What If Your Sign Isn’t Funny?

I hope the networks come to their senses and give the writers a fair and valid contract. Anyone who has any idea how the system of payment works for writers would be supporting them right now. It works, roughly, like this:

You go into work on Monday morning and you boss hands you a very small amount of money and says "I think your work this week is going to bring us a profit but I'm really not sure, there are lots of variables after all, so I'm just going to give you this little bit up front here, not a lot can???t afford a lot because the work you do may be dreadful, and IF there is any profit at the end of the week as a result of the work you do, THEN and ONLY then I will give you a PERCENTAGE (not all, 2.5% to be exact) of that PROFIT (profit meaning money earned AFTER all the costs of production have been removed).

This is how writers get paid. The networks and movie companies want to cut back on the small amount of money they give up front, and REMOVE COMPLETELY, that percentage after profits. We are still talking about PROFITS here. If the TV show or Film makes $0 in Profit then 2.5% of 0 =? That???s right ZERO dollars. This is the writers incentive to create a better product for us. Oh, and as for all those super wealthy writers, there just aren???t that many. Yes there are a few, and they are VERY wealthy. Why? Because they did a really good job and their 2.5% of profits made some poor starving network or movie company the other 97.5% of those profits (income earned AFTER expenses have been removed). Those are the fortunate few however but the vast majority of writers don???t make that kind of money. Most earn at or below the poverty line and are hoping to get a big break where their work strikes gold. I notice a lot of people like to talk about the few wealthy and popular writers as if they are were exactly the same. However, that would be just like someone looking at the President or CEO of the company they work for and saying ???Look and all these greedy people. Everyone in this company earns $100,000+ dollars a year!??? It???s just not accurate or even remotely fair.

I hope the networks come to their senses and give the writers a fair and valid contract. Anyone who has any idea how the system of payment works for writers would be supporting them right now. It works, roughly, like this:

You go into work on Monday morning and you boss hands you a very small amount of money and says "I think your work this week is going to bring us a profit but I'm really not sure, there are lots of variables after all, so I'm just going to give you this little bit up front here, not a lot can???t afford a lot because the work you do may be dreadful, and IF there is any profit at the end of the week as a result of the work you do, THEN and ONLY then I will give you a PERCENTAGE (not all, 2.5% to be exact) of that PROFIT (profit meaning money earned AFTER all the costs of production have been removed).

This is how writers get paid. The networks and movie companies want to cut back on the small amount of money they give up front, and REMOVE COMPLETELY, that percentage after profits. We are still talking about PROFITS here. If the TV show or Film makes $0 in Profit then 2.5% of 0 =? That???s right ZERO dollars. This is the writers incentive to create a better product for us. Oh, and as for all those super wealthy writers, there just aren???t that many. Yes there are a few, and they are VERY wealthy. Why? Because they did a really good job and their 2.5% of profits made some poor starving network or movie company the other 97.5% of those profits (income earned AFTER expenses have been removed). Those are the fortunate few however but the vast majority of writers don???t make that kind of money. Most earn at or below the poverty line and are hoping to get a big break where their work strikes gold. I notice a lot of people like to talk about the few wealthy and popular writers as if they are were exactly the same. However, that would be just like someone looking at the President or CEO of the company they work for and saying ???Look and all these greedy people. Everyone in this company earns $100,000+ dollars a year!??? It???s just not accurate or even remotely fair.

What's the matter with these folks? They seem to think that the world should be handed to them on a silver platter...not to mention lunch. I agree that there has not been a whole lot new that excites me about television, movies or plays these days, except for the animated movies that have come out. Going on strike should be reserved for the workers that do not receive compensation which allows them to make ends meet...not for the worker that make two to three times, plus, the national average. Maybe if the rich stop trying to get richer the rest of us could make ends meet. This increase in wages will work like the increase in oil....the producers will pass the expense along to the consumers and the lowest income earners will shoulder the expense for these writers....something doesn't seem equitable here. Maybe it's the TV watcher that should strike against the writers and producers for the garbage that's on our televisions these days, not to mention the higher cost of advertising, resulting in higher prices at the stores. As for the comment about the sports figures that make disgusting saleries, the same applies. It's time that our nation take a hard look at our priorities and what we value.

Thank you soworthit. You are absolutely correct. To many others I feel a need to say, "Swimming pools??"..."Millionaires??" They wish. Remember, SAG isn't on strike. The Writers Guild of America is. Of course, even the average SAG member doesn't make all that much money in a year and the average WGA member probably makes even less. Other than having a baby on the way, Michael Colton's situation is typical, not the exception. Some of the writers at the very top of the business may be millionaires, but the vast majority are FAR from that.

By the way, I am not a shill. I am not member of the Writers Guild of America. I am simply an elementary school music teacher. I do, however, have one child in the film industry (she is a film editor and recent film school graduate who is still paying off her student loans). I also have another who is still in film school studying graphics design.

Side note: "How do you KNOW televison shows are 'garbage' if you don't watch television?"

Considering some of the garbage on TV these days masquerading as entertainment perhaps some time off for the writers is not such a bad idea.

