SerenityMovie.net

[Companion Kate]

OK, could someone help me to understand what this proposed American writer's strike is all about?

(...continued from here)
_________________

[Raycheetah]

There is likely gonna be a WGA (Writers' Guild of America) strike, either the end of this month, or, they might postpone their strike to synchronize with the SAG (Screen Actors' Guild) strike which is likely to occur at the end of June. That means that the TV/motion picture industry will likely come to a standstill for the duration of the negotiations, possibly for months.

See the very informative discussion of this on the Sci-Fi.com BSG board:

http://forums.scifi.com/index.php?showtopic=2289490

The gist of this is that, unless you are a member of the WGA, you will not be able to get your work produced for TV or movies in Hollywood. Scabs, i.e., those who work "across the picket lines" are ill-regarded by the unions, not only the WGA, but, the SAG, and, related "shops," (electricians and costumers, for example) as well. If you write for a program during the strike, for example, when the strike is over, you will not only no longer be able to obtain work (under any active agreement), you will also never be able to get a union membership, in order to get work.

Sure, you can write anything you want, but, membership with the union prohibits absolutely presenting it to a studio for use or consideration during the strike. As for writers in foreign countries who do not hold WGA memberships, there is usually a corresponding and reciprocal agreement with the equivalent organizations in their countries. Again, any foreign scabbing is likely to result in the crippling of a career within the Hollywood entertainment industry, as well as related fields.

So, for several months, no production work will get done on any projects to be filmed. No writers on set to tweak their scripts, no new scripts, no creative production for those media of any kind. The crux of the issue is that the unions feel that the industry (the studios), which works under a universally-binding contract, is trying to cut out most if not all residuals for writers, including preventing the writers from benefiting at all from alternative media, such as online webcasts. There may be other issues, as well.

The industry counters that it has presented reasonable and balanced proposals, which the union has turned down flat as unsatisfactory, and, that the call to strike is a standard operational procedure, when the contract is up.

I hope that answers some questons, though it is just this layman's inexpert understanding of it. I strongly urge you to visit the link, above, for more details.

-Raycheetah =^[.]^=
_________________
http://fans4writers.com/ Support the WGA!



http://fireflydvd.com/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?p=31211#31211

[Movie_Boy49]

Also, Hollywood is basically storing up their nuts for the winter. The list of "pre-strike" films is big and getting bigger. These include: Justice League, the new Harry Potter, Transformers, and Narnia films, and a 1st season of the remake of the British series 11th Hour. Well, look on the bright side. You're about to see a lot of famous film and TV actors on Broadway (and plus, as Entertainment Weekly said, "Hey, reading is fun!"). I got all this from the October 12th issue of Entertainment Weekly, the one with Gollum on it.
_________________
"I can't listen to that much Wagner. I start getting the urge to conquer Poland." -Woody Allen
"In the future, everybody is going to be a director. Somebody's got to live a real life so we have something to make a movie about." -Cameron Crowe

[Companion Kate]

[Browncoat Bud]

[Raycheetah]

[lead.b]

I tend to agree no impact for FF / Serentiy follow on; even if things are far enough Joss might start laying pen to paper, even if Joss starts writing I don't think his not being able to present it until a strike concludes would affect the time line much.

[theonetruebix]

There also is the threat by the WGA to not allow any non-WGA writers who do write during the strike to ever join the WGA at any point in the future.
_________________
[url=http://www.theonetruebix.com/][b]Photographic prints for sale by The One True b!X via Etsy[/b][/url]

[Uppitywomyn]

I heard about this strike.... they are saying this is one reason cbs is holding off commiting to a season of a certain show... this strike will affect movies tv everything... Im for rights and compensation... but leave my tv alone...lol

jk sorta

Uppity
_________________
Remember to always be yourself, Unless you suck....
~Joss Whedon

btw: SAVE MOONLIGHT! Watch Moonlight!(or at least leave your cable tuned to cbs fridays 8pm central) and Support the WGA to end the strike as soon as possible!!!!!

[Movie_Boy49]

Remember, if they write it before the strike date, they're fine.
_________________
"I can't listen to that much Wagner. I start getting the urge to conquer Poland." -Woody Allen
"In the future, everybody is going to be a director. Somebody's got to live a real life so we have something to make a movie about." -Cameron Crowe

[BrownCoat_Tabz]

I have a friend whose roommate is part of the writer's strike.

No one is really concerned except for on-going weekly shows like "The Daily Show".

And even Reality shows have writers, just watch the credits.
_________________
Tabz, Slayer of the Podcasts.

[Raycheetah]

Here's a link to a very good, easy-to-understand article about the possible effects, over time, of a writers' strike:

http://origin1.contracostatimes.com/search/ci_7320188

ETA: Well, that link worked... For a while. Apparently, you now need to register to read it. Sorry about that. I'm just gonna post the body of the article, below.

New shows, like Moonlight, Pushing Daisies, and, so forth, would be at particular peril, in the event of a strike and long-term hiatus.

-Raycheetah ='[.]'=
_________________
http://fans4writers.com/ Support the WGA!



http://fireflydvd.com/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?p=31211#31211

[Raycheetah]

CHUCK BARNEY: AS SEEN ON TV

Writers' strike will turn off many viewers

Contra Costa Times

Article Launched: 10/30/2007 03:01:32 AM PDT

Having long seen themselves as second-class citizens in Hollywood , television and movie writers are as mad as hell, and they're not going to take it anymore. And now they're prepared to deliver a script that no one wants to see.

Unless the Writers Guild of America can quickly resolve its bitter differences with studios and networks, it could order its members to go on strike any time after Halloween -- the day its labor contract expires. Such a gloomy scenario has the potential to leave Tinseltown in chaos and television and movie fans out in the cold.

Come early next year, our TV sets might be spewing forth -- shudder -- mostly reruns, game shows and even more cheap knockoffs of "American Idol." And that new show you just got hooked on? Don't count on it surviving a lengthy hiatus.

