It turns out that next Sunday, Monday, and Tuesday, the hardworking heads of all Viacom, CBS, and Paramount Entertainment Divisions will be enjoying "award-winning accommodations," "world-renowned" spa treatments," "AAA Five Diamond" gourmet dining, and round after exhilarating round of "championship quality" golf during an executive retreat at The Boulders Resort and Golden Door Spa.
(Bill Maher, cont'd): I'll make an analogy because writers live by analogies and they are the lifeblood of a lot of good writing. When liberals, and most of the people who are in the union I'd imagine are liberals When liberals criticize the conduct of the Iraq war...the Bush administration tried to conflate that position with saying you don't support the troops, and that was a lie then and is a lie now.
(Bill Maher, cont'd):And in the same way, if I question whether this is the right strike at the right time and I question the leadership...they've got a nerve asking we to be consistent with the way they've been. It's the same kind of deal. A lot of times, what happens is you have a situation where, these guys, these writers have been led into a situation where there is no exit strategy and they may not win this war. Sp we're not wrong to criticize it. This is still America
You're speaking about things I don't know about here. You make it seem like AMPTP came to the negotiations seeking nothing but concessions from the WGA. The WGA made concessions and then AMPTP just kept demanding more concessions? I don't know what to say, because the negotiations are secret, but if what you say is true, AMPTP are greedy vipers who can't be trusted so why negotiate at all?
"You make it seem like AMPTP came to the negotiations seeking nothing but concessions from the WGA."
Yup. Pretty much. And the negotiations aren't entirely "secret". Both sides posted press releases while negotiating. And oddly, the AMPTP would always have press releases ready to go mere minutes after storming out of the room, as if they knew they were going to walk out.
Even if they're greedy vipers, or "cuthroats and weasels" as Letterman says, negotiations must go on. If the WGA ended talks and walked out, they'd be total assholes. Luckily that task and title has been filled -- by the AMPTP.
And what happened with the WGA's complaint to the National Labor Relations Board that AMPTP weren't "negotiating in good faith"? Was this just a PR tactic or does the WGA have proof the AMPTP were screwing around? If so, what can the feds do? Is everyone going to just have to wait until the Directors Guild talks are over for the next move?
I am so glad those suits get to relax and enjoy themselves while putting thousands of people out of work! Meanwhile, WGA members are holding fundraisers for people affected by the AMPTP's refusal to continue negotiations. Who's the asshole here?
Seems like the only provable fact here is that each side hates the other. I can't believe that the AMPTP are so stupid that they go out of thier way to insult and humiliate the WGA. You seem to be saying that the AMPTP provoked this strike and are trying to keep it going.
"It's an open secret is that, for these guys (AMPTP members), no matter what happens -- even if they get fired for running their corporations into the ground -- they'll still get huge severance packages that make them rich, and in effect reward them for having completely and totally screwed up" --united hollywood
Warner Bros Chairman Barry Meyer has handpicked the AMPTP paid mouthpieces who have spread the AMPTP's insults and disinformation about the WGA leadership.
The other day, an AMPTP consultant tried to start a rumor that a WGA exec was connected to child pornography.
"AMPTP staffers, consultants and members (especially corporate publicity departments) are busily posting comments on WGA-friendly websites and blogs that Hollywood visits regularly and filling them with hate-filled rants against the WGA leadership, the A-list actors, and the companies who've made WGA side deals. The goal is to turn off readers and drive traffic away and in the process spread pro-AMPTP propaganda and make it look as if the strike is breaking apart."
A quote from Bill Maher (on HBO's "Real Time" - 1/11/08):
Especially in this age, where no matter what you say, corporations are taking over and strangling this country and strangling little men, we do need unions more than other But what I dot not love is the atmosphere that has taken grip on this town. An atmosphere of witch hunts and threats coming from the union, and I don't like that.
The Guild leaders need to make a concession (forget about reality/animation for now) if they really want a deal on residuals.
But rather than do this, they'll continue to play the victim and pretend (to the public) that its all about residuals. Positions will harden as it drags on and on. Some AMPTP players (like Fox) are probably grateful for the strike (how much more dominant will "American Idol" be when all its scripted competition has been eliminated?)
Further, the reality/animation issue was on the table BEFORE negotiations even began, so why did the ACould it be because they PLANNED to walk away for
Do you really think the public is going to want to watch nothing but American Idol or reality tv? Really? Think American Idol reruns are going to get big ratings? Or DVD box sets are going to sell through the roof? Will American Idol and its ilk spawn stores full of merchandise or feature films? Doubtful. It's like "Who Wants to Be a Millionare". Its time will pass.
The WGA knew that AMPTP would walk away unless they took the jurisdiction issues off the table. They can't blame the strike on the AMPTP after their "my way or the highway" posture. WGA leaders are more interested in expanding thier power than in working out a residuals deal. You give something to get something in a negotiation.
"You give something to get something in a negotiation." Then what has the AMPTP given up? The WGA gave up an increase in DVD residuals to keep negotiations going. Yet you continue to place all the blame on the WGA when it is an irrefutable fact that it is the AMPTP that walked away and continues to refuse to come back to the table.
Further, the reality/animation issue was on the table BEFORE negotiations even began, so why did the AMPTP raise it as a deal breaker at the 11th hour. Why not bring it up as a serious issue with DVD residuals? Maybe the AMPTP was looking for an excuse to break off negotiations?
"At the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas this week, NBC Universal's president of Integrated Media Beth Comstock said she expects her company to hit $1 billion in digital revenue by the end of this year." -- Variety, January 10, 2008
Well, since NBC is crowing about all the money coming in from digital, now would be the ideal time for the WGA to get back to the bargaining table so that everybody can be focused on working out a fair deal. Maybe this "new partnership" the AMPTP offered isn't fair. Then I'll support the WGA's efforts to punch up the numbers to a level the WGA accepts as fair.
However, the WGA needs to stop denying that thier jurisdictional power grab over reality tv & animation has anything to do with the stalemate. Why doesn't the WGA do what it said was top prority and work on a new media deal? - even if they have to drop the jurisdiction thing for now. Animation and reality writers have the right to organize themselves, so why not let that happen instead of insisting they be incorporated into WGA straight away?
As said before, the last time the WGA took something off the table (an increase in DVD residuals), it was because the AMPTP assured them that it was the only issue that was a roadblock to negotiations. The WGA complied, but the AMPTP then said "animation and reality TV has to go". It was an ultimatum. Why should the WGA trust the AMPTP if they keep coming up with these ultimatums? That's not negotiating, that's just being a dick.
