Screenwriting Blog
Ruminations about screenwriting, movies, Hollywood, and the Seattle filmmaking scene by NWSG President, Aadip Desai
November 2007:
November 7, 2007 - Strike II(con'td)
Many of you have asked, so I wil answer on behalf of the NWSG. Of course we are in full support of our fellow writers who are merely asking to be paid for the work they do. Some believe that because we're in the creative field, we're supposed to bow down to those who let us create and maybe pay us. Without the writer's idea, there would be no films or TV shows.
All that web content has to be written by someone, and they should be compensated for that and all future delivery/viewing formats. We also support the writers' desire for a an equalization of download and DVD royalty rates. According to Variety, "The AMPTP still insists on no jurisdiction for most of new media writing; no economic proposal for the part of new media writing that would be covered; Internet downloads at the DVD rate; no residual for streaming video of theatrical product; and a "promotional" proposal that allows re-use of movies and TV shows on any platform with no residual; and a "window” of free reuse on the Internet."
Chris Soth has been mobilizing and educating non-WGA writers by putting them in touch with Strike Captains on weekly strike calls.
See attached Strike Rules.
Thanks for being on the call tonight. And for your support
of the WGA in this troubled time. LOTS of you have emailed
me with your intentions to join picket lines and otherwise
support the cause. My inbox is flooded and I'll try to send
along a few snippets of thanks and insight from those of you
that were kind enough to write, and a few highlights of what
our guest had to say about the strike.
The list of struck companies at wga.org.
The online petition supporting the WGA
Sponsor of next week's call is the Great American Pitchfest
Thanks for being on the call and supporting the cause.
In fact --
Thanks "A Million",
Chris Soth
MillionDollarScreenwriting.com
HollywoodByPhone.com
11730 Washington Blvd. #25
Los Angeles CA 90066
E-mail from past NWSG guest, Steve Barr (with permission).
As many of you know, my union (the Writers Guild of America) has gone out on strike, for the first time in 20 years. This link is to a short YouTube video that explains why we're taking this drastic step.
After studying and working hard for the last 10 years, I finally got my "big break" in April of this year ... and almost immediately I'm volunteering NOT to work. I could be destroying my career just as it gets started, but I have to join this fight. This is because I think this negotiation is the most important contract negotiation of my generation. If we allow the studios to cut us out of the internet, we have no future.
If you have any questions, I'd be happy to answer them. Please pass this on to anyone who wants to know why those darn greedy writers are so eager to put the whole entertainment industry out of work.
If you're frustrated with the endless reruns or bad scab-written TV shows and movies you'll be seeing soon, please don't blame the writers. All we want is a fair deal.
Take care,
Steve Barr