Moviegoers, meanwhile, eventually would be left with a much shorter list of new films to peruse.

After taking the weekend and Monday off, WGA negotiators are scheduled to resume talks with the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers, or AMPTP, today in Southern California . Meetings thus far have been so unproductive and rancorous that a federal mediator has stepped in to referee.

The most divisive issue is pegged to a long-brewing battle over residual payments for digital media -- downloads of TV shows and movies. The writers want a cut of these new and evolving platforms. Producers, however, prefer to hold off to see how things shake out.

Neither side wants a work stoppage, especially now that the TV networks are bleeding viewers, and so many other entertainment options are available to seduce us. But the writers, who believe they have been given short shrift in past deals, clearly are bracing for a bloody throw-down.

Still, the labor issues don't matter much to those of us who just want to see how "Heroes" plays out or laugh ourselves silly at a Will Ferrell movie. With that in mind, here is a rundown on how a strike could affect audiences:

Late-night laughs dry up: Under a strike scenario, the first to be hit would be fans of late-night TV shows, which are produced on a same-day basis. As funny as they might be, Conan O'Brien and Jon Stewart don't write their own stuff, and they are not about to start.

Networks might choose to put their late-night shows into reruns or air them as interview-heavy programs that eschew comedy sketches. Plan your bedtimes accordingly.

Stay tuned -- for now: If the writers do walk, you won't be left staring at a test pattern just yet because scripted comedies, dramas and daytime soaps are filmed several weeks ahead of time and stockpiled to a point.

But fresh episodes of "The Office," "CSI" and others would only last through February sweeps at the latest. Beyond that, things could get dicey, depending on the length of a walkout. YouTube, anyone?

Lights, camera, inaction: It would take movie fans a bit longer to experience the fallout from the strike because most Hollywood productions planned for the next few months are already in the can.

But if a walkout lingered, the flow of films eventually would slow to a trickle. In that case, expect to see more documentaries on the big screen and possibly even more foreign films than usual.

Jack Bauer to the rescue? Some shows, such as Fox's action-thriller "24," already are pegged for a midseason debut, and thus will have a run of new episodes ready to roll out next year. Other shows in the same category include "Lost," "Law & Order," "Medium" and "Jericho," as well as some new series such as "Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles."

Fall's freshman crop could spoil: At least the established TV shows have had time to build a loyal following that theoretically would return to the fold once a strike ends. But what about new shows such as "Pushing Daisies"? If they disappear for any length of time, it could be a case of out of sight, out of mind and a struggle for survival.

Prime time's new reality: Unscripted shows such as "American Idol" and "Survivor" are not subject to the WGA contract and would be unaffected by a work stoppage. So if you are dismayed with the amount of reality shows on the air now, prepare to get really fed up.

In addition, expect to see more of Howie Mandel and Bob Costas as game shows and sports events should abound. Airings of newsmagazines also might increase. It's a genre that networks heavily relied on in 1988, when a five-month writers' walkout crippled the TV industry.

How likely is a strike this time around? Very likely, judging from the dismal talk circulating in Hollywood over the past few weeks. But if negotiators make some progress today, writers might agree to continue working for a while under terms of the expired deal.

Still, it might be wise to start filling your DVRs to the brim. All the better to steel yourself against what could be a long, chilly TV season.

Reach Chuck Barney at 925-952-2685 or cbarney@bayareanewsgroup.com. Also, check out his daily blog at http://cctextra.com/blogs/tvfreak.

-Raycheetah ='[.]'=
_________________
http://fans4writers.com/ Support the WGA!



http://fireflydvd.com/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?p=31211#31211

[Raycheetah]

Okay, mad-scientist post transplant ("The Thread From Another Forum!"):

[quote name='Raycheetah' date='Nov 8 2007, 12:02 AM' post='4472509']
Y'know, the whole strike thing raises a question for us Browncoats, a question of priorities.

On another thread [on the original forum] there is discussion, which I had initially enthusiastically endorsed, about seeing if Universal might be able to get their license for Firefly extended to their sister Network, NBC. The reasoning was, if, by any chance, NBC aired the 14 episodes of Firefly, in front of an audience which might not otherwise have seen it, it would be a boost for the fandom.

Aside from the debatability of the notion (hey, crazier things have worked), it kinda runs counter to the idea of supporting the writers in their strike. Much as I might wish to take advantage of the opportunity to capitalize on the situation, it ain't the right thing to do.

There're also a lot of folks who are posting Wavecards asking Universal for a sequel. We could do that after the strike, as easily as now. This ain't the time to be askin' the studios for anything, not if we respect what Joss is sayin' about the strike, not if we respect what's right and fair for the rest of the folks who create what we enthuse over.

It's pens down for the writers. I think it oughtta be pens down for us Browncoats, 'cept what we write in support of the strike, too.

-Raycheetah ='[.]'=
[/quote]


[quote name='Raycheetah' date='Nov 11 2007, 09:40 AM' post='4488457']
In answer to your questions as raised on another [Skiffy] thread, Narien, my position is that, anything we watch on TV (yeah, I know, the networks can't monitor us all) during the strike still supports the networks, since they can base their ad revenues on viewership of any gorram thing they air, so long as they get ratings. New shows, old shows... Also, new movies (OUCH!). Anything which drives studio revenues (including webcasts of TV shows; they have ads on those, too, and, can likely track the usage better than TV) helps perpetuate the situation.

We strangle the revenues, we hasten the time at which the studios have to go back to the table.

Sadly, this also extends to new DVD purchases, and, to licensed merchandise, like the Serenity Wavecards. As a licensed product, they are a small but real part of the revenue stream. Also, at this point, going to Universal (or, NBC), cunning hats in our hands, asking for largesse is exactly opposite the hard-line stance of supporting the WGA. I know, we have such a small impact. But, it IS an impact. If Uni/NBC sees us asking pretty please, they can be confident that we're not boycotting them.