Reality TV writers have had their jobs threatened if they make any attempt to unionize. They're treated like dogs and producers even refuse to admit they're writers.
I can't say that either surprises me or upsets me that people whose "writing" involves thinking up ways to cause fights between contestants may be (GASP!) extremely replaceable. The idea that the WGA, who claim to be "artists" of some sort, refuse to drop thier jurisidiction demands so they can come to the rescue of the oppressed and exploited scribes of "The 5th Wheel" is laughable.
I'd like to see anyody come up with a convincing argument that the hang-up over expanding Guild jurisdiction which is putting thousands of people out of work is the result of WGA altruism.
It's not "expanding Guild jurisdiction" that's putting thousands of people out of work, it's the AMPTP refusing to come back to the table to negotiate. As said in a recent article, this strike could be over in 3 days if the AMPTP would simply talk like a group of adults instead of hiding in their board rooms, mansions, and corporate retreats to luxury resorts.
Dude, the WGA has been waiting for the AMPTP to get back to the negotiating table for weeks! It's the AMPTP that walked out, NOT the WGA. The reason this strike is dragging on this long and people are losing jobs is because the moguls refuse to negotiate!
My WGA member friend (who was new to the biz) said that most WGA writers support themselves working regular day jobs, the actually-working-in-the-biz writers often have short career spans, and ambition to make the leap to A-list gigs and deals is endemic.
The number of people who really stand to benefit neaningfully from what the WGA is striking for is pretty small, overall.
See the above video response for a rundown of the AMPTP's proposals. In addition, yes the AMPTP walked out after the WGA refused to take certain items off the table, which is why the AMPTP is the asshole here. During negotiations, you're supposed to NEGOTIATE, not storm out of the room whenever it's not going your way.
Well, perhaps if the WGA leaders would back-burner the reality/animation jurisdiction power grab, they could make more progress on fair residuals. The WGA certainly deserves fair compensation when thier work is disseminated on the "New Media". Why then won't the WGA just can the jurisdiction stuff for the time being and focus on what they keep saying is the "real" issue
The definition of the "real issue" is the problem. Back in Nov, the AMPTP wouldn't negotiate until a proposed increase in DVD residuals was taken off the table so they could discuss "the real issues". The WGA complied, but the AMPTP came back and said "now take off animation and reality too, so we can get to to the real issues". So if the WGA complies again, what do you think would happen?
Well, you've convinced me that the writers are the true underdogs here. But I'm not shedding any tears for the hardships faced by high-profile TV scripters (the story about Marc Cherry almost missing his home mortgage payment because of low residuals didn't exactly move me)
I still think the WGA overplayed thier hand. One thing you'll learn in the TV or movie biz is that there are lots of people who'd be happy to have your job
While this would help and be fair in terms of sharing ad revenue, it wouldn't help the basic residual problem, which is how much should a writer get for an episode shown online versus on the TV? If I choose to download a rerun from the net and watch it, should the writer's residual be any less than if I Tivo that same episode?
Yes, it's too bad we both can't sit in at the next (secret) AMPTP/WGA negotiation (whenever that might be) and inject some reasonableness into what seems to have become a grudge-match.
Sadly, I don't think the writers will prevail. The AMPTP has the money and they seem willing to starve out the writers.
But I wouldn't worry too much about the fate of Fred Armisen or the Ivy League-pedigreed mainsprings of network TV. Something tells me that they'll manage to land on thier feet.
Other great videos made by striking writers who didn't need permission from suits: "Sorry, Internet" and "Roger A. Trevanti Explains The AMPTP's New Proposal". Look them up!
Look, the AMPTP are a group of business executives, so the non-entertainment value of this Powerpoint video is irrelevant
But it is important to get out the message that the WGA strike is NOT just corporate penny-pinching vs. honest scribes seeking only a fair shake from the moguls. The WGA has been dishonest in its PR announcements that the strike is ONLY about residuals. The WGA has an agenda its hiding from the public and this video exposes that fact.
The entertainment value of the video isn't irrelevant. These execs are supposed to be ENTERTAINMENT execs who should understand the value of being entertaining to get a message across. Instead, the best they can come up with is a dull series of slides that can't even utilize sound, something that's been a part of film for decades. It just goes to show how dull and uncreative these suits are on their own. The pathetic amount of views of this video is proof of how it's NOT effective.
You're expecting that the businessmen who run the studios should themselves have creative talent and should make exciting PR videos? They are corporate executives, not filmmakers. It is no surprise that they are dull and uncreative on thier own. Please pay attention to the content of this video. Nick Counter is not Truffaut, but that doesn't mean we should just ignore the AMPTP's side of this dispute. This vid has details about the dispute that the WGA has been concealing.
The entertainment business is a BUSINESS, and the bottom line is you or an advertizer paying for eyeball time on the fanstasy screen. Many TV and film productions are indeed "art", but that's actually pretty rare. Most of what the WGA cranks out is potboiler crap, and the AMPTP knows that the people who watch that will just as happily watch monster trucks or American Gladiators.
The WGA tends to overestimate thier genius and its irreplacability.
For all the WGA's talk about conributing to pop culture and being part of the labor movement, there are plenty of people who make art simply for the love of doing it, and they do not get 6-figure salaries or have the sense of entitlement typical of WGA. There are people who work a lot harder than anybody in the WGA, and they get paid a lot less.
The general public doesn't care about this strike, but WGA's egomaniacs don't seem to realize this.
Yes, I do expect them to have creative talent. It's a creative business. Do you realize how many of them have the word "creative" in their titles? All these "Creative Execs" who give notes, develop stories, and most importantly, claim to know how to spend BILLIONS of dollars producing entertainment. So yes, as a shareholder I do expect them to have some creative talent and instincts, yet here we are with their first attempt at a video, and it has less imagination than a piece of tofu.
Yeah, and as good corporate "creative" execs, they should've watched this video and said "ummm, it kind of sucks, can we do better?". Instead, they just throw it out there. No wonder so much TV and film sucks these days. The same guys who greenlight projects are the ones who made this video.
Well, the WGA does have those enchanting "Speechless" internet videos. Perhaps those impress you?
As for what you call "creative" execs - I used to work fora Madison Avenue ad firm and I can tell you that the word "creative" when applied in the world of TV or advertizing is just a joke. The so-called "Creative" department at BBDO were a bunch of self-infatuated idiots
Creativity thrives best when the stakes are low, not when millions are at stake.
Honestly I can not see why its an issue that this video sucks, I won't argue with you on that point. Yes, technically, its crap. Just read what it says.
