Re: Screen Writers Guild Strike?
 

If they're anything like the writing classes you get in college, it's pure luck of the draw whether you'll have even one halfway competent writer in the group. Having your stuff reviewed by random people can be a huge waste of time.

Not putting down all groups, just saying it's still a matter of bucking the odds.

Re: Screen Writers Guild Strike?
 

[ QUOTE ]
Oddly appropos interview with Harlan Ellison.

[/ QUOTE ]
Apropos in that he's not seeing a cent from that youtube link?

Re: Screen Writers Guild Strike?
 

Here's a link to a pretty good little video that simply explains the writers' position.

Re: Screen Writers Guild Strike?
 

Let's say you got a script to a production company. They like it, and say they'll buy it after the strike is over. Would that be considered scabbing?

Re: Screen Writers Guild Strike?
 

[ QUOTE ]
Let's say you got a script to a production company. They like it, and say they'll buy it after the strike is over. Would that be considered scabbing?

[/ QUOTE ]

Don't be a Fool ( <font color="white">For the City </font> )

Re: Screen Writers Guild Strike?
 

[ QUOTE ]
Let's say you got a script to a production company. They like it, and say they'll buy it after the strike is over. Would that be considered scabbing?

[/ QUOTE ]

Yes, if they are a WGA signatory.

Re: Screen Writers Guild Strike?
 

Kind of amusing to see Jesse Jackson and the dudes from Rage Against the Machine at the rally at Fox yesterday, using rhetoric better suited for migrant farm workers than the (not) poor, (not) oppressed Hollywood writers.

But every little bit helps, I guess.

Re: Screen Writers Guild Strike?
 

Does anyone know if Showtime finished filming for Dexters last 6 episodes?

Re: Screen Writers Guild Strike?
 

So I just read this article on Jay Leno's staffers.

Leno's staffers are laid off

They've all been laid off and are pretty pissed. Apparently he had reassured them that they would not miss car payments and house payments, etc. during the writer's strike. The article also mentions that Conan is personally paying some of his staff's salaries at the moment.

"O'Brien confirmed Thursday, for example, that he would pay the salaries of at least 50 nonwriting "Late Night" staffers out of his own pocket on a week-to-week basis." Yay Conan [img]/images/graemlins/smile.gif[/img]



But when I read this I could not believe my eyes -

"The fact that some of Leno's writers are paid $500,000 or more annually also didn't sit well with suddenly out-of-work production staffers who make a fraction of that amount. Writers also are getting residuals on "Tonight Show" reruns that air during the strike".


Can this be true? $500,000?? My god I didn't realize how much these writers were paid. Any chance that it is off by one zero?

Re: Screen Writers Guild Strike?
 

[ QUOTE ]
So I just read this article on Jay Leno's staffers.

Leno's staffers are laid off

They've all been laid off and are pretty pissed. Apparently he had reassured them that they would not miss car payments and house payments, etc. during the writer's strike. The article also mentions that Conan is personally paying some of his staff's salaries at the moment.

"O'Brien confirmed Thursday, for example, that he would pay the salaries of at least 50 nonwriting "Late Night" staffers out of his own pocket on a week-to-week basis." Yay Conan [img]/images/graemlins/smile.gif[/img]



But when I read this I could not believe my eyes -

"The fact that some of Leno's writers are paid $500,000 or more annually also didn't sit well with suddenly out-of-work production staffers who make a fraction of that amount. Writers also are getting residuals on "Tonight Show" reruns that air during the strike".


Can this be true? $500,000?? My god I didn't realize how much these writers were paid. Any chance that it is off by one zero?

[/ QUOTE ]

No, that figure would be accurate. The average writer on a show will make around $200,000 a year. A senior writer can make millions. Still, producers can make much more, and would not have a show without the writer. There are many useless executives out there in TV land.

Re: Screen Writers Guild Strike?
 

The average union Loader gets paid about 100k after over-time. A loader does nothing more than wrap the camera in a garbage bag and load the film. I will admit that the Loader is usually an aspiring cinematographer or director of photography, and he is also educated.

Work in Hollywood is incredibly volatile and inconsistent. Even if a writer is making 200k to write a show, that writer may not have a job for a few years after the show ends. Most shows only last a few seasons. If you expand these salaries over a life time, it does not amount to much.

Re: Screen Writers Guild Strike?
 

[ QUOTE ]
Even if a writer is making 200k to write a show, that writer may not have a job for a few years after the show ends. Most shows only last a few seasons. If you expand these salaries over a life time, it does not amount to much.

[/ QUOTE ]


Well at first I was 100% behind them. I love to write and would give anything to do it for a living. I respect writers a lot. But now that I see how much they can make I'm starting to think hmmm. I mean $500,000 for Leno's show? It isn't even any good! In fact, it's pretty bad. Wonder what a writer for Everyone Loves Raymond made a year? Anyway, I do see your point about the fact that a show may go off the air in 2 years but still.

