Writers Strike

[X]

The reason for residuals are simple. Every book a writer writes, they make a profit on. Every time a musician sells an album, everyone involed makes a profit. Residuals are a simple truth of entertainment.

You wouldn't expect a novel writer, musician, or any other entertainer to only be happy with the sells of concert tickets and producers get all profits from the albums that come from the live tour.

Entertainment is not chemistry and some chemist do get residuals as do other in many other fields. It all depends on how you work your contract.

Sure some farmers don't get paid for the burger, but they are set up to be paid to not grow certain crops or to only sell a specific amount of produce a cycle.

Residuals were created because EVERYONE involved in shows like TOS don't make any money what so every for the show since the second or third showing. Companies that had nothing to do with the production of the show are now bring in 100% profit with not a dime going to anyone involved in the creation of Trek.

If a television station can contine to make money off of a product and that money becomes almost all profit after two showings, then it is only fair that the people involved in that product continue to get a cut.

[Ktrek]

Books and TV shows and movies are not equivalents. When an author writes a book, other than the editor, he is the sole person responsible for it's contents. By your reasoning above then every single person involved in the creative process deserves residuals. Everyone from costume designers, cosmetic artists, grips, cameramen, or anyone else associated with the creative process. Writing is an occupation. Do writers of newspapers get residuals? How about the guy who designs and writes advertisements for companies? No the fact is that the majority of writers in Hollywood are usually unemployed and this is a move to guarantee a steady income even while no longer employed. I'm certainly not against writers being able to individually negotiate for residuals. I just don't think it's right to pressure the producers to pay residuals across the board. Just because you work on a project does not give you rights to that project or product. And it goes without saying that these are my opinions. You don't have to agree with them!

Kevin

[Rico]

Truthfully in most industries workers don't get residuals of any kind.  You do a job, get paid for it and move on.  Now Hollywood is a little different beast and millions of dollars can sometimes be up for grabs - so sure writers want more money.  But frankly it all has to do with contracts.  Some writers get a flat fee, some a percentage, etc.  Same with actors, directors, etc.  So if they say write a film script for a set amount of money, that's the deal.  If the movie makes hundreds of millions, well maybe a different contract the next time would make more sense.  It's a complex issue of course, but I think in some cases they are trying to renegotiate a deal that has already been struck.

Oh, and for the record most (if not all chemists) that work for a company just get paid a flat salary.  If you invent something that makes your company a lot of money (I have direct experience with this), you still get paid your flat salary - period.  If you are very lucky a small one time bonus might be tossed your way, but even that is rare.

[X]

You spoke of other industries not having residuals, but many companies are promoting their profit sharing practices and that's exactly what residuals are.

A set token residuals should be paid across the board because the writers did create that story. Steven King doesn't need to work either, but he does. The fact of the matter is that a story is not a story without the writers. Actors are a dime a dozen. Actors have been replaced with little notice or outcry on a show. Replace the writers and the show you loved starts to change.

Look at it another way. Writers are paid per script and don't get medical or dental with that. For them to make a living off of writing the shows that you watch and enjoy, there must be a benefit package that allows them to actually earn a living. Residuals do that.

The argument they are having isn't even about the residuals. It's about being able to get residuals from DVDs and direct downloads, technologies that didn't exist when the last contracts were hammered out.

All they want is for the production companies to pay what they owe. DVDs and downloads shouldn't be a loophole to short them out of residuals that they would get if it was being shown on the air or VHS.

this is my opinion because I am a writer and I know what it's like to suffer for your craft. As does anyone in any entertainment field. The lion's share of the profits always go to those that help to put the work out and ignoring the people that actually create the work.


Hollywood just needs to pay what they owe. Pay the people that create the product fairly and there would have never been a need for a strike.

Residuals are simply profit sharing for those that help to create a entertainment product.

[KingIsaacLinksr]

Boy, this topic is a hot one. 

As we should all know by now though, is that the big man on campus, or CEO, or whoever is above you, is going to get all that you deserve via $$.  This goes from Education to Jobs to the Government.  The higher up someone is, the more $$$ they think they deserve so they are willing to screw with the lower levels of w/e they are in to get it.  Only a couple examples I've seen show that they don't.  Its an unfortunately fact of life.  I honestly think that in some cases, the $$$ paid should be reveresed so that the CEO gets less than its workers.  But then again, we would never have management.  Its a complex problem all around.  \

King Linksr

[Geekyfanboy]

Writers Strike Already Affecting TV Programming

http://www.sliceofscifi.com/2007/11/07/writers-strike-already-affecting-tv-programming/

Written by: Michael Hickerson (SoSF Staff Journalist)

As the writers' strike enters its third day, the ripple affect is beginning to be felt across Hollywood.

