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Even sick, I felt compelled to follow up on tips about the negotiations. A “very productive day,” I’m told, so good that one of my sources now says he’s “very optimistic” about a settlement soon. No, this isn’t a hoax, or Lucy pulling away the football, or any other conspiracy theory. Truly, progress is being made by the WGA leadership with the CEOs. Starting to sound like there’s an end to this strike and a real Academy Awards is possible. Talks continue tomorrow. (And in answer to your emails, yes, I also think that site spoofing DHD is very funny. I totally agree that it’s been ridiculous how much I’ve been ill lately. Thanks for all the get-well wishes.)
Editor-in-Chief Nikki Finke - tip her here.
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Silver Fox, be positive. Why do you think they are not getting a decent agreement? It’s about compromise for the millionth time. It’s only for three years. Nothing drastic will happen for probably 7.
Hey Nikke, what do you make of Variety’s reports of frustration and discouragement within the mogul ranks, re the lack of progress in their talks with the WGA? Are they just shilling, as usual, or is/was there something to it?
Did Matt Damon cross the picket line by performing in that skit with Sarah silverman on Jimmy Kimmel?
I think so.
I don’t mind being out of work for over 3 months. The only thing I care about is the Academy Awards.
Sheeesh!
Nikki, I know anonymous sourcing is what you do, and I’m okay with that. But why not at least indicate which side of the negotiations your anonymous source is from. Was it a WGA or AMPTP negotiatior who thought it was a “very productive day?” Knowing that sort of thing would really help your readers and it’s what most newspapers do when they have to quote an anonymous source.
I think i caught the optimism bug, thanks alot Nikki!
*sneezes*
Feel better soon, Nikki!
And yes, while it does seem like talks are progressing, I urge WGA members not to get too excited. The AMPTP knows that raised hopes makes it easier for them to now lowball the WGA and threaten another walkout from negotiations that will completely discourage the WGA membership.
Think about it… They talk for a week or two, hopes are soaring, then they offer their lowball offer. The WGA leaders refuse it as its terrible for their membership. The AMPTP walks out and writers are left saying, “What’s wrong with our leadership?” When in truth they are defending writers and not falling for an obvious but incredibly effective bargaining ploy.
Well I’m optimistic. Get Well Soon Nikki.
I would like to be holding the bag if it is a bag full of money and maybe also some candy. But I would not give Nikki any of the candy, because she has diabetes. Maybe some of the money, though. Please get healthy, ma’am.
“Holding the bag…” What about the below the line folks, myself included, who are holding the bag, out of work and when its all done, we won’t be getting anything but our scale rates again? My patience is wearing very thin. You don’t always get what you want, make your deal and lets all get back to work.
I hope your sources are right and mine are wrong, Nikki. The person I spoke to said that very little progress has been made on Internet/download/streaming issues and that even though the meetings have been polite and civilized, everyone’s patience is wearing thin.
Let’s pray good news prevails.
Feel better Nikki but please don’t play into the raised-expectations game.
The New York Times website is reporting that the last major substantive hurdles were cleared today and that a deal could be in the offing.
Actor here and just want to say to all you writers reading this, stay strong and get the right deal. Remember, the “it’s only three years” mantra is beyond goddamn dangerous, as it is going to be VERY difficult to rally membership a second time to stomach a strike. The unity you have now will be tough to come by in three years.
As a postscript, got a friend who works for Viacom buying up companies around the globe. The majority of what he has been doing the past three years is buying up internet portals. Doesn’t take a genius…
Why are you idiots already badmouthing an imaginary deal you know nothing about and talking about voting it down? For months we’ve listened to you talk about how brilliant and infallible your negotiators are, and when they bring you a deal and tell you it’s the best you’re going to get…you’ll vote it down? Can you possibly be that dumb?
Seriously guys, the Oscars are the last bit of leverage the WGA holds right now. Now is the best time to get this deal settled, otherwise it will be many more months. Does anyone really think the out of work writers can last longer than the studios if this gets into a (more) protraced pissing contest?
All these side deals are making it easier for the studios to continue doing business. Television as a business is being irreparably changed (perhaps for the better) but so far while the ratings overall are down they aren’t tanking and some of the new reality shows are doing very well. One could argue that the decreased ratings are just part of the continuing trend of viewer erosion from tv, although I’m sure the lack of favorite shows is helping to accelerate this.
My point is, while the militant attitude plays well to the hard core base, its not productive and will further the suffering of all affected industries. Sign a good deal, but don’t hold out for the perfect deal. Realize that you won’t get everything, the studios won’t get everything, but when people are back to work there will be good money to be made by all.
If the AMPTP does not make this deal now every ounce of leverage will be with the writers and actors. They know that. The longer the studios wait the worse deal they will get. The wga and sag will not cave at this point. But, let’s see the numbers and hear what our leadership has to say. I trust them.
