I fear for the movie industry as we are on the verge of another strike in Hollywood. This time it would be Screen Actor’s Guild and the American Federation of Television and Radio Artists.
Here are the details: SAG and AFTRA’s contracts with the studios and producers (AMPTP, Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers) expire June 30, 2008 (yes, you read that right – 4 days from today), and there has been zero progress. The issues at hand are contract negotiations including key issues new media and DVD royalties.
There is another big issue which has kept the two unions from sitting back down with the AMPTP: fighting between the two. AFTRA has a potential deal they want to solidify by July, but SAG isn’t happy with their terms, and so there is a major battle happening between leadership and members, and there doesn’t appear to be much in the way of progress in the past few weeks.
Two observations:
First, They are attempting to negotiate royalties on new media and DVDs. Sound familiar? I wonder if the AMPTP has any feelings on this topic?
Second. THE UNIONS HAVE ALL THE POWER. They don’t have to negotiate. They can sit it out and say “bring me a better offer and I will let you know”
Hollywood cannot afford another strike. Unlike the writers strike, which stopped new films from being made because they hadn’t been written, this strike is the ACTORS. They have already been paid for what they are supposed to be filming. What happens when they walk off the set?
They cannot be sued for breach of contract because this is protected by their unions. So the studios, the crew, the support staff and countless other people who support these movies are going to be without work. AGAIN!
The actors don’t care because they wont lose one red cent over this. And they can just divert blame to their own unions saying they wanted to continue working but their unions wouldn’t allow it. And eventually they will return to their contracted work no worse for the wear with a fat contract.
I guess everyone else suffers while they all try to figure out who needs more money.
Why don’t the actors suck it up and get paid to do a job like the rest of us.
Why should the actors get residuals after the fact. If they want residuals they should buy shares in the studio!
(Type your comment here. Make sure you’ve read the commenting rules before doing so) why don’t the producers give them what they want. so everyone could go back to work. everyone will make money, but with a strike the little people hurt and its the little people that make it run smooth!! I’m in transpo so lets get it together people and make this work!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
@LARS I see your point; I was just thinking about John dogging on Chris Tucker for getting paid too much.
This strike to me doesn’t seem as reasonable as the writers
Keanu made so much cash on the Matrix films I’m surprised he isn’t still on vacation.
I would be…….
;-)
I agree with TheBigGiantHead, if this strike occurs TDK is the last movie I’m seeing in the theaters.
Strike? What do they want now? I know… how about a great, big kick in the a**. Selfish, egoic brats. They have everything, but still that’s not enough. Screw them. Perhaps they should be paid what average people make for a while and see if they want to strike then.
They could still film movies and shows during the writers’ strike, such as the new Star Trek movie, but they couldn’t change anything. But without actors I assume all they can do is pre-production work, but even then that’s limited.
Since the writer’s strike decimated ratings and led to cancellations of TV shows, I wonder what effect the actors strike is going to have beyond just the support industries.
@Pigeon: Some of the A-List actors get >20 million for each flick, but most actors get less and there are many actors that have a dry spell during their career. For these actors, the money they get from DVDs or re-runs can make the difference and this should be adopted to the new age of video-on-demand and internet video streaming…
What the fuck are they bitchin’ for. They already made 25 million for three fucking months(I agree with John, they are getting overpaid like fuck). Are you kidding me, this is the biggest load of bullshit every.
If this occurs you can embrace the 2008 Depression.
And we all get burned.
Exponentially Dan.
Don’t actors make even more than writers?
It might send a message, but in the rare event that it actually did happen, all those people would see the movie on another day and it wouldn’t change a thing. Message lost.
Its like those gas strike boycotts. They do nothing because people wont do it. And even if they did, they wouldn’t accomplish anything.
The only way it would make a message is for people to just stop going to movies. And that will NEVER happen.
I think if the strike does happen and causes problems like the writers strike, the fans should react. The fans should pull together and boycott a weekend opening of a major debut. Don’t go see the movie untill the following monday. Send a message like that to hollywood greedy.