And, I keep coming back to what Joss has said and done. Would even Joss want us to be askin' the "other side" for more Firefly/Serenity, right now? Or, would he prefer our support and solidarity, as Browncoats? We wield substantial power as a fandom; I feel that it is time to wield it on Joss' behalf, along with all the other writers who are striking for their futures, not for what we want.

I'm not on the lines, carryin' a sign, but, I can still picket.

-Raycheetah =^[.]^=
[/quote]


[quote name='Sephiroth144' date='Nov 11 2007, 06:35 PM' post='4490318']
Exactly!

And, speaking as someone who IS on the lines carrying a sign, thank you- we WILL do the impossible with your help, and that will make US all mighty...
[/quote]

Just to add some salient points, without having to re-type every gorram word...

-Raycheetah =^[.]^=
_________________
http://fans4writers.com/ Support the WGA!



http://fireflydvd.com/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?p=31211#31211

[Raycheetah]

Wanna get good and gorram mad?

Go here:

http://www.myspace.com/hollywoodinterrupted

Take five minutes and watch the 3 (rather funny, and, well-written) YouTube videos explaining what the studios are trying to do to the writers.

Then, go here:

http://fans4writers.com/

and learn about what we fans can do about it.

Don't forget this one:

http://unitedhollywood.blogspot.com/

Sign the petition. Join the virtual picket line. Be informed, so, you can inform others.

Just be ready to be pissed off. I know I am.

-Raycheetah ='[.]'=
_________________
http://fans4writers.com/ Support the WGA!



http://fireflydvd.com/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?p=31211#31211

[Raycheetah]

Another fine article explaining some of the larger-scale implications of the corporate position in the current Strike:

http://murderati.typepad.com/murderati/2007/11/surrendering-am.html

Well-written, informative, and, with a fresh slant on how the media aren't covering the Strike, so much as covering it UP.

Grrr!

-Raycheetah ='[.]'=
_________________
http://fans4writers.com/ Support the WGA!



http://fireflydvd.com/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?p=31211#31211

[Raycheetah]

IMPORTANT NEWS!

"From Deadline Hollywood Daily:

Quote
The date they return to the bargaining table is November 26th. I picked up rumors about this starting about two hours ago, and I've just confirmed it from a WGA source. Now the Writers Guild of America has just issued a statement: "Leaders from the WGA and the AMPTP have mutually agreed to resume formal negotiations on November 26. No other details or press statements will be issued." The exact same statement was just issued moments later by the Alliance Of Motion Picture And Television Producers

More news as we get it.

To unsubscribe from these announcements, login to the forum and uncheck "Receive forum announcements and important notifications by email." in your profile.

You can view the full announcement by following this link:

http://www.fans4writers.com/forum/index.php?topic=320.0

Regards,
The Fans4Writers Forum Team."

Looks like we may have something to be thankful about, and, the writers, too!

-Raycheetah =^[.]^=
_________________
http://fans4writers.com/ Support the WGA!



http://fireflydvd.com/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?p=31211#31211

[Raycheetah]

Just a reminder. Getcher pencils out to the Moguls here:

http://unitedhollywood.blogspot.com/2007/1...rt-writers.html

Be sure to enter the show/writer you support (e.g., Firefly/Joss Whedon) in the box under the yellow "Buy Now" button, before you proceed.

Then, before you complete the transaction, on the next page, you can enter your comments to the Moguls, like, "That was $X I might have spent this weekend on movie tickets, DVDs, and the like. I hope you enjoy the pencils."

On the first page, you can also hit the red (More Information) link, which takes you to a slightly different page, chock full of detailed, well, information about how to support the strike. There're neat videos, too, which clearly are the best creative outlet our Writers have, right now.

All it takes is about a minute, and, as little as a buck, either through PayPal, or, by credit card. I did it, and, I feel like a hundred bucks!

Let's make sure the studios NEVER forget that we're out here, and, whose side we're on.

-Raycheetah =^[.]^=
_________________
http://fans4writers.com/ Support the WGA!



http://fireflydvd.com/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?p=31211#31211

[Raycheetah]

Date: November 29, 2007 9:00:43 PM CST
To: <BuffyAngelFirefly@ yahoogroups. com>
Subject: [BuffyAngelFirefly] WGA Response
Reply-To: BuffyAngelFirefly@ yahoogroups. com

http://community. livejournal. com/wga_supporte rs/124458. html



WGA Response
To Our Fellow Members,

After four days of bargaining with the AMPTP, we are writing to let you know that, though we are still at the table, the press blackout has been lifted.

Our inability to communicate with our members has left a vacuum of information that has been filled with rumors, both well intentioned and deceptive.

Among the rumors was the assertion that the AMPTP had a groundbreaking proposal that would make this negotiation a "done deal." In fact, for the first three days of this week, the companies presented in essence their November 4 package with not an iota of movement on any of the issues that matter to writers.

Thursday morning, the first new proposal was finally presented to us. It dealt only with streaming and made-for-Internet jurisdiction, and it amounts to a massive rollback.

For streaming television episodes, the companies proposed a residual structure of a single fixed payment of less than $250 for a year's reuse of an hour-long program (compared to over $20,000 payable for a network rerun). For theatrical product they are offering no residuals whatsoever for streaming.

For made-for-Internet material, they offered minimums that would allow a studio to produce up to a 15 minute episode of network-derived web content for a script fee of $1300. They continued to refuse to grant jurisdiction over original content for the Internet.

In their new proposal, they made absolutely no move on the download formula (which they propose to pay at the DVD rate), and continue to assert that they can deem any reuse "promotional, " and pay no residual (even if they replay the entire film or TV episode and even if they make money).

The AMPTP says it will have additional proposals to make but, as of Thursday evening, they have not been presented to us. We are scheduled to meet with them again on Tuesday.

