's shccking to me is how little the writers ar...What's shccking to me is how little the writers are asking for.<BR/><BR/>If you look at the rest of the Internet, the revenue share for the creators of the content from the advertisers networks and distributors is north of 50%.<BR/><BR/>The writers have been beaten down so long, that they don't realize the conglomerates have already won even if the writers get everything they want.<BR/><BR/>End of the day, the model needs to change where the writers and directors become part-owners.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2462026865900537983.post-3103042232549598792007-11-15T16:44:00.000-08:002007-11-15T16:44:00.000-08:00And as far as the corporations being greedy. Not j...And as far as the corporations being greedy. Not just greedy, overly greedy.<BR/><BR/> I have been told, and maybe some economist out there can verify this, but I have been told the prosperity of the stock market over the past few years is the first time in history that wages have not followed. <BR/><BR/>If that's true, then the corporations are too greedy.Joe Publichttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08031448536320362694noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2462026865900537983.post-90510248494317954422007-11-15T16:32:00.000-08:002007-11-15T16:32:00.000-08:00This comment has been removed by the author.Joe Publichttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08031448536320362694noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2462026865900537983.post-87254772579857436152007-11-15T16:27:00.000-08:002007-11-15T16:27:00.000-08:00People, I think Sumner Redstone may be posting her...People, I think Sumner Redstone may be posting here anonymously! How exciting! Well, it's either him or some idiot who sat next to him in a restaurant last night and is parrotting a confused version of what Sumner thinks, Well, 'Sumner', the fantasyland I'm liiving in is called planet Earth, a strange, mythical place where published figures show that the business is making more money today than ever. Check out the 'Voices of Uncertainty' video on the main page here if you want to hear the truth from the poor moguls who you pity so much. And for your information, in quoting the Seinfeld case, I was referring to Larry David and Jerry Seinfeld. I repeat - as the creator/writers of 'Seinfeld', do you think these men deserved residuals? From your increasingly rabid posts, I can't tell. And, with that in mind, I really must stop engaging in dialogue with people like you who have made up their minds, whatever the facts. Good luck.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2462026865900537983.post-68110339122337571442007-11-15T16:10:00.000-08:002007-11-15T16:10:00.000-08:00I really don't have a vested interest in this stri...I really don't have a vested interest in this strike, but I am perplexed by some of the venom aimed at writers.<BR/><BR/>Somebody said 'pilots cost a lot.' Well who gives the OK on the bad ones? <BR/><BR/>And very simply to be paid for the downloaded content and any other internet revenue they claim to deserve. Isn't it all as simple as being paid for work done? Because the written content shows up on the internet, it's all of a sudden not their work? They created it, but because it's now on the internet they didn't really so they don't deserve compensation? That's just the nuttiest thinking I've ever heard in my life. I'm on the writers' side on this one.Joe Publichttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08031448536320362694noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2462026865900537983.post-45332196646756337982007-11-15T16:09:00.000-08:002007-11-15T16:09:00.000-08:00I am totally "greedy." I live in my two bedroom a...I am totally "greedy." I live in my two bedroom apartment and drive my 2003 Nissan Altima and get by on the occasional job and residuals. Being doing it for 8 years now.<BR/><BR/>I really don't care whether or not some random guy on the internet thinks I am a hack. What my peers and employers believe is all that matters and the ones I used to idolize now hire me, so I'm pretty happy.<BR/><BR/>If I am being "greedy" attempting to sustain my middle class income then, I'll be as greedy as I can be.<BR/><BR/>In the meantime, I suggest you check out a therapist because you have some serious anger issues.<BR/><BR/>Lastly, if you actually believe the studios are not making money anymore than you are no different than the crazy guy walking down the street rambling to himself. As if studios are only making money off of networks. Have you noticed these other mediums, like DVDs, internet? You should check them out.<BR/><BR/>You, of course, can't address the reality that writers gave up royalties on their product years ago because the movie business is complicated as far as ownership. In return we got residuals. For some reason this angers you. It is a fact, it is established and your anger towards it is bizarre.<BR/><BR/>If you need to spin what is due to writers into greed to justify your misplaced anger, then have at it.<BR/><BR/>And for your information, I can grasp the fact that studios employ tens of thousands of people, because i am one of them. I just have decided to draw a line and fight for what is important to me, no others. Unlike studios, who apparently exist to employ people and do not make money in your world.<BR/><BR/>Good luck.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2462026865900537983.post-17918606795903143932007-11-15T15:50:00.000-08:002007-11-15T15:50:00.000-08:00"The studios and networks are doing unbelievably w..."The studios and networks are doing unbelievably well"<BR/><BR/>In what fantasy land are you living?? Network viewership has been in series decline for years. The days of Seinfeld or Friends type ratings are long gone. The only show with monster ratings is American Idol, which will no doubt be even bigger this year with zero competition.<BR/><BR/>And do you seriously think that any of the writers that were lucky enough to ride on the backs of Jerry Seinfeld and Larry David are on skid row? <BR/><BR/>I'm sick of hearing how entitled and precious writers think they are. There are the elite few that are worth their weight in gold but most of you are overpaid hacks...even at 2.5%. <BR/><BR/>Writers are greedy. Studios are greedy. But somehow, corporate greed is bad and personal greed is ok. Writers can't seem to grasp the fact that studios employ tens of thousands of people worldwide. Not to mention the millions of shareholders. How many people does the average writer employ?? A nanny perhaps? A housekeeper? Maybe a private tutor or soccer coach for their kid? <BR/><BR/>Yeah, that makes sense. Boy, those huge corporations sure are heartless bastards for allowing thousands of people to have a life.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com