Comments on: On the line

By: Crystal

Crystal — Tue, 27 Nov 2007 07:29:02 +0000

I'm not in the guild right now, was an associate member for three years but found it tough going to turn the one episode sale into more. Anyway, I'm usually a script coordinator so I'm writer support when I can't be a writer... and I'm a writer by profession. I've been out on the picket lines and every time I've asked if they want me to sign in, they say yes. I've been told it's how they count their numbers. Also been at headquarters making signs.

The honking is great, but one time when I was out at Universal, this huge truck honked at us and nearly took out my eardrums. It felt like an earthquake.

I'm a little shy at walking up to strangers on the picket line because it feels a little like using it for networking, but when I have been able to talk to other writers on the line, it has been so beneficial. I've learned about a lot of stuff I'd have no access to any other way.

By: lazy writer otterboy

lazy writer otterboy — Fri, 09 Nov 2007 09:14:36 +0000

anyone who hasn't already read "the world is flat" probably should...it would seem that content is finally seeing the impact of a technologically flat world and writers should be aware of what that implies...

perhaps they'll begin to see this issue a tad more clearly and realize pitch meetings may soon be with google or directv or at&t...it's a game of distribution and the studios are rapidly becoming more and more obsolete...look no further than the complete failure of go.com to realize that in this brave new world, the studios simply might not be necessary anymore...

but for now the wga must negotiate, and if i was out there with a sign, this would be my chant:

"stop all the proctology, you didn't invent the technology!"

By: Death

Death — Thu, 08 Nov 2007 01:40:13 +0000

I wasnt saying the writers strike was affecting the avarage american as far as putting food on the table i was saying this just shows that hollywood writers dont care about the average american who puts food on the writers plate but this stupid strike is costing 1000’s of people who work in television industry work so that proves that u writers are just being greedy by costing 1000’s people jobs and not really even careing all because u guys SOLD your scripts to a network who puts it on itunes to help recoup there money tell me if a show gets canned who loses the most money not the writers not the actors not even the directors its the networks and producers who put a lotttttttttt of money into these shows so why shouldnt they be able to get some of there money back by selling something that doesnt belong to u writers anymore and i dont love the writers shows seeings how the writers dont put any money into the show well atleast true in 90% of the cases there not the writers show they belong to the producers and the networks get over it u sold your work u were paid ectremely well u dont deserve any more money because the scripts dont belong to u once u cash that check there the networks to do what ever they want with if u dont like it then u should have read your contracts better and not signed them

By: Michelle

Michelle — Wed, 07 Nov 2007 23:33:10 +0000

Yeah, I don’t think I’m really debating Death – I just thought that his post was funny. He’s calling writers names for trying to negotiate a better contract while complaining that the unfairly strike punishes Americans by forcing them to watch reality TV. He contradicts himself – he seems to hate writers because they want to a better contract (and therefore are greedy) and yet he seems to love them because he want to watch their shows (and not be subjected to the torture of reality TV)? I also fail to see the connection between how a WGA strike affects the “average American struggling to put food on the table” (outside of those directly impacted by the shows that have been shut down). Does watching reality TV somehow make it more difficult to provide for your family? Maybe after a few mind-numbing hours infront of crappy TV you somehow are not able to concentrate at work, resulting in your termination??? But any way…

By: michelle

michelle — Wed, 07 Nov 2007 23:02:03 +0000

I would think most people could understand fair compensation for work done. In the case of the downloads (itunes) the writers are not getting paid at all. Now that seems “unAmerican!”

By: Christine

Christine — Wed, 07 Nov 2007 21:28:26 +0000

The entire film industry is overpaid. It's crazy that actors get paid millions for their performances when firefighters that save lives make a pittance. Throw baseball players into the overpaid barrel while we're at it.

However, saying that the writers are already overpaid doesn't negate the fact that they deserve to be compensated for the new ways in which their work is used (ie: iTunes). The studios are making more money off digital distribution - the writers should too.

By: Death

Death — Wed, 07 Nov 2007 21:02:00 +0000

who gives a crap about punctuation this is a message board not an english class second off this shows that hollywood writers serious could careless about the avarage american who puts food on there table i personally hope the networks come up with some way to do away with greedy writers maybe use scabs then fire any union writers and blacklist them then sue the unions for monitary damages and breach of contract and 3rd why is it that the writers with the least to lose the one’s makeing millions are the one’s crying sounds like a bunch of crying hypocrites i mean seriously what are u writers gonna do if hollywood and the big networks either use scabs or come up with a lot of decent reality shows are u guys seriously prepaired to not work for what could be a longggggggggggggggggggggggg time and risk your futures for what pennies on the doller on dvd’s and itunes all i can say is u dont see the producers directers and actors loseing any work by strikeing do u?

By: Garrett

Garrett — Wed, 07 Nov 2007 20:26:11 +0000

Did anyone see a period (.) in "Death's" post?

I'm sorry, I just find it funny that Writers are debating with someone that obviously can't write. I wouldn't have the patience lol.

Of course he/she won't understand the plight of a Writer's Guild, just like I wouldn't understand the plight of a Thieves Guild (if there were one).

I'm sure you get my point.

By: Tony

Tony — Wed, 07 Nov 2007 20:14:10 +0000

Anyone else feel more like correcting Death's postings than addressing the actual comments? There's this thing called "punctuation" that you might want to investigate one day.

John: not a big fan of unions myself and there seem to be a lot of differing opinions as to who's right and wrong, but if you believe what you're doing is right, then more power to you.

By: Death

Death — Wed, 07 Nov 2007 18:39:38 +0000

are u kidding me Fair Compensation i’m sorry but i think 200 grand a year for a season (for most shows) is more then fair and yes the networks producers actors and directors may get more then writers but there the ones with the most to lose if a show doesnt catch on a i mean come on a writer can bounce from show to show without missing a pay check if a show fails a producer,actor,director can lose everything extremely fast and i hate to say it but in AMERICA we do our jobs and honor our contracts (either word or written) and its not like any of these writers crying didnt take a check at the beginning of the season for a full seasons work what about that should they get paid to strike i mean come on u writers signed on to these shows knowing how much u were gonna get paid and what u were and were not gonna get paid for so i say quit crying and get back to work if u can even call writeing work and no i dont think i networks are being greedy there the one’s who put up there own money to fund these shows so they should get the most back from it thats the way the world works GET OVER IT

By: Sarah

Sarah — Wed, 07 Nov 2007 18:22:34 +0000

Does anybody remember this one episode of The Simpson’s named KING SIZE HOMER where it says “Honk if you’re h*rny?”