In the meantime, we felt it was essential to update you accurately on where negotiations stand. On Wednesday we presented a comprehensive economic justification for our proposals. Our entire package would cost this industry $151 million over three years. That's a little over a 3% increase in writer earnings each year, while company revenues are projected to grow at a rate of 10%. We are falling behind.

For Sony, this entire deal would cost $1.68 million per year. For Disney $6.25 million. Paramount and CBS would each pay about $4.66 million, Warner about $11.2 million, Fox $6.04 million, and NBC/Universal $7.44 million. MGM would pay $320,000 and the entire universe of remaining companies would assume the remainder of about $8.3 million per year. As we've stated repeatedly, our proposals are more than reasonable and the companies have no excuse for denying it.

The AMPTP's intractability is dispiriting news but it must also be motivating. Any movement on the part of these multinational conglomerates has been the result of the collective action of our membership, with the support of SAG, other unions, supportive politicians, and the general public. We must fight on, returning to the lines on Monday in force to make it clear that we will not back down, that we will not accept a bad deal, and that we are all in this together.

Best,

Patric M. Verrone
President, WGAW

Michael Winship
President, WGAE

-RC ='[.]'=
_________________
http://fans4writers.com/ Support the WGA!



http://fireflydvd.com/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?p=31211#31211

[Raycheetah]

Here's the latest on the strike; the AMPTP is fulfilling expectations by accusing the WGA of intransigence, all the while offering the Writers practically insulting compensation for highly-profitable internet webcasts of programs:

Producers, writers negotiations collapse
By LYNN ELBER, AP Television Writer 50 minutes ago
Negotiations between striking Hollywood writers and studios collapsed Friday, crushing expectations for a settlement of the costly walkout in its fifth week.

The Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers announced that the round of talks that started Tuesday had broken down, stalling efforts to end the five-week strike that has sidelined many prime-time and late-night TV shows.

The alliance said it was "puzzled and disheartened" by the Writers Guild of America's ongoing negotiating strategy "that seems designed to delay or derail talks rather than facilitate an end to this strike."

In response, the guild said the chief alliance negotiator slammed the door on bargaining after presenting an ultimatum and before the union could respond to his latest proposal regarding crucial new-media compensation issues.

"As we prepared our counteroffer, at 6:05 p.m., Nick Counter came and said to us, in the mediator's presence, 'We are leaving. When you write us a letter saying you will take all these items off the table, we will reschedule negotiations with you,'" according to a union statement.

A detailed alliance announcement on the talks' collapse was released a short time later. Counter was unavailable Friday night for comment, the alliance said.

A letter the guild said it received from Counter said negotiations could resume only after the guild removed a half-dozen demands.

The guild said it remained "ready and willing to negotiate, no matter how intransigent our bargaining partners are, because the stakes are simply too high."

"If someone called tomorrow and said 'Let's start on Sunday and we want to hear your counterproposal,' I'd say 'great,'" chief guild negotiator David Young told The Associated Press.

The writers guild represents 12,000 members but not all are on strike, with about 2,000 or so news writers and others covered under a separate contract.

Just two days ago the sides had expressed their first hint of optimism. But the possibility of an imminent settlement appeared less likely as Friday wore on, with both sides trading barbs and pointing fingers.

The alliance reiterated its position that its latest offer aimed at settling a central contract issue — compensation for the Internet and other digital media — makes it "possible to find common ground."

Last week, the studios had proposed a flat $250 payment for a year's use of an hourlong TV show on the Web. That contrasts with the $20,000-plus residual that writers now earn for a single network rerun of a TV episode.

Friday night, the guild said producers were holding to their $250 offer and demanding that writers give up on proposals including unionization of animation and reality and, "most crucially, any proposal that uses distributor's gross as a basis for residuals."

As word of the breakdown spread, some writers expressed frustration.

"It's disheartening that a month into this, I'm not getting the overwhelming sense that we're getting any closer to a settlement," said Robert Port, a writer for the CBS series "Numb3rs." "I hope we can continue to negotiate and wrap this thing up."

Earlier Friday, in a letter sent to its members and released publicly, the guild said that "highly placed executives" have told some writers that the companies are preparing to abruptly end the talks by accusing the guild of an unwillingness to bargain.

The letter said any such anti-union claims are "absolutely untrue" and challenged studios to negotiate "day and night, through the Christmas and New Year's holidays" to reach a settlement.

The union's remarks reflect its vulnerability, said one observer.

"I think the producers are displaying their leverage quite publicly and aggressively and the writers know it and are fighting back," said Jonathan Handel, an entertainment lawyer at the Los Angeles law firm of TroyGould and a former associate counsel for the guild.

"At the end of the day, the companies have the leverage because they have the money," he said. Studios also can try to reach a favorable deal with the directors guild, Handel said, and use that to set a "pattern bargaining" template the writers would be expected to follow.

About 300 writers who are also members of the Directors Guild of America sent a joint letter asking the directors union to postpone negotiations on its contract, which expires in June, until the writers make a deal, according to a guild member who spoke on condition of anonymity, saying he was not authorized to comment on the letter.

___

Associated Press writer Daisy Nguyen contributed to this report.

-Raycheetah ='[.]'=
_________________
http://fans4writers.com/ Support the WGA!



http://fireflydvd.com/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?p=31211#31211

[Raycheetah]

This just coming down through the grapevine:

http://www.latimes.com/business/la-fi-webwriters17dec17,0,4998256,full.story?coll=la-home-center

written by joseph.menn@ latimes.com <mailto:joseph.menn@ latimes.com>

Dozens of striking film and TV writers are negotiating with venture
capitalists to set up companies that would bypass the Hollywood studio
system and reach consumers with video entertainment on the Web.

At least seven groups, composed of members of the striking Writers
Guild of America, are planning to form Internet-based businesses that,
if successful, could create an alternative economic model to the one
at the heart of the walkout, now in its seventh week.