Ed
There will be a deal this coming week however nobody is going to be happy with it. The last three months have been a total waste of time and energy and the money lost will never be recovered, not by the writers or by the moguls or by the poor suffering BTL’ers who have been the real victims here.
Many of them won’t be able to recover financially from this three month forced hiatus. Three years from now the real strike will have to be waged and it will have to go for at least six months to get any real profits.
By 2011 the internet revenue model will be enormous and impossible to deny or to minimize. If the Guild wants to be smart they should insist on just a two year contract now. And the next strike must be timed with SAG so both groups go out simultaneously.
Verrone made a huge strategic blunder by striking in November. He was and is a moron when it comes to effective tactics. Had he simply gone for a temporary extension until July 1st he would have set the stage for one of the most substantial victories ever seen.
Instead he shot his wad 10 months too soon. Talk about premature ejaculation. Same goes for Young all he wanted and got was some silly stupid headlines about being a rock star and wreaking havoc. The two of them should be exiled and banished from Guild leadership positions forever.
The writers have to elect real working writers showrunners who know what’s happening and won’t backstab their members the way John Wells did.
“Real Working Writers”, anonymous, 3:36pm? Have you checked out Pat Verrone’s or John Bowman’s resume? (I’m not sure if that John Wells guy has done very much, though.)
‘mon,,,let the guys in the room get it done. If a deal doesn’t come out soon, bitch about it then. If a deal does and it sucks, bitch about it then. As much as I need this strike to end, I also need to stop reading the miserable bastards who only live to find problems and not solutions to what is going on here.
WGA Writer is clearly an AMPTP shill masquerading as a WGA shill.
Someone pass the smelling salts! I’m going cross-eyed here.
According to the TV, the deal may be signed tomorrow. I wonder where all those fire-breathing writers who consider the studios and everyone who works in them to be the devils incarnate are going to do when the deal is signed?
Hop back into the Mercedes and go back to work?
But wherever will their bile be directed at then? Hmmm. Or maybe those calling themselves WGA members aren’t WGA members (or even writers) at all and are just shit-stirring trolls who belong on Zoetrope.
#
Holding the bag in what way? As a “below the line” worker who has not a a paycheck in months, I have to ask: “what exactly are the writers looking for?” Why is it after all this time there is no agreement? The so called BTL workers have taken concession after concession to keep work in LA, to ensure their members keep working. There are no residuals for us. If we don’t work. we don’t get paid. Period, full stop, end of sentence. If you want to work in a medium that values “talent and passion” write a play. If you can’t make a living as a writer, get a day job, and let the rest of us get back to work.
Comment by Polly Lucke — February 1, 2008 @ 6:50 pm
And what “WORK” WOULD THAT BE Polly? Whatever show/film you’re working on it all started with a script !
All director’s, actors and creative technicians (a.k.a. below-the-line ) have their jobs BECAUSE of writers. They wrote is, sold it, and got the deal that puts all of us to work. All this devastation now just goes to show HOW VERY MUCH they are needed.
And I say this as an actress/crew member who will lose her apt. in March.
Peggy Lane O’Rourke
As someone who recently had the bronchial flu, missed three days of work because of it, and is still coughing a week later, I can empathize with you. Feel better, Nikki. Thanks for posting even though you’re not feeling too well.
Of course it starts with a script…but it ends with an editor, and in between usually around 100 people that transform it from a piece of paper with words into a piece of art that the public will pay for to watch. The arrogance shown by some of the “writers” posting during the strike is astounding. They need us as much as we need them, and all of us need the studios to put up the money and pay our bills while we hope our product captures the imagination of middle america.
From what I’ve heard, if the WGA were to take a bad deal, SAG would be pressured to take it as well, leading to another strike in June. Does anyone know whether or not that’s the case? Because if it’s true, the WGA should hold out to get a contract SAG would also find to be acceptable. Otherwise, in a few months everyone will be out of work again.
And as much a I feel for Below the Liners, some of the posters on here blaming the writers, rather than the studios for this mess, are misguided. It’s like someone finally getting a separation from an abusive spouse to encourage them to get some help for their problem and to ultimately improve the marriage, only to have family members blame the person leaving, as though they should just stay and take it to keep everything together.
Yes, the writers went on strike, but at the time, the studios were offering ZERO for streaming video on the internet. They were also claiming the internet made no money. This went beyond negotiating tactics. They were not bargaining in good faith. Now that the strike has disrupted them, they finally admit there’s money to be made and offered the DGA at least something for the internet rather than nothing.
Really, these BTL’s being angry at the writers is like they are saying, don’t worry about your situation, ours is more important. And then they have the nerve to say the writers are the ones being selfish.