Writers on strike (2023 - ?)

13»

Comments

  • DarthDimiDarthDimi Behind you!Moderator
    Posts: 24,186
    Venutius wrote: »
    Yeah, from everything you've said about it, Peter, there seems to be way too much at stake for one or two writers to break ranks for short-term gain - but if they've got that backstabbing 'I'm all right, Jack' scab mentality, you never can tell. Especially if they think that the studios are going to break the WGA this time and scabbing will make them the studios' favoured golden boys afterwards. Let's hope not.

    I hope such backstabbers do not show up.
  • Red_SnowRed_Snow Australia
    Posts: 2,540
    Perhaps I miss understood, but aren't contracts that were fleshed out before the strike allowed to go through as is. If the actor or writer wants changes to the contract, they have to wait until after the strike to make those changes.
  • peterpeter Toronto
    Posts: 9,509
    As far as my understanding, all deals stopped as soon as the bargaining agreement expired.

    This Lando deal was announced last week:

    https://deadline.com/2023/07/donald-glover-stephen-glover-lando-lucasfilm-star-wars-disney-1235450013/amp/

    There’s plenty of rot in this. It sounds like recent events, re: the original writer walking, led to the Glover Brothers being hired. As far as I’m aware, this deal breaks the WGA rules (all deals are dead, discussions, pitches, accepting a deal etc, until the strike is resolved. So how’d this happen?).
  • peterpeter Toronto
    Posts: 9,509
    Edit: this article states that the deal was struck before the strike.

    Which doesn’t pass the smell test:

    The strike commenced May 2.

    They announced this July 27, I believe.

    And this deal happened “some time” before the strike. Which means they waited ten (plus) weeks, almost three months, to make this announcement?

    Why? Why wait almost three months to make this announcement— especially since it was made before the strike.

    And when was the last time Hollywood waited to announce a showy deal? Especially in the age of instant-info (as soon as Supes was cast, the announcement was made; when writers come on board projects, it’s within days of the agreement being settled, if not immediately).

    Oh well, I’ll never find an answer for this so…

  • LucknFateLucknFate 007 In New York
    Posts: 1,649
    peter wrote: »
    Edit: this article states that the deal was struck before the strike.

    Which doesn’t pass the smell test:

    The strike commenced May 2.

    They announced this July 27, I believe.

    And this deal happened “some time” before the strike. Which means they waited ten (plus) weeks, almost three months, to make this announcement?

    Why? Why wait almost three months to make this announcement— especially since it was made before the strike.

    And when was the last time Hollywood waited to announce a showy deal? Especially in the age of instant-info (as soon as Supes was cast, the announcement was made; when writers come on board projects, it’s within days of the agreement being settled, if not immediately).

    Oh well, I’ll never find an answer for this so…

    Well, they're warranted to be skeptical about any Star Wars news announcements, as many of those future projects have since been cancelled. But yes, something fishy is afoot here, and I hate it, because Glover doesn't seem like the type to scab and there's no way he needs the money.
  • MakeshiftPythonMakeshiftPython “Baja?!”
    Posts: 8,188
  • peterpeter Toronto
    Posts: 9,509
    Yes very significant move for the studios since they ignored any and all offers to get back to the bargaining table.

    The studios only answer to Wall Street, so your guess is probably correct @MakeshiftPython ...
  • VenutiusVenutius Yorkshire
    edited August 2023 Posts: 3,152
    DarthDimi wrote: »
    I hope such backstabbers do not show up.
    Me too, Darth. It'd be a really low stunt if writers got screwed by some of their own so that studio heads can buy a fifth yacht. Exaggerating for effect, but you get the idea.
  • MakeshiftPythonMakeshiftPython “Baja?!”
    Posts: 8,188
    This happened right after a swath of films got pushed back to 2024, so I think that played a factor. And the studios have absolutely lost the PR war on this, so it’s in their interest to start acting like rational human beings and negotiate.
  • LucknFateLucknFate 007 In New York
    edited August 2023 Posts: 1,649
    peter wrote: »
    Yes very significant move for the studios since they ignored any and all offers to get back to the bargaining table.

    The studios only answer to Wall Street, so your guess is probably correct @MakeshiftPython ...

    It does make one wonder, with Barbie and Oppenheimer performing so well, why the studios wouldn't want to get things moving quicker to capitalize on what appears to be a hot market. Then again, you have all the action/hero movie flops to account for.
  • peterpeter Toronto
    edited August 2023 Posts: 9,509
    The interesting point, which I hear will be a sticking point @MakeshiftPython and @LucknFate and @Pierce2Daniel (EDIT: and @DarthDimi and @Venutius (I just saw your recent comments and didn't want to exclude you guys!):

    Both the WGA and SAG-AFTRA want more of the residual pie, that has been shrinking during this streaming era.

    Both of these unions want to know HOW studios collect residuals from streamers because they've NEVER shown what this process is (hence the shrinking take home for writers and actors).