Three of the groups are working on ventures that would function much
like United Artists, the production company created 80 years ago by
Charlie Chaplin and other top stars who wanted to break free from the
studios...

Silicon Valley investors historically have been averse to backing
entertainment start-ups, believing that such efforts were less likely
to generate huge paydays than technology companies. But they began
considering a broader range of entertainment investments after
observing the enormous sums paid for popular Web video companies,
including the $1.65 billion that Google Inc. plunked down last year
for YouTube, a site where users post their own clips.

They also have been emboldened by major advertisers, which prefer
supporting professionally created Web entertainment to backing user-
generated content on sites such as MySpace that can be in poor taste.

"I'm 100% confident that you will see some companies get formed," said
Todd Dagres, a Boston-based venture capitalist who has been flying to
L.A. and meeting with top writers for weeks. "People have made up
their minds."...

Already this year, a handful of sites have received venture backing,
including FunnyorDie.com, co-founded by comedic actor Will Ferrell,
and MyDamnChannel. com, launched by former MTV executive Rob Barnett...

Most writers who have been talking with venture capitalists declined
to discuss their plans on the record, saying it was too early to
provide details. Yet an array of strategies have emerged from
interviews with writers, investors and others involved in the process.

The groups modeled after United Artists (which eventually was bought
by Metro-Goldwyn- Mayer Inc. and recently was revived with the help of
Tom Cruise) envision creating and distributing programming for the Web
and recouping their investments by selling rights to the most
successful properties to TV networks or movie companies...

Some high-profile writers and technologists are trying to create a
collaborative studio they hope would be officially sanctioned by the
Writers Guild. They want to build on the popularity of strike-related
videos on the guild-inspired blog UnitedHollywood, YouTube and
elsewhere.

"We are uniquely positioned to take our case and new business model
directly to consumers," said a leader of that effort, the primary
writer on a TV show that was a blockbuster a decade ago. "This will be
the officially sanctioned Hollywood union portal."

Others seek to create a privately owned studio that would develop
episodic series for the Web. The studio could turn a profit even
without cutting movie or TV deals if it developed an audience coveted
by advertisers. ..

At least two additional groups plan to create companies that would
distribute material on Facebook or other online gathering places where
they might quickly become popular.

Facebook director Jim Breyer, a partner at Silicon Valley venture firm
Accel Partners, said he was weighing deals that would rely on
Facebook's platform. "It is likely we will make investments in Los
Angeles screenwriter/ content-oriented companies in 2008," he said.

Accel and Dagres' Spark Capital are among four venture firms that have
been meeting with writers since the strike began. Hedge funds are also
interested in investing, writers who have met with them said...

Some of the writers who are drafting business plans said that if the
strike had lasted only a week, they would have just gone back to work.
But now they've had time to plot strategy -- and to realize that a
prolonged strike with reruns and reality shows filling the airwaves
might allow them to grab a wandering audience.

"The companies are pushing us into the embrace of people that are
going to cut them out of the loop," marveled one show runner who is
tracking the start-up trend but not participating.

"We are one Connecticut hedge-fund checkbook, one Silicon Valley
server farm and two creators away from having channels on YouTube,
where the studios don't own anything."


Welcome to the 21st Century!

-Raycheetah =^[.]^=
_________________
http://fans4writers.com/ Support the WGA!



http://fireflydvd.com/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?p=31211#31211

[Raycheetah]

This just in:

Studios say writers losses exceed amount sought in new contract
>
> By LYNN ELBER
> AP Television Writer
>
> LOS ANGELES -- Hollywood studios said Friday that striking writers
> have now lost more in salary and benefits than they had hoped to gain
> by walking off the job.
> In the message posted on its Web site and YouTube, the Alliance of
> Motion Picture and Television Producers claimed losses by writers in
> the eight-week strike have exceeded $151 million.
> That's the price tag the Writers Guild of America put on its proposed
> three-year deal with studios.
> "The strike continues because the union's leaders are focused on
> jurisdictional issues that would expand their own power, at the
> expense of the new media issues that working writers care most
> about," the alliance said in a statement.
> Compensation for work distributed via the Internet and other digital
> media has been central to the contract dispute. The guild also has
> called for unionization of writers working on reality shows and
> animation.
> The union responded by saying the contract proposals by the big
> studios would cause writers even more economic harm in the future.
> "To sidestep this fact, they erroneously claim we are focused on
> other issues," the guild said in a statement. "The conglomerates are
> responsible for creating the economic havoc. They should put their
> energies into making a fair deal with writers rather than issuing
> misleading statements."
> The strike that began Nov. 5 has also been costly for other industry
> workers. Production has been shut down on dozens of TV shows, with
> losses for crew members exceeding $250 million, according to the
> alliance message.
> The alliance Web site features a constantly updated ticker with the
> studios' estimate of writers' losses. The figure is based on West
> Coast guild data from 2006, the site said.
> Talks broke down Dec. 7 after the union rejected an alliance demand
> that a half-dozen guild proposals be taken off the table, including
> jurisdiction over reality and animation writers.
> While negotiations with the writers union are at a standstill,
> studios are preparing to begin contract talks with the Directors
> Guild of America, perhaps next month.
> Digital compensation also is expected to be a key issue for directors.
> Whether a deal by directors will affect the writers dispute is
> unclear. The guilds traditionally have followed a practice of pattern
> bargaining, with one contract considered a template for others.
> But the writers guild has said previously that it wishes the
> directors well, but noted they "do not represent writers. Our strike
> will end when the companies return to negotiations and make a fair
> deal with the WGA."
> The directors guild has gone on strike only once, for just five
> minutes in 1987.
> ———
> On the Net:
> Alliance: www.amptp.org
> Writers Guild of America, West: www.wga.org
> Writers Guild of America, East: www.wgaeast.org
>

I dunno, but, doesn't this sound like gloating, to you?

