Staking in film- en televisieland #2

quote:

To Our Fellow Members:

Yesterday, the WGAW and WGAE presented to the AMPTP a response to its proposal on streaming television programs.

We accepted the framework in their proposal of last Thursday for a fixed residual in the first year.

But rather than basing the residual for the entire first year on a small percentage of the applicable minimum, we proposed that the fixed residual be paid on a higher percentage of applicable minimum for each 100,000 streams per quarter.

This is a readily ascertainable number. In fact, the companies are already keeping records of streams for their advertisers. Both the advertisers and the companies are already using these numbers as the basis for their business model.

We believe these formulas will protect the writer even if all television reuse migrates to new media. This is our real goal – we simply want to make sure that writers keep up if reuse moves to the Internet. If new media reuse turns out to be additive, both partners will benefit.

After the first year, following the companies’ proposal, reuse is paid on a percentage formula. We held to our proposal that the appropriate rate for that payment is 2.5% of distributor’s gross and the same rate should also apply to streaming of theatrical motion pictures.

Finally, we modified our position to move closer to the companies on determining fair market value and ensuring our ability to obtain documents to enforce these revenue-based residual formulas.

Our fixed residual proposal is based on thorough analysis. To reach our formula, we looked at the value to writers under existing fixed television residuals and blended those residuals to the scale of new media. Our proposal protects the interests of both parties.

We look forward to the AMPTP’s response as we continue to pursue a discussion of all the issues important to writers.

We also recommend an article from today's Wall Street Journal entitled, "Cracks in Producers' United Front" found here. Thank you for your continuing involvement and resolve as this process moves forward. We are all in this together.

Best,

Patric M. Verrone
President, WGAW

Michael Winship
President, WGAE

quote:

Op donderdag 6 december 2007 12:27 schreef Breuls het volgende:
Ja ze zijn nog dagelijks aan het picketen.

quote:

Op donderdag 6 december 2007 12:28 schreef Zhenar het volgende:

[..]

Volhardend

quote:

Op donderdag 6 december 2007 12:35 schreef -Bubseltje- het volgende:

[..]

Is verplicht toch??

quote:

negotiations have moved toward a better place. This might be just a brief respite before Negotiations Armageddon, but for the moment there is dialogue; and dialogue is essential for these difficult new media issues.

quote:

Folks, we may finally be getting somewhere. The WGA at the conclusion of Wednesday's talks said in a statement, "For the last two days we have had substantive discussions of the issues important to writers, the first time this has occurred in this negotiation." The topics on which progress was made include union jurisdiction over the Internet and reality TV, but the issue of compensation for online streaming still appears to be a major hurdle.

"We remain committed to making a fair and reasonable deal," says the AMPTP in its own statement. "We believe that there is common ground to be found between the two sides that will put all of us in the entertainment industry in a better position to survive and prosper in what is a rapidly changing modern, global marketplace."

Source: TVGuide.com

quote:

Talks Day #7: AMPTP "Stalling Tactics"; Are The Moguls About To Quit The Talks?

EXCLUSIVE: I wish I had better news about the AMPTP-WGA contract negotiations, but I don't. To sum up, they suck. [...] Peter Chernin is privately telling Hollywood that the producers plan to quit the talks any day now. [...] These quiet remarks by the Fox/News Corp No. 2 are the complete opposite of what the AMPTP is telling the WGA around the bargaining table.
[...]
I predict the AMPTP won't return to negotiations with the writers until February at the earliest.

quote:

Op vrijdag 7 december 2007 16:08 schreef Richardfun het volgende:
Het is toch moeilijk om geen hekel te krijgen aan grote corporaties en kapitalisme in general...

quote:

Op vrijdag 7 december 2007 16:46 schreef Zhenar het volgende:

[..]

Het gaat de beide partijen om geld, waarom zouden alleen de bedrijven de schuld moeten krijgen?

quote:

Op vrijdag 7 december 2007 17:35 schreef Richardfun het volgende:

[..]

