... and the WGA strike starts today - 11/05/07
- Thread starter EJ Pennypacker
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dougspice
Veteran
Oh, I'd love to do that. We're working overtime this week, after basically two weeks of doing very little, so probably no dice.
However, I did drive past both Fox and Sony today. The picket outside of Sony was pretty sparse, but there was a good crowd at Fox. Gave them some honks and some thumbs-up.
However, I did drive past both Fox and Sony today. The picket outside of Sony was pretty sparse, but there was a good crowd at Fox. Gave them some honks and some thumbs-up.
We've got a prelight at Fox tomorrow and shooting through part of next week
for a commercial. Hehe, I drove extra slow onto the lot and got a few honks
in when I left today
Keep on fighting!
Okay hows this work? You honk for solidarity and then cross the picket line to work at Fox?
alex whitmer
Veteran
I'm assuming this only effects film industry workers in the US ???
Bollywood, and the European film industry are not on strike ??
a
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Bollywood, and the European film industry are not on strike ??
a
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Luis Caffesse
Admin
The WGA (Writers Guild of America) is on strike.
So no, Bollywood and the European film industry are not on strike.
EJ Pennypacker
Well-known member
There's an interesting article on variety.com about the UK Writers Guild and how producers may poach writers from the UK for material.
That said, even those WgGB should not take those jobs. But there's technically nothing stopping them doing so, according to the article.
EJ
That said, even those WgGB should not take those jobs. But there's technically nothing stopping them doing so, according to the article.
EJ
DeSica
Well-known member
Well...when you belong to one of those unions (guilds), you can automatically apply for membership in the others. Writer's Guild of Canada members can pay a small fee and become WGA members, and that agreement exists between a whole bunch of countries. It's like a federation of guilds.
I think it would be in bad taste to take a job when you're in one guild, not just because of the ties, but also the principle. If you're in the UK and on strike, would you want Americans and Canadians coming over and taking the gigs? It kind of undermines the whole thing on a larger level.
Every time I walk past the folks picketing outside Culver Studios, I hear networking, networking, networking...
If the strike leads to some people being better-connected, by the time it's all over, that would just be delicious.
brianluce said:
I don't know Greggl's particular circumstances, but none of the other guilds or unions are operating in sympathy with the strike (although the Teamsters have been making noises; they'll talk strike-in-sympathy with almost anybody). Which means that, if you want to quit working in solidarity with the writers, your producers can/will fire you, you will have burned professional bridges, and you're on your own, without so much as recourse to unemployment insurance. Which is a non-starter for a lot of people, especially considering that with a strike of indefinite length, no one knows where their next gig is coming from.
And, since the strike only affects projects not-green-lit by the deadline, there are still writers working, including the writers on the feature I'm doing, right now. And hey, if *they* aren't walking a picket line with their fellow wordsmiths, it's a little much to expect professionals in other crafts to walk out, no matter how right we know the WGA's position to be, no matter how much sympathy we feel for their fight.
I honk for the picketers on my way in, and on my way out, and my department made a collection and bought coffee and donuts for them, last couple of days. And the guys at the gate know damn well how it works, and understand what we're doing.
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Instead of honking, you guys should just either shut up or flip them the bird. None of this Clintonian butter on both sides of the bread stuff.
alex whitmer
Veteran
My understanding is that Canada is effected by it as some wga contracts don't allow writers to hop across the border for work??
A
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Either I don't get your sense of humor...
...or you really are totally ignorant of the nature of our business and the structure and traditions of the guild/union system (lack of experience...?) and should keep your uninformed, stupid opinion to yourself, where uninformed, stupid opinions belong.
I'll assume it's the former. Wouldn't want the thread locked, or anything.
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alex whitmer
Veteran
The Clintonian thing threw me a little ...
Compared to what? Bushonian?
Belonging to a union, any union, is a business decision one makes, and makes willingly with full knowledge of the pitfalls and benefits.
I would encourage all writers who do not belong to a union to keep writing, but show your solidarity by not crossing a picket line to do it. Fact is if you're committed to your craft, there's plenty of other work. Let those who will only hire union writers, and those who are in the union work out their differences.
