Strike
This is what we are looking at:
Television and movie screen writers said on Thursday, Nov. 1st, that they would go on strike for the first
time in nearly 20 years in a dispute over royalties. The Writers Guild of America President, Patric Verrone,
made the announcement in a closed-door session, drawing loud cheers from the crowd.
The way in which writers are compensated for their material when it is sold and viewed on new media
is the key issue behind the impending strike. Simply put, every time you watch an episode of a TV show
online or download a movie from iTunes, the studio or network, and the actors seen in the project make
money (as does iTunes). Now the Writer’s Guild of America is demanding their fair cut of this potential
digital goldmine.
What’s on your TV set and what’s playing at your favorite movie theater, is likely about to change.
The last writer’s strike, in 1988, lasted 5 months.
Here is what to expect when Hollywood goes silent.
Strike (Starting Day 1): Late night talk shows will lose the people who write monologues and sketch material.
TV hosts could forego using writers completely, and do their own material (or possibly expand
interview portions of the show, but this is unlikely). Saturday Night Live,” Letterman, Leno, Conan, Jimmy,
Craig, Jon and Stephen, will go completely dark
The Soaps!
Strike (After 1 Month): Daytime soaps write their scrips about a month in advance..
(Outlines for story arcs, however, are completed anywhere from 6 months to a year in advance.)
After the scripts have run out, the soaps will be forced to go off the air, unless, as was done
during the last strike, the producers choose to step in and write. Otherwise, you may to wait until the
strike ends to find out how the latest cliff hanger is resolved.
Reality Mania & Alternative Programming:
Strike (After 3 Months): Most scripted shows, like “Heroes” and “Grey’s Anatomy,” would either
run out of new episodes or be put on hold for February sweeps. The networks would be forced to show repeats
of these shows. Alternatively, instead of scripted shows, an onslaught of reality shows would fill the airwaves.
Shows like ‘American Idol,” and “The Amazing Race” would continue to air, because the creative people
behind these shows are not members of the WGA.
The Big Screen
The strike would have to go on for many months before its effect would be felt at your favorite movie theater.
Studios have stockpiled numerous scripts in case the strike drags on. Major franchises like “X-Men Origins: Wolverine”
have sped up production in order to deliver already-announced blockbusters.
(Sources: NY Times and Acess Hollywood)
Television and movie screen writers said on Thursday, Nov. 1st, that they would go on strike for the first
time in nearly 20 years in a dispute over royalties. The Writers Guild of America President, Patric Verrone,
made the announcement in a closed-door session, drawing loud cheers from the crowd.
The way in which writers are compensated for their material when it is sold and viewed on new media
is the key issue behind the impending strike. Simply put, every time you watch an episode of a TV show
online or download a movie from iTunes, the studio or network, and the actors seen in the project make
money (as does iTunes). Now the Writer’s Guild of America is demanding their fair cut of this potential
digital goldmine.
What’s on your TV set and what’s playing at your favorite movie theater, is likely about to change.
The last writer’s strike, in 1988, lasted 5 months.
Here is what to expect when Hollywood goes silent.
Strike (Starting Day 1): Late night talk shows will lose the people who write monologues and sketch material.
TV hosts could forego using writers completely, and do their own material (or possibly expand
interview portions of the show, but this is unlikely). Saturday Night Live,” Letterman, Leno, Conan, Jimmy,
Craig, Jon and Stephen, will go completely dark
The Soaps!
Strike (After 1 Month): Daytime soaps write their scrips about a month in advance..
(Outlines for story arcs, however, are completed anywhere from 6 months to a year in advance.)
After the scripts have run out, the soaps will be forced to go off the air, unless, as was done
during the last strike, the producers choose to step in and write. Otherwise, you may to wait until the
strike ends to find out how the latest cliff hanger is resolved.
Reality Mania & Alternative Programming:
Strike (After 3 Months): Most scripted shows, like “Heroes” and “Grey’s Anatomy,” would either
run out of new episodes or be put on hold for February sweeps. The networks would be forced to show repeats
of these shows. Alternatively, instead of scripted shows, an onslaught of reality shows would fill the airwaves.
Shows like ‘American Idol,” and “The Amazing Race” would continue to air, because the creative people
behind these shows are not members of the WGA.
The Big Screen
The strike would have to go on for many months before its effect would be felt at your favorite movie theater.
Studios have stockpiled numerous scripts in case the strike drags on. Major franchises like “X-Men Origins: Wolverine”
have sped up production in order to deliver already-announced blockbusters.
(Sources: NY Times and Acess Hollywood)