LA Faces Meltdown As Hollywood Strike Bites - UK Guardian

[WillyT]

LA faces meltdown as Hollywood strike bites
As the writers' strike cuts deep, thousands of people
who rely on LA's entertainment industry face financial ruin.
And the city which has already lost $1.4bn may now lose the Oscars

<snip>

No red carpet, no Keira or Angelina, no best-dressed/worst-dressed lists, no goody bags, no limo rides, no parties and no champagne. Tonight's lacklustre Golden Globe awards will sound an alarm across Los Angeles: the show does not go on.

Hollywood is on strike and it is beginning to hurt the city built around the entertainment industry. People are out of work, the local economy is suffering and the biggest blow to both revenue and prestige could be yet to come - the cancellation of the Oscars.

The writers' union that is leading the strike told The Observer it would not back down even if it meant that the Academy Awards would suffer the same fate as the Globes. The cost to the city would be $130m (£66m), according to the Los Angeles Economic Development Corp, with tens of millions more wiped off advertising revenues.

Usually one of the most glamorous events in the showbusiness calendar, tonight's Globes at the Beverly Hills Hotel will be reduced to no more than a one-hour press conference in which the winners' names will be read out. The losses incurred by caterers, hairdressers, hotels, jewellers, limousine firms, party planners, stylists and other support workers are estimated at $70-80m.

The 11-week writers' dispute is turning nasty as it slowly but surely strangles artistic and economic activity beneath the iconic Hollywood sign. The writers, an unlikely vanguard for a revival in America's trade union movement, are demanding a say in future internet distribution deals and a percentage of any revenues gained when their work is streamed or downloaded. Crucially, they have the support of the actors, whose refusal to cross the Globes' picketline ensures a no-show from nominees including the British contenders Keira Knightley, James McAvoy, Julie Christie and Helena Bonham Carter.

On the opposite side are the producers and studios such as Disney, Fox, Paramount and Warner Bros. Wary of being locked into a deal on hugely unpredictable new media, they are blaming the writers for intransigence. 'It feels like the nerdiest, ugliest, meanest kids in the high school are trying to cancel the prom,' said Ben Silverman, entertainment chief of NBC.

As the war of words escalated, the Writers Guild of America dismissed the comment as 'awful' and 'hamfisted', noting that when the strike was over Silverman would be seeking to employ the very people he was describing.

The effects have been obvious to American viewers as networks delay premieres and plug gaps with repeats or reality shows. Production has shut down on series including Desperate Housewives, Grey's Anatomy, Heroes, House, Lost, 24 and the US version of The Office. Films such as Angels and Demons, a prequel to The Da Vinci Code with Tom Hanks, have also been put on hold.

The strike has already cost the Los Angeles area $1.4bn in lost wages, according to Jack Kyser, chief economist for the Los Angeles Economic Development Corp. The ripple effect is being felt by carpenters, caterers, make-up artists, stagehands, truck drivers and numerous other workers who find themselves out of work and struggling to meet mortgage payments.

<snip>

Link: http://film.guardian.co.uk/news/story/0,,2240090,00.html

Ya know... I was about to pass on posting this, until I read Silverman's statement.

:mad:

[AntiFascist]

1. Nerdiest kids in the school?!

These are more like the football stars. Even the actors can't do much without the writers.

[tomreedtoon]

10. They had a "prom" for him this last week.

They even made up T-shirts for it. I wanted to buy one, but they don't have 2XL size, so I settled for a WGA T-shirt, which I'll wear in support although I'm not a member.



That's who Murdoch, Redstone, and the rest of them all are...a bunch of fighting cocks.

[SheWhoMustBeObeyed]

16. And the biggest bullies are playing the victim

The tone of that article really irks me.

It is the producers who are cancelling the Oscars.

It's the producers who are bankrupting people who work in support industries.

It's the producers who are making families suffer because it's the producers who have the money and the power.

God this drives me nuts, vilifying the writers for exercising their right to collective bargaining.

[robbedvoter]

19. Wel said! CEOs own the media too - so that's to be expected. Only good source

http://www.deadlinehollywooddaily.com/

[SheWhoMustBeObeyed]

34. That source does look good. Thanks for the link! n/t

[blondeatlast]

37. EXCELLENT source--so is the "Late Night Writers." (BTW, Nikki's taking a break for a week

or so).

"Late Show (with David Letterman) Writers on Strike": http://lateshowwritersonstrike.com/

[Neshanic]

29. Man is Ben going to get his through the power of the pen when/if this ends. What an ass.

[rhett o rick]

2. The corporations realize they have an opportunity to kill another union.

Hang in there writers, I don't give a shit about the Oscars anywayz.

[aquart]

4. After the writers, they have the directors, then the actors.

Nobody can afford to give in EXCEPT the producers who won't.

[rwenos]

3. Arrogant Studio Executives

They mouthed off to their investors that they would make hellajack on Internet streaming.

Word on street in LA is that's what set off the writers -- statements made by the suits to investor types, trumpeting all the money the greedy bastards were going to make.

Bad timing. My heart goes out to the writers. Long shit on, in the Hollywood system.