Re: Screen Writers Guild Strike?
 

[ QUOTE ]
The average union Loader gets paid about 100k after over-time. A loader does nothing more than wrap the camera in a garbage bag and load the film. I will admit that the Loader is usually an aspiring cinematographer or director of photography, and he is also educated.

Work in Hollywood is incredibly volatile and inconsistent. Even if a writer is making 200k to write a show, that writer may not have a job for a few years after the show ends. Most shows only last a few seasons. If you expand these salaries over a life time, it does not amount to much.

[/ QUOTE ]

The "they need residuals for when they're out of work for a while" angle is LOL if they're making $200K a year when they do work. If they can't save properly they're [censored] idiots. It's like when the NBA was trying to get a pension out of their strike in 1998...yea $350K a year minimum (effectively at least $500K) and you need a pension.

Re: Screen Writers Guild Strike?
 

Your job creates your life-style. Great, you only make 30k a year, so you better not buy that car because you may not be able to afford it if your company downsizes.

A one bedroom bungalow in Los Angeles costs 1 million, a three bedroom.... If you want to raise a family, have a car, etc, your life-time earnings better be in more than $500,000.

I agree that Leno is not that good, but he gets ratings, companies pay advertising, and this money is shared.

Not anyone can write. Not anyone can play basketball. Not anyone can direct a good film. Not anyone can run a multi-national company. I can't justify them being paid the same as an accountant, but this can derail the thread. Incentive goes a long ways toward creating drive.

Re: Screen Writers Guild Strike?
 

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
Even if a writer is making 200k to write a show, that writer may not have a job for a few years after the show ends. Most shows only last a few seasons. If you expand these salaries over a life time, it does not amount to much.

[/ QUOTE ]


Well at first I was 100% behind them. I love to write and would give anything to do it for a living. I respect writers a lot. But now that I see how much they can make I'm starting to think hmmm. I mean $500,000 for Leno's show? It isn't even any good! In fact, it's pretty bad. Wonder what a writer for Everyone Loves Raymond made a year? Anyway, I do see your point about the fact that a show may go off the air in 2 years but still.

[/ QUOTE ]

Why don't you think they're worth it? A writer for Leno must be writing constantly, as it's a daily show...it's hard work and a very high-pressure job.

Writers are the life-blood of Hollywood. Without them you'd be seeing nothing but reality shows.

Re: Screen Writers Guild Strike?
 

I have it on good authority (meaning insider gossip) that a new offer is on the table and it's a good one. People are now expecting the strike to be over before the end of the year.

Re: Screen Writers Guild Strike?
 

Apparantly Conan will continue to pay his non-writng staff. [img]/images/graemlins/smile.gif[/img]

Re: Screen Writers Guild Strike?
 

[ QUOTE ]

Why don't you think they're worth it? A writer for Leno must be writing constantly, as it's a daily show...it's hard work and a very high-pressure job.

Writers are the life-blood of Hollywood. Without them you'd be seeing nothing but reality shows.

[/ QUOTE ]

I agree that writers are the life-blood of Hollywood but come on, $500,000 for the Jay Leno show?? Have you watched this show? You cannot have watched this show and think that the writers deserve half a million for it. I would sooner pay YOU half a million to come up with an original Dom script than I would pay the Tonight Show writers half a million. that show sort of sucks.

Yes I do love writers. I want to be a writer. But my point was, do we have any idea how much they are paid for a TV show? If the LOST writers are making $150,000 a year well they are worth every dime. But the Leno show? $75,000 max, that's what I say. Of course I'm speaking as a person who works very hard and is paid very little. There may be an element of envy in here somewhere.

Re: Screen Writers Guild Strike?
 

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]

Why don't you think they're worth it? A writer for Leno must be writing constantly, as it's a daily show...it's hard work and a very high-pressure job.

Writers are the life-blood of Hollywood. Without them you'd be seeing nothing but reality shows.

[/ QUOTE ]

I agree that writers are the life-blood of Hollywood but come on, $500,000 for the Jay Leno show?? Have you watched this show? You cannot have watched this show and think that the writers deserve half a million for it. I would sooner pay YOU half a million to come up with an original Dom script than I would pay the Tonight Show writers half a million. that show sort of sucks.

Yes I do love writers. I want to be a writer. But my point was, do we have any idea how much they are paid for a TV show? If the LOST writers are making $150,000 a year well they are worth every dime. But the Leno show? $75,000 max, that's what I say. Of course I'm speaking as a person who works very hard and is paid very little. There may be an element of envy in here somewhere.

[/ QUOTE ]

While you may not think it's very good, Leno is a huge, high-profile show that garners great ratings and advertising dollars. Plus, those writers have to write CONSTANTLY to stay current. We're talking over 200 90 minute shows per year!!! That's a crap load.

Obviously I'm biased, but writers deserve every penny they can get. If a show is pulling in X amount of revenue, shouldn't the people who create that content be compensated accordingly?