Here We Go Again...Possible SAG Strike On The Horizon

[Rutabaga]

Last year, it was the WGA strike that crippled movie and TV production for months. Now SAG may be looking at a possible strike. It's deja vu all over again!

http://www.cnn.com/2008/SHOWBIZ/TV/11/22/sag.talks/index.html?section=cnn_latest

[Miranda Tarkin]

<_<

Round two!

FIGHT!

[Jedi Master Carr]

I have no sympathies for actors. Most of them make more in a week than I do in a lifetime. Especially in this economy they need to just agree to a deal and not be so stupid.

[Yog]

Oh great, most of these people are filthy rich, yet they are going to strike in the middle of an economic collapse? Amazing timing right there.

[Jedi Master Carr]

Oh great, most of these people are filthy rich, yet they are going to strike in the middle of an economic collapse? Amazing timing right there.

The only hope is they don't get the 75% for the strike. I know some of the major stars like George Clooney, Harrison Ford, Ben Affleck, etc are against a strike so maybe if they band together and get enough they could prevent it. I don't know why they just take the same deal the writers got. That was a good deal, I guess the union is being greedy.

[Byl Laprovik]

I have no sympathies for actors. Most of them make more in a week than I do in a lifetime. Especially in this economy they need to just agree to a deal and not be so stupid.

Actually this isn't true. Name-recognition actors, perhaps, but that's only a tiny fraction of the whole.

[Jedi Master Carr]

I have no sympathies for actors. Most of them make more in a week than I do in a lifetime. Especially in this economy they need to just agree to a deal and not be so stupid.

Actually this isn't true. Name-recognition actors, perhaps, but that's only a tiny fraction of the whole.

Most still make more than I do. Also ask me whose jobs I am more worried about the poor autoworkers who might be out of a job, but some poor actor who won't get a raise.

[Rossos Atrapes]

Ummm, not to try and make your points wrong, but most actors do NOT make the kind of money you guys are implying. Most actors make their living working another job on top of their acting work, since they only get paid 'per project', as it were, unless alternate agreements are worked out between the actor and the producers (TV series being the most readily accessible example). During my short stint as an actor (when I was a child, but still indicative of the larger part of the acting workforce I believe), I was paid about seventy-five dollars per job, not counting the several 'pro-bono' extra jobs, and the charity commercials and stuff like that.

I agree that a strike is a bad idea; but from my reading of the article, it seems to me to be more of a sort of threatening gesture to strengthen their position in further talks and negotiations than an actual action they plan on taking.

[Jedi Master Carr]

Ummm, not to try and make your points wrong, but most actors do NOT make the kind of money you guys are implying. Most actors make their living working another job on top of their acting work, since they only get paid 'per project', as it were, unless alternate agreements are worked out between the actor and the producers (TV series being the most readily accessible example). During my short stint as an actor (when I was a child, but still indicative of the larger part of the acting workforce I believe), I was paid about seventy-five dollars per job, not counting the several 'pro-bono' extra jobs, and the charity commercials and stuff like that.

I agree that a strike is a bad idea; but from my reading of the article, it seems to me to be more of a sort of threatening gesture to strengthen their position in further talks and negotiations than an actual action they plan on taking.

But those actors never really see much of an increase from a strike anyway. The main sticking point is the % of profits from DVDS the Union wants more. That would mostly go to the top 25% anyway. Now I don't know if they can get the strike numbers. There was some doubt 6 months ago they could get a 75% vote. I think this is just greed by the union, what the studio gave them was a very good deal, and in this economy since the public would give them no sympathies they should take it.

[Yog]

The disagreement is about profit from movies and TV shows distributed through "new media," such as mobile phones and the Internet. This is not about giving those who earn seventy-five dollar for a job a reasonable wage. It's about giving the stars more lucrative contracts when there are many distribution channels.

[Jedi Master Carr]

The disagreement is about profit from movies and TV shows distributed through "new media," such as mobile phones and the Internet. This is not about giving those who earn seventy-five dollar for a job a reasonable wage. It's about giving the stars more lucrative contracts when there are many distribution channels.

Yeah I forgot about that too, I know DVDs are part of it as well.

[Rossos Atrapes]

I'm quite aware this isn't about the "reasonable wages" for the starry-eyed new actor; and I've already said that I disagree with the strike. It does indeed seem like the union's trying to milk this for all they can get, yes. I was just trying to make known the fact that most actors are not "raking in the bucks".