Back in the day, there were creative film geniuses (Brackage, Ken Anger, etc.) who did not need coporations to "green light" thier brilliant little films, made on a shoestring, with Super 8 or outdated film stock, relying only on originality and imagination. The WGA could use a little of that "DIY" spirit.
Um yeah, the WGA's DIY spirit has pretty much proven itself since the strike started. There are a ton of videos made my striking writers online, and some are pretty damn hilarious, unlike the debated video here. My favorite has to be "Voices of Uncertainty". And guess what? No greenlight from a suit needed!
Anyhow, the WGA strike will probably end after months and months. Lots of innocent people will lose work. The studios will be able to get out of all thier bad contracts, dump whoever they consider to be "dead weight" - and the writers will get screwed - the AMPTP has more money and leverage - but at least the WGA have the satisfaction of having stuck it to "the man"!
Well when you put it that way, I guess people should never stand up for what they believe in if there's a chance that anyone might get hurt. Why are we forgetting the fact that the WGA has been waiting to negotiate for weeks, and it's the AMPTP that refuses to come back to the table? Yet you continue to blame the guild for all the jobs being lost? It's the studios and networks who are doing the firing and refusing to negotiate here.
Please enlighten me on this. My understanding is that the AMPTP offered WGA a deal they called "a new partnership" which would provide an extra $31,000 over 3 years for working writers making an average of $200,000 a year. The WGA rejected this, calling it a "rollback", and talks stopped after the WGA refused to take jurisdiction over reality TV and animation off the table. Am I wrong in believeing this?
Yes you are wrong. Writers do NOT make an average of 200k a year. Further, the AMPTP was offering rollbacks on online residuals. For TV episodes shown online (which will be the standard way of watching TV within a decade) the AMPTP offered a whopping $250 dollars a year. UNLESS it was deemed "promotional", which meant the writer would get NOTHING. For feature films, it was ZERO dollars, period. ZERO. See the rollback?
Well, I know some WGA televsion writers and the only one who'd talk to me about what he was paid said he made "more than $100K/yr, but less than 200K/yr")but he was fairly new to the TV scripting business.
Writers don't get any percentage of advertizing revenue when thier work is shown "free" on TV, why should they get advertizing revenue when its shown "free" on the internet?
No, writers DO get a residual when their work is shown for free on TV. That's the point. Every time a TV episode is re-run, the writer gets a residual, sometimes a few thousand bucks. However, if that same episode is shown for free with paid ads online, the AMPTP wants to pay a measly $250 dollars per YEAR, NOT per rerun. Even worse, if the network says "this episode is promotional, not a rerun" the residual is ZERO.
So basically, the AMPTP is saying "fine, if we show a rerun on the TV screen, you'll get your residual, but if we show it on a computer screen, we'll give you nothing". And I think we all know how computer screens and TV screens are merging, so which option do you think they'll choose to pay when that finally happens?
A writer's residual check from the TV broadcast of a scrpited show isn't the same thing as a percentage of ad revenue. Perhaps this is a math problem. When they figure out how many people are watching a particular episode of a TV show online, the writer can get a pro-rated residual based on the viewership/earnings of that webcast, based on the broadcast model. Would that be fair?
While this would help and be fair in terms of sharing ad revenue, it wouldn't help the basic residual problem, which is how much should a writer get for an episode shown online versus on the TV? If I choose to download a rerun from the net and watch it, should the writer's residual be any less than if I Tivo that same episode?
Just to clarify this - I know that the "average" income of a WGA writer isn't 200K a year, but, as I wote previously, I personally know a TV writer who, on his first job at a WGA-staffed show, got a salary that was (from the hints he gave me) probably about 3/4 of that, so 200K/yr is by no means an atypical salary for a writer on a network show. That's a solid middle-class salary here in LA. An extra $250 or even triple that per year is not going to make or break this guy financially.
Yeah, that's the thing. The AMPTP is unfairly trying to portray that writer you know as a greedy millionaire who makes more than doctors, pilots, and teachers while ignoring the fact that most of the studio execs of the AMPTP are pretty much BAJILLIONAIRES who somehow get golden parachute bonuses if they get fired. Oy.
Also, $250 a year won't necessarily make or break that writer, but when he's accustomed to getting a lot more in TV residuals (sometimes as much as $20k a year), suddenly getting only $250 a year for online residuals is a HUGE pay cut. TV and DVD residuals WILL dry up in the next decade, which is why there's such a battle over new media residuals. Both sides know that's how we'll be getting all of our entertainment and news.
But this unified TV/internet/DVD system that you say will kill traditional residuals hasn't happened yet, so how can you make a deal on revenue split from something that doesn't exist yet? Why can't the Guild and the AMPTP agree to wait until this future super-media platform exists before arguing over it?
The guy I spoke about said the WGA members who voted to authorize the strike stood to lose nothing because they don't make a living at screen writing anyuhow
Well which is it? Was it the members who stood to lose nothing because they don't make a living writing, or the A-list members who just want more money? OR, was it the overwhelming majority of the guild who understands that their future is at stake? They might be making a living writing now, but they could be in the blink of an eye.
I watched thatlabor relations prof on Jon Stewart's show who said there was a "social justice" aspect to the WGA strike, in that writers should not be deprived the fruits of thier labor, as technology proliferates it and the AMPTP profits from it. That seems fair.
However, I wish the WGA would recognize that most working people can't expect assured incomes (apart from state unemployment) when they are out of work or "between jobs". That's why I found the oft-repeated story about Marc Cherry having trouble with his house payments because his residual income wasn't enough for him to live on (in the style to which he had become accustomed) before he created "Desperate Housewives" so un-poignant. Boo-hoo-hoo, Marc.
WGA writers have skills that are more fungible outside the entertainment biz than, say, the grips or computer graphics artists that thier strike is putting out of work. TWGA-ers can work in journalism, copy-editing and many other sorts of gigs people with thier skill-set can access. Freelancing jobs are easier to find for writers than, say, Foley-techs. I just wish they'd take that into consideration, before making demands for "solidarity" from other show-biz workers
And I guess you can say I am holding the writers to a higher moral standard than the AMPTP, because the WGA has a proven fetish for invoking labor union history (as in Letterman's on-air "Eugene V. Debs" mention) If they show no concern for BTL-ers, and expect some kind of nonreciprocal "solidarity", that's hypocritical.
This video is about as exciting and entertaining as the type of crap the media congloms will put on the air without any writers. It reeks of a suit playing in powerpoint while cackling "I'll show those writers what a youtube video is!" I mean, c'mon MrBob, you couldn't even lay down some music before giving Nick Counter his daily spongebath in the tears of orphan children?
