Status: Currently writing on The Price of Freedom--Chapter 188.
Doing: Writing this blog; surfing the net; answering e-mails; working out.
Watching: Football!
Listening to: Nothing at the moment.
Reading: Kushiel's Scion by Jacqueline Carey
TOPIC: WRITERS AFFECTED BY STRIKE
Even if it has to drag on, the WGA cannot capitulate to the industry--and expect to come out better in the long run! I know it hurts to be out of work! I should know: I haven't had a job since 2002. (And living on $520 a month on disability really does suck, but what more can I do?)
But you cannot give in! Suck it up and fight for what you believe in!
Idled Hollywood workers urge more talks (Part 2)
LOS ANGELES - The Hollywood strike is rewriting the holidays for idled workers.
With her income pinched, script supervisor Petra Jorgensen canceled an annual trip to Europe to see relatives. Set decorator Laura Richarz is bypassing pricey malls and fashioning gifts at home — framing photos, sewing a shirt for her niece.
With the holidays under way and the strike entering a sixth week, "It's going to be bleak for a lot of families," said Jorgensen, who's living off her savings.
The two were among hundreds of out-of-work employees and their supporters who marched down Hollywood Boulevard Sunday to call for a resumption of talks to settle the strike, which has sidelined many prime-time and late-night TV shows. Negotiations collapsed Friday between the Writers Guild of America and the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers, with the sides pointing fingers at each other.
The march Sunday was intended to draw attention to the financial plight of workaday Hollywood — those employees whose jobs depend on ongoing productions, from caterers to set builders to hair stylists. With shows silenced, they too are struggling.
Marchers expressed growing frustration with the on-again, off-again talks, and fingers were pointed at producers and union writers. A central issue has been compensation for new-media distribution of work by guild members.
Pam Elyea, whose Los Angeles company, History for Hire, provides props for TV and movies,
was forced to lay off six employees as expected work evaporated. If the walkout continues, she said, more could follow.
"I'm disappointed in both sides," Elyea said.
The writers guild represents 12,000 members, but not all are on strike. About 2,000 news writers and others are covered under a separate contract.
Studios believe they can hold out for months — a stalemate that could impact the regional economy along with the entertainment industry. Hollywood contributes an estimated $30 billion annually to the Los Angeles County economy.
Diana Valentine, a script supervisor for the FX drama "Nip/Tuck," said she has been off the job since Nov. 21 and her husband is an out-of-work actor. She said both sides need to be talking.
"You cannot come up with a deal if people are walking away from the table," she said. Without a paycheck soon, "I'm going to have to start renting out parts of my house."
Showing posts with label week 5. Show all posts
Showing posts with label week 5. Show all posts
Sunday, December 9, 2007
SUNDAY'S COLD!
Status: Currently writing on The Price of Freedom--Chapter 188.
Doing: Writing this blog; surfing the net; answering e-mails; working out.
Watching: Football!
Listening to: Nothing at the moment.
Reading: Kushiel's Scion by Jacqueline Carey
TOPIC: TALKS COLLAPSE
Idled Hollywood workers urge end to writers' strike
LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - Hundreds of film and television production workers, joined by florists, caterers and dry cleaners, marched through Hollywood on Sunday to urge both sides in the screenwriters strike to settle the 5-week-old stoppage that is crippling businesses linked to the industry.
The "Strike a Deal" march brought together about 500 people who are not on strike themselves but who have been laid off or are losing business because of the strike by about 10,500 members of the Writers Guild Of America (WGA).
"We're not here today to take the side of either party, but rather to make ourselves seen and make ourselves heard and call for both sides to return to the table immediately," said one of the organizers, Christopher Griffin, a line producer for the "Nip/Tuck" TV series.
Dozens of workers from shows where production has stopped including "Ugly Betty," "Desperate Housewives" and "The Office" were joined by representatives from floral, catering and cleaning small businesses that work closely with studios.
The rally and march was intended to "put a face on the thousands of us adversely affected by the current strike" and "to show a united front in calling for responsible and serious negotiations," the organizers said on their blog site.
Studio bosses and the WGA broke off contract talks again on Friday after four days of negotiations ended in acrimony, dashing hopes of a quick settlement of the worst Hollywood labor crisis in two decades.
The writers went on strike on November 5 in a dispute that hinges on how much they should be paid for work used on the Internet. It has halted production on dozens of TV shows as well as several movies and idled thousands of non-writing film and TV workers.
"They are negotiating the what-ifs while we're not even getting work, and while they're on strike the reruns are on and they're getting residuals," said Elizabeth Tompkins, a production controller for the summer 2008 movie "Get Smart."
Griffin called on both sides to try harder to reach an agreement. "Lock yourselves in a room, throw away the key. Stay there until a settlement is reached. All of our lives and our livelihoods hang in the balance," he said.
Doing: Writing this blog; surfing the net; answering e-mails; working out.
Watching: Football!
Listening to: Nothing at the moment.
Reading: Kushiel's Scion by Jacqueline Carey
TOPIC: TALKS COLLAPSE
Idled Hollywood workers urge end to writers' strike
LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - Hundreds of film and television production workers, joined by florists, caterers and dry cleaners, marched through Hollywood on Sunday to urge both sides in the screenwriters strike to settle the 5-week-old stoppage that is crippling businesses linked to the industry.
The "Strike a Deal" march brought together about 500 people who are not on strike themselves but who have been laid off or are losing business because of the strike by about 10,500 members of the Writers Guild Of America (WGA).
"We're not here today to take the side of either party, but rather to make ourselves seen and make ourselves heard and call for both sides to return to the table immediately," said one of the organizers, Christopher Griffin, a line producer for the "Nip/Tuck" TV series.
Dozens of workers from shows where production has stopped including "Ugly Betty," "Desperate Housewives" and "The Office" were joined by representatives from floral, catering and cleaning small businesses that work closely with studios.
The rally and march was intended to "put a face on the thousands of us adversely affected by the current strike" and "to show a united front in calling for responsible and serious negotiations," the organizers said on their blog site.
Studio bosses and the WGA broke off contract talks again on Friday after four days of negotiations ended in acrimony, dashing hopes of a quick settlement of the worst Hollywood labor crisis in two decades.
The writers went on strike on November 5 in a dispute that hinges on how much they should be paid for work used on the Internet. It has halted production on dozens of TV shows as well as several movies and idled thousands of non-writing film and TV workers.
"They are negotiating the what-ifs while we're not even getting work, and while they're on strike the reruns are on and they're getting residuals," said Elizabeth Tompkins, a production controller for the summer 2008 movie "Get Smart."
Griffin called on both sides to try harder to reach an agreement. "Lock yourselves in a room, throw away the key. Stay there until a settlement is reached. All of our lives and our livelihoods hang in the balance," he said.
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