[aquart]

5. Meanwhile, the independents are cutting private deals.

Which means they will be up and running faster with better material.

Bluster on, big boys.

[AZBlue]

6. I agree with the writers' demands, but this really needs to end now.

Those who are hurting are the writers, the camermen, the limo drivers, the laundryroom workers, the caterers, the florists, the event planners, the photographers, the guys who set the props, the secretaries, the couriers, the cleaning crew, and so on and so on...in a word, the blue collar workers. Big Hollywood has enough money to last this out - they have nothing to lose and won't budge. Something has got to be done, too many people are going bankrupt. I'm not sure what the answer is, but someone needs to find it and FAST!

[Missy Vixen]

11. Do you know how much a writer gets paid to write a full-length motion picture?

Seventeen thousand, eight hundred dollars. Doesn't matter how much it makes at the box office -- thirteen million or three hundred million. It's still seventeen grand. Imagine how much fun it must have been for the writer of "Titanic", for instance, to pocket less than $20K for writing a movie that made a billion dollars. I don't know how fast those folks write, but it's hard to believe that they'd be able to crank out more than one or two scripts a year.

The writers are striking for what's fair. This strike is a harbinger of the director's guild's agreement, which will be negotiated this summer. The studios and the networks think that they will break the writers' union, when what's really happening is those who know what's at stake continue to support the writers.

I write romance novels. If I was eligible to join the WGA, I'd do so. In the meantime, the studios and the networks have painted themselves into a corner. THEY are the ones who walked out of negotiations. THEY need to go back to the table and bargain in good faith.

Julie

[Hardrada]

15. A person could actually make more selling old car parts

on eBay!

[AZBlue]

41. Yeah, I have two friends who are screenwriters.

I said in my post I support their demands. I didn't say they should give up - if I thought that, I would have said that. Don't assume something that's not there.

Nonetheless something has to be done to help everyone, including the writers. I want to see the writers win, but this is dragging on too long. Someone needs to step in and end it - to the writers' advantage.

Why is everyone on DU so fast to jump down someone's throat for absolutely no good reason?

[Nailzberg]

49. Where did you find that figure?

I have the WGA schedule of minimums in front of me. Under the recently expired contract, the minimum for the writer of "Titanic", including treatment would have been $106,070.

I think screenplay writers are a real bad example if you're attempting to highlight the plight of the average WGA member.

[Missy Vixen]

52. You might want to talk to Jane Hamsher of firedoglake.com

who's a former producer and bestselling author.

The $17,800 figure has been printed more than once on her blog. She's also been one of the leaders of WGA supporters.

Julie

[rhett o rick]

20. Either side can end the strike. Don't put the pain on the shoulders of the strikers. nm

[AZBlue]

40. Ummm....I didn't.

Don't read into my post something that isn't there.

[rhett o rick]

44. I appologize, I reread your post. I hear a lot of people blaming their

inconvenience on the writers. Besides, these days i have a chip on my shoulder any way. thanks for the clarification.

[AZBlue]

46. No harm, no foul.

I think a lot of us are quite touchy lately and will be for the next few weeks. It's that time of the campaign.

Plus, I'm a bit touchy because I know so many people affected by this strike and they are part of the forgotten workforce. No one's paying attention to their situation.

Thanks for your post! :hi:

[blondeatlast]

31. The fault for the economic breakdown lies with the producers entirely. The writers' demands are very

reasonable.

The strike does point out the importance of writers in the industry.

Solidarity! I support the writers 100%.

[AZBlue]

42. Where did I say I didn't support them?

Actually, I said I do support them.

WTF? Why is everyone assuming the worst here lately? I'm saying enough's enough and the studios need to give in and something needs to be done so EVERYONE can get back to work.

Go pick on someone who doesn't support the writers.

[TankLV]

7. awwwe...where was the "concern" when NY, Michigan, and other states are HEMMORAGING jobs

in manufacturing, etc...

...crickets chirping...

aparently this is GOOD news and NY and Michigan has to just "suck it up"...

I'll let you know when I'm concerned about fucking HOLLYWOOD...maybe in another universe...

[nadinbrzezinski]

8. I'm concerned about GOOD PAYING Union Jobs

I don't care WHERE.

[fishwax]

9. hear hear!

[blondeatlast]

21. What she said! And 17K for a motion picture, well--sucks. nt

[AntiFascist]

12. In a way its a very similar situation...

Hollywood is facing a lot of competition from Canada, where much of the work gets outsourced. Basically, Canadian government knows how to treat its homegrown talent, creative and technical.

[Dark]

13. There WAS concern.

Remember 2004? That was a key issue. Problem is, there were too many idiots who believed the old lie that "unions bad/rich people good." thing.

[rAVES]

14. These writers are fucking entitled to pay no matter the cocking format its sold on or profited off

These execs are just slimy animals.

[earth mom]

17. This should matter to EVERYONE on DU and EVERYONE in the country who isn't rich.

Corporate bastards across the country have systematically worked to destroy our unions, our wages, our way of life! The movie industry has long been known for the extreme amount of money it generates, but the little guys don't make anything near what the head honchos or the stars make. This is an EPIC struggle and one that we should all support 100%!