Yesterday, Jon Stewart announced he'd continue to pay his "Daily Show" writing staff for two weeks out of his own pocket to help ease burden of the strike to them.

Also, in the past day, several sitcoms have announced they're shutting down production because sit-coms don't keep as many scripts in the can. Shutting down are "Two and a Half Men," "Back to You," "The New Adventures of Old Christine," "Til Death," "The Big Bang Theory" and "Rules of Engagement." NBC's highest rated comedy, "The Office" was shut down earlier this week becuase many of the actors on the show are also writers for the show and wouldn't cross the picket lines. The strike may also affect and truncate the final season of "Scrubs" according to reports.

The strike also brings potentially bad news for fans of "Lost." The good news is the show has already filmed eight episodes of its 16 episode season. The bad news–ABC could wait until next fall or 2009 to show them, depending on how long the strike goes on.

Meanwhile, with a lot of shows shutdown, the networks are turning to reality shows to fill the broadcast hours. CBS is reported to be hurriedly producing the next season of summer-favorite "Big Brother" for a quick debut.

For more details and insight in how this strike could affect your television program viewing, be sure to tune in to Slice of SciFi Show #134 this Saturday, November 10, 2007.

[KingIsaacLinksr]

Yep, pretty much a disaster.  I mean, cmon, who watches that many reality shows?  i certainly don't.  Survivor has kinda died out to me.  It was fun for a while, but now, its just the same thing over and over again..../sigh

King Linksr

[Blackride]

Truthfully in most industries workers don't get residuals of any kind.  You do a job, get paid for it and move on.  Now Hollywood is a little different beast and millions of dollars can sometimes be up for grabs - so sure writers want more money.  But frankly it all has to do with contracts.  Some writers get a flat fee, some a percentage, etc.  Same with actors, directors, etc.  So if they say write a film script for a set amount of money, that's the deal.  If the movie makes hundreds of millions, well maybe a different contract the next time would make more sense.  It's a complex issue of course, but I think in some cases they are trying to renegotiate a deal that has already been struck.

Oh, and for the record most (if not all chemists) that work for a company just get paid a flat salary.  If you invent something that makes your company a lot of money (I have direct experience with this), you still get paid your flat salary - period.  If you are very lucky a small one time bonus might be tossed your way, but even that is rare.

Very well said. I was going to type almost the same thing till I saw this. I do a decent amount of development and my code stays with the company no matter how much they make off it and I just move on to the next project.

[space_invader64]

I did agree with the writers on the dvd issue because ticket prices go up and the movie will be out on dvd in only 3 months anyway.  That is the default way that more and more people are watching movies.  I think going to the movies has less to do with seeing the movie and just something to get out and go do.

I don't get dropping that issue.  I'm starting to worry that they are poisioning the water in hollywood.  They chose now because sweeps are going on and that will hurt a lot of shows.

[iceman]

I dont think this issue will be solved overnight, and with the studios not willing to budge, this strike could go on for along time, in the end it really comes down to greed, thoughs who have the money dont want to share.

[markinro]

Yep, pretty much a disaster.  I mean, cmon, who watches that many reality shows?  i certainly don't.  Survivor has kinda died out to me.  It was fun for a while, but now, its just the same thing over and over again..../sigh

King Linksr

I don't know about others but for me, reality shows are the bane of TV.  I tried to watch AI and Survivor.  I didn't care for the dog-eat-dog premise.  I did watch just about every Hells Kitchen show in 2006.  Good ratings from shows where people will do anything to win - something about it just bothers me.   I would rather see them bring back "Beat the Clock"

[space_invader64]

The writer's strike is not good for tv.

I'm totally getting rid of cable.  I have netflix, a pretty large vhs and dvd collection, the internet, podcasting, and local broadcast tv.  No way am I going to continue to pay for it what little I get.   

[Blackride]

The writer's strike is not good for tv.

I'm totally getting rid of cable.  I have netflix, a pretty large vhs and dvd collection, the internet, podcasting, and local broadcast tv.  No way am I going to continue to pay for it what little I get.  

I am honestly more happy with the content on TV now than I have ever been. Shows like 24,LOST,Heros,Discovery Channel and History Channel are all top rate imo.

[jedijeff]

I am honestly more happy with the content on TV now than I have ever been. Shows like 24,LOST,Heros,Discovery Channel and History Channel are all top rate imo.

I agree, there is actually a lot of good content on TV even without the scripted shows. Programs on channels like the discovery channel could be hard to find elsewhere.

[markinro]

There's always the BBC.  They're working, right ?