Quote: Stuart Laws @ November 17, 2007, 4:03 PM

No, come on. The dispute is over the shift in where the employers get income. Due to the huge success of DVD and internet distribution the producers are making huge amounts of money. However the current royalty deals in place were agreed before the explosion in popularity of the new media.

Therefore they are entirely justified to want a fairer proportioning of the money. This is an entirely fair and reasonable request, especially considering the level of money that is being made. If we want a society where rich f**kers can do whatever they want just because they are rich and because they can make out that a bunch of writers are whinging tossbags then why don't we all get on a plane now and try and take advantage of the gap in the market. I bagsy writing for The Daily Show. It may be 'just' writing but it's important to make a stand and show that power isn't the domain of a select few.

Go writers!

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Fair comment! But in my case, I don't want to be a staff writer (employee) on an American TV show. And it's a business, fair doesn't come into it! Employers don't give more money to employees without a fight! Power and riches go together hand in glove! The powerful almost never give anything away (usually, because they don't want/need to!)

Like I say, if the strikers are strong enough to win, they'll win but I am not convinced that what they have on offer is worth more money to the employers!

Take 'The Simpsons', if you change 'the voices' the audience would know, but I reckon the folks creating the images and writing the gags could be replaced fairly easily without the audience realising, especially now that the show and characters are well established.

Of course, the incoming artists/writers would have to be good, but I reckon there are plenty of writers who'd give 'their all' to have a go at writing that show, and some of them would surely be good enough.

But yes, if writers can get more 'dough' (as opposed to 'doh') I'm all for it!

I fully support it. If the studios aren't budging then they'll have serious problems a month or two down the line. I'm not 'bored' by it, I haven't noticed it being a particularly overexposed story, or at least, I don't find new information uninteresting. Writers' have been pretty badly dealt with, what they're asking for seems perfectly reasonable seeing as they are the most important part of the entertainment industry: the ideas.

Quote: Retinend @ November 17, 2007, 6:15 PM

I fully support it. If the studios aren't budging then they'll have serious problems a month or two down the line. I'm not 'bored' by it, I haven't noticed it being a particularly overexposed story, or at least, I don't find new information uninteresting. Writers' have been pretty badly dealt with, what they're asking for seems perfectly reasonable seeing as they are the most important part of the entertainment industry: the ideas.

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I applaud your sentiments but if writers were the most important part of the entertainment industry, they'd already be getting top dollar! The producers and the stars are probably more important. No producer = no show at all! And the stars are what interests the audience. The audience generally doesn't take much interest in the writers. The majority of the audience will watch the stars eat turnips and dance naked and they'll still clap.

Writers are of course important too, as are studio technicians, etc. but notoriously writers are prepared to work for peanuts (or free even) especially when they start out and of course they get used. Throw a new writer half a crust and they are over the moon to be a 'paid' writer! The entertainment business is not a fair or reasonable place. No business is. I'd like it to be, but it ain't!

Good luck to the striking writers but don't expect the employers to give in easily!

Quote: David Chapman @ November 17, 2007, 2:53 PM

I'll write for you Eva for a tenth of the pay plus bonusses of my choosing.

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SCENE ONE. Bedroom. Night.

David lies in bed. Although covered up to his waist, it is clear that he is naked.

Eva walks in, wearing only blue silk bra and panties.

They get down and dirty for 20 3 minutes.

End of scene.

Quote: Frankie Rage @ November 17, 2007, 3:36 PM

As John Lennon said to people who wanted the fame and money he'd got as a song writer: "If you're big enough, come and get it!"

Of course, they shot him..

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Too bloody right. Hypocritical bastard.

So the casting is more important that the actual ideas, the foundations of the show? Of course a writer needs a producer to make a project a reality but they're not always an important part of the creative process. Perhaps in a reality/game show writers are interchangeable but for most other genres the writer is incredibly important, if they weren't then why would they bother striking?

Quote: Retinend @ November 17, 2007, 6:51 PM

So the casting is more important that the actual ideas, the foundations of the show? Of course a writer needs a producer to make a project a reality but they're not always an important part of the creative process. Perhaps in a reality/game show writers are interchangeable but for most other genres the writer is incredibly important, if they weren't then why would they bother striking?

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The writers are striking for more pay, effectively.

Writers who write for TV shows are important, but the 'incredibly important' writers in the World are surely those artists and creative genius who cannot be copied and they already do make huge amounts of money and are famous in their own right. They have managers and agents to ensure they get very favourable contracts that pay them well and they are paid on an advance and royalty basis. Also, they normally retain copyright and ownership of their own work.

But you don't need (or get) writers of that quality as 'staff writers' writing for the average TV show! We are not talking 'Only Fools and Horses' here or 'Curb your enthusiasm!' ..at least, I don't think we are!?