Nou, ik weet niet of je een beetje op de hoogte bent

quote:

Op vrijdag 7 december 2007 17:57 schreef Zhenar het volgende:

[..]

Dat is het nu juist: dat ben ik niet, net zomin als een ieder die er niet direct bij betrokken is. En dan kunnen we allemaal wel aannemen dat die eisen "vrij bescheiden" zijn en dat er bepaalde "beloftes" gedaan zijn, maar heeft iemand de conctracten gezien? Of intentieverklaringen ofzo? Ik geloof echt wel dat de schrijvers zich daadwerkelijk berooid voelen, maar ik vertrouw niet op berichtgeving van hun kant; die is te gekleurd (wat ook geldt voor berichtgeving van de andere kant).

Wat mij betreft geldt nog altijd: waar twee hanen kempen, hebben er twee schuld.

quote:

Op vrijdag 7 december 2007 18:47 schreef Richardfun het volgende:

[..]

Als je op unitedhollywood.com kijkt, en daar de link naar het 'why we fight' internetfilmpje volgt op Youtube krijg je een korte uitleg. Dat is niet iets wat bestreden wordt door de tegenpartij, dat zijn gewoon de feiten zoals ze de afgelopen jaren zijn geweest. En dat vind ik meer dan redelijk.

quote:

Dear Fellow Members,

Before we head into negotiations this morning, we want to give you an update on where we stand.

On Tuesday, after the companies had requested a four-day break so they could work on their proposals, we returned to the bargaining table. We presented a counter proposal to their streaming proposal of November 29. They presented no new proposals. On Wednesday, the AMPTP again had no new proposals, but they did have detailed questions about our streaming counter proposal and other aspects of our overall proposals – and from the give and take of those discussions, we felt that they might finally be ready to engage in serious bargaining. They told us they would have new proposals for us Thursday. On Thursday, we met at 10am, and they told us their new proposals would be ready shortly. At 5pm, they told us their proposals still weren’t ready, that they would be working on them late into the night, and that we should come back this morning at 10am. The fact that we saw everyone from the AMPTP leave the building by 6:45pm is not a promising sign, but we will be at the table at 10am this morning, ready to receive their new proposal.

We’d like to address some of the disturbing rumors and back channel communications we’ve been hearing. For one, we’ve heard that one or more of the companies are prepared to throw away the spring and fall TV season, plus features, and prolong the strike. Aside from the devastating effect this would have on the unions, workers, and their families in this industry, it would certainly explain the AMPTP’s refusal to put any new proposals, even a bad one, on the table. Also, highly placed executives have been telling some of our writers that the companies are preparing to abruptly cut off negotiations. They say the companies plan to accuse the WGA of stalling and being unwilling to negotiate, and that the companies will use that as an excuse to walk out.

The Writers Guilds of America, West and East are going on record now that any such claims are absolutely untrue. We have been at the negotiating table every day, willing to bargain. Furthermore, we hereby challenge the AMPTP to negotiate in good faith, day and night, through the Christmas and New Year’s holidays – whatever is necessary – to get this done and get the town back to work. The Writers Guilds will remain at the table every day, for as long as it takes, to make a fair deal.

Thank you for your patience, support, and solidarity through these difficult times. Please come to the Fremantle rally today. We remain all in this together.

Patric M. Verrone
President
Writers Guild of America, West

Michael Winship
President
Writers Guild of America, East

quote:

Op vrijdag 7 december 2007 20:08 schreef Zhenar het volgende:

[..]

Daar gaat het juist om! Wie ben jij om te bepalen wat redelijk is? En waar ligt de grens van die redelijkheid? Voor mij is "redelijk" dat bestaande contracten worden nagekomen. En er is geen sprake van contractbreuk oid, anders zaten ze nu wel in de rechtzaal ipv op straat met bordjes. Het is gewoon een kwestie van vraag en aanbod. De schrijvers willen hun werk voor een hogere prijs verkopen. De studios willen dat niet betalen. Prima. Om dan een bad guy aan te gaan wijzen, lijkt mij onnodig.

quote:

Op vrijdag 7 december 2007 22:48 schreef Richardfun het volgende:

[..]