Of course, in an industry that deals with numbers several decimal places to the right of that figure, it's also telling that what the 12,000 individual writers have lost amounts to $1,258.33, each. If that's more than the writers asked for, then, the writers haven't asked for much, have they?

I suspect the industry has lost more. I hope the new trend toward web start-ups which bypass the industry succeeds as it appears it should,
allowing creative minds to present their work for their own profit in a meaningful and up-to-date medium. And, all this without the meddlesome antics of networks all too willing to cancel shows we enjoy because they either don't "get it," or, because the money isn't rolling in fast enough.

Welcome to the future.


-Raycheetah =^[.]^=
_________________
http://fans4writers.com/ Support the WGA!



http://fireflydvd.com/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?p=31211#31211

[BrownCoat_Tabz]

You have to remember the studios have a PR firm, and a very large one. Part of that PR firm is to push what they consider positive news about the studios.

Sure they may have lost the amount of money for this year that they hoped to get, but the writers aren't just in it for themselves right now. They're also in it for the future years of writing when internet revenue will (undoubtably) increase.
_________________
Tabz, Slayer of the Podcasts.

[Raycheetah]

Well, something appears to be happening...

http://weblogs.variety.com/wga_strike_blog/2008/01/winship-asks-fo.html

"January 28, 2008
Winship asks for end to speculation
In an indication of how WGA leaders have cooled down their rhetoric now that they're in informal talks with moguls, WGA East president Michael Winship has asked members to put a lid on speculation about a possible tentative deal.

That's quite a contrast with Winship's Dec. 10 opening statement to members after negotiations with the AMPTP cratered -- "They lie. And then they lie again. And then they lie some more."

Winship also said in his latest missive, sent out Monday, that members need to stay active on the picket lines. "More than ever, it is critical that we keep up the pressure on the media conglomerates and various struck shows with our picket lines, rallies and other actions that convey our message and demonstrate our impact on the entertainment industry," he noted.

Here's the entire message --

Fellow Members of the Writers Guild of America, East: "This is not a time for doubt, baseless speculation or second-guessing," he said. "All is being done to achieve a contract that is fair and respectful to writers. Leadership is moving forward with caution and diligence."

Solidarity and strength have gotten us to where we are in this strike so far. We have, as Martin Luther King, Jr. once said, organized our strength into compelling power.

Patience and perseverance, added to that unity and power, will now take us the rest of the way.

As you know, last week, informal talks began in Los Angeles between the Writers Guilds and some of the studio and network heads with the goal of returning the AMPTP to the bargaining table.

This is not a time for doubt, baseless speculation or second-guessing. All is being done to achieve a contract that is fair and respectful to writers. Leadership is moving forward with caution and diligence.

More than ever, it is critical that we keep up the pressure on the media conglomerates and various struck shows with our picket lines, rallies and other actions that convey our message and demonstrate our impact on the entertainment industry.

Last week, here in the East, two events were especially significant, capturing the attention of the media and public.

On Tuesday, when the Academy Award nominations were announced in Hollywood, we held a press conference at The Players Club on the south end of Manhattan's Gramercy Park. Assembled were forty or so writers and actors who arrived with all their awards - Oscars, Emmys, Tonys, Writers Guild Awards - the works.

They held them high for the cameras as they announced that glittering prizes are wonderful to receive and that they're grateful to have their work recognized, but they'd trade all the gold and brass and bronze for a decent, fair resolution to the writers' strike. Among the attendees was Tony Gilroy, fresh from two Oscar nominations for "Michael
Clayton." Sitting in front was 90-year-old, three-time Academy Award nominee Celeste Holm. Her best-supporting actress Oscar for the 1947 movie "Gentlemen's Agreement" is out on loan. For our occasion, she borrowed one that had belonged to Gary Cooper.

The following day, we traveled to Washington with eight striking writers from "The Daily Show with Jon Stewart" and "The Colbert Report." Serious talks about the strike were held with various members of Congress but the centerpiece was a mock debate staged in a House committee hearing room by the Stewart and Colbert writers.

Three of the Stewart gang - Tim Carvell, Rob Kutner and Jason Ross - represented the writers. Three Colbert writers - Michael Brumm, Peter Grosz and Tom Purcell -- stood in for the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers (AMPTP). Former Clinton White House Press Secretary DeeDee Myers moderated, Kevin Bleyer of the Stewart show and Colbert's Peter Gwinn played hecklers in the audience. You can view highlights at:
http://unitedhollywood.blogspot.com/2008/0...iters-mock.html .

What's more, we continue to announce interim contracts with a variety of independent production companies, many of which are active not only in television and motion pictures but in the very areas so important to us in our proposed contract - the Internet and new media. The latest companies to sign include Lionsgate, RKO, Marvel Studios, The Weinstein Company, Spyglass Entertainment, MRC, Jackson Bites, and Mandate Films.

This week's picket information can be found on the Guild website, www.wgaeast.org. Smaller pickets continue Monday through Thursday at various struck programs. The week's "big" picket will be on Friday, February 1, from 11-2 outside the "One Life To Live" studios, 55 West 66th Street between Columbus and CPW.

Continued thanks to all of you - members and Guild staff alike - who continue to work so hard to make this strike a success. Babe Ruth used to say that it's hard to beat a person who never gives up. You're proving him right. Patience, perseverance and courage will carry the day.

In solidarity,
Michael Winship
President
Writers Guild of America, East

- D. McNary

Posted on January 28, 2008 at 08:03 PM"

Stay tuned, viewers!

