While never in the unions, I have worked in the industry before. I share some of the concerns of the writers. However, I have to say, the demands of the minimum amount of writers in writing rooms will not sit well outside of the coasts. I live in the Midwest and most people I come into contact every day, aren't even aware of the writers strike. The very few that are, seem in agreement that the demands of better pay and a better payment structure for streaming residuals needs to happen. However, of the few people I have spoken with who are aware and trying to keep abreast of the strike, no one has agreed with the demand of having a specific number of writers for a project. Almost every industry in the country has been doing more with less now for over 3 years. The longer this goes on, the less sympathy there is going to be.
Sometimes in a negotiation, you ask for a minimum. You will likely get less than what you’re asking for. There are strategic ways of asking for more, just to get something workable in the final analysis. The folks outside the industry need to understand it wasn’t the writers who walked away from the table, it was the rep for the multi-millionaires running the THRIVING billion dollar industry who walked away. While doing with less makes sense in industries that are struggling, the propaganda that a Disney is poor is just that. They are using cheap labor to project profitability. This is about corporate greed not cush jobs for writers because those don’t even exist, save a few top tier positions. We’re up against propaganda like this here in Hollywood. This industry is not doing more for less. It’s doing EVEN MORE for WAY less. If that makes sense - then profiting and playing to shareholders instead of consumers and nickel and dimming consumers TO BOOT. Insane unchecked greed gutting this industry to a shell. It sucks your daily interactions are with people who can’t see that level of destruction is toxic (to lots of industries, really).
While never in the unions, I have worked in the industry before. I share some of the concerns of the writers. However, I have to say, the demands of the minimum amount of writers in writing rooms will not sit well outside of the coasts. I live in the Midwest and most people I come into contact every day, aren't even aware of the writers strike. The very few that are, seem in agreement that the demands of better pay and a better payment structure for streaming residuals needs to happen. However, of the few people I have spoken with who are aware and trying to keep abreast of the strike, no one has agreed with the demand of having a specific number of writers for a project. Almost every industry in the country has been doing more with less now for over 3 years. The longer this goes on, the less sympathy there is going to be.
Sometimes in a negotiation, you ask for a minimum. You will likely get less than what you’re asking for. There are strategic ways of asking for more, just to get something workable in the final analysis. The folks outside the industry need to understand it wasn’t the writers who walked away from the table, it was the rep for the multi-millionaires running the THRIVING billion dollar industry who walked away. While doing with less makes sense in industries that are struggling, the propaganda that a Disney is poor is just that. They are using cheap labor to project profitability. This is about corporate greed not cush jobs for writers because those don’t even exist, save a few top tier positions. We’re up against propaganda like this here in Hollywood. This industry is not doing more for less. It’s doing EVEN MORE for WAY less. If that makes sense - then profiting and playing to shareholders instead of consumers and nickel and dimming consumers TO BOOT. Insane unchecked greed gutting this industry to a shell. It sucks your daily interactions are with people who can’t see that level of destruction is toxic (to lots of industries, really).
That Hollywood Reporter link goes to a story about writers not actors