So you've probably (hopefully) heard about the strike already. I'm not affected at all in my current gig, but just about everyone else I know is. There's a great piece here on why this is entirely necessary, and if you're interested in following along, the WGA is doing some video blogging here.
Their first video is a primer on what the hell's happening:
And this one stars the actor-writer-producers of The Office, who walked off the show in support of the strike (HT: TSW):
And now we wait and see how the DGA reacts now that WGA decides to break the "shield of silence" that was supposed to surround Sunday's meeting with AMPTP. My bet is that the DGA will come out in support of the WGA once they hear how AMPTP played them all...
Posted by: TheStarterWife at November 7, 2007 09:23 AMAs a fairly loyal union member, my support was already with the writers even before I found out just how screwy the terms are with online content. (Newsrooms are pushing similar buttons by asking crews to produce online newscasts.) Getting screwed on DVDs was bad enough.
TSW's right; the DGA probably will chime in now and I hope this gets ugly so the writers get the terms they deserve.
Posted by: S2N at November 7, 2007 09:33 AM'bout time for us to get outta this racket and open that sports bar, TSW?
Posted by: Holly at November 7, 2007 09:35 AMGood beer, a Jager/Vodka/Tequila tap, fried pickles, and a willingness to open early for EPL games in Los Angeles and I bet we would make a fucking mint.
You all open that bar and I know where my discretionary cash is going when I move back down south.
(Discretionary cash? What a concept.)
Posted by: S2N at November 7, 2007 10:55 AMI'm writing my friends and colleagues supportive e-mails and whatnot. Everybody seems to have gotten rogered by this sort of thing for far too long.
Also, sports bar? I'm in.
(Oh, P.S., I'm going to be in LA for a couple of days in December, exploring the possibility of graduate school. Just in case there's an already-open sports bar that we can drink at.)
Posted by: TC at November 7, 2007 11:42 AMNo one in LA can fry a pickle like we can, I'll tell you right now.*
*Based on the fact that we have yet to find anyone in LA who can satisfactorily fry a pickle, period. It's NOT HARD, ingrates. Cornmeal, pepper, salt, pan, plate.
Whoa whoa whoa... you selling fried pickles?
Posted by: OPS at November 7, 2007 12:52 PMTrying. Why, you got startup capital lying around?
Posted by: Holly at November 7, 2007 12:55 PMHaven't really been able to keep up with this issue, as union-based material is a little thin on the ground over here. does the sag have a viewpoint on the matter? I know that we've been authorized to strike for other reasons, but I'm not sure of the details, or how much cross-union solidarity there is between I.A and you guys.
do sag or equity members get residuals?
Posted by: Rhys at November 7, 2007 07:30 PM