We've not discussed this here, so I wanted to see what you guys thought about it? Here's the run down:
At their general membership meeting in LA last evening, the WGA called a strike recommendation which could begin as early as Monday morning, although a final decision as to timing is expected today as the WGA West board and WGA East councils meet. Union members were instructed to go to work as usual and wait for a phone call or an email from their strike captains. This is the first time the WGA has called for a strike since 1988; that strike lasted for five months.
First shows effected by the strike - late night talkers which depend on writers for their day and date opening monologues. Those shows will likely go into repeats as soon as the strikers begin picketing. The majority of the scripted TV series would begin to see the effects of a strike in 1st and 2nd qtr 2008.
The biggest issue facing the two sides of this debate right now are the DVD and new media residuals. Currently the formula is based on the home video formula created years ago when VHS and the sale of home video movies were first introduced. That formula provides that the first 80% of the revenue from sale of VHS tapes (and now DVDs) goes to the cost of manufacturing and distribution, and of the remaining 20%, writers are awarded just 1.2%, or about 3 cents on every $20 VHS or DVD. The WGA is now asking for their percentage to be based on 40% of the sale, and the same formula should be applied to all new media.
So basically.. the ones who wrote Transformers, they get 1.2% of the revenue from DVD sales. Currently, those sales are at about 9 million. The writers would get $10,800.
If this strike goes on, it will effect Smallville, Heroes, all shows and movies.
I wonder what'll happen if this goes through... If the big-wigs don't give in then we'll lose a lot of entertainment... A day without new T.V. Shows? I guess I'll have to learn how to read!
Never start with the head; the victim gets all fuzzy!
Most shows have enough material to get through a few more months. But Heroes is filming an alternate ending for December in case it has to serve as a Season Finale. Smallville will end the season in a cliff-hanger around February. Then we'll get re-runs..
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