    Will the studios finally be transparent and show how they make money from streaming, how residuals are calculated etc etc... My bet is they will cling to the cloak and dagger and sorcery when it comes to profit sharing.......
  • MakeshiftPythonMakeshiftPython “Baja?!”
    Posts: 8,188
    They’re gonna change how the books are cooked for the benefit of the actors/writers, but not show how it used to be before, with the excuse being “it was a changing market, we didn’t have a set thing”
  • peterpeter Toronto
    Posts: 9,509
    I think you're probably right @MakeshiftPython ; although I imagine both unions will want to go over this voodoo accounting that they've done in the past to compare what they did, and what they're offering now.
  • Red_SnowRed_Snow Australia
    Posts: 2,540
    I think the streamers would rather go down with the ship then share how they collect and measure data. Everyone has more or less come to the conclusion that the figures are bad, but I don't think the streamers are going to reveal just how a) bad it is, and b) that they're been fooling the industry for this long.
  • peterpeter Toronto
    Posts: 9,509
    SAG-AFTRA has really screwed a lot of independent features with their waivers, especially when awarding struck companies like Amazon and Apple!!!!

    For our film, The Circle, we have a cast in waiting, with one American actor who wants to play the lead role, but can’t speak to us until we have our waiver. We applied almost two weeks ago, with my producer sending non-stop emails and phone calls (time is a-ticking); this is especially frustrating since we know struck companies were given waivers, no problem.

    It’s sickening.
    https://deadline.com/2023/08/sag-aftra-interim-agreements-spotlight-wild-west-1235453672/
  • Posts: 9,848
    Perhaps some of those lost pilots and films in the vaults will be used as filler for the studios

    Maybe Batgirl will see the light of day
  • DarthDimiDarthDimi Behind you!Moderator
    Posts: 24,186
    Risico007 wrote: »
    Perhaps some of those lost pilots and films in the vaults will be used as filler for the studios

    Maybe Batgirl will see the light of day

    I'd certainly hope that. I don't care how good or bad it is. It got made by people who invested time and energy in it and it deserves to be seen.
  • peterpeter Toronto
    Posts: 9,509
    https://deadline.com/2023/08/warner-bros-discovery-david-zaslav-gunnar-wiedenfels-strikes-1235453950/

    And Wall Street remains happy as their projections were far exceeded.

    I fear this sit down with the WGA on Friday is performative. Listen to the WGA updates after the meeting; if they say words like “optimistic” and “progress”, this will be a genuine sign that things are thawing. But;

    If they update using words like “unfair” “ruthless” “lacking in transparency “, then this is far from over…
  • Posts: 1,394
    DarthDimi wrote: »
    Risico007 wrote: »
    Perhaps some of those lost pilots and films in the vaults will be used as filler for the studios

    Maybe Batgirl will see the light of day

    I'd certainly hope that. I don't care how good or bad it is. It got made by people who invested time and energy in it and it deserves to be seen.

    That will never EVER happen.

    The film was claimed as a tax write off and the footage was destroyed.Not to mention the fact that the directors tried to steal the footage from the studio in the hopes of them making their “ Snyder cut “ only to find it was gone and they publicly bad mouthed the studio.

    Whether u agree with that or not,there is no way the studio will ever work with them again after that.
  • MakeshiftPythonMakeshiftPython “Baja?!”
    Posts: 8,188
    I think it’ll come out one day, but that’s gonna be many years from now. Too many legalities to get through right now, especially with the current regime.
  • peterpeter Toronto
    Posts: 9,509
    I could be mistaken, but I think the only ones to say that the footage was destroyed were the directors. Rest assured there is a master copy out there somewhere.
  • edited August 2023 Posts: 1,394
    peter wrote: »
    I could be mistaken, but I think the only ones to say that the footage was destroyed were the directors. Rest assured there is a master copy out there somewhere.

    The film was not finished.Only a rough cut was done missing lots of post production work.And once again to be made clear…IT WILL NEVER BE RELEASED.

    Not legally anyway,because it was claimed as a tax write off.

  • peterpeter Toronto
    Posts: 9,509
    @AstonLotus , why are you all capping, lol.

    I believe the directors said the footage was destroyed, not the studio.

    I know it was only a rough assembly of the film.

    And I didn't say the film would be released. I said that there is a Master Copy out there, which means:

    The studio will always keep the Master copy and; the studio got rid of anyone else getting access to this film.

    However. I wouldn't be surprised if, down the road, they revealed art work, or even actual scenes of the film.

    Read three times before getting testy.

  • MakeshiftPythonMakeshiftPython “Baja?!”
    Posts: 8,188
    It’s gonna be released.
  • DarthDimiDarthDimi Behind you!Moderator
    Posts: 24,186
    I'm not going to die on this hill. I'm saying I hope to see the film, even if it's just a rough cut, someday. Whether that will actually happen, is not a debate I can contribute to.
  • edited August 2023 Posts: 346
    That's talk of Hollywood vfx artists forming a new trade union due to poor work and pay conditions. If this union is established the vfx/cgi crews may consider strike action in the future.
  • Posts: 1,394
    bondywondy wrote: »
    That's talk of Hollywood vfx artists forming a new trade union due to poor work and pay conditions. If this union is established the vfx/cgi crews may consider strike action in the future.

    It’s about time.They have apparently been treated horribly over the years being given insane deadlines and workloads to deal with.

Sign In or Register to comment.