Frankie, stop dissing staff writers, they are there to earn a steady wage and they are kept on because they come out with good ideas, one of my fave comedies of all time has staff writers (Family Guy).

Yes, they sign certain rights away but it still doesn't mean they should be treated like they don't make a show what it is, you can have the best producer, director and actors but you don't have a good script, it WILL be shit. End off.

Quote: Frankie Rage @ November 17, 2007, 12:13 PM

Anyway, that nice looking Eva Longoria lady reckons she can write her own scripts for that awful program she's in..

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She's apparently from my hometown. She wasn't meant to escape, but sometimes they slip through the cracks like that. Sorry.

Also, I can't say that I'm upset about the writer's strike. It just means I spend more time on my bicycle than in front of the TV, except that starting in January I won't have one. It also means that Americans might be (gasp!) subjected to non-American shows. Now, you guys better get a move on or we won't have anything to watch during the strike!!

Quote: Camo @ November 17, 2007, 7:51 PM

She's apparently from my hometown. She wasn't meant to escape, but sometimes they slip through the cracks like that. Sorry.

Also, I can't say that I'm upset about the writer's strike. It just means I spend more time on my bicycle than in front of the TV, except that starting in January I won't have one. It also means that Americans might be (gasp!) subjected to non-American shows. Now, you guys better get a move on or we won't have anything to watch during the strike!!

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Ok, Camo, we have:

Eastenders (some crap with cockneys in it), Coronation street (same sort of thing but no cockneys), The Office (you stole that), This Morning (some fat women and some pervert laughing at a camera for about 2 hours)... that’s about it to be honest. Try New Zealand?

Quote: paul watson @ November 17, 2007, 7:50 PM

Frankie, stop dissing staff writers, they are there to earn a steady wage and they are kept on because they come out with good ideas, one of my fave comedies of all time has staff writers (Family Guy).

Yes, they sign certain rights away but it still doesn't mean they should be treated like they don't make a show what it is, you can have the best producer, director and actors but you don't have a good script, it WILL be shit. End off.

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Don't make me the bad guy!

I'm just telling you the way it is, not the way I would like it to be!

Staff writers are pretty much like the technicians who produce the show, they are important but expendable (writers of that calibre are plentiful) sorry if that doesn't fit with your 'rose tinted' glasses view of TV writing, but there you go!

Oops maybe I should have returned to this thread sooner.

Basically what the writers would have you believe is that they are entitled to earn money on new media revenue streams because 'we write it man and the other guys are getting rich off our hard work.' Well if you sign away your rights then why are you entitled to anything. The writers should be having ago at their Union which was formed under the condition that writers would surrender their copyright to the studios. So whos to blame? The writers >_<

We would never do anything that stupid in the UK which is why our writers aren't striking. Such agreements and contracts would probably be ruled illegal over here e.g. The Stone Roses contract.

The reason I said I was bored is i keep seeing videos where writers keep banging on about it. If two idiots where arguing over socks in a bar you would leave.

Finally, i think Aaron said something about me supporting unions. Well I do whole heartedly but in this case they have no justifiable grievance to strike over so I don't. I'm not a socialist sheep baaaaa

Quote: Camo @ November 17, 2007, 7:51 PM

She's apparently from my hometown. She wasn't meant to escape, but sometimes they slip through the cracks like that. Sorry.

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I'm pretty sure that both Frankie and David want to slip through her crack.

Quote: ajp29 @ November 17, 2007, 9:02 PM

We would never do anything that stupid in the UK ...

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You certain about that? I'm pretty sure that some would.

Quote: ajp29 @ November 17, 2007, 9:02 PM

I'm not a socialist sheep baaaaa

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Two things:

1. As far as I'm aware, Eva Longoria has never said she could write her own scripts. Last I heard she was out on the picket lines supporting the writers.

2. Yes, writers are treated badly in terms of DVD and New Media, but it's all relative. They still get treated a hell of a lot better than Mexican orphans forced to make trainers at gunpoint, or child sex slaves in Thailand.

Quote: chipolata @ November 19, 2007, 1:17 PM

As far as I'm aware, Eva Longoria has never said she could write her own scripts. Last I heard she was out on the picket lines supporting the writers.

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It was on Yahoo News (I think) she is reported to have said, "We (actors) could write our own scripts, I have plenty of great ideas!" Of course, as we all know, you can't trust any information in the media!

As for her appearance on the picket lines, I hadn't heard about that and, of course, it may be a hypocritical gesture, who can tell..

For myself, I don't see why scripts written by her would be any worse than the ones she's reading from!

I'm on the writers side, they do deserve more money (4 cents more is all they want) from DVD sales and internet streaming of their shows, no way am I on the side of the big corporate networks. Although I hope they come to some sort of an agreement soon because some great shows are slowly starting to end.

Negotiations re-open on the 26th by the way so hopefully it gets sorted.