Yea, those of us not in the union will benefit from their sacrafice, but I assume many of us make our own sarafices to the craft in our own ways. Again, it's just a business decision, no different than deciding to work for a corp, or open your own flower shop. It's all about your comfort zone.
I for one could not, with a clear conscience, strike knowing full well it will financially hurt so many, most of whom are the least likely to be able to ride it out (clean-up crews, prop painters, caterers, lightbulb changers, etc...). My guess is that those at the top, on both sides of the table, can afford to ride it out well past the breaking point of the little people.
Demanding fair play for my craft is one thing. Taking out swaths of other, non-writing careers in the that pursuit is quite another. I will not do it.
Writing is an art, and film too important of a communicator for me to dry my quill by anybody's order. Not a union, and not a government. Not now, not ever.
I totally support the demand for fair pay. Just needs to be a better way to pull it off.
In the mean time, polish old dusty scripts, do some research, read screenplays from IMSDB, offer your services free to a struggling Indy, and quit taking all this BS so damn seriously. There are far greater ills in the world to dump this kind of energy into. Darfur, for starters.
A
www.alexwhitmer.wordpress.com
www.guerro.wordpress.com
I used to believe the less said the better. Then I realized there was so much to say.
Compared to what? Bushonian?
Belonging to a union, any union, is a business decision one makes, and makes willingly with full knowledge of the pitfalls and benefits.
I would encourage all writers who do not belong to a union to keep writing, but show your solidarity by not crossing a picket line to do it. Fact is if you're committed to your craft, there's plenty of other work. Let those who will only hire union writers, and those who are in the union work out their differences.
Yea, those of us not in the union will benefit from their sacrafice, but I assume many of us make our own sarafices to the craft in our own ways. Again, it's just a business decision, no different than deciding to work for a corp, or open your own flower shop. It's all about your comfort zone.
I for one could not, with a clear conscience, strike knowing full well it will financially hurt so many, most of whom are the least likely to be able to ride it out (clean-up crews, prop painters, caterers, lightbulb changers, etc...). My guess is that those at the top, on both sides of the table, can afford to ride it out well past the breaking point of the little people.
Demanding fair play for my craft is one thing. Taking out swaths of other, non-writing careers in the that pursuit is quite another. I will not do it.
Writing is an art, and film too important of a communicator for me to dry my quill by anybody's order. Not a union, and not a government. Not now, not ever.
I totally support the demand for fair pay. Just needs to be a better way to pull it off.
In the mean time, polish old dusty scripts, do some research, read screenplays from IMSDB, offer your services free to a struggling Indy, and quit taking all this BS so damn seriously. There are far greater ills in the world to dump this kind of energy into. Darfur, for starters.
A
www.alexwhitmer.wordpress.com
www.guerro.wordpress.com
I used to believe the less said the better. Then I realized there was so much to say.
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It's in your own interests, too. Even if you presently have zero interest in Guild membership, by scabbing you may screw yourself if you should ever decide, for whatever reason, that you've changed your mind. There *is* such a thing, as black-listing.
Bear in mind that the writers are striking for something that benefits every union and every guild. Our cut of those revenues they're striking over, will be calculated based upon their cut. So yes, it will put (has put) people in other crafts out of work, but in the end everyone's deal will benefit, long-term. And with retirement and health funds to finance, that's critically important.
The overwhelming majority of writers have day jobs. So the guys who don't make big $$$ writing for screen, are selling real estate, waiting tables, giving massages, writing software, etc, etc, etc and have revenue streams aside from their writing, to carry them along. Which the producers don't seem to realize; they think that not writing=starving for the bulk of the WGA membership, which just isn't the case.
See above. All other unions and guilds, will benefit according to the deal the WGA eventually strikes with the producers.
It's an odd concept, that writers are somehow obliged to keep the scripts coming, regardless of the sh*ttiness of their own deal, in order to keep other professionals employed.
Was someone asking you to...?
There isn't. One hundred years' worth of labor history, in this country, should hip you to that.
All sound advice.
Oh stop trying to come off as Mr. "I'm on IMDB and you're not" Bigshot Hollywood Insider". That's not impressing anyone though it might get you a spot on OJ's entourage as I understand there are a few expected vacancies.
Look at your owns posts, they're full of apolgetics and rationalizations like "They cheat so I will too".
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