Your logic is so interesting! Yes those magikal writers spin amazing computer graphics and make beautiful musics with their mighty pens!
You see! Words are shite without us plebeian below the line types to dress it up. Go watch Spongebob and give me my damn residual or I wont make things look exciting anymore! Ha!
Our literary and art workers...must gradually move their feet over to the side of the workers, peasants and soldiers, to the side of the proletariat...Only in this way can we have a literature and art that are truly for the workers, peasants and soldiers, a truly proletarian literature and art.
Damn you, "AMPTPsucks"! Blorzaak was just about to submit his secret invoice to Nick Counter for "guarding" the comments and now you're onto him! Yes, "AMPTsucks", repeat along with me: "Death to the Fascist Insect that Preys on the Life of the People!" Long live the peoples' revolutionary vanguard of the WGA!
Ummm... don't know how to respond to such a retarded comment. I've made it pretty clear that I have been directly effected by this mess. I have called the AMPTP reps of 'mega-conglomerate fat-cats'. I think they really suck too. The only checks I am getting are from unemployment.
I say they put the WGA leaders and the AMPTP guys in a cage with some sledgehammers and run the whole thing on live TV instead of American Gladiators to see who wins. It would be over a lot faster and would be a whole lot more entertaining.
Blorzaak, you're rant makes no sense. You claim to be a union man but blaming writers for the quality of TV is like blaming your grandfather for shitty, gas guzzling Detroit cars. The mega corporations largely set the agenda. Average writer salary is $62,000. But you seem to think we should let the very few media giants not pay even a modest fee for making money off the writers work on the internet.
If the the justification for a residual for writing it that it is a fundamental creative act then writers must bear some responsibility for creating crap. The assembly line worker is not responsible for a bad car, but the engineers and designers should be to some signifiacant degree.
That average salary number factors in all of the WGA members who do not actually work on the big shows (or any shows for that matter). This is typical WGA reality distortion. Writers were offered a residual increase that amounted to an average increase of $40k per year and turned it down.
I come from a long line of real union workers, and the WGA's imagined connection to that noble and long standing cause makes me ill. My grandfather worked most of his life away building cars in a hot Detroit factory. Most of the writers who stand to gain from this sit around mahogany conference tables shooting the shit and eating catered sushi.
Yes, some of them are very talented and worthy of much of what their union is asking for, but all you have to do is watch the crap that pours out of our flat screens to realize many of them are perhaps not so worthy. And its not like they are working on a chain gang for a bowl of rice a day.
This is a pathetic power grab by a union that has been losing its influence for years. The last strike gave birth to the wonders of reality tv. Thank the dear Lord for that! Yes, writing is very valuable, and writers deserve a fair deal, but should this come at the expense of all of us who are really getting screwed in this deal and who have nothing to gain?
Now more than ever the input of visual artists and other creatives in the business are intrinsic to the entertainment value of todays media but nobody is talking about giving them a damn residual. The writers are still earning residuals as the strike goes on, and probably writing stuff to sell when the strike ends....
. Tens to hundreds of thousands of creative, hard working, middle class people (like me) have been financially devastated by this action. Yes, the AMPTP may represent mega-conglomerate fat-cats, but they certainly don't have the corner on the market in the greed department.
To put things as plainly as possible, NO ONE'S BUYING IT, YOU DOUCHEBAGS. Quit wasting time with this crap and get back to the negotiating table already.
It's touching that the AMPTP is so concerned about the loss the writers are having to endure during this strike. The AMPTP should probably be more concerned with what the studios are losing as this strike drags on. If the studios decide to put on a bunch of recycled reality and game shows on in the fall you can look for these same studios to lose billions of dollars in lost advertising revenue.
The video stinks. You just set a clear example of the fact you are worth nothing without the writers. Instead you should go back and negotiate, that would make everyone happy.
Hey, assholes...while your counting, the WGA is still sitting at the table, waiting for you to come back and talk. This isn't winning anyone over. Come back to the table, AMPTP. The whole industry is waiting.
It turns out that next Sunday, Monday, and Tuesday, the hardworking heads of all Viacom, CBS, and Paramount Entertainment Divisions will be enjoying "award-winning accommodations," "world-renowned" spa treatments," "AAA Five Diamond" gourmet dining, and round after exhilarating round of "championship quality" golf during an executive retreat at The Boulders Resort and Golden Door Spa.
giantrobomonster 4 years ago
(Bill Maher, cont'd): I'll make an analogy because writers live by analogies and they are the lifeblood of a lot of good writing. When liberals, and most of the people who are in the union I'd imagine are liberals When liberals criticize the conduct of the Iraq war...the Bush administration tried to conflate that position with saying you don't support the troops, and that was a lie then and is a lie now.
fieldmarshalcinque 4 years ago
(Bill Maher, cont'd):And in the same way, if I question whether this is the right strike at the right time and I question the leadership...they've got a nerve asking we to be consistent with the way they've been. It's the same kind of deal. A lot of times, what happens is you have a situation where, these guys, these writers have been led into a situation where there is no exit strategy and they may not win this war. Sp we're not wrong to criticize it. This is still America
fieldmarshalcinque 4 years ago
You're speaking about things I don't know about here. You make it seem like AMPTP came to the negotiations seeking nothing but concessions from the WGA. The WGA made concessions and then AMPTP just kept demanding more concessions? I don't know what to say, because the negotiations are secret, but if what you say is true, AMPTP are greedy vipers who can't be trusted so why negotiate at all?
fieldmarshalcinque 4 years ago
"You make it seem like AMPTP came to the negotiations seeking nothing but concessions from the WGA."
