Everyone’s covering it, from CHUD to CNet. Friday saw the Writers Guild of America, West, announced that their 12,000 members would officially go on strike, 12:01, am, Monday the 5th of November.
It was a near-unanimous vote apparently, held Friday at the WGAW headquarters in Los Angeles California. "It was enormously gratifying to see the near unanimity of the membership," said Carlton Cuse, showrunner on ABC's Lost and a member of the WGA negotiating committee.
There is obvious resentment as well, as one screenwriter exemplified as he walked in to the meeting on Friday. "We don't mind waiting six months between paychecks. The studios take so long paying us anyway that we're used to it. They are just very disrespectful that way, and there is a residual resentment."
If you’re only just turning in to this debacle, the sticking point is money; not enough and too much!
The screenwriters aren’t seeing enough of it and the studios don’t want to give it away. It’s a tale as old as time, or so a small teapot might sing. But this time, the screenwriters aren’t being greedy… not much at least.
See, over the past few years as the big studios have realized that the internet was actually useful for something other than porn, they’ve diverted content towards it. It’s been a laboriously slow process, and one that is making many of us grind our teeth in sheer frustration. But nonetheless, it is a new avenue for studios to promote their content, and subsequently gain revenue.
This is where the main sticking point is, because that added revenue is not making it back to the screenwriters. However the studios and producers defend their position by saying that it is only a promotional tool, and doesn’t bring in much money.
Well, first of all, rubbish!
Secondly though, whether that is true or not, there is precedent being set at the moment. Without a doubt the internet is the next cable. It will only be a decade or so before the majority of content is streamed across the internet, regardless of which platform makes the most use of it.
So it is actually a financially sound move for the screenwriters – and next year the directors and actors – to ensure that they get their share of the profits up front. Otherwise, 5 years from now, when the internet revenue is greatly increased, and the screenwriters think “Oh, well, what about us?” the studios need only reply by saying, “Well, you’ve been fine without it up till now… deal with it!”
Obviously the studios aren’t used to savvy individuals who can see past next fortnights paycheck. They haven’t really had to deal with such a problem before, simply because revenue has been relatively standard; ad revenue, movie sales, DVD sales, etc.
I just spoke to, what I assume is a weary Sherry Goldman from the Writers Guild of America, East, who informed me that there would be last minute negotiations, 10am LA time. Has all of this strike action finally forced the studios in to backing down from a bluff? I guess only time will tell!