Writers Got More Money, But Did They Gain More Respect?
May 6th, 2001
In the wake of the news
By
Christopher Wehner
The new Writers Guild of America contract has been called "groundbreaking" and a "meeting in the middle," where both sides gave a little and managed to avoid disaster. A WGA strike would have been followed by a SAG strike and a California economy, already showing signs of recession (as is the rest of the country), would have been devastated. Not only that, I think New York City's importance as an independent film (non-union) community, one that is thriving, would have found itself in an unusual position. By default a kind of center of the motion picture community, or what would have been left of it.
Looking at the "New Deal," it will provide an additional $41 million for writers over the next three years. According to the WGA, this deal is the most lucrative in 25 years.
Something that is very important for all members, guild minimums will be increased by 3.5 percent over every year of the deal. This will result in close to $29 million dollars for writers alone, according to the WGA.
The Alliance of Motion Picture & Television Producers dropped their controversial ''double-burst'' residuals formula, which was a significant economic shift on their part. In return the WGA lessened its monetary demands as well. But still, even with compromises, writers struck a good deal. Right?
If you have been paying attention to what has been going on over the last five months you should know that this threatened strike was not just about finances, it was about respect as well. Did writers gain more respect? Well, sure, they did achieve some very important gains on "creative rights." The new contract mandates that writers be invited to premieres, cast and crew events and press junkets. There will also be a set of nonbinding preferred practices saying directors should meet with writers before they are replaced, and that they are to be invited to the first cast reading and allowed on sets. However, the director can limit this.
But perhaps most importantly, the highly coveted "A film by" possessory credit was kept as is. The WGA dropped its demands that it be removed. According to some reports, this was non-negotiable as far as the other side was concerned. After all, it would have been an acknowledgment on their part that the writer was an equal person in the creative endeavor that is movie making.
What if the WGA refused to drop the possessory credit issue? Would there be a strike right now? Did the WGA decide that its members really didn't care or need to have that battle fought? Was it the right thing to do?
Respect, sure, writers can now wander around the set only to be ignored or scorned, or be there in person to be forgotten at the premiere and at press junkets. I can see it now, in three more years "whinny" writers will want it mandated that they have to actually be recognized at these events, not merely invited.
The respect issue centered on the "A film by" credit, and so in the end respect has not been gained. The Alliance of Motion Picture & Television Producers would rather give writers a few more bucks then recognized, as it should be, that writers are the true creators of the artistic vision that is motion pictures.
By
Christopher Wehner
The new Writers Guild of America contract has been called "groundbreaking" and a "meeting in the middle," where both sides gave a little and managed to avoid disaster. A WGA strike would have been followed by a SAG strike and a California economy, already showing signs of recession (as is the rest of the country), would have been devastated. Not only that, I think New York City's importance as an independent film (non-union) community, one that is thriving, would have found itself in an unusual position. By default a kind of center of the motion picture community, or what would have been left of it.
Looking at the "New Deal," it will provide an additional $41 million for writers over the next three years. According to the WGA, this deal is the most lucrative in 25 years.
Something that is very important for all members, guild minimums will be increased by 3.5 percent over every year of the deal. This will result in close to $29 million dollars for writers alone, according to the WGA.
The Alliance of Motion Picture & Television Producers dropped their controversial ''double-burst'' residuals formula, which was a significant economic shift on their part. In return the WGA lessened its monetary demands as well. But still, even with compromises, writers struck a good deal. Right?
If you have been paying attention to what has been going on over the last five months you should know that this threatened strike was not just about finances, it was about respect as well. Did writers gain more respect? Well, sure, they did achieve some very important gains on "creative rights." The new contract mandates that writers be invited to premieres, cast and crew events and press junkets. There will also be a set of nonbinding preferred practices saying directors should meet with writers before they are replaced, and that they are to be invited to the first cast reading and allowed on sets. However, the director can limit this.
But perhaps most importantly, the highly coveted "A film by" possessory credit was kept as is. The WGA dropped its demands that it be removed. According to some reports, this was non-negotiable as far as the other side was concerned. After all, it would have been an acknowledgment on their part that the writer was an equal person in the creative endeavor that is movie making.
What if the WGA refused to drop the possessory credit issue? Would there be a strike right now? Did the WGA decide that its members really didn't care or need to have that battle fought? Was it the right thing to do?
Respect, sure, writers can now wander around the set only to be ignored or scorned, or be there in person to be forgotten at the premiere and at press junkets. I can see it now, in three more years "whinny" writers will want it mandated that they have to actually be recognized at these events, not merely invited.
The respect issue centered on the "A film by" credit, and so in the end respect has not been gained. The Alliance of Motion Picture & Television Producers would rather give writers a few more bucks then recognized, as it should be, that writers are the true creators of the artistic vision that is motion pictures.
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