-Raycheetah =^[.]^=
_________________
http://fans4writers.com/ Support the WGA!



http://fireflydvd.com/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?p=31211#31211

[Raycheetah]

Some recent news:

http://unitedhollywood.blogspot.com/

"Thursday, January 31, 2008
WGA Continues With Interim Deals

This was released by the WGA today:

WRITERS GUILDS REACH INTERIM AGREEMENTS WITH
INTERMEDIA AND THE FILM DEPARTMENT

Los Angeles – The Writers Guild of America, West and the Writers Guild of America, East are pleased to announce they have reached interim agreements with The Film Department and Intermedia. The Guilds continue to sign agreements with companies that value the essential role writers play in making films, television programs, and content for new media.

“Companies like Intermedia and The Film Department recognize the importance of signing a deal that compensates writers fairly for the work they do,” said Patric M. Verrone, president of the Writers Guild of America, West, and Michael Winship, president of the Writers Guild of America, East, in a joint statement. “In turn, we’ve designed an agreement for the entertainment industry that takes into account the economic realities that it faces.”

“We are pleased that we were able to conclude successful negotiations with the WGA so that we can move forward with our production slate across all media, while being able to provide fair and equitable compensation to the writers now and into the future,” said Intermedia President Linda Benjamin. “In light of this agreement, we will shortly be announcing our updated film and television slate.”

Intermedia Film is a global, independent media enterprise with affiliates in London and Los Angeles organized under Munich-based parent company, IM Internationalmedia AG. The core business of the company consists of the development, financing, and distribution of high-quality theatrical films as well as TV productions.

Current and future Intermedia releases include Breach, screenplay by Adam Mazer & William Rotko and Billy Ray, story by Adam Mazer and William Rotko, starring Chris Cooper and Ryan Philippe; The Hunting Party, written by Richard Shepard, starring Richard Gere and Terrence Howard; One Missed Call, screenplay by Andrew Klavan, starring Edward Burns and Shannyn Sossamon; and The Prodigy, written by John Romano, starring Richard Gere.

The Film Department is an independent movie finance, production and international sales company founded by former Warner Independent Pictures and Miramax Films president Mark Gill and former Miramax Films executive vice president and Yari Film Group COO Neil Sacker. With capitalization of $200 million, the company plans to fully finance and produce six films per year budgeted between $10 and $35 million.

The deal with both companies is similar to agreements the WGA recently reached with Lionsgate, RKO Productions, Marvel Studios, The Weinstein Company, United Artists, Sidney Kimmel Entertainment, Spyglass Entertainment, MRC, Jackson Bites, Mandate Films, and Worldwide Pants.
AddThis Social Bookmarking Widget

Posted by Laeta Kalogridis at 8:08 PM"

Another end-run around the PTB!

Touchdown! Now, the WGA needs the game-winning play.

-Raycheetah =^[.]^=
_________________
http://fans4writers.com/ Support the WGA!



http://fireflydvd.com/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?p=31211#31211

[Raycheetah]

Looks like the guv'mint wants their shows back, too:

http://unitedhollywood.blogspot.com/

"Friday, February 1, 2008
Congressional Committee Urges CEOs to Make Fair Deal

The following letter was sent out today by three members of the US House of Representatives Committee on Education and Labor. (via Variety's Scribe Vibe blog) -JA

February 1, 2008

Mr. Peter Chernin, Chairman and CEO
The Fox Group

Mr. Robert Iger, President and CEO
The Walt Disney Company

Dear Messrs. Chernin and Iger:

As Chairs and Members of the House Committee on Education and Labor, we have monitored the ongoing labor dispute between your company and the Writers Guild of America with particular interest and growing concern. We were pleased to see that, after suspension of formal negotiations, you and the other members of the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers (AMPTP) have convened informal discussions with Writers Guild representatives. The purpose of our letter is to encourage you to seek a fair, just, and swift resolution to this labor dispute.

The television and film industry is a significant part of our national economy. It provides thousands of jobs, directly and indirectly, each year. It generates critical revenue to cities, counties, and states. Its products are among the country’s most valuable exports.

The entertainment industry not only supports writers, actors, and producers but is a major source of middle class jobs for California, New York, and the rest of the country. We appreciate that the issues at stake are critical to the future of your business. As the entertainment industry grows and changes, we hope that any new business models will allow for creative talent to grow with the industry.

Maintaining the middle class jobs that your industry provides is among our greatest concerns. The growing cost of this dispute is of increasing concern in the Congress. We understand that Los Angeles County, for example, has lost an estimated $1.6 billion in economic activity due to the strike. Given the House Education and Labor Committee’s jurisdiction, we are exploring the need for further Committee attention to this matter. The impact of this strike on workers, the industry, and our economy is simply too pronounced to ignore.

We urge you to work to resolve the dispute with a fair and just agreement for all parties as soon as possible.

Sincerely,

GEORGE MILLER
Chairman
Committee on Education and Labor

LYNN C. WOOLSEY
Chairperson
Subcommittee on Workforce Protections

LINDA T. SÁNCHEZ
Member
Committee on Education and Labor

cc: Patric M. Verrone, President, Writers Guild of America West
Michael Winship, President, Writers Guild of America East
Jeffrey Zucker, President and CEO, NBC Universal
Les Moonves, President and CEO, CBS Entertainment
Barry M. Meyer, Chairman and CEO, Warner Brothers Inc.
Brad Grey, Chairman and CEO, Paramount Pictures Corp.
Michael Lynton, Chairman and CEO, Sony Pictures Entertainment
Harry Sloan, Chairman and CEO, MGM
AddThis Social Bookmarking Widget

Posted by John Aboud at 5:06 PM"

-Raycheetah =^[.]^=
_________________
http://fans4writers.com/ Support the WGA!



http://fireflydvd.com/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?p=31211#31211

[MrDave]

Raycheetah,
Thank you for keeping us up to date on this stuff. This thread doesn't get a lot of activity outside of your news posts...but I wanted to let you know that I definitely am grateful for you ferreting out the juicier tidbits to share. It is much appreciated.
_________________
If you didn't want to know, why did you ask?

http://wildandbad.com:8181/

[ningjingde ren]

[BrownCoat_Tabz]

It is... but economically there's still classes. Middle class workers being the hardest hit by the strike (people with good jobs, but not with large reserves of incomes).
_________________
Tabz, Slayer of the Podcasts.