Yup. Pretty much. And the negotiations aren't entirely "secret". Both sides posted press releases while negotiating. And oddly, the AMPTP would always have press releases ready to go mere minutes after storming out of the room, as if they knew they were going to walk out.
giantrobomonster 4 years ago
Even if they're greedy vipers, or "cuthroats and weasels" as Letterman says, negotiations must go on. If the WGA ended talks and walked out, they'd be total assholes. Luckily that task and title has been filled -- by the AMPTP.
giantrobomonster 4 years ago
And what happened with the WGA's complaint to the National Labor Relations Board that AMPTP weren't "negotiating in good faith"? Was this just a PR tactic or does the WGA have proof the AMPTP were screwing around? If so, what can the feds do? Is everyone going to just have to wait until the Directors Guild talks are over for the next move?
fieldmarshalcinque 4 years ago
I am so glad those suits get to relax and enjoy themselves while putting thousands of people out of work! Meanwhile, WGA members are holding fundraisers for people affected by the AMPTP's refusal to continue negotiations. Who's the asshole here?
giantrobomonster 4 years ago
Seems like the only provable fact here is that each side hates the other. I can't believe that the AMPTP are so stupid that they go out of thier way to insult and humiliate the WGA. You seem to be saying that the AMPTP provoked this strike and are trying to keep it going.
fieldmarshalcinque 4 years ago
"It's an open secret is that, for these guys (AMPTP members), no matter what happens -- even if they get fired for running their corporations into the ground -- they'll still get huge severance packages that make them rich, and in effect reward them for having completely and totally screwed up" --united hollywood
giantrobomonster 4 years ago
Warner Bros Chairman Barry Meyer has handpicked the AMPTP paid mouthpieces who have spread the AMPTP's insults and disinformation about the WGA leadership.
The other day, an AMPTP consultant tried to start a rumor that a WGA exec was connected to child pornography.
--deadlinehollywood daily
giantrobomonster 4 years ago
"AMPTP staffers, consultants and members (especially corporate publicity departments) are busily posting comments on WGA-friendly websites and blogs that Hollywood visits regularly and filling them with hate-filled rants against the WGA leadership, the A-list actors, and the companies who've made WGA side deals. The goal is to turn off readers and drive traffic away and in the process spread pro-AMPTP propaganda and make it look as if the strike is breaking apart."
giantrobomonster 4 years ago
A quote from Bill Maher (on HBO's "Real Time" - 1/11/08):
Especially in this age, where no matter what you say, corporations are taking over and strangling this country and strangling little men, we do need unions more than other But what I dot not love is the atmosphere that has taken grip on this town. An atmosphere of witch hunts and threats coming from the union, and I don't like that.
fieldmarshalcinque 4 years ago
The Guild leaders need to make a concession (forget about reality/animation for now) if they really want a deal on residuals.
But rather than do this, they'll continue to play the victim and pretend (to the public) that its all about residuals. Positions will harden as it drags on and on. Some AMPTP players (like Fox) are probably grateful for the strike (how much more dominant will "American Idol" be when all its scripted competition has been eliminated?)
fieldmarshalcinque 4 years ago
Further, the reality/animation issue was on the table BEFORE negotiations even began, so why did the ACould it be because they PLANNED to walk away for
giantrobomonster 4 years ago
Do you really think the public is going to want to watch nothing but American Idol or reality tv? Really? Think American Idol reruns are going to get big ratings? Or DVD box sets are going to sell through the roof? Will American Idol and its ilk spawn stores full of merchandise or feature films? Doubtful. It's like "Who Wants to Be a Millionare". Its time will pass.
giantrobomonster 4 years ago
The WGA knew that AMPTP would walk away unless they took the jurisdiction issues off the table. They can't blame the strike on the AMPTP after their "my way or the highway" posture. WGA leaders are more interested in expanding thier power than in working out a residuals deal. You give something to get something in a negotiation.
fieldmarshalcinque 4 years ago
"You give something to get something in a negotiation." Then what has the AMPTP given up? The WGA gave up an increase in DVD residuals to keep negotiations going. Yet you continue to place all the blame on the WGA when it is an irrefutable fact that it is the AMPTP that walked away and continues to refuse to come back to the table.
giantrobomonster 4 years ago
Oops, tech glitch. What I meant to say was:
Further, the reality/animation issue was on the table BEFORE negotiations even began, so why did the AMPTP raise it as a deal breaker at the 11th hour. Why not bring it up as a serious issue with DVD residuals? Maybe the AMPTP was looking for an excuse to break off negotiations?
giantrobomonster 4 years ago
"At the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas this week, NBC Universal's president of Integrated Media Beth Comstock said she expects her company to hit $1 billion in digital revenue by the end of this year." -- Variety, January 10, 2008
giantrobomonster 4 years ago
Well, since NBC is crowing about all the money coming in from digital, now would be the ideal time for the WGA to get back to the bargaining table so that everybody can be focused on working out a fair deal. Maybe this "new partnership" the AMPTP offered isn't fair. Then I'll support the WGA's efforts to punch up the numbers to a level the WGA accepts as fair.
fieldmarshalcinque 4 years ago
However, the WGA needs to stop denying that thier jurisdictional power grab over reality tv & animation has anything to do with the stalemate. Why doesn't the WGA do what it said was top prority and work on a new media deal? - even if they have to drop the jurisdiction thing for now. Animation and reality writers have the right to organize themselves, so why not let that happen instead of insisting they be incorporated into WGA straight away?
fieldmarshalcinque 4 years ago
As said before, the last time the WGA took something off the table (an increase in DVD residuals), it was because the AMPTP assured them that it was the only issue that was a roadblock to negotiations. The WGA complied, but the AMPTP then said "animation and reality TV has to go". It was an ultimatum. Why should the WGA trust the AMPTP if they keep coming up with these ultimatums? That's not negotiating, that's just being a dick.
giantrobomonster 4 years ago
Reality TV writers have had their jobs threatened if they make any attempt to unionize. They're treated like dogs and producers even refuse to admit they're writers.
giantrobomonster 4 years ago
I can't say that either surprises me or upsets me that people whose "writing" involves thinking up ways to cause fights between contestants may be (GASP!) extremely replaceable. The idea that the WGA, who claim to be "artists" of some sort, refuse to drop thier jurisidiction demands so they can come to the rescue of the oppressed and exploited scribes of "The 5th Wheel" is laughable.
fieldmarshalcinque 4 years ago
I'd like to see anyody come up with a convincing argument that the hang-up over expanding Guild jurisdiction which is putting thousands of people out of work is the result of WGA altruism.
fieldmarshalcinque 4 years ago
It's not "expanding Guild jurisdiction" that's putting thousands of people out of work, it's the AMPTP refusing to come back to the table to negotiate. As said in a recent article, this strike could be over in 3 days if the AMPTP would simply talk like a group of adults instead of hiding in their board rooms, mansions, and corporate retreats to luxury resorts.
giantrobomonster 4 years ago
Dude, the WGA has been waiting for the AMPTP to get back to the negotiating table for weeks! It's the AMPTP that walked out, NOT the WGA. The reason this strike is dragging on this long and people are losing jobs is because the moguls refuse to negotiate!
giantrobomonster 4 years ago
My WGA member friend (who was new to the biz) said that most WGA writers support themselves working regular day jobs, the actually-working-in-the-biz writers often have short career spans, and ambition to make the leap to A-list gigs and deals is endemic.