I don't believe that this a very good time for the writers to be making a stand. At a time when the majority of Americans are squeeking by to simply pay thier mortgages and buy gas I don't expect that there will be a whole lot of support or sympathy for an industry that pulls down six figures a year. Maybe it's time for these Hollywood types to come back to earth with the rest of us and downsize, shop at Wal-Mart and eat in. The whole country needs to tighten up right now, unfortunately and Hollywood is not immune to that. I am rasing two kids on $40,000/yr, have student loans to pay, a car payment and I can't afford to own a home.....I have very little sympathy for anyone making six figures a year. Good luck with all that!!

This whole thing is a bad move at this time for these writers. At a time when most Americans make just enough to get by there will not be a whole lot of support or sympathy for writers that make in excess of four to six times the average household income. Maybe it's time for the Hollywood types to come back to earth with the rest of us and downsize, shop at Wal-Mart and eat in. As for the writer that has a baby due, I am going to guess that there is enough stockpiled cash to get by for years if his family lives realisticly, like the rest of us. I am rasing two kids on a $40,000/yr income.....I don't have too much sympathy for someone that makes six figures a year and feels the need to strike for more....good luck with all that!!

I have some shows I like to watch, but if it all went away, oh well. I really have a hard time feeling sorry for those who make 6 digits or more whine about how much they are making and want more. I also have to say boo hoo to the man (writer) with a wife who is preganant and has a morgage. Be thankful you have/had a job that allows you to be home while she gives birth! Sorry there are more important things (like my husband deploying to IRAQ) going on right now to worry about some rich people upset about how much they make in Hollywood. iI really don't care.

Thank you soworthit. You are absolutely correct. To many others I feel a need to say, "Swimming pools??"..."Millionaires??" They wish. Remember, SAG isn't on strike. The Writers Guild of America is. Of course, even the average SAG member doesn't make all that much money in a year and the average WGA member probably makes even less. Other than having a baby on the way, Michael Colton's situation is typical, not the exception. Some of the writers at the very top of the business may be millionaires, but the vast majority are FAR from that.

By the way, I am not a shill. I am not member of the Writers Guild of America. I am simply an elementary school music teacher. I do, however, have one child in the film industry (she is a film editor and recent film school graduate who is still paying off her student loans). I also have another who is still in film school studying graphics design.

Side note: "How do you KNOW televison shows are 'garbage' if you don't watch television?"

One of the most erroneous comments that I have heard regarding this strike was made by the actor, John Stamos, during an appearance on the "Live with Regis and Kelly" show. He said that ultimately the one hurt the most by the writers' strike is the audience, the person sitting at home. Alright any of us Joe or Jane Americas sitting at home thinking we are being "hurt" by the strike, raise your hand. I don't believe that watching a rerun is more painful than being Michael Colton, the writer in the NEWSWEEK article, who has a baby due in weeks and has to wonder how does he pay for food, rent, diapers, etc. Well, maybe watching a rerun of ABC's CAVEMAN would be worse than that.

One of the funniest things that I heard about this strike, was a comment by John Stamos on "Live with Regis and Kelly." He said that ultimately, the one hurt the most by this strike is the audience .. the fans, watching at home. Any of us sitting at home feeling "hurt" by the strike, raise your hand. I do not believe that a rerun is harder for Joe America to watch than for a striking worker with a baby on the way not knowing where the money is to pay for food or rent.

What if Hollywood writers went on stike and no one cared?

Oops, I think we are there...

What if Hollywood writers went on stike an no one cared...?
Oops... I think that we are there.....

I can't believe hollywood writers are still on a strike! To think of all those writers using up their talent writing strike signs is kind of amusing.

I apologize that my comment came of twice folks sorry about that.

No need to bad mouth people who watch tv with your judgemental rude comment on how if we had lives we would not need tv...Let me tell you something I have a life and i watch alot of tv...I am 29 years old....I graduated High school,I went to college...I have a job in Nursery School as a Teacher...I work 4 days a week right now because I commute and hour and 20 to work...I also bake,I will go see movies and plays when I can,I take ballroom dancing lessons,Workout at the gym,Bowl on a league...When I come home after to work I make dinner,shower and yes I like to relax and watch tv.

No need to bad mouth people who watch tv...I watch tv and I definitely have a life...I am a Nursery School Teacher I work 4 days a week and commute and hour and 20 minutes....When i come home I like to shower relax and watch tv...I also like to read books too.I am a baker,I write,I take ballroom dancing lessons,I work out at the gym and yes I watch tv...

limuhead

I always like that comment. "I don't watch TV". Well, I have accomplished a lot in my life. I also graduated in the top ten of class at Columbia. One of my professors joked that I was the best student he ever had in both his American and Word Civilization classes. Asked how I accumulated so much knowledge. I said besides listening to others and reading. I said much I
got from TV when I was a kid and over the years since then

It is not watching TV , it just depends on what you watch. Watching college ball is one of the mindless event. Not caring about that the writers do not reap in the profit that the productions companies , networks and so make from their creations. Yet I bet your the one that will cry when ball players boohoo over not making another million over the 200 million they get already

By the way, watching TV is right up there with the internet. Well I guess you just use it to watch college ball too.




To the one that doesn't watch TV. It sure did not help your compositions and spelling skills