NationStates Jolt Archive

http://afp.google.com/article/ALeqM5j9z48HzVgG3HdYSBT2GVQZwoUq0A

Apparently we're on the brink of a WGA (Writer's guild of america) strike against hollywood and all the big film companies in America. If the strike occurs, most of america will be without new shows and telly programmes for weeks or even months, but on the other hand, it's nice of them to strike out against the corrupt corporate system that exploits us all. :)

Thoughts?

http://afp.google.com/article/ALeqM5j9z48HzVgG3HdYSBT2GVQZwoUq0A

Apparently we're on the brink of a WGA (Writer's guild of america) strike against hollywood and all the big film companies in America. If the strike occurs, most of america will be without new shows and telly programmes for weeks or even months, but on the other hand, it's nice of them to strike out against the corrupt corporate system that exploits us all. :)

Thoughts?

Considering they've been screwed out of residuals for repeat airings and the lmore lucrative DVD market, they have a perfect right to do so.

Well at least people will turn off their TVs and do something else like reading and getting much needed exercise. Besides US TV sucks so bad its the black hole of creativity. Its all a bunch of sensationalistic, dull, predictable, sexual propaganda anyway.

I humbly request that my waffles come with pecans next time.

Well at least people will turn off their TVs and do something else like reading and getting much needed exercise. Besides US TV sucks so bad its the black hole of creativity. Its all a bunch of sensationalistic, dull, predictable, sexual propaganda anyway.

It's not just television -- film writers, too.

Well at least people will turn off their TVs and do something else like reading and getting much needed exercise. Besides US TV sucks so bad its the black hole of creativity. Its all a bunch of sensationalistic, dull, predictable, sexual propaganda anyway.

Sexual propaganda AND dull?

I'm sorry, but the only dull sexual propaganda I've seen was softcore.

Yay, my chance has arrived!

TV should experiment with Wiki-episodes.

It'll give me time to catch up on all the tripe i'd ignored up 'til now anyway.
'sides, gotta love the net.

It'll also give the up-and-coming porn dialogue writers a shot at the big time.
I've been ... studying them ... a while now, and i think there's some real potential there.

It's not just television -- film writers, too.

No film writers, no films, people are going to have to do something else like exercise, reading and chores. Lest they fall into extreme boredom.

It's not just television -- film writers, too.

Woohoo! Film too?

*writes next installment of Die Hard - I call it....Die Hardest*

Woohoo! Film too?

*writes next installment of Die Hard - I call it....Die Hardest*

Die Hardest - With Tumescence!

No film writers, no films, people are going to have to do something else like exercise, reading and chores. Lest they fall into extreme boredom.

Some exercise, some turn to drugs and NSG.

Woohoo! Film too?

*writes next installment of Die Hard - I call it....Die Hardest*

*writes pacman the movie and tetris the movie* :D

Maybe it'll give them a nice sabbatical to start producing good ideas instead of "Jurassic Terminator 3: Transformers Never Die Harder".

Maybe it'll give them a nice sabbatical to start producing good ideas instead of "Jurassic Terminator 3: Transformers Never Die Harder".

LOL

The Untouchables Who Die Hardest in Jurassic Park. :D

I'm a member of the WGA and striking is the only option we had when the AMPTP made it clear they weren't willing to negotiate seriously with us. The problem is that unlike the directors, actors, crew etc we can only stop production immediately on a handful of shows (Daily Show, Letterman etc). The networks can continue unaffected for a couple of months and then can draft in repeats, game shows and - now more than ever - reality. In film the studios don't have that luxury of substitution but the delay between action and result is even more pronounced. By the time they'll feel the effects the strike will be over.

What will happen is that fairly soon the DGA (Directors' Guild) will agree a new deal (and they don't care about residuals) and then the WGA will be forced to settle for a similar contract. So the strike is going to end up hurting us more than anyone else.

Edit to say reality writers aren't covered by the WGA so anyone ticking the "I need my American Idol" option in the poll needn't worry.

Indeed, the side story is Bruce Willis having to come to terms with having to use Viagra - puns galore!
Success is *all* in sensible/prominent product placement. *nods emphatically*

Die Hardest - With Tumescence!