The number of people who really stand to benefit neaningfully from what the WGA is striking for is pretty small, overall.
fieldmarshalcinque 4 years ago
See the above video response for a rundown of the AMPTP's proposals. In addition, yes the AMPTP walked out after the WGA refused to take certain items off the table, which is why the AMPTP is the asshole here. During negotiations, you're supposed to NEGOTIATE, not storm out of the room whenever it's not going your way.
giantrobomonster 4 years ago
Well, perhaps if the WGA leaders would back-burner the reality/animation jurisdiction power grab, they could make more progress on fair residuals. The WGA certainly deserves fair compensation when thier work is disseminated on the "New Media". Why then won't the WGA just can the jurisdiction stuff for the time being and focus on what they keep saying is the "real" issue
fieldmarshalcinque 4 years ago
The definition of the "real issue" is the problem. Back in Nov, the AMPTP wouldn't negotiate until a proposed increase in DVD residuals was taken off the table so they could discuss "the real issues". The WGA complied, but the AMPTP came back and said "now take off animation and reality too, so we can get to to the real issues". So if the WGA complies again, what do you think would happen?
giantrobomonster 4 years ago
Well, you've convinced me that the writers are the true underdogs here. But I'm not shedding any tears for the hardships faced by high-profile TV scripters (the story about Marc Cherry almost missing his home mortgage payment because of low residuals didn't exactly move me)
I still think the WGA overplayed thier hand. One thing you'll learn in the TV or movie biz is that there are lots of people who'd be happy to have your job
fieldmarshalcinque 4 years ago
While this would help and be fair in terms of sharing ad revenue, it wouldn't help the basic residual problem, which is how much should a writer get for an episode shown online versus on the TV? If I choose to download a rerun from the net and watch it, should the writer's residual be any less than if I Tivo that same episode?
giantrobomonster 4 years ago
By the way, thanks for the discussion. It's great to debate with someone who can actually type a coherent sentence.
giantrobomonster 4 years ago
Yes, it's too bad we both can't sit in at the next (secret) AMPTP/WGA negotiation (whenever that might be) and inject some reasonableness into what seems to have become a grudge-match.
Sadly, I don't think the writers will prevail. The AMPTP has the money and they seem willing to starve out the writers.
But I wouldn't worry too much about the fate of Fred Armisen or the Ivy League-pedigreed mainsprings of network TV. Something tells me that they'll manage to land on thier feet.
fieldmarshalcinque 4 years ago
Other great videos made by striking writers who didn't need permission from suits: "Sorry, Internet" and "Roger A. Trevanti Explains The AMPTP's New Proposal". Look them up!
giantrobomonster 4 years ago
Look, the AMPTP are a group of business executives, so the non-entertainment value of this Powerpoint video is irrelevant
But it is important to get out the message that the WGA strike is NOT just corporate penny-pinching vs. honest scribes seeking only a fair shake from the moguls. The WGA has been dishonest in its PR announcements that the strike is ONLY about residuals. The WGA has an agenda its hiding from the public and this video exposes that fact.
fieldmarshalcinque 4 years ago
The entertainment value of the video isn't irrelevant. These execs are supposed to be ENTERTAINMENT execs who should understand the value of being entertaining to get a message across. Instead, the best they can come up with is a dull series of slides that can't even utilize sound, something that's been a part of film for decades. It just goes to show how dull and uncreative these suits are on their own. The pathetic amount of views of this video is proof of how it's NOT effective.
giantrobomonster 4 years ago
You're expecting that the businessmen who run the studios should themselves have creative talent and should make exciting PR videos? They are corporate executives, not filmmakers. It is no surprise that they are dull and uncreative on thier own. Please pay attention to the content of this video. Nick Counter is not Truffaut, but that doesn't mean we should just ignore the AMPTP's side of this dispute. This vid has details about the dispute that the WGA has been concealing.
fieldmarshalcinque 4 years ago
The entertainment business is a BUSINESS, and the bottom line is you or an advertizer paying for eyeball time on the fanstasy screen. Many TV and film productions are indeed "art", but that's actually pretty rare. Most of what the WGA cranks out is potboiler crap, and the AMPTP knows that the people who watch that will just as happily watch monster trucks or American Gladiators.
The WGA tends to overestimate thier genius and its irreplacability.
fieldmarshalcinque 4 years ago
For all the WGA's talk about conributing to pop culture and being part of the labor movement, there are plenty of people who make art simply for the love of doing it, and they do not get 6-figure salaries or have the sense of entitlement typical of WGA. There are people who work a lot harder than anybody in the WGA, and they get paid a lot less.
The general public doesn't care about this strike, but WGA's egomaniacs don't seem to realize this.
fieldmarshalcinque 4 years ago
Yes, I do expect them to have creative talent. It's a creative business. Do you realize how many of them have the word "creative" in their titles? All these "Creative Execs" who give notes, develop stories, and most importantly, claim to know how to spend BILLIONS of dollars producing entertainment. So yes, as a shareholder I do expect them to have some creative talent and instincts, yet here we are with their first attempt at a video, and it has less imagination than a piece of tofu.
giantrobomonster 4 years ago
Yeah, and as good corporate "creative" execs, they should've watched this video and said "ummm, it kind of sucks, can we do better?". Instead, they just throw it out there. No wonder so much TV and film sucks these days. The same guys who greenlight projects are the ones who made this video.
giantrobomonster 4 years ago
Well, the WGA does have those enchanting "Speechless" internet videos. Perhaps those impress you?
As for what you call "creative" execs - I used to work fora Madison Avenue ad firm and I can tell you that the word "creative" when applied in the world of TV or advertizing is just a joke. The so-called "Creative" department at BBDO were a bunch of self-infatuated idiots
Creativity thrives best when the stakes are low, not when millions are at stake.
fieldmarshalcinque 4 years ago
Honestly I can not see why its an issue that this video sucks, I won't argue with you on that point. Yes, technically, its crap. Just read what it says.
