- Angelenos Support the Writers! So says a poll by SurveyUSA sponsored by KABC-TV. Of Los Angeles area adults familiar with the strike, 69% say they take the side of the WGA. Eight percent take the studios' side, while 22% say they don't take either side. "Support for the WGA members is strong across all demographic groups."
- In today's New York Times, Lost's Damon Lindelof has an op-ed.
"I am angry because I am accused of being greedy by studios that are being greedy. I am angry because my greed is fair and reasonable: if money is made off of my product through the Internet, then I am entitled to a small piece. The studios’ greed, on the other hand, is hidden behind cynical, disingenuous claims that they make nothing on the Web — that the streaming and downloading of our shows is purely 'promotional.' Seriously?"There's also a pro-writer column by Maureen Dowd.
“Some of these writers are living check to check,” said James Brooks, the writer, director and producer — and a creative force behind “The Simpsons” — who is on the picket line in Los Angeles. “And I fear union busting. It’s happening all over the place, and we’re not immune.”There are also some great quotes from SNL's Seth Meyers.
- In the LA Times: "Writers Have Marginalized Themselves" by Sean Mitchell. It's a bit of a downer, but then, the history of screenwriters is not a very cheery tale. Mistakes were made! What is encouraging and even inspiring is that this strike is about the future. Damon's op-ed pretty much nails it.
8 comments:
fuck you writers, we want our shows 24!!!!!!!!!
I guess the BIG question is if the AMPTP throws a bone our way (in the way of giving a token deal on DVDs and Internet), will we chase it?
Everybody else has creative control over what we write but us. And that's wrong. James M. Cain and Edna Ferber had the write (yeah, I know: right) idea, we've allowed ourselves to be fucked up the ass so long we think it's normal...
Personally, I damn tired of it. But I also know my union is equally able to fuck me and has. Each and every time they've caved to the few dollars the AMPTP throws our way, the WGA has shown just how little it actually cares about the writer and demonstrates the almighty buck is their god.
signed,
Color Me Disgusted
GUILD stands for Giving Unemployment In Large Doses.
To the F-U comment.. you are an ignorant fool
Writers-- I fully support you all the way! Stay strong, stay united!
I think Mitchell doesn't get the stakes for episodic television. Sure copyright matters, sort of, for a feature script, but internet reruns replacing syndication and broadcast reruns are more important.
Get your 'writer.' shirts, hats,
buttons, mugs, and more at:
dirtyword.net
Show your support for the writers!
To the anonymous ignoramuses (not you, Color Me Disgusted), ever heard of biting the hand that feeds you? Who do you think writes the plots & dialogue of 24 - the producers? If you love 24, you should be supporting the writers.
About GUILD, do you like the weekends & 8 hour days? Brought to you courtesy of the unions. Like Social Security & pensions? Brought to you by unions. Health & safety regulations? Unions. Health benefits? Who ended child labor? Unions. Workplace protection from race/sex/gender discrimination? Unions. Vacations? Family leave? Unions.
Thank the goddess you have it so good. Of course, workers in Europe are better off (even with recent losses) than Americans. They have more unions, more of the population are in unions, and they have an unbroken history of labor struggle.
Remember, you get to vote on the contract. If you don't like the deal being offered, you can vote against it.
Unions aren't necessarily perfect, but they are far more democratic and a far better deal than you'd get if you just had to take whatever your boss offers.
In a union you can run for office, you can try to sit on the negotiating committee, you can vote on the contract. Try running for the board of News Corp and see where that gets you.
In other words, if you don't like the deal your union gets you, get more involved and get a better deal.
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