The WGA just released a video of Star Trek co-producer Damon Lindelof talking about the writers strike as he pickets Disney, the studio that produces Lost (which he and J.J. Abrams created).
See previous story for more on Abrams, Lindelof and the WGA.
Interesting video. I think they make a very good point, seems like a good cause to me, i support them. They also seem like good guys :)
I usually don’t like unions, but the writers are correct to demand their fair share.
Indeed gentlemen, I can dig it.
Damn. Never thought of that last point.
*joins strike & supports Abrams*
Does this mean Lindelof will have time to finish up his infamously-late comic (which spluttered out with an already-late issue 2 of 5 a couple of years back)
From the Writers Guild of America:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oJ55Ir2jCxk
You know what’s awesome?
One of the writers of the Star Trek movie is important enough to be videotaped.
Bam frackin’ diggity.
Is this guy just ‘guessing’ or speculating that we “will be watching tv on the internet” in five years time? Am I missing out on something? I understand that HiDef broadcasts are being implemented (‘forced’, ‘enacted’, whatever) sometime next year or in 2009. With the associated costs to conventional local tv stations, are they just gonna let the internet move in on their turf? Or is he overstating the case for sympathy? What it comes down to, is I just got a nice new hidef tv and upgraded to satellite, now I’m gonna be out of luck in five years? Any savy techies here that could explain this internet tv thing? Perhaps this is ‘in addition’ to hidef broadcasting and satellite tv (don’t forget cable..)?? From what I am gleaming from the above video, they don’t get any residuals or royalties for current internet downloads. But I can’t see ALL tv being internet based in five years, or will it? This is the first I’ve heard of any big push to eliminate tv, cable, and satellite.
#8 — I doubt that TV will “all” be internet-based in 5 years, but I for one hardly ever watch TV on the TV any more. In the last couple of years, I’ve gravitated gradually but completely to watching TV entirely online, downloading the shows I want to follow from iTunes, etc. And I know I’m not the only one.
If the writers are frozen out of internet distribution, that’s almost like cutting them out of the profits entirely after a while, particularly as the boundaries between internet, satellite, cable, etc. disappear (it comes to a point where digital distribution is digital distribution, and the actual venue is more or less immaterial.)
The writers aren’t cut out of digital or DVD distribution, they just get a very tiny amount. Next the actors and directors are going to be fighting for the same percentages. As a result, you have to wonder if any free (with ads) content will be offered by studios over the internet? In addition, what happens to the rest of the crews on these shows that are shut down? Are they still being paid? I support the writers in concept, but if this things lasts for a long time…….Oh no, no boob tube for people to watch! They might actually have to watch the news and question the government and its practices! Anarchy!
I think they make some good points.
I am not the biggest fan of unions as a whole. I think SOME unions are as money hungry and unfair as the big business they fight.
In this case I would agree 100% with the writers. Hollywood has often been unfair to it’s writing talent.
Compare their salaries to that of the stars of the films that they create. Do you think it’s easy making some (not all) of these uneducated Hollywood nit wits sound intelligent?
The writers should clearly be cut into the additional revenue streams that these major corporations are creating.
Somehow or other I don’t think ABC, NBC etc.. are going to crumble if they give a little more to the writers who are the genesis of their multi billion dollar industries.
What I am concerned about, is that if everything does go to digital transmission through the internet, that more and more people will stop going to movie theaters.
Even if movies were distributed through the “internet TV”, I would miss going to the cinema on opening night. Going to movie theaters for me is half the fun of seeing a movie. It’s an event, much more so than just catching something on TV.
I just hope that movie theaters don’t go away in the future, in favor of digital distribution to people’s homes. It would be a sad loss of a fun pastime.
Where is Regan when we need him! He would put an end to this strike! JK. I say good for them, they do derserve more, I just hate how this affects all the great shows I watch.
I hope Mr. Damon LIndelof reads this, but with them striking film/TV work, I hope this now gives him some extra time to finish a job he started with Marvel Comics a year or so ago, Ultimate Wolverine vs. Hulk. A lot of fans were disappointed when he didn’t finish this, and left a lot of other people who were working on the comic book hanging, including my pal the artist, Leinil Francis Yu.
Regan!?!? I don’t believe we’re that desperate.
As a writer I can say what they are saying is not bullshit! Every copy of a book sold gets its author a percentage why not TV shows and movies no matter what the format they are being viewed on.
The real protest is agains Chavez in Venezuela, you guys fight for such sweet things while they try to impose us a dictatorship
If today the 7th is first day of shooting I would think the co-producer of a big budget flick(STAR TREK) should spend some time on location of the filming rather than picketing.
Since today was the first day of shooting, I think it is admirable that the co-producer of a big budget flick (STAR TREK) spent time on the picket line supporting his fellow writers.