Were the rest of the people of this country willing to stand up for their rights in this way and demand a decent living wage, we could all afford to be in the streets demanding impeachment! But because we're all so broke-living paycheck to paycheck-we can't afford to fight the powers that be! And those f*cking bastards know it.

So Bravo writers! Kick that corporate a$$!!! :applause:

[blondeatlast]

39. SOLIDARITY! You got it.

To the writers: :applause:

[robbedvoter]

18. More CEOs propaganda - it's THEM who refuse to negotiate! Not the "nerds", the sharks!

[TerwilligeRedux]

22. solidarity

GO UNION!

Hey Willy :hi:

[blondeatlast]

23. From a non-nerdy, reasonably attractive, snarky but really quite nice kid to Ben Silverman:

Fuck you all the way to hell, sir.

That felt good!

[spanone]

24. fuck you ben silverman...

[asthmaticeog]

25. Ben, bubbie, the nerdiest kids were never the meanest.

The ones who called them nerds were the mean ones. Just sayin'.

[book_worm]

26. it could be settled today if producers would give in to the writers more than fair demands

we are seeing right now where they would be without writers.

[KharmaTrain]

27. Solidarity...They're Starting To Squeal

The biggest battles are ahead, but at least it appears the WPA has drawn some blood. A month ago the producers were all but sure they could bust this thing during the holiday season and it didn't happen. They thought people wouldn't hear anything about it while the shows vanished into reruns, but that didn't happen either. January 1, the Rubicon was crossed...while shows came back without writers, they've turned into podiums for focusing attention on the strike. Kudos to David Letterman whose taken the lead here...every show you will see a WPA striker (or 25 in a Jamba Juice) and the other shows have their constant reminders as well.

Now it's starting to hit the pocketbook...the current season is all but shot and the big pilot season is in trouble. Not to mention the big February sweeps. There's the upcoming Oscars broadcast that I think will be the make or break point for the producers. It's like the owners cancelling the World Series. If the Oscars are cancelled the producers have all but lost...as public opinion and negative publicity will take a real deep bite. It'll be interesting to see if one of the biggies breaks ranks in the next month.

Hang in there WGA!!! The tables have turned, but the game is far from won.

[Sugar Smack]

28. What high school did that dumbshit go to?

Wow.

[blondeatlast]

32. Bayside, probably. That Screech was a real asshole and never let up, yanno?

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0096694/

[Sugar Smack]

33. OMG!!!!

:spray: :spray: :spray: :spray: I'd forgot all about Screech!

[vi5]

30. I can't believe they're letting this go on so long...

I mean at this point there's going to be such a huge gap even when the strike ends between when new product will be out there both tv and movies. It's going to be insane.

I just can't believe how fucking petty and small these studio bigwigs are being. God I really hate entertainment industry mucky mucks more than anything. All the horrible aspects of corporate heads of other industries but with the added pretentious bullshit of thinking they're creative and hip and everything else.

[blondeatlast]

35. Two GREAT blogs (one from the Letterman writers) on the strike;

right from the scene--don't miss them:

http://lateshowwritersonstrike.com/

http://www.deadlinehollywooddaily.com/

Updated at least daily (the second is taking a hiatus until the 22nd--if you've kept up with it you'll understand).

[Johonny]

36. I really haven't noticed an impact

The malls, street shops and restaurants all seem pretty packed. It must be having an effect on the area, but I just haven't seen it.

[Dorian Gray]

38. Silverman's an ass...

if that's the attitude of the producers, then I hope the writers hold out. Some production companies have made fair deals with the writers (Letterman's!), so it's not impossible.

[SoCalDem]

43. If it's "unpredictable", there should be no problem with granting the writers a small percentage

..with a clause to re-negotiate/escalate payments at certain "markers" along the way..

They are just being greedy and don;t want to share with the writers..

I saw Bill Macy on "Charlie Rose" last night and he commented that "apparently "Fargo" never made any money"..or at least Macy never saw any "extra" that his contract called for..

Lawyers write so many caveats into the deals made, it's a rare "star" who ever gets what they deserve..down the road..

Look at TV Land..and all those old shows that run 24-7..Many of those actors are still living, and they get bupkus..

[Fleshdancer]

45. Umm, no. It's like the event center canceling prom because the school won't pay the full bill

We all want the party, but it ain't free Silverman.

Jackass.

[DS1]

47. Fuck the Oscars. Just give out the awards and try gain back some respect

I feel bad for the locals who aren't doing well, but the Oscars and their over-priced, over-done celebration of decadence is something we can all do without.

[symbolman]

48. I'll take a Nerd

over a DORK any day of the week.. NERDS have created a cooler world for us all, DORKS will KILL you if they can make a buck..

For instance, BUSH is A DORK..

Silverman, BITE ME.

[taught_me_patience]

50. Solidarity

I work for the studio (home video) but fully support the strike. They are picketing outside my office window.

:kick:

[killbotfactory]

51. I hope they keep it up

:thumbsup: