[Air-L] WGA strike

[Heidelberg, Chris]

Stephanie:

The Internet cinema has already become a reality. Have you checked out
the Morgan Freeman and Intel partnership (Clickstar) where you can view,
buy or rent first run films that premier on the web first with
mainstream actors. Freeman and some A list actors and directors even
have their own "channels." In fact, Amazon was actually working with
independent producer/writer types to place first run content on Amazon.
You have to remember that the future is all about independence for the
writer/actor/director/independent producer outside of the networks and
studios who have yet to grab the real power of the web. My research has
already seen this connection because I actually interviewed several
people in the business on the record for the study throughout the
country (and Hollywood of course and some see the Apple v. NBC and
Google v. Viacom and Microsoft v. Google fights turning into a better
deal for writers, independent producers and creative types). The HD
mandate next February will speed up this trend of home viewing on big
screens of first run features. The potential of white space technology
that enables one to view the Internet on blank broadcast channels is
close to becoming reality. If the WGA is smart (and I have a few friends
in LA who belong to WGA) they will cut some content deals directly with
Apple, Google, Amazon and even Microsoft. These folks need more content
that is free from the control of the studios and networks for their
digital platforms. The writers can then deal with the studios and the
networks from a position of strength because the future of TV will
involve the web to a large degree and the demographics are on the side
of the writers and the technology firms. 

-----Original Message-----
From: air-l-bounces at listserv.aoir.org
[mailto:air-l-bounces at listserv.aoir.org] On Behalf Of Tuszynski,
Stephanie
Sent: Friday, January 04, 2008 5:33 PM
To: air-l at listserv.aoir.org
Subject: Re: [Air-L] WGA strike

Michael -

I'm not following your connection between people who write for the web
and the WGA. The WGA only represents film and tv writers. You can't
become a Guild member until you meet certain thresholds of working in
the film and tv industry. People who write "for the web" in general
would never be part of the WGA. It's only for screenwriters who work on
scripts and teleplays. 

And for years the studios have assumed that they can get unknowns in to
fill the place of the more experience writers if they have to, but I
think that's bunk. That's where all those "story editors" on reality
shows come from. But again, the talent pool is limited (screenwriting is
the single hardest branch of creative writing to do well) and it's going
to run dry. (This is why the Guild has been fighting for years to get
the reality show writers under their umbrella.) 


Stephanie Tuszynski
Visiting Assistant Professor
Department of Theatre and Film
University of Toledo


Message: 2
Date: Fri, 4 Jan 2008 09:07:19 +1100
From: "Michael Baron" <webbaron at gmail.com>
Subject: Re: [Air-L] WGA strike
To: air-l at listserv.aoir.org
Cc: aoir list <air-l at aoir.org>
Message-ID:
	<c78ecacf0801031407s5d85b7c7x5fdf48dc7c750a7d at mail.gmail.com>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1

While, I do agree with Barry on the entitlements issue and find the
strike to be fully justifiable, to be honest i doubt it is going to be
successful.
There are currently many Web writers who do not happen to be memebers of
the Writers Guild. Chances are they will be prepared to work for little
money just to "put their foot in" and get published. Unfortunately, the
perception of the Web writing as non-commercial still appears to be very
strong in the writers' community. Hopefully, this will turn around one
day (and the strike may make this day come sooner rather than later).

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