Indeed, the side story is Bruce Willis having to come to terms with having to use Viagra - puns galore!

*writes pacman the movie and tetris the movie* :D

Lol but you forgot Pong

Lol but you forgot Pong

Pacman Meets Pong: The Feast.

*rewrites all the sci-fi movies in shakespearean tongue* :p

*thinks up Norman Bates meets the telletubbies*

In a a democratic workplace, strikes are a normal thing, and should be.

Pacman Meets Pong: The Feast.

Isn't Pacman busy these days - i saw him/her at an "out" party with Elmer Fudd a few days back.

If it's gonna be a "feast" .... hmmm, what was i saying about porn dialogue writers?

BTW - "pong" is elephant musk. Aptly named, yo!

Eh, while i'm at it ... "fud" is a bunny tail tuft. *nods at Kat*

Isn't Pacman busy these days - i saw him/her at an "out" party with Elmer Fudd a few days back.

If it's gonna be a "feast" .... hmmm, what was i saying about porn dialogue writers?


:eek:

That there is some real potential there?

What with the ball and the two sticks, and a ball eating machine...shouldn't be that hard to write one up.

Lol but you forgot Pong

No I haven't.

Pacman:*stands over the evil alien tetris blocks he maimed* It's over finally we can live in pea-

*a ball lands on him*

Ball:Oh no you won't!

Teenage guy: Oh yes we do *activates hand held pong shields which makes lightsaber noises*

What with the ball and the two sticks, and a ball eating machine...shouldn't be that hard to write one up.
I'm not following. I don't see it. :confused:
That reminds me though - i saw "Mr. Brooks" last night ... not bad. Dane Cook gets killed with a shovel! THAT's great writing!

In the short term the strike works in my favor because it means more reality programing where most of my work comes from. And as sirwhatthehell already said, they pretty much have to. They got boned on DVD revenue and are about to get boned on other digital revenues and they don't want that to happen again.

The studios back-logged scripts and will just turn to reality shows and game shows (yay...more work I can barely stand...) and as a result can wait this out much longer than the writers. I can't remember who said it, but on the studio side someone said he really didn't care if they striked or not. It might be a long one again, and the writers are in a worse position than they were last time.

Right, so 2 pages in and NSG has come up with Pacman vs. Pong in a poorly written porn-fest.

It rather encapsulates most of the threads :)

We just need a religious angle and for the result of the porn-fest to be aborted and we're set.

Honestly though, if they hire scabs, who the fuck would notice? It's not like 99% of the stuff on the telly makes any sense anyway.

And I mean that only in the nastiest way since as a taxpayer I subsidize this crap with that public airwaves thingy.

Right, so 2 pages in and NSG has come up with Pacman vs. Pong in a poorly written porn-fest.

It rather encapsulates most of the threads :)

We just need a religious angle and for the result of the porn-fest to be aborted and we're set.

Shut up, shut up, shut up! Sex, sex sex, must get sex into it. Wait, I see a television commercial- There's this nude woman in a bath holding a bit of your script. That's great, great, but we need a doctor, got to have a medical opinion. There's a nude woman in a bath with a doctor--that's too sexy. Put an archbishop there watching them, that'll take the curse off it. Now, we need children and animals. There's two kids admiring the screenplay, and a dog admiring the archbishop who's blessing the script. Uhh...international flavor's missing...make the archbishop Greek Orthodox. Why not Archbishop Macarios? No, no, he's dead... nevermind, we'll get his brother, it'll be cheaper... So, there's Archbishop Macarios....
In as many days, yay!

*thinks up Norman Bates meets the telletubbies*

http://www.websmileys.com/sm/cool/cool29.gif
Guy liiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiike.

Halo: 300 Spartans (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R-QfQWOkzV0)

Maybe it'll give them a nice sabbatical to start producing good ideas instead of "Jurassic Terminator 3: Transformers Never Die Harder".

Blame producers and execs for that. Writers consistently come up with brilliant ideas.

Blame producers and execs for that. Writers consistently come up with brilliant ideas.

No, no they don't. It's easy to pass the buck upwards, but someone has to think up these nonsensical shit sandwiches in the first place.

And in any event, shows only seem to get worse given time. Thus the writers must have some part in the horror that is telly.

