It seems the pen is mightier than the sword.
http://www.afterhours.ie/articles/60/1/It-seems-the-pen-is-mightier-than-the-sword/Page1.html
Seamus O'Neill
A Masters in International Journalism student and a graduate of Advertising and Media Studies, I am hugely interested in the entertainment field. I also write on more serious issues but you can't beat a bit of juicy gossip!!
For other articles by me check out my blog: http://www.wellblogitanyway.blogspot.com
By Seamus O'Neill
Published on 02/1/2008
The American film and television industry is in crisis as screenwriters continue to put down their pens and pick up placards instead.
Since the 5th of November last, around 10,500 screenwriters have gone on strike as the Minimum Basic Agreement (MBA) expired for the Writers Guild of America (WGA) on the 31st October 2007 and negotiations over the new MBA failed.
Negotiations between the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers (AMPTP) and the WGA stalled in October last as they could not reach an agreement over the MBA. The WGA proposed a doubling of the residual rate for DVD sales. This would see the screenwriters earn 0.6% per DVD sold, up 0.3% under the last MBA contract. The WGA agrued such an increase is needed as writers often have to rely on profits made from purchases of a program to get them through what can often be a turbulent career.
They also want to be compensated for their material that appears on new-media including the internet. With online streaming of programmes and increasing material available for download the WGA have proposed that writers receive 2.5% of distributor’s gross for sales and distribution of new-media material.
The WGA have also highlighted the fact that reality shows and animated films and television programmes are not covered by the WGA’s MBA. Clarity with regard to these genres have been asked to be included in the new MBA whenever it is agreed.
However agreement over the MBA still seems along way off as the strikes are about to enter week 14. These strikes have resulted in chaos amongst film and television productions currently shooting, with ABC’s Desperate Housewives and NBC’s The Office two of many programmes which have had to be put on hold due to the strikes.
The majority of film productions in Hollywood are falling behind schedule which, for the cinema goer means release dates will undoubtledy be pushed back. Talk shows are also being effected with The Tonight Show with Jay Leno and Late Night with Conan O’Brien returning to American screens this month without their ususal writers. Both hosts believe their shows will suffer as a result of not having a full team.
The strike is successful in its attempts to attract worldwide attention as it is just not the writers who are suffering. Everyone from runners to costume and make-up people and actors are facing difficulty as shoots are put on hold costing the industry, according to NBC Nightly News on the 13th of this month, an estimated $1 billion.
Support for the writers strike is huge. This was evident recently when the Screen Actors Guild (SAG) sided with the writers and forced the Golden Globe awards to be transformed from the extravaganza that they are to a mere news conference. Film lovers are now worried that the same will happen to the 80th Academy Awards which are scheduled to take place on February 24th. The SAG could also be using and learning from the WGA as the SAG will shortly be negotiating their own contract which expires on June 30th. If all does not go to plan we could be looking at another strike to hit the American film and television industry in the summer.
It’s not just actors who are supporting the WGA. Politicians including California’s Governor and former actor Arnold Schwarzenegger has been trying to help negotiations as the state of California continues to lose money due to the strike. Presenditial candidates including Hilary Clinton, Barack Obama, and Mike Huckabee have all announced their support for the WGA also.
However all the support is somewhat meaningless in a battle that is directly between the WGA and AMPTP. With talks between the two currently taking place both sides know there is a lot to gain but also a lot to lose perhaps. With the WGA appearing to have a slight upper hand in this debate it certainly looks as though the pen (or lack of use of the pen) is mightier than the sword.
Screenwriter strikes are bringing the American film and television industry to its knees.
It seems the pen is mightier than the sword.
The American film and television industry is in crisis as screenwriters continue to put down their pens and pick up placards instead.
Since the 5th of November last, around 10,500 screenwriters have gone on strike as the Minimum Basic Agreement (MBA) expired for the Writers Guild of America (WGA) on the 31st October 2007 and negotiations over the new MBA failed.
Negotiations between the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers (AMPTP) and the WGA stalled in October last as they could not reach an agreement over the MBA. The WGA proposed a doubling of the residual rate for DVD sales. This would see the screenwriters earn 0.6% per DVD sold, up 0.3% under the last MBA contract. The WGA agrued such an increase is needed as writers often have to rely on profits made from purchases of a program to get them through what can often be a turbulent career.
They also want to be compensated for their material that appears on new-media including the internet. With online streaming of programmes and increasing material available for download the WGA have proposed that writers receive 2.5% of distributor’s gross for sales and distribution of new-media material.
The WGA have also highlighted the fact that reality shows and animated films and television programmes are not covered by the WGA’s MBA. Clarity with regard to these genres have been asked to be included in the new MBA whenever it is agreed.
However agreement over the MBA still seems along way off as the strikes are about to enter week 14. These strikes have resulted in chaos amongst film and television productions currently shooting, with ABC’s Desperate Housewives and NBC’s The Office two of many programmes which have had to be put on hold due to the strikes.
The majority of film productions in Hollywood are falling behind schedule which, for the cinema goer means release dates will undoubtledy be pushed back. Talk shows are also being effected with The Tonight Show with Jay Leno and Late Night with Conan O’Brien returning to American screens this month without their ususal writers. Both hosts believe their shows will suffer as a result of not having a full team.
The strike is successful in its attempts to attract worldwide attention as it is just not the writers who are suffering. Everyone from runners to costume and make-up people and actors are facing difficulty as shoots are put on hold costing the industry, according to NBC Nightly News on the 13th of this month, an estimated $1 billion.
Support for the writers strike is huge. This was evident recently when the Screen Actors Guild (SAG) sided with the writers and forced the Golden Globe awards to be transformed from the extravaganza that they are to a mere news conference. Film lovers are now worried that the same will happen to the 80th Academy Awards which are scheduled to take place on February 24th. The SAG could also be using and learning from the WGA as the SAG will shortly be negotiating their own contract which expires on June 30th. If all does not go to plan we could be looking at another strike to hit the American film and television industry in the summer.
It’s not just actors who are supporting the WGA. Politicians including California’s Governor and former actor Arnold Schwarzenegger has been trying to help negotiations as the state of California continues to lose money due to the strike. Presenditial candidates including Hilary Clinton, Barack Obama, and Mike Huckabee have all announced their support for the WGA also.
However all the support is somewhat meaningless in a battle that is directly between the WGA and AMPTP. With talks between the two currently taking place both sides know there is a lot to gain but also a lot to lose perhaps. With the WGA appearing to have a slight upper hand in this debate it certainly looks as though the pen (or lack of use of the pen) is mightier than the sword.