Hollywoodland is all abuzz with news of the WGA strike that began this morning at 12:01. After months of getting nowhere, it's not a huge surprise that the WGA decided to strike. The big issues involve residuals with DVD sales, internet distribution, and other new media. Basically, the writers are getting the shaft and the producers don't want to fix the situation.
All that background, you can look up online.
What I'm really interested in talking about is what this strike means for those of us not directly involved but still very much so effected by this strike.
I'm obviously not in the WGA (...yet?) and I don't really know any writers. So I can't say what this is like for them. I don't know how this is going to effect them. Depending on how long this strike lasts (the 1988 one lasted 5 months), what will happen to them? They'll be out of work, sitting around, and waiting.
As lame as that is for them, I totally get it. I'm very much so on the side of the writers in this. I mean, you know people are making money off of the free downloads of television shows available on most networks's websites. So why should the writers not get residuals? People should receive fair compensation for the work that they do. Currently that's not happening. If a strike is what's needed to fix it then by all means strike.
But how will this strike effect the rest of us in production?
For me personally, probably not all that much until maybe January when the job I am currently working ends. I'm in the very comfortable position of being employed by a reality show that currently has no writers. No writers, no strike, production continues unfazed. An excellent situation for paying my rent.
In January, if the strike is continuing, my plans for future employment will probably change. I was hoping to possibly jump onto a different show where several people I know work. That probably won't happen with a strike because that show will probably not go into production. I was also hoping to possibly jump onto a feature. That may or may not happen. If I can get onto a certain one that is already in production, it'll happen. Otherwise, there probably won't be any features for me to jump on to.
What else will I do? Well, I'll have a month or two long vacation before production on my current show begins again. I'll stay in reality. Which isn't terrible. I just need to make sure I save enough over the next two months to be able to pay rent and live off of should that happen. I need to make sure I can afford to take a two month vacation. Considering I won't have any other options.
So that's what this strik means for me.
What does it mean for my roommate, who is currently working on a scripted sitcom?
The show that she is currently working on prepared somewhat for this strike. They have a small backlog of episodes ready to go. Three actually. So they're guarenteed another four or five weeks of production to shoot those three episodes. If the strike is still going at that point?
My roommate is then out of a job. And uncertain about what job she may find next. She may be able to find a feature already in production. She's interviewed with on already. But there won't be much.
We'll be out of work at the same time but at least I know I'll definitely have work to go back to.
It may turn out to not be a big deal though. At this point, who can say? Certainly not us here at the bottom. I don't even think those at the top, in the middle of the negotiations, have any idea either.
It may not be a cheerful Christmas in Lala land this year. And we haven't even gotten to the DGA or SAG negotiations coming up next year.
It's an interesting time to be in Hollywood. That is for sure.
Posts
No comments:
Post a Comment