That said, I don't really know all that much about it. But the people who watch it all the time tell me it is terrible.

No, no they don't. It's easy to pass the buck upwards, but someone has to think up these nonsensical shit sandwiches in the first place.

If a writer goes around Hollywood with a brilliant original screenplay chances no one will be interested in making it but they'll probably ask him about doing the Furby movie that they've just acquired the rights to do.

And in any event, shows only seem to get worse given time. Thus the writers must have some part in the horror that is telly.

Well, that's pretty self-fufilling isn't it? Shows get worse because if they were bad to begin with they'd be cancelled! Besides we were talking about ideas.

That said, I don't really know all that much about it. But the people who watch it all the time tell me it is terrible.

.

http://afp.google.com/article/ALeqM5j9z48HzVgG3HdYSBT2GVQZwoUq0A

Apparently we're on the brink of a WGA (Writer's guild of america) strike against hollywood and all the big film companies in America. If the strike occurs, most of america will be without new shows and telly programmes for weeks or even months, but on the other hand, it's nice of them to strike out against the corrupt corporate system that exploits us all. :)

Thoughts?

My entertainment is more important than their livelihood. Those damned writers had better get off their lazy asses and get back to work. They should be grateful they get paid at all.

.

Or how to quote things properly so ordinary people can understand them.

As I said. If all the so-called writers quit, and scabs were hired, who the fuck would notice.

But I am sure all that drivel is the fault of someone else. Not the writers. Not at all. The fact that they were actually producing the drivel was beside the point. They were forced with whips and chains to produce the drivel. Often in the slave pits of west hollywood the cry would rise up: "STOP THE DRIVEL". Yet it went unheeded.

And now they have their wish.

So anyone should care again why?

As I said. If all the so-called writers quit, and scabs were hired, who the fuck would notice.

But I am sure all that drivel is the fault of someone else. Not the writers. Not at all.

Writing is a thing everyone believes they can do. They're wrong. Writing rooms are filled with guys from Harvard and Yale for a reason: it's incredibly difficult to do.

And I know who's to blame for the drivel: the viewing public. If Arrested Development was a more popular show than Two and a Half Men or whatever then the schedules would soon fill with quality. People pretty much want to watch drivel and so there's not so much opportunity for writers to provide quality. When they're given the chance you get The Simpsons, Seinfeld, The Office, The Daily Show etc etc

And I know who's to blame for the drivel: the viewing public. If Arrested Development was a more popular show than Two and a Half Men or whatever then the schedules would soon fill with quality. People pretty much want to watch drivel and so there's not so much opportunity for writers to provide quality. When they're given the chance you get The Simpsons, Seinfeld, The Office, The Daily Show etc etc

That's true. Writers don't really have a chance to produce quality material because they're not allowed to; the public likes schlock, they're forced to make schlock whether they want to or not. If they don't want to, they're fired and the problem continues apace. Until the public taste changes, the same crap will be turned out without end.

For reference, I rarely watch any TV, if at all. I get most of my media from the internet.

Writing is a thing everyone believes they can do. They're wrong. Writing rooms are filled with guys from Harvard and Yale for a reason: it's incredibly difficult to do.

No. Not at all. I think you'll find that only a tiny minority of people actually think they can write for a living. And what does having an Ivy League Degree have to do with it? The best writers usually never even go to college.

And I know who's to blame for the drivel: the viewing public. If Arrested Development was a more popular show than Two and a Half Men or whatever then the schedules would soon fill with quality. People pretty much want to watch drivel and so there's not so much opportunity for writers to provide quality. When they're given the chance you get The Simpsons, Seinfeld, The Office, The Daily Show etc etc

Well, okay, if the arrested development drivel was more popular, then there would be more drivel that suited your drivel laden taste.

Look, if you think your writing is good, then write. Write what you feel is good. I can't really be the final arbiter about the quality of your work, and nor can the general public.

On the other hand, if you want public acclaim, then you'd better knuckle down and turn out the most popular drivel. Maybe if you do that, you might find a way to make something that is both popular and good. But you can't have your cake and eat it. And you certainly won't manage to do it if you stand in solidarity with other no-hoper talentless bastards.

At the end of the day, screen writers are just not important. No one will ever notice if your guild never works again.