Ze krijgen nu een klein beetje van vhs inkomsten, 4 cent uit m'n hoofd. Hen was beloofd dat als VHS een succes zou worden, dat dat 8 cent zou worden. Diezelfde armzalige 4 cent is onder dezelfde voorwendselen overgeheveld naar de DVD deal, met dezelfde belofte. Ook die is niet nagekomen. Daarnaast wordt het uitzenden van oud materiaal via internet natuurlijk alleen maar gebruikelijker. Het enige dat ze daarvoor willen is hetzelfde als ze voor de dvd's willen, wat dus al meer dan een decennium geleden beloofd was.

Dat vind ik redelijk

quote:

Op zaterdag 8 december 2007 01:02 schreef Richardfun het volgende:
Je snapt het niet helemaal Zhenar. Die 'bump' van 4 naar 8 cent, 1 van hun eisen, is dus al meer dan tien jaar geleden beloofd en alsnog niet nagekomen.

quote:

Op zaterdag 8 december 2007 14:34 schreef Desperadoz het volgende:
Ik vind die staking maar niks; ik bedoel..hallo? Al mijn favoriete shows zijn nu gestopt :/.

quote:

Op zaterdag 8 december 2007 14:34 schreef Desperadoz het volgende:
Ik vind die staking maar niks; ik bedoel..hallo? Al mijn favoriete shows zijn nu gestopt :/. Ik hoop wel dat als de staking voorbij is dat ze doorgaan met dat seizoen waar ze gestopt zijn of beginnen met een nieuw seizoen.

quote:

Op zaterdag 8 december 2007 17:34 schreef Desperadoz het volgende:
...
Wat ik niet snap dat al die stakers door de staking helemaal niks verdienen. Hun moeten misschien ook een gezin onderhouden zo super rijk zijn ze volgens mij ook weer niet. Ze moeten het lot dan toch een keer accepteren lijkt me.

quote:

Op zaterdag 8 december 2007 17:34 schreef Desperadoz het volgende:
Ik las op een ander forum , met een betrouwbare bron dat de onderhandelingen van dit weekend niet voorspoedig verliepen met als gevolg dat de volgende onderhandelingen pas plaatsvinden in februari. Als dat waar is ; wat ik althans wel denk, gaat de tv wereld voor even heel erg naar beneden. Wat ik niet snap dat al die stakers door de staking helemaal niks verdienen. Hun moeten misschien ook een gezin onderhouden zo super rijk zijn ze volgens mij ook weer niet. Ze moeten het lot dan toch een keer accepteren lijkt me.

quote:

Op zaterdag 8 december 2007 17:34 schreef Desperadoz het volgende:
Ik las op een ander forum , met een betrouwbare bron dat de onderhandelingen van dit weekend niet voorspoedig verliepen met als gevolg dat de volgende onderhandelingen pas plaatsvinden in februari.

quote:

AMPTP BREAKS OFF NEGOTIATIONS

Today, after three days of discussions, the AMPTP came back to us with a proposal that included a total rejection of our proposal on Internet streaming of December 3rd.

They are holding to their offer of a $250 fixed residual for unlimited one year streaming after a six-week window of free use. They still insist on the DVD rate for Internet downloads.

They refuse to cover original material made for new media.

This offer was accompanied by an ultimatum: the AMPTP demands we give up several of our proposals, including Fair Market Value (our protection against vertical integration and self-dealing), animation, reality, and, most crucially, any proposal that uses distributor’s gross as a basis for residuals. This would require us to concede most of our Internet proposal as a precondition for continued bargaining. The AMPTP insists we let them do to the Internet what they did to home video.

We received a similar ultimatum through back channels prior to the discussions of November 4th. At that time, we were assured that if we took DVDs off the table, we would get a fair offer on new media issues. That offer never materialized.

