Writers Strike and Unions

Screamfeeder

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DickTrickle said:
Going from 22-24 episodes a season to 10-13 resulted in a vast improvement in quality, in general, in my opinion. Just thinking of early seasons of something like 24 or Prison Break and there's so much filler and obviously shenanigans just to get up that episode count. I think payment should not necessarily be 50% less but I don't think we really need to go back to 20+ episode seasons in general, especially for dramas.
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And the issue isn't with the episode count, it's the fact that the episode count went down, while the amount of pure content (number of movies and shows) vastly increased, and yet the pay did not. The quality has also increased, but that is just my opinion.
 
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Abefroman

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Screamfeeder said:
Oh yes. I personally have two different network contracts at the moment (granted only for specific shows but the contract is with the networks). I'm one of those people who makes really good money, but I have to work on multiple shows in multiple capacities (staff writer, editor, co-producer). Also, I got lucky. Really lucky.
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I don't envy you. Being in a Union is very fucking stressfull and was one of the things that gave me enough of a kick in the ass to change career paths. The constant worrying about the next CBA and adversarial relationship with your employeer is total fucking shit.
 
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Abefroman

Abefroman

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Screamfeeder said:
And the issue isn't with the episode count, it's the fact that the episode count went down, while the amount of pure content (number of movies and shows) vastly increased, and yet the pay did not. The quality has also increased, but that is just my opinion.
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The quality has improved big time. Way more serials now which I would think requires more talent then shitting out filler. I think they should restructure things big time where people wear more hats but have contracts with networks so they are employeed on multiple shows but are payed accordingly. This might eliminate some jobs though but would be better off for the writers in the long run. Problem is a Union will never willingly eliminate jobs even if it is improvement for those that have them.
 
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Screamfeeder

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Abefroman said:
I think they should restructure things big time where people wear more hats but have contracts with networks so they are employeed on multiple shows but are payed accordingly.
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I know it sounds REALLY whiny to say, but that won't work. I work about 60-70 hours a week JUST on scripts. Just sitting and writing or re-writing at a keyboard. Couple that with producer duties, editing other writers work and doing general show prep through phone calls and email (change this name....make this night instead of day....can we use a car instead of a truck) and I am wrecked during a production.

The entire apparatus of the film and tv business works very, very well on a day to day production basis. The gears and cogs and different elements that go into making a single show are very fluid but the second you start having people doing multiple roles, it goes off the rails really fast and the studios either pull funding and EVERYONE is out of work, or it costs 10x as much for half the quality.
 
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iannis

iannis

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Screamfeeder said:
And the issue isn't with the episode count, it's the fact that the episode count went down, while the amount of pure content (number of movies and shows) vastly increased, and yet the pay did not. The quality has also increased, but that is just my opinion.
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Overall, tbh, it has.

That's also a function of delivery I think. There were a LOT of one and done half a season television shows in the 80's and 90's. That seems less common in the 00's and 10's. But the platform also changed.

I dunno the politics of it or the financials of it. It does seems like that's relevant though. More competition for eyeballs, fewer episodes, a wider platform -- overall more quality shows. I can't think of very many one and dones. They get filtered out before we see them. Where as with the television system they used to make it on air because some dude thought it was the best of the worst.
 
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Screamfeeder

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iannis said:
I can't think of very many one and dones. They get filtered out before we see them. Where as with the television system they used to make it on air because some dude thought it was the best of the worst.
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You would be amazed at the amount of pilots that get shot and shelved every year only to be looked at again the next year. Last pilot season alone I think I saw a list of 45 new shows that had pilots shot, zero advertising and were canned for review later.
 
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Adebisi

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I'm only super against public sector unions. Fuck those dickholes.

Private sector: meh. It's your funeral.
 
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Screamfeeder

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So just got an update. We are going to strike unless demands are 100% met. Enjoy reality TV for a few weeks/months. Talks have gone sideways.
 
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Bubbles

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So just got an update. We are going to strike unless demands are 100% met. Enjoy reality TV for a few weeks/months. Talks have gone sideways.
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as long as porn writers keep writing, I'll be good

but in all seriousness, what exactly are the demands?
 
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iannis

iannis

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Screamfeeder said:
Higher pay for writers(based on a % of total profits) and buyout of our health plan (so union members at the lower end can afford it).
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That sounds reasonable to me.

Does this mean that GoT is going to get even STUPIDER?

Like two more seasons of Dorne? lol.
 
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