No. Not at all. I think you'll find that only a tiny minority of people actually think they can write for a living. And what does having an Ivy League Degree have to do with it? The best writers usually never even go to college.



Well, okay, if the arrested development drivel was more popular, then there would be more drivel that suited your drivel laden taste.

Look, if you think your writing is good, then write. Write what you feel is good. I can't really be the final arbiter about the quality of your work, and nor can the general public.

On the other hand, if you want public acclaim, then you'd better knuckle down and turn out the most popular drivel. Maybe if you do that, you might find a way to make something that is both popular and good. But you can't have your cake and eat it. And you certainly won't manage to do it if you stand in solidarity with other no-hoper talentless bastards.

At the end of the day, screen writers are just not important. No one will ever notice if your guild never works again.

In my experience the best writers typically do go to college and often the very best colleges.

I have no idea what you then go on to talk about - something to do with drivel? It's not exactly coherent.

Of course people will notice if screenwriters never work again because if there are no screenwriters there are no films and I don't know about you but I - and millions of others - love films.

Film and television have the disadvantage of being really expensive to make, and while shitloads of money can also be made off it, more often than not shitloads of money is lost off of it. The people who finance film and television are business men (mostly men, so I'm not changing that) and don't care about art, integrity, or expression. They want their money back and then some. So if one procedural show makes money, expect five next season. They go with what works and whatever the demographic that will spend the most money wants to see. In something like prose the risk factor in producing something edgier is far lower than in film and certainly lower than television.

But guess what, a lot of crap is printed every year, too. Completely shitty paintings are painted daily. And don't even get me started on poetry...

However, Cybernetic Samurai does not invalidate the novel, A Friend in Need and Velvet Elvis doesn't invalidate painting. Narrative film and television generates audience, and that audience will notice regardless of how many people pat themselves on the back for 'killing their television' because they failed to engage a medium.

Of course people will notice if screenwriters never work again because if there are no screenwriters there are no films and I don't know about you but I - and millions of others - love films.

Not really. I don't notice the lack of blacksmiths or cartwrights. I'm sure millions of others used to love their crap too.

Move with the times.

That's true. Writers don't really have a chance to produce quality material because they're not allowed to; the public likes schlock, they're forced to make schlock whether they want to or not. If they don't want to, they're fired and the problem continues apace. Until the public taste changes, the same crap will be turned out without end. Remember eugenics? It isn't just petri dishes and augmented foodstuffs.

For reference, I rarely watch any TV, if at all. I get most of my media from the internet.
Especially here at NS.
*nods emphatically*

In my experience the best writers typically do go to college and often the very best colleges.


Yah. And that's total shite too. I don't think that Blair, Shakespeare or Homer spent a single day in college. I can only conclude that if you think so, your experience is extremely limited.

College has nothing to do with whether or not you can write.

Yah. And that's total shite too. I don't think that Blair, Shakespeare or Homer spent a single day in college.

Are you seriously standing by this post?

You're citing Homer and Shakespeare as screenwriters?

Are you seriously standing by this post?

You're citing Homer and Shakespeare as screenwriters?

Well I don't in general stand by anything.

But in the subset of writers they were pretty damn good. (Even if Shakespeare stole most of his best stuff from Ovid).

Are you seriously standing by this post?

You're citing Homer and Shakespeare as screenwriters?

To Orson Welles and Kenneth Braunaugh the latter was, kinda...

Yah. And that's total shite too. I don't think that Blair, Shakespeare or Homer spent a single day in college. I can only conclude that if you think so, your experience is extremely limited.

College has nothing to do with whether or not you can write.

You're correct, it has nothing to do with whether or not you can write. It does prove you have a certain amount of intelligence though, which is why I brought it up. TV writing is dominated by guys from Harvard and Yale because it requires large amounts of intelligence.

And obviously I meant today. I don't think Homer sat down with his parents and discussed his options before deciding that University just wasn't for him. I suspose I shouldn't expect better from someone who thinks comparing screenwriters to blacksmiths is an acceptable form of argument.

Well I don't in general stand by anything.

But in the subset of writers they were pretty damn good. (Even if Shakespeare stole most of his best stuff from Ovid).

