http://www.amptp.org/I'd like to be fair-minded. I am airing the other point of view. And they have this:
For electronic sell-through (like buying a movie on iTunes), the Guild is seeking at least a 700 percent increase over what writers currently receive, and more than a 200 percent increase over what they receive for Internet "pay per view."
Writers Guild of America has the specific numbers
here e.g.
WGA Proposal: We propose to double the home video residual formula from 0.3% to 0.6% for the first $1 million in reportable gross and from 0.36% to 0.72% over $1 million.
Y'know that sounds really unfair of WGA to be hogging a whole 0.3% of profits. This means that right now when the writers who do get the $0.03 per $1 residual on, say a
$35.99 dvd on Amazon.com, that means they'd be getting $1.0797 per unit in the bank, but only if the overall sales are at least 1,000,000,000 units or $35,990,000,000.00
So in reality land when the shows for dvd and video reach a million units, the hardworking writers will have $1,079,700,000.00 in the bank and the Studios have been stiffed out of that additional 0.3% of profits.
If that doesn't sound threatening enough then consider the WGA proposal outlined above - they have the temerity to demand an 100% increase on their 0.3% residual for the same media! To the total value of an immensely whopping 0.6%!! So using the same example of a $35.99 dvd the Studios will be wrought of $2.1594 or rather $2,159,400,000.00 when dvd+video sales reach a million bucks.
Folks, for fun and cognitive dissonance, compare and contrast the other positions of
AMPTP and their
own links to industry news. E.g.
the Internet starts to play a larger role in delivering video content (
Sept 12, 2007),
Internet ad sales expected to grow at a compound annual rate of 22% (
Nov 9, 2007).
I am flabbergasted. The AMPTP also has
this to say: "There is no way that these increases (700%, 200%) can be deemed reasonable."
Wow. AMPTP doesn't like writers to keep $0.03 of each $1 earned for their team effort in creating saleable content of one million bucks. For gods sakes, this only leaves $0.97 per dollar or $970,000,000.00 to share around when sales reach a million dollars.
Now for extra credit, who can count up to one million?
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Disclaimer: Mathematical errors are all mine, except for the bits which aren't.