Writers Strike

I had hoped against hope it wouldn’t happen. I think we all did, those of us who cherish our time in front of the television weekly, waiting for new episodes of scripted series. Don’t get me wrong, I have a cadre of much-loved reality programs, but nothing exposes the wonderful side of television programming like a well-written TV show. But we won’t be seeing any of those great episodes any time soon, because negotiations with the Writers Guild of America have failed and the writers are now on strike. The Hollywood Reporter, er, reported:

A last-gasp attempt to stave off a strike by the WGA failed Sunday, and Hollywood writers launched plans to mount picket lines at studios and networks on both coasts.

A federal mediator who recently joined talks between the guild and the Alliance of Motion Picture & Television Producers convened a hasty last bargaining session Sunday amid speculation the AMPTP would deliver a new proposal to the guild. But despite that marathon session lasting well into Sunday night, when the parties emerged from the Sofitel hotel in West Hollywood it was clear the talks had broken down again.

One flashpoint involved the WGA East’s refusal to halt the start of its strike after East Coast clocks struck midnight. Negotiations were still in session at the time, and the WGA West wasn’t scheduled to strike for another three hours.

The key issues in the negotiations of new contracts seemed to revolve around residuals both for DVDs and Internet streams and downloads. First negotiated in 1985, and based on the high cost of making VHS tapes, writers had been paid about 4 cents per home release, a number carried over to DVDs (which sell far more, and are much cheaper to produce). Writers wanted a higher residual; The Alliance of Motion Picture and Teleivision Producers (AMPTP) refused. (What is a residual? Television writer Chris Kelly explains HERE) The LA Times explains:

Writers have long complained about the current DVD residuals they receive under a discounted pay formula — one that gives them about 4 cents for every disc sold — that dates to 1985. They agreed on the formula based on the high cost of manufacturing VHS tapes. When the video and later DVD business boomed, writers felt shortchanged.

The producers proposal to apply that same rate to digital downloads of films has touched off a firestorm among writers, who fear repeating the mistakes of the past now that digital technology and the Internet are transforming the way entertainment is delivered.

For their part, the studios maintain that DVD sales are needed to offset rising marketing and production costs. They also argued that it was premature to pay higher rates for shows that were sold online as were still grappling with uncertain business models

Idea: Stop making shitty remakes, over-paying bad actors (*cough*JessicaAlba*cough*), and trying to make them hits by spending $1097596812 gazillion dollars on advertising. Do what the Blair Witch Project kids did: find a great concept, with at least a decent script, spend a normal amount of money on it, advertise it moderately, and let excellent word of mouth make it a hit. Y’know, like you used to. Also: You scared of the Internets? Why not try making bloggers your friends? It’s like super-free advertising!

Of course, Writers Guild of America (WGA) writers make their living writing for television and movies, and who really wants to strike? So the WGA compromised:

[from the Hollywood Reporter:]

The WGA also issued a statement after the meeting broke up.

“Early today, the WGA completely withdrew its DVD proposal, which the companies said was a stumbling block,” the guild said. “Yet the companies still insisted on … no jurisdiction for most of new media writing, no economic proposal for the part of new media writing where they do propose to give coverage, Internet downloads at the DVD rate, no residual for streaming video of theatrical product, (and) a “promotional” proposal that allows them to reuse even complete movies or TV shows on any platform with no residual.”

Sigh. I’m not a guild member, or a television or movie producer, so really I have no idea who is right and who is wrong here. As a writer myself, I think I’m siding with the striking guild, because writers really don’t get paid enough in any facet of American life, and television/movie writers really should be paid more. (Maybe if you pay them more, they can stop doing these awful, mindless remakes!!) Either way, I’m about to lose all new episodes of Chuck, of Heroes, and — most terrifying of all — this might push back the new season of LOST.

Dear Hollywood:

I have waited six months already, and will wait two to three more, for new episodes of LOST. There are millions of us who have been squirming impatiently as the days slowly tick by, just waiting for the first moments of the season 4 premiere.

Hollywood producers, if you make us wait any longer we are all going to burn Los Angeles to the ground. You’ve been warned.

–Sara Tenenbaum

UPDATE: Variety has a great article about the condundrum faced by Actor/Writers like The Office star B.J. Novak who, while on strike as a writer, is expected to show up to work as an actor during the WGA strike. I feel for these folks — what do you do?