Back in the day, there were creative film geniuses (Brackage, Ken Anger, etc.) who did not need coporations to "green light" thier brilliant little films, made on a shoestring, with Super 8 or outdated film stock, relying only on originality and imagination. The WGA could use a little of that "DIY" spirit.
fieldmarshalcinque 4 years ago
Um yeah, the WGA's DIY spirit has pretty much proven itself since the strike started. There are a ton of videos made my striking writers online, and some are pretty damn hilarious, unlike the debated video here. My favorite has to be "Voices of Uncertainty". And guess what? No greenlight from a suit needed!
giantrobomonster 4 years ago
Your creative execs at BBDO sound just like the creative execs who make up the AMPTP! "Self-infatuated idiots".
giantrobomonster 4 years ago
Anyhow, the WGA strike will probably end after months and months. Lots of innocent people will lose work. The studios will be able to get out of all thier bad contracts, dump whoever they consider to be "dead weight" - and the writers will get screwed - the AMPTP has more money and leverage - but at least the WGA have the satisfaction of having stuck it to "the man"!
fieldmarshalcinque 4 years ago
Well when you put it that way, I guess people should never stand up for what they believe in if there's a chance that anyone might get hurt. Why are we forgetting the fact that the WGA has been waiting to negotiate for weeks, and it's the AMPTP that refuses to come back to the table? Yet you continue to blame the guild for all the jobs being lost? It's the studios and networks who are doing the firing and refusing to negotiate here.
giantrobomonster 4 years ago
Please enlighten me on this. My understanding is that the AMPTP offered WGA a deal they called "a new partnership" which would provide an extra $31,000 over 3 years for working writers making an average of $200,000 a year. The WGA rejected this, calling it a "rollback", and talks stopped after the WGA refused to take jurisdiction over reality TV and animation off the table. Am I wrong in believeing this?
fieldmarshalcinque 4 years ago
Yes you are wrong. Writers do NOT make an average of 200k a year. Further, the AMPTP was offering rollbacks on online residuals. For TV episodes shown online (which will be the standard way of watching TV within a decade) the AMPTP offered a whopping $250 dollars a year. UNLESS it was deemed "promotional", which meant the writer would get NOTHING. For feature films, it was ZERO dollars, period. ZERO. See the rollback?
giantrobomonster 4 years ago
Well, I know some WGA televsion writers and the only one who'd talk to me about what he was paid said he made "more than $100K/yr, but less than 200K/yr")but he was fairly new to the TV scripting business.
Writers don't get any percentage of advertizing revenue when thier work is shown "free" on TV, why should they get advertizing revenue when its shown "free" on the internet?
fieldmarshalcinque 4 years ago
No, writers DO get a residual when their work is shown for free on TV. That's the point. Every time a TV episode is re-run, the writer gets a residual, sometimes a few thousand bucks. However, if that same episode is shown for free with paid ads online, the AMPTP wants to pay a measly $250 dollars per YEAR, NOT per rerun. Even worse, if the network says "this episode is promotional, not a rerun" the residual is ZERO.
giantrobomonster 4 years ago
So basically, the AMPTP is saying "fine, if we show a rerun on the TV screen, you'll get your residual, but if we show it on a computer screen, we'll give you nothing". And I think we all know how computer screens and TV screens are merging, so which option do you think they'll choose to pay when that finally happens?
giantrobomonster 4 years ago
A writer's residual check from the TV broadcast of a scrpited show isn't the same thing as a percentage of ad revenue. Perhaps this is a math problem. When they figure out how many people are watching a particular episode of a TV show online, the writer can get a pro-rated residual based on the viewership/earnings of that webcast, based on the broadcast model. Would that be fair?
fieldmarshalcinque 4 years ago
While this would help and be fair in terms of sharing ad revenue, it wouldn't help the basic residual problem, which is how much should a writer get for an episode shown online versus on the TV? If I choose to download a rerun from the net and watch it, should the writer's residual be any less than if I Tivo that same episode?
giantrobomonster 4 years ago
Just to clarify this - I know that the "average" income of a WGA writer isn't 200K a year, but, as I wote previously, I personally know a TV writer who, on his first job at a WGA-staffed show, got a salary that was (from the hints he gave me) probably about 3/4 of that, so 200K/yr is by no means an atypical salary for a writer on a network show. That's a solid middle-class salary here in LA. An extra $250 or even triple that per year is not going to make or break this guy financially.
fieldmarshalcinque 4 years ago
Yeah, that's the thing. The AMPTP is unfairly trying to portray that writer you know as a greedy millionaire who makes more than doctors, pilots, and teachers while ignoring the fact that most of the studio execs of the AMPTP are pretty much BAJILLIONAIRES who somehow get golden parachute bonuses if they get fired. Oy.
giantrobomonster 4 years ago
Also, $250 a year won't necessarily make or break that writer, but when he's accustomed to getting a lot more in TV residuals (sometimes as much as $20k a year), suddenly getting only $250 a year for online residuals is a HUGE pay cut. TV and DVD residuals WILL dry up in the next decade, which is why there's such a battle over new media residuals. Both sides know that's how we'll be getting all of our entertainment and news.
giantrobomonster 4 years ago
But this unified TV/internet/DVD system that you say will kill traditional residuals hasn't happened yet, so how can you make a deal on revenue split from something that doesn't exist yet? Why can't the Guild and the AMPTP agree to wait until this future super-media platform exists before arguing over it?
The guy I spoke about said the WGA members who voted to authorize the strike stood to lose nothing because they don't make a living at screen writing anyuhow
fieldmarshalcinque 4 years ago
Well which is it? Was it the members who stood to lose nothing because they don't make a living writing, or the A-list members who just want more money? OR, was it the overwhelming majority of the guild who understands that their future is at stake? They might be making a living writing now, but they could be in the blink of an eye.
giantrobomonster 4 years ago
I watched thatlabor relations prof on Jon Stewart's show who said there was a "social justice" aspect to the WGA strike, in that writers should not be deprived the fruits of thier labor, as technology proliferates it and the AMPTP profits from it. That seems fair.
fieldmarshalcinque 4 years ago
However, I wish the WGA would recognize that most working people can't expect assured incomes (apart from state unemployment) when they are out of work or "between jobs". That's why I found the oft-repeated story about Marc Cherry having trouble with his house payments because his residual income wasn't enough for him to live on (in the style to which he had become accustomed) before he created "Desperate Housewives" so un-poignant. Boo-hoo-hoo, Marc.
fieldmarshalcinque 4 years ago
WGA writers have skills that are more fungible outside the entertainment biz than, say, the grips or computer graphics artists that thier strike is putting out of work. TWGA-ers can work in journalism, copy-editing and many other sorts of gigs people with thier skill-set can access. Freelancing jobs are easier to find for writers than, say, Foley-techs. I just wish they'd take that into consideration, before making demands for "solidarity" from other show-biz workers
fieldmarshalcinque 4 years ago
And I guess you can say I am holding the writers to a higher moral standard than the AMPTP, because the WGA has a proven fetish for invoking labor union history (as in Letterman's on-air "Eugene V. Debs" mention) If they show no concern for BTL-ers, and expect some kind of nonreciprocal "solidarity", that's hypocritical.
fieldmarshalcinque 4 years ago
I love that you created a screenname solely to post comments on this thread.
giantrobomonster 4 years ago
This video is about as exciting and entertaining as the type of crap the media congloms will put on the air without any writers. It reeks of a suit playing in powerpoint while cackling "I'll show those writers what a youtube video is!" I mean, c'mon MrBob, you couldn't even lay down some music before giving Nick Counter his daily spongebath in the tears of orphan children?
minordemon 4 years ago
Your logic is so interesting! Yes those magikal writers spin amazing computer graphics and make beautiful musics with their mighty pens!
