WGA to strike Monday | Movie News
From the first moment I heard about it, I had always been very afraid that it was going to happen. I know that a lot of people were certain it was just a threat, that there's no way those writers would dig in their heels, that there was no way they wouldn't be given more money. But the truth is, if studio heads on multi-million dollar projects are getting worried, then trust me brother, you better believe that shit is real. Now teh word is that the Writers Guild of America is to go on strike on Monday.
Variety reported that: "In a lively meeting of 3,000 guild members Thursday night, the WGA's negotiating committee announced its unanimous strike recommendation, a pronouncement that generated an enthusiastic response from the SRO crowd at the Los Angeles Convention Center... But it's a foregone conclusion that the WGA panels will OK a strike and the consensus is that they'll probably select Monday as the starting day."
As discussed in the past, the issue over residuals has made any progress almost impossible:
Hopes for a settlement cratered Wednesday night amid bitter recriminations from both sides. The meltdown occurred when companies insisted that the WGA drop its demand to increase homevid residuals, including Internet downloads.
I guess that all we can hope for is that something is worked out over the weekend. Otherwise we might be in for a bunch of films written by some guy's nephew, like BIG MOMMA'S MANSION and DADDY DAY WHATEVER THE PROGRESSION IS FROM 'CAMP'.
Source: Variety
Extra Tidbit: Like you'd rather be looking at a picture of some crusty writer than Scarlett Johansson.
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6:43AM on 11/03/2007 Add as a friend | MFC profile
My shot about originality wasn't in jest, I noticed the Nov. 5 coincidence and had to mention it :P
Nothing at all wrong with old standbys. Oldies but goodies, at least.
My shot about originality wasn't in jest, I noticed the Nov. 5 coincidence and had to mention it :P
Nothing at all wrong with old standbys. Oldies but goodies, at least.
11:42PM on 11/02/2007 Add as a friend | MFC profile
10:11PM on 11/02/2007 Add as a friend | MFC profile
9:47PM on 11/02/2007 Add as a friend | MFC profile
6:51PM on 11/02/2007 Add as a friend | MFC profile
I think a positive result of this could be the studios struggling to get the rights to other, more independent films by newcomers who haven't joined up with WGA yet. And then there are those movies that have been locked away for...
I think a positive result of this could be the studios struggling to get the rights to other, more independent films by newcomers who haven't joined up with WGA yet. And then there are those movies that have been locked away for five years now that never got a release date.
They'll also probably revise fewer scripts, whether or not that's positive depends on the script.
That doesn't mean we won't see quarter-ass attempts at making a sequel to, I dunno (wait, what was the worst non-sequel of 2006?) and making enough of a profit that by 2009 they'll think that's the way to make money, and agree to a sequel to (what's the worst non-sequel of this year?) until people stop going to see shit. Which, if I'm correct, would be...never?
4:20PM on 11/02/2007 Add as a friend | MFC profile
[link]
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4:19PM on 11/02/2007 Add as a friend | MFC profile
The strike happens on November 5th!? Come on! They can't even pick an original date to start the strike for F's sake!
Remember, remember the 5th of November...
The strike happens on November 5th!? Come on! They can't even pick an original date to start the strike for F's sake!
Remember, remember the 5th of November...
3:24PM on 11/02/2007 Add as a friend | MFC profile
What would be more likely is that there will be remakes, remakes and more remakes.
However, I think the writers deserve a bigger slice of the pie. Less for Big Brother and those who don't actually MAKE the movies, IMO.
What would be more likely is that there will be remakes, remakes and more remakes.
However, I think the writers deserve a bigger slice of the pie. Less for Big Brother and those who don't actually MAKE the movies, IMO.
3:09PM on 11/02/2007 Add as a friend | MFC profile
i like to imagine groups of isolated scab writers hold up in secret hotel rooms across Hollywood with nothing but a laptop, some legal pads, and pots of strong coffee, all cranking out scripts for movies and TV shows.
think Barton Fink meets Hoffa.
and when the strike ends and the movies...
i like to imagine groups of isolated scab writers hold up in secret hotel rooms across Hollywood with nothing but a laptop, some legal pads, and pots of strong coffee, all cranking out scripts for movies and TV shows.
think Barton Fink meets Hoffa.
and when the strike ends and the movies get made, they slap a "Smithee" guise under the writer section in the credits to keep the scab from recrimination and black labeling by the union.
how interesting would that be, were it true. imagine the scandal if famous Hollywood scribes started out as scabs who were owed one by the studios they bailed out?
that would be great.
2:40PM on 11/02/2007 Add as a friend | MFC profile