It dosnt matter if everything is downloaded over the web, the fact is that some of it will be.
^
Studios have been waiting to cut the writers out of this aspect of media for so long and we all know it.
^
Networks and studios have all been sitting on these new sites that offer all the shows for a fixed price download but they don’t dare impliment them til this strike is over.
Its bad news for tv and film industry. The suits would deny us and the writers for what amounts to be very little in the big profit picture.
^
The first show to fall under the blade of strike was “Heroes Origins” this is mainly because that show was going to use the internet to promote and vote on possible Heroes to put into the ongoing Heroes show.
Good indecation that there’s a coldwar going on between producers and studios.
This video may have not been taken today necessarily.
Actually, all WGA members are required to put in 20 hrs. a week towards the strike effort.
During the 80s strike, then union leaders lacked the foresight to see where the video market was going and gave up large residuals from the sale of then video tapes. Remember this was at a time when there were only three networks, and at most 57 cable channels with roughly 26% market saturation. Re-runs were the sole domain of local markets and the big three, and no one could ever in there right mine think anyone would want to buy the complete run of Different Strokes on video tape.
The members of the WGA do not wish to repeat that istake. The union leaders even took a significant increase new video sales “off the table” as a gesture of compromise. We would not budge on internet downloads, because that iis were all entertainment is eventually going – NOT EXCLUSIVELY, but it is another outlet. And if the studios are receiving advertising dollars from the rebroadcast and distribution of work generated by the creators of said work, it is only fair and just that those creators be compensated.
Without the writers, there would be no show/movie. “It all begins on the page…”
If you happen to be in LA, I will be marching with my fellow writers outside of 20th Century Fox 10020 W. Pico Blvd., Friday, starting at 10:00 a.m.
Honk and show your support.
#10 Greg2600
Nah, a lot of folks will still be more interested in lousy repeats, and ‘talent’ shows…
#12 Daniel Broadway
I too, hope people will continue to want to see a lot of Movies on the shared experience of the bombastic sounding ‘big screen’, where they BELONG initially. As well as ticket prices, a big factor to encourage masses out of the comfort of their internet-dominated homes will continue to be well-crafted ‘event’ Movies that keep reminding them how good a big screen experience is in the first place, when they make the effort… Plus, emerging technologies that offer something additionally ‘special’ that can’t be offered over a broadband connection anytime soon will help, such as potential 3D blockbusters by the likes of big name Directors such as James Cameron ( let’s hope his ‘Avatar’ project is amazing ), and others that are interested in kickstarting this ever-improving avenue just now.
Don’t just wait for that DVD or Download folks…
And I’d just like to say that I support the writers wholeheartedly in this sorry corporate mess.
My first post when I hear about the writers strike was competly like “lets bash the unions, I thinks there all crap…” etc. etc. But I think there is a point made here. The writers are like half of the movie/tv equation. I personally jude a show about 40% on the lines being said. Then I judge 40% on the actors saying the lines, and 20% on the rest o the production. A good actor can’t make bad writing do anything on screen. So I see why writers might feel jipped not getting any revenue from Internet sales of shows
What astounds me is that people are willing to watch shows or movies on 19 inch computer screens or on 3 or 4 inch ipods. As for me, I want a 100 inch plasma baby! No internet TV for me.
I guess there are a lot of folks too young to remember when screens were small and we were so happy when they got bigger and bigger.
I can’t imagine watching shows on those tiny screens, either. I still remember my first tv. A black and white 5 inch Sony. And now I’m expected to go back in time to that existence?? Albeit, in color?? No thanks.
Hmmm, a shame there isn’t a Spellers’ Guild of America
This does seem to be an accounting issue. Sure, there’ll be lots of fighting. But, the whole pile o disputed cash COULD go into escrow until the lawyers suck in enough of it to feel (temporarily) full. In the meantime, the productions could go on.
OH DAMN, there I go thinking again.
I think the point that Lindelof is making is not that people will want to watch all of their television on ipods or 19″ computer monitors. His point is that instead of a cablebox or whatever, people in the not too distant future will have their big screens hooked up to their routers and cablemodems. In other words, the video will be transmitted via packets over the internet.
No more television show schedules. When it’s released, you can watch the show whenever you want (with commercials, of course). The commercials will be inserted ‘real time’ into your video stream so that, no matter when you’re watching, the commercials are up-to-date.
And the writer’s want their contract to appropriately compensate them, taking into consideration this on-going shift of delivery methods.
Also, the difference between a 5″ black-and-white CRT television set and an iPod are significant. The main difference being the way they are used. I don’t remember seeing many people carrying around 5″ black-and-white CRT television sets in their pockets. Not to mention that those television sets did a piss poor job of storing the shows that you want to watch rather than watching whatever happens to be on the airwaves.