You see! Words are shite without us plebeian below the line types to dress it up. Go watch Spongebob and give me my damn residual or I wont make things look exciting anymore! Ha!
Blorzaak 4 years ago
Bitter, party of one.
minordemon 4 years ago
Our literary and art workers...must gradually move their feet over to the side of the workers, peasants and soldiers, to the side of the proletariat...Only in this way can we have a literature and art that are truly for the workers, peasants and soldiers, a truly proletarian literature and art.
Mao Tze-tung - Selected Works, Vol. III, p. 84.*
fieldmarshalcinque 4 years ago
Damn you, "AMPTPsucks"! Blorzaak was just about to submit his secret invoice to Nick Counter for "guarding" the comments and now you're onto him! Yes, "AMPTsucks", repeat along with me: "Death to the Fascist Insect that Preys on the Life of the People!" Long live the peoples' revolutionary vanguard of the WGA!
fieldmarshalcinque 4 years ago
Blorzaak, how much is the AMPTP's PR firm paying you to guard the comments section, lol. What a joke.
AMPTPsucks 4 years ago
Ummm... don't know how to respond to such a retarded comment. I've made it pretty clear that I have been directly effected by this mess. I have called the AMPTP reps of 'mega-conglomerate fat-cats'. I think they really suck too. The only checks I am getting are from unemployment.
Blorzaak 4 years ago
I say they put the WGA leaders and the AMPTP guys in a cage with some sledgehammers and run the whole thing on live TV instead of American Gladiators to see who wins. It would be over a lot faster and would be a whole lot more entertaining.
Blorzaak 4 years ago
Blorzaak, you're rant makes no sense. You claim to be a union man but blaming writers for the quality of TV is like blaming your grandfather for shitty, gas guzzling Detroit cars. The mega corporations largely set the agenda. Average writer salary is $62,000. But you seem to think we should let the very few media giants not pay even a modest fee for making money off the writers work on the internet.
Barst25 4 years ago
If the the justification for a residual for writing it that it is a fundamental creative act then writers must bear some responsibility for creating crap. The assembly line worker is not responsible for a bad car, but the engineers and designers should be to some signifiacant degree.
Blorzaak 4 years ago
That average salary number factors in all of the WGA members who do not actually work on the big shows (or any shows for that matter). This is typical WGA reality distortion. Writers were offered a residual increase that amounted to an average increase of $40k per year and turned it down.
Blorzaak 4 years ago
I come from a long line of real union workers, and the WGA's imagined connection to that noble and long standing cause makes me ill. My grandfather worked most of his life away building cars in a hot Detroit factory. Most of the writers who stand to gain from this sit around mahogany conference tables shooting the shit and eating catered sushi.
Blorzaak 4 years ago
Yes, some of them are very talented and worthy of much of what their union is asking for, but all you have to do is watch the crap that pours out of our flat screens to realize many of them are perhaps not so worthy. And its not like they are working on a chain gang for a bowl of rice a day.
Blorzaak 4 years ago
This is a pathetic power grab by a union that has been losing its influence for years. The last strike gave birth to the wonders of reality tv. Thank the dear Lord for that! Yes, writing is very valuable, and writers deserve a fair deal, but should this come at the expense of all of us who are really getting screwed in this deal and who have nothing to gain?
Blorzaak 4 years ago
Now more than ever the input of visual artists and other creatives in the business are intrinsic to the entertainment value of todays media but nobody is talking about giving them a damn residual. The writers are still earning residuals as the strike goes on, and probably writing stuff to sell when the strike ends....
Blorzaak 4 years ago
. Tens to hundreds of thousands of creative, hard working, middle class people (like me) have been financially devastated by this action. Yes, the AMPTP may represent mega-conglomerate fat-cats, but they certainly don't have the corner on the market in the greed department.
Blorzaak 4 years ago
A few hundred writers are the only ones who stand to gain much of anything from this strike, and they earn hundreds of thousands to millions a year.
Blorzaak 4 years ago
Wow, a Powerpoint presentation. Truly, the AMPTP are the masters of this new medium.
Tookie8ird 4 years ago
To put things as plainly as possible, NO ONE'S BUYING IT, YOU DOUCHEBAGS. Quit wasting time with this crap and get back to the negotiating table already.
WandererFromYs 4 years ago
It's touching that the AMPTP is so concerned about the loss the writers are having to endure during this strike. The AMPTP should probably be more concerned with what the studios are losing as this strike drags on. If the studios decide to put on a bunch of recycled reality and game shows on in the fall you can look for these same studios to lose billions of dollars in lost advertising revenue.
hwdstrn 4 years ago
Pigs. I hope the strike rips their damn monopoly to crap.
TheBlueiPod 4 years ago
It takes a whole lot to create the most boring video on YouTube... wow. There is no better way to show how much these guys need the writers.
BarryGinDC 4 years ago 2
AMPTP. Greed personified.
MemeSlider 4 years ago 2
The AMPTP hasn't negotiated seriously since the beginning. They forced this strike. And their PR attempts are lame-brained and laughable.
Strbar 4 years ago
The video stinks. You just set a clear example of the fact you are worth nothing without the writers. Instead you should go back and negotiate, that would make everyone happy.
Ghostboy1234 4 years ago
Is that the best propaganda the AMPTP's $100K a month crisis PR firm can produce? Yikes. Hey, maybe someday they'll even learn about sound.
AMPTPsucks 4 years ago
You are such bores without writers. Give them what they want so we can all go back to being entertained, you money-grubbing hacks.
AZWolfster 4 years ago
Hey, assholes...while your counting, the WGA is still sitting at the table, waiting for you to come back and talk. This isn't winning anyone over. Come back to the table, AMPTP. The whole industry is waiting.
rodneyvaccaro 4 years ago
Looks like the AMPTP's new PR firm finally learned how to upload a video. But seriously... would anybody actually fall for their misguided message?
lbalba 4 years ago 2