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Sunday, November 23rd, 2008
by Jeff
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Can’t anyone learn their lesson from The Writer’s Guild strike from a year ago?
If you remember, the strike last November lasted until May and crippled television and to a lesser extent movies. The strike shortened television seasons, or canceled some altogether. Thanks to the writer’s strike one of my favorite shows, 24, hasn’t had any new episodes for a year and half.
What’s the issue? Actors want more money for work they do that is distributed on the Internet. It’s the same issue that the writer’s had, but they struck a deal. Now the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers want the actors to take the same deal the writers took. The actors don’t want it.
There’s a few problems I see with this. First and foremost, how will Joe Sixpack who just lost his job due to the tough economy have any sympathy for the actor who makes 500K per episode and now wants more just because his work is going to another distribution source?
I understand that not every actor in Hollywood makes that kind of money, but you won’t see those people in front of the news cameras pleading their case for SAG. You’ll see the Tom Cruise’s and the Steve Carell’s, and Joe Sixpack knows they make ridiculous amounts of cash.
The other problem I see is who really gives two squats how your work is seen? It’s 2008 and it’s a new media world. The lines between television and the Internet are slowly starting to fade. Just ask Tina Fey who was probably seen more at hulu.com playing Sarah Palin on SNL than she was on the live show.
Actors seriously want to get paid more because they’re on television AND Hulu? Hey SAG! Why don’t you zip it and go to work so that those of us who make less in a year than you make in a day can go home after 12 hour days and be entertained.