Dammit dammit dammit...he didn't 'steal,' it was fairly common for authors to write from the same sources-he's not well regarded because "OMG, who could think of a story of a Roman leader killed by his own senate!!!," it was in how he executed the story. If we applied this logic around no one could ever paint another portrait, "Pfff, been done. Perhaps you've heard of the 'Mona Lisa..."

It was in the execution, not the conception. Sad as it may be, ideas are cheap. Execution is what matters and thats what set Shakespeare apart, not where his stories came from.

And obviously I meant today. I don't think Homer sat down with his parents and discussed his options before deciding that University just wasn't for him. I suspose I shouldn't expect better from someone who thinks comparing screenwriters to blacksmiths is an acceptable form of argument.

It's a fuck of a lot harder to be a decent blacksmith than to turn out the tripe on the telly.

But logic isn't your strong point either.

It's a fuck of a lot harder to be a decent blacksmith than to turn out the tripe on the telly.

But logic isn't your strong point either.

We'll compare the wages of the two and I'll accept your apology in the form of you shutting up and leaving this thread.

Calm down you two :)

Anyone can write, yet it takes a certain intelligence to express beautifully, and I'd say more intelligence than it does to produce beautiful metalwork.

I wouldn't know how to measure the worth though.

EDIT: Though I'd wonder whether a machine could perform metalwork as well as any blacksmith whereas I doubt a machine could come close to the best written words.

Dammit dammit dammit...he didn't 'steal,' it was fairly common for authors to write from the same sources-he's not well regarded because "OMG, who could think of a story of a Roman leader killed by his own senate!!!," it was in how he executed the story. If we applied this logic around no one could ever paint another portrait, "Pfff, been done. Perhaps you've heard of the 'Mona Lisa..."

It was in the execution, not the conception. Sad as it may be, ideas are cheap. Execution is what matters and thats what set Shakespeare apart, not where his stories came from.


Well, yeah. That's kind of what I was pointing out though. Ovid went to the equivalent of college. No-one remembers him.

Well, yeah. That's kind of what I was pointing out though. Ovid went to the equivalent of college. No-one remembers him.

Really? No one remembers Ovid? No one?

Doesn't all that self back patting hurt your arm?

We'll compare the wages of the two and I'll accept your apology in the form of you shutting up and leaving this thread.

What does money have to do with this? Or are you saying that writers are fundamentally inferior to hedge fund managers?

Doesn't all that self back patting hurt your arm?

Not at all. Though I am a little jealous that you went to a high school where Ovid's influence on Shakespeare was thoroughly discussed.

ZOMFG! WHAT WILL I DO WITHOUT MY CRAP TV SHOWS LIKE CAVEMEN?!

Seriously, why is this even news worthy?

When writers go on strike they just make reality shows.

Mixture of options one and three. I need my tv fix, but I don't blame the WGA for striking, I blame the tv execs for being so greedy.

First of all, to clarify the OP about the impact on US television:
The first shows to suffer will be talk shows like the Colbert Report, which rely on current events to provide the material. Most shows have plenty of episodes stocked up, so expect scripted television (like House or 24) to continue for the remainder of the year.

If, however, the strike goes on for a while, then come February, we will see scripted shows being replaced with reality shows, since reality TV writers aren't part of the WGA. News shows will be unaffected.

My hope is that the producers give in NOW. Reason - I want my Heroes. That is some damn good writing there.

I have an idea to deal with the issue of residuals from Internet streaming. Write up a new contract, giving the writers a decent share of the residuals from Internet streaming - but set it to expire in 2009. You will have two years to see how the market works, and when you renegotiate for a new contract, you will have that knowledge.

[QUOTE=Mirkana;13190268
I have an idea to deal with the issue of residuals from Internet streaming. Write up a new contract, giving the writers a decent share of the residuals from Internet streaming - but set it to expire in 2009. You will have two years to see how the market works, and when you renegotiate for a new contract, you will have that knowledge.[/QUOTE]

The "We don't know how it's going to work! Arrrgh it's scary!" stuff is just a ploy to get more money for themselves. There's no legitimate concern there at all.

ZOMFG! WHAT WILL I DO WITHOUT MY CRAP TV SHOWS LIKE CAVEMEN?!

Seriously, why is this even news worthy?