We reject the idea of an ultimatum. Although a number of items we have on the table are negotiable, we cannot be forced to bargain with ourselves. The AMPTP has many proposals on the table that are unacceptable to writers, but we have never delivered ultimatums.

As we prepared our counter-offer, at 6:05 p.m., Nick Counter came and said to us, in the mediator’s presence: “We are leaving. When you write us a letter saying you will take all these items off the table, we will reschedule negotiations with you.” Within minutes, the AMPTP had posted a lengthy statement announcing the breakdown of negotiations.

We remain ready and willing to negotiate, no matter how intransigent our bargaining partners are, because the stakes are simply too high. We were prepared to counter their proposal tonight, and when any of them are ready to return to the table, we’re here, ready to make a fair deal.

John F. Bowman
Chairman, Negotiating Committee

quote:

We're disappointed to report that talks between the AMPTP and WGA have broken down yet again. Quite frankly, we're puzzled and disheartened by an ongoing WGA negotiating strategy that seems designed to delay or derail talks rather than facilitate an end to this strike. Union negotiators in our industry have successfully concluded 306 major agreements with the AMPTP since its inception in 1982. The WGA organizers sitting across the table from us have never concluded even one industry accord.

We believe our New Economic Partnership proposal, which would increase the average working writer's salary to more than $230,000 a year, makes it possible to find common ground. And we have proved over the last five months that we want writers to participate in producers' revenues, including in theatrical and television streaming, as well as other areas of new media. However, under no circumstances will we knowingly participate in the destruction of this business.

While the WGA's organizers can clearly stage rallies, concerts and mock exorcisms, we have serious concerns about whether they're capable of reaching reasonable compromises that are in the best interests of our entire industry.

It is now absolutely clear that the WGA's organizers are determined to advance their own political ideologies and personal agendas at the expense of working writers and every other working person who depends on our industry for their livelihoods.

Instead of negotiating, the WGA organizers have made unreasonable demands that are roadblocks to real progress:

-- They demand full control over reality television and animation. In other words, they want us to make membership in their union mandatory to work in this industry - even though thousands of people in reality and animation have already chosen not to join the WGA.

-- They demand restrictions designed to prevent networks from airing any reality programs unless they are produced under terms in keeping with the WGA agreement. This would apply even to producers who are not associated with the Guild. Their proposal artificially limits competition and most likely would not withstand legal challenge.

-- The WGA organizers are demanding the right to ignore their bargained "no strike" provision, allowing them to join in strikes of other labor organizations.

-- Their proposal for Internet compensation could actually cost producers more than they receive in revenues, thereby dooming the Internet media business before it ever gets started.

-- They insist that writers receive a piece of advertising revenue - even though the producers that pay them don't receive any of this revenue in the first place.

-- They want a third party to set an artificial value on transactions, rather that allowing the market to determine the worth of each transaction. This would result in producers having to pay residuals on money that the producers never even received.

These are the terms the WGA organizers demand for ending the strike - money that doesn't exist, restrictions that are legally dubious, and control over people who have refused to join their union.

Besides betraying a fundamental misunderstanding of the economics of new media, such as a streaming proposal that would require us to give them more money than we make ourselves, the WGA organizers are on an ideological mission far removed from the interests of their members.

Their Quixotic pursuit of radical demands led them to begin this strike, and now has caused this breakdown in negotiations. We hope that the WGA will come back to this table with a rational plan that can lead us to a fair and equitable resolution to a strike that is causing so much distress for so many people in our industry and community.

quote:

But the truth is this: the Hollywood moguls have not delivered on their promises. And Chernin's statements make clear they never had any intention of doing so right now... I wouldn't be at all surprised if, as soon as Friday, the AMPTP walks out of the talks with a news release in hand that it's all the WGA's fault.
And I now predict the CEOs will make a big public show of deciding to open talks with the Directors Guild right away and thus try to screw the striking writers.

quote:

Op maandag 10 december 2007 11:56 schreef Lucky_Strike het volgende:
Is er eigenlijk ergens een goed overzicht hoeveel afleveringen er van welke serie nog zijn?