Hollywood braces for another strike

Thursday George Clooney asked the representatives of the actors unions to put aside their differences that might lead to a strike.

"Rather than pitting artists against artists, maybe we could find a way to get what both unions are looking for," Clooney said in a statement last week. "The one thing you can be sure of is that stories about Jack Nicholson versus Tom Hanks only strengthen the negotiating power of" the Alliance of Motion Picture & Television Producers.

Several days later and Hollywood stands on the precipice of another devastating strike, a possibility that inspired ads in the trade magazines begging that the industry learn from past mistakes. 

The ads cited figures from the Milken Institute showing that the 100-day writers strike that ended in February had put more than 37,000 people out of work and resulted in $2.3 billion in lost wages.

The Screen Actors Guild appeared ready to keep negotiating, saying Sunday that it had not called for a strike authorization vote by members.

The exchange came as Hollywood waited nervously to see whether the dispute would halt TV and film production.

Last week, SAG accused the studios of offering a contract worth less than one already approved by leaders of the smaller American Federation of Television and Radio Artists.

SAG made the claim amid demands in Hollywood that it accept the same deal. SAG did not provide details on the differences between the offers.

Actors had mixed views of the talks, but most said a deal was preferable to a walkout.

So what is your take? Who are the villains? How do you think this could have been prevented? Also, why wasn't George Clooney more influential  in his plea?

-- Tony Pierce

photo credit: Bob Marshak / Warner Bros.

Comments

[Richard]

The real villian in this ordeal is AFTRA. In 2004 AFTRA, then in deep debt decided to agresively organize SAG's jurisdiction. AFTRA's jurisdiction has always been TV shot in a "Live Manner". You could alway tell when you were working on an AFTRA show rather than a SAG show. Because you would here the stage manager recite the "count down to air" and you were alway on a sitcom. On a SAG TV show the scenes were always "slated" on a clapper. SAG shows are often shot out of sequence and edited later, therefore the scenes had to be marked. Now there is no difference between a AFTRA and a SAG show.

In 2004 AFTRA came up with a new talking point, which was: "digital changes everything". This meant, as long as a digital cameras was used, AFTRA would claim "shared" jurisdiction. AFTRA also started undercutting actors terms and rates in order to increase jurisdiction at the expense of SAG actors. AFTRA in a few short years has achieve the majority of the scripted basic cable shows. SAG used to have 85%. AFTRA did this by giving away actors residual, by use of what is called "exhibition windows". There is not one AFTRA basic cable series, that does not have exhibition windows. On AFTRA basic cable series, actors no longer receive residuals.

The bottom line is that jurisdiction was decided back in the early 1950's. The N.L.R.B. certified SAG and de-certified AFTRA in any scripted television, that was not shot in a "live manner". The actual case was:Television Film Producers Association, 93 N.L.R.B. 929, 930 (I95I). The N.L.R.B. determined that there was no difference between how a "'theatrical' motion picture" and a "'television' motion picture" was made. There is NO difference in front of the camera and behind the camera, Motion Pictures are SAG's jurisdiction. Whereas, the making of a live TV program with short skits and sketches was very different. The N.L.R.B. found that the medium was not the issue. It is the "type" of program that is the issue.

AFTRA has been raiding SAG's jurisdiction. Its that simple. AFTRA has NO right to be organizing this type of television show and setting the pattern for actors. SAG make 4 billion on the contract currently under negotiation. AFTRA make 40 million on its scripted prime time contract.

[Dan]

Who cares if these overpaid millionaires go on strike. If they strike we may again learn the art of people talking to one another rather than watching TV. Maybe these spoiled actors can use the time off to illuminate us all with their keen political insights.

[Jason]

The country would benefit from a work stoppage. Maybe then kids will go out and play and instead of sit inside eating doritos, drinking mountain dew, and watching filth on the idiot box.

[Larry]

Wow, Richard -- your post tells the story that the L.A. Times should have reported -- in search for member-contracts, AFTRA seems willing to sell out the Actors residuals where SAG is willing to fight.

Unfortunately though, if the issue for this Strike once-again is for residuals from the Internet -- I do not think a strike is worth it -- because in reality for the next 3 years, there is not going to be much money payable from Internet downloads or streams to justify the amount of money and jobs Los Angeles will lose with another strike.

But in 3-5years, when the Internet will be delivering massive on-demand TV with ad-supported revenues, that will be the time to fight for the Actors' and Writer's residuals. When there is real money to justifiably fight for.

Just don't set a precedent in your negotiations today that will hurt you tomorrow. But what AFTRA is doing is bad for Actors -- it sets the bar too low and forces SAG to protect its members from being de-valued by their own Union! How predatory!

[Chris]

The fact that studios and producers balk at compensating talent for appearing in new forms of media is no surprise. Unions and guilds exist in the entertainment business for a very good reason. Producers have been ripping off talent since the beginning of show business.

What's truly criminal are the big stars with their own production companies and the ability to negotiate obscene salaries pretending to be 'the voice of reason and compromise,' daring to speak on behalf of rank and file actors who make below six figures annually. When these stars were starving actors they took from the union all that they could get, but now that they've hit the big time this 'annoying' strike is holding up projects they are producing and they can't pay the mortgage on their yacht, third vacation home, private jet, etc. Hypocrites.