[Raycheetah]

Breaking News:


http://unitedhollywood.blogspot.com/


"NY Times Reports Progress In Talks

As this is written, the WGA and AMPTP are still under a news blackout regarding the ongoing informal negotiations.

However, the NY Times just reported that "major roadblocks" have been gotten past in the negotiations, and progress will be swifter in the negotiations going forward -- with an eye toward an agreement in principle coming out of negotiations fairly soon.

UH has confirmed from off-the-record sources that progress is indeed being made in the informal talks, and that creative solutions to the biggest differences between the AMPTP and the WGA have gotten the tentative and cautious approval of both sides.

This does not mean there is a deal in principle yet. It means we may, finally, be very close to one -- as close as days away.

And while we're cautiously optimistic about what we're hearing, it comes with a real caveat.

Just as happened with the DGA deal, points that are agreed to in informal negotiation can be thought of as points on a deal memo -- but it's the drafting language that comes from hammering out those points that makes them legally binding. And our sources say that draft language doesn't yet exist. That's a big part of what will be happening in the next few days, as negotiations continue.

Until the WGA and the companies have enshrined the deal points -- whatever they are -- into real draft language, those deal points can't be thought of as final.

The only reason we've gotten as far as we have in the negotiations is because the pressure has stayed on. If we let up on that pressure, even a little, it could affect the draft language of the agreement. It could, in a very real way, diminish the power of our negotiators and our Guild now, when it matters most.

Stay out there. Stay on the lines, stay informed. Stay strong. We'll have more soon.
AddThis Social Bookmarking Widget

Posted by United Hollywood at 1:23 PM"

However,

"Saturday, February 2, 2008
It's Not Over 'Til It's Over -- And It Isn't Over

Mark Evanier provides some very wise precautionary words on his blog News From Me, putting what's happening in negotiations in the context of past strike experiences. Here's an excerpt:

... it's a fine, even prudent idea to not get one's hopes too high. It is a not uncommon negotiating technique to get the other side into the mindset that the deal is done, and then to throw in a last second demand. In past WGA-AMPTP contracts, negotiating has even continued after the deal was made and ratified. Weeks, even months after the '81, '85 and '88 strikes were settled and work resumed, reps from the studio side were still arguing over what had been agreed to, insisting that their notes said we'd agreed to X when we were certain we'd consented to Y. And even when we all agree on what we all agreed upon, we can't always agree on the interpretation of some clauses and codicils.

And Alfredo Barrios' piece, The Strike Is A Lawyers' Game, is something we should all reread right now -- especially the latter part of the essay, where he talks about how to get Nick Counter out of the equation -- and many of his predictions have come startlingly true. An excerpt:

And by taking the fight to them, I mean, maintaining picket lines at the studios at peak levels, relentlessly picketing locations, continuing to put out creative videos that entertain and inform people about the strike, denying waivers to award shows and picketing those shows, seeking alternative ways to put out creative work on the Internet for pay, etc.

Playing this kind of offense serves a couple of purposes. First, when a CEO drives through the studio gates, or hears about how a location shoot was impacted by picketing (like for example, when an actor leaves the set or a day has been added to the schedule), or sees how his untenable bargaining positions are being ripped apart on websites, or is told about how his award show is falling apart, or reads how Google is about to form a competing entertainment powerhouse, it all collectively begins to call into question the promise that Counter made – i.e., that we would crumble. It’s a daily reminder that we are not losing our resolve. It makes him worry. His expectations aren’t being met. Things are uncertain again. And it begins to chip away at Counter’s credibility as the guy who could resolve the strike with minimal inconvenience to the studio CEOs.

This last point is important. Why? Because the way you win is by taking the lawyer out of the equation. Deny him the promise that he made to his client – i.e., that he would add value by battering all of us down. Once the CEOs begin to believe that we’ll stick to our guns until we get a fair and equitable deal, that’s when we’ve won. That’s when the CEOs and their CFOs will step in and begin to deal directly with us. Why not Counter? Because his job wasn’t to deal with real and fair numbers; it was to screw us. Once he fails at that, it’s time for others to step in. Trust me, it happens.

He went on to make some predictions about the DGA negotiations:

As the upcoming DGA talks proceed, I predict that Counter will try to ram a really bad deal down the director’s throats. And he may succeed, given the makeup of that union’s membership and their historic appeasement of studios during labor talks. I suspect that whatever deal is reached will be slightly better than what was offered us (it certainly couldn’t be worse) and will be wielded like a stick to beat us into taking it as well. The DGA leadership will certainly have every incentive to spin it as a huge win for them and the industry. How could they not? It costs the studios nothing to take this approach. If we don’t take the same deal, they’re back to dealing with us, and the DGA is the only loser.

As for acting like “nicer” and “more accommodating” guys and gals… Well, let me just say that in all of my years as a corporate lawyer, “nice” and “accommodating” adversaries who never stuck to their guns and didn’t bring the fight to us never got better deals. They only get worse ones. So don’t buy into the our-leadership’s-too-militant line of argument. They’re not. They’re being appropriately tough. Trust me, you wouldn’t want it any other way.

Now it’s up to the rest of us to hang tough with them.

Serious progress has been made, we're told, and we're all waiting to see what it is. But we should all take a breath, and remember: it's not done yet.

Posted by Laeta Kalogridis at 9:33 PM"

So, let's approach any mainstream media reports (provided, generally, by sources within the sphere of the AMPTP) with caution, until the WGA makes an official announcement.

We hold!

-Raycheetah =^[.]^=
_________________
http://fans4writers.com/ Support the WGA!



http://fireflydvd.com/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?p=31211#31211