And what is it they deserve? Especially in this economy.
Is it a raise? Cause I know my employer suspended all raises and bonuses this year.
Is it job security? I know many people in the real world have jobs and are teetering on being layed off.
Personally I think they run the risk of alienating the public with this stunt during these bleak economic times. Almost makes me not want to watch anything Hollywood puts out anymore.
EVERYBODY CALM DOWN!!!! Your precious TV shows will likely not be impacted by this at all, because the Screen Actors Guild only covers theatrical releases. The American Federation for Television and Radio Actors (AFTRA) is what covers TV shows and I'm guessing made-for-TV movies as well. In order for TV shows to be impacted, AFTRA would have to go on strike in support of SAG, and I don't think that's at all likely to happen right now, as they're sorta pissed at each other.
See, back when the WGA strike got settled, AFTRA went to the table with the studios, and hammered out a deal that they were both more or less happy with. SAG was _not_ happy with it, because it didn't include stuff that they wanted to negotiate for. The reason this mattered is that if AFTRA was able to work that stuff into their deal, SAG could then walk in and demand a matching deal on behalf of their members, and the studios would pretty much have to give it to them without a fight. SAG actively lobbied AFTRA members to vote down their own deal, and AFTRA voted to go with it anyways. So, SAG is ticked off at them for scuttling their "matching deal" plan by running with what they'd already negotiated, and AFTRA is equally cheesed at SAG for trying to influence how their members voted. So, what I expect will happen is if SAG asks AFTRA to strike in support of their demands, AFTRA will flip them the bird and go back to work.
The sad part of this, really, is that while SAG is completely correct on the issues, the AMPTP is going to win the rhetorical battle, primarily because of the economic collapse.
It's even more unfortunate, because the WGA just announced that the AMPTP in fact is completely failing to pay the new media residuals negotiated during the writers strike.
So on top of SAG being right on the issues, we now know that the AMPTP won't even live up to a crappy deal like the one they got the WGA to accept, which is basically the one they ant to force upon SAG.
@dead_red_eyes: ... this is true. I think Hollywood has become too big and too disconnected from its viewers. All the movies that come out seem to either be sequels, remakes or you're stealing from a book/comic book.
Where are the NEW ideas? Where is something different?
And then when they get something different its too edgy or cult-ish that they panic and shut it down.
Why yes I am still bitter about Pushing Daisies can you tell?
Well, hopefully independent cinema can save American films cause Hollywood sure isn't going to do it. Movies like "Primer" give me hope really. Still, until the old fuckers running the big studios in Hollywood die or retire ... we're going to keep seeing a million and one Vince Vaughn & Matthew McConaughey films, and a million and one remakes of Asian films.
You know, if these people were getting paid $25,000 - $40,000 a year ... I could see the need for a strike. The truth is, is that these people make excellent money ... and they still have to bitch about their pay. It's fucking ridiculous. While our economy is in the shitter, and there's lots of unemployed people out there ... these people have the nerve to strike and ask for more money. I'm truly sickened.
@dead_red_eyes: While initially I was in total agreement with you, I have a friend who lives in L.A. and is a member of SAG and can barely afford to pay rent, food and go to school as well as work a second job.
So not everyone who is a SAG member are the Angelina's and Brad's making multi-million dollar pictures.
I wonder how much of the 120,000 member group actually make that much a picture. I'd argue that its not a whole lot.
@Mav: right now, i taking home $17,000 a year. 1/3 goes to student loans. next year i'm going for my masters. i live well (i.e. i can eat, and buy things from time to time, and i'm slowly paying off my credit card debt that accumulated from my recent move), and can still afford to eat.
@adaorardor: Hey I'm not saying they SHOULD strike, the other industries (catering, lighting, janatorial) that will be forced to shut down if they strike is reason enough not to.
I was just trying to you know, create a discussion. Of sorts.
let's start a Viewers Guild and then we'll strike;
we'll stop watching TV and movies. we'll start reading books and playing boardgames, spending time with friends and family. going outside, flying a kite, having picnics.
@nataku83: Anything that can get us away from flying kites, reading books and picnics is fair game. I'd like to see what kinda crap they'll pull for that.
11/24/08
Is it a raise? Cause I know my employer suspended all raises and bonuses this year.
Is it job security? I know many people in the real world have jobs and are teetering on being layed off.
Personally I think they run the risk of alienating the public with this stunt during these bleak economic times. Almost makes me not want to watch anything Hollywood puts out anymore.
11/24/08
11/24/08
See, back when the WGA strike got settled, AFTRA went to the table with the studios, and hammered out a deal that they were both more or less happy with. SAG was _not_ happy with it, because it didn't include stuff that they wanted to negotiate for. The reason this mattered is that if AFTRA was able to work that stuff into their deal, SAG could then walk in and demand a matching deal on behalf of their members, and the studios would pretty much have to give it to them without a fight. SAG actively lobbied AFTRA members to vote down their own deal, and AFTRA voted to go with it anyways. So, SAG is ticked off at them for scuttling their "matching deal" plan by running with what they'd already negotiated, and AFTRA is equally cheesed at SAG for trying to influence how their members voted. So, what I expect will happen is if SAG asks AFTRA to strike in support of their demands, AFTRA will flip them the bird and go back to work.
11/24/08
Whoops, I mean that AFTRA stands for the American Federation for Television and Radio Artists, not Actors.
11/23/08
It's even more unfortunate, because the WGA just announced that the AMPTP in fact is completely failing to pay the new media residuals negotiated during the writers strike.
So on top of SAG being right on the issues, we now know that the AMPTP won't even live up to a crappy deal like the one they got the WGA to accept, which is basically the one they ant to force upon SAG.
11/23/08
Or am I missing something here?
11/23/08
11/23/08
11/23/08
Yay Sci-Fi Hollywood.
11/23/08
Hell these days, it's pretty much Anything > Hollywood.
11/23/08
Where are the NEW ideas? Where is something different?
And then when they get something different its too edgy or cult-ish that they panic and shut it down.
Why yes I am still bitter about Pushing Daisies can you tell?
11/23/08
Well, hopefully independent cinema can save American films cause Hollywood sure isn't going to do it. Movies like "Primer" give me hope really. Still, until the old fuckers running the big studios in Hollywood die or retire ... we're going to keep seeing a million and one Vince Vaughn & Matthew McConaughey films, and a million and one remakes of Asian films.
11/24/08
11/24/08
Hell yeah it was.
11/23/08
then we can talk to the BBC for example and buy their shows... and get something other than 'knight rider'
11/23/08
11/23/08
So not everyone who is a SAG member are the Angelina's and Brad's making multi-million dollar pictures.
I wonder how much of the 120,000 member group actually make that much a picture. I'd argue that its not a whole lot.
11/23/08
True true.
11/23/08
cry me a river, SAG members.
11/23/08
I was just trying to you know, create a discussion. Of sorts.
11/23/08
11/24/08
I suppose not everyone needs to be an actor or a member of SAG either.
11/24/08
While I get what you're saying, I used to live by SAG and lemmie tell you, the VAST majority of those people are not employed.
11/23/08
we'll stop watching TV and movies. we'll start reading books and playing boardgames, spending time with friends and family. going outside, flying a kite, having picnics.
11/23/08
Sounds nice to me.
11/23/08
11/23/08
11/23/08
11/23/08
11/23/08
11/23/08
The internet says they're real, they must be.
11/23/08
11/24/08
11/24/08
11/23/08
11/23/08