Agreed. If this strike has any impact at all on one's life then you really do need to work on getting a life outside of TV.

About time. They were getting royally dicked over in the DVD market, and negotiating with the industry is virtually impossible if they don't think that the writers will actually stand up for their own self-interest.

About time. They were getting royally dicked over in the DVD market, and negotiating with the industry is virtually impossible if they don't think that the writers will actually stand up for their own self-interest.
I think Hillary Clinton said it best, "Fire their asses..." That ought to be the rule, go on strike -- get fired.

I'd be sympathetic if every TV show I watched was not getting worse and worse.

Any agreement should include the condition that writers have to prove that they understand what continuity and a timeline is.

Pacman, the Movie!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fWL6j0SvqV0

I think Hillary Clinton said it best, "Fire their asses..." That ought to be the rule, go on strike -- get fired.

Might work if you employ the people who put the lids onto tubes of toothpaste but I'm not sure Aaron Sorkin and Tina Fey are that expendable.

Good. I can catch up on my housework, my reading, my workout sessions and my old movies.

Might work if you employ the people who put the lids onto tubes of toothpaste but I'm not sure Aaron Sorkin and Tina Fey are that expendable.
What? You think I'd miss the people that recycle the same old crap from one network to another? Neither Sorkin or Fey have produced anything but mundane and unoriginal tripe. Surely there are a few scabs out there with talent.

That ought to be the rule, go on strike -- get fired.

When the bosses act up, it's time to remind them that the union can say, "No". If it weren't for strikes and unions we'd still be in the bass-ackwards 1900s with starving poor and Rockerfeller and his cronies making a profit on their starvation.

Scabs can come and try to take the union's jobs, but the union will put them in their place. There's no space for a scab in any proper shop or business.

Well, it's official. A bit late, but the strike is definite.

Woohoo! Film too?

*writes next installment of Die Hard - I call it....Die Hardest*

*writes pacman the movie and tetris the movie* :D


SCAB!!!! SCAB!!!!

http://afp.google.com/article/ALeqM5j9z48HzVgG3HdYSBT2GVQZwoUq0A

Apparently we're on the brink of a WGA (Writer's guild of america) strike against hollywood and all the big film companies in America. If the strike occurs, most of america will be without new shows and telly programmes for weeks or even months, but on the other hand, it's nice of them to strike out against the corrupt corporate system that exploits us all. :)

Thoughts?

I doubt programs will stop. Instead, what will happen is reality TV shows, whose writers are usually not part of the union, will flourish. It is a sad day for us all.

What? You think I'd miss the people that recycle the same old crap from one network to another? Neither Sorkin or Fey have produced anything but mundane and unoriginal tripe. Surely there are a few scabs out there with talent.

If there were then they wouldn't be scabs would they? They could compete on their own merits and not have to wait for the big boys to be sidelined.

If there were then they wouldn't be scabs would they? They could compete on their own merits and not have to wait for the big boys to be sidelined.
Then there truly is very little reason to watch TV. The strike will go unnoticed except by other members of the media.

I guess that's why we spend more time dusting the screen than watching it around here.

The strike is no longer just a possibility. It's on.
God save our souls...

Then there truly is very little reason to watch TV. The strike will go unnoticed except by other members of the media.

I guess that's why we spend more time dusting the screen than watching it around here.

Yeah, you don't like tv and films so that means that people involved in tv and films are talentless. That's pretty self-centred and arrogant on its own. But to then go and say nobody else will notice is something else again.

:)This is a great case of Civil War among Communists! You see, communists control Hollywood and the Media. But most writers (NOT ALL; I am a writer myself and a EXTREME REPUBLICAN) are also liberal hippies. Maybe we'll get lucky:

1. The Hollywood Commies and the Writing Liberals will destroy each other
2. Fox will take over the Media!!!!

LONG LIVE FOX NEWS!

To Karl Marx: :upyours:

Bad poll. Hence my vote of Waffles. I support their strike Hollywood needs to give them their money so I can get my damn shows back (btw I don't think American Idol will be effected, it's a "reality" show).

:gundge:'s the double post

SCAB!!!! SCAB!!!!

PICK!!!! PICK!!!!

http://www.technovelgy.com/graphics/content06/horta2.jpg