What the WGA Strike Means to You



Also see this article on the subject over at FreshDV.

I'd still like to read some analysis of how such strikes affect non-union writers and filmmakers. I mean, obviously having the protection of a guild/union is invaluable. Creative contributions will NEVER be valued to the degree they should be without such protection. But will non-union writers working for below scale (often WELL below scale) find more work as a result? There is increasing non-union (i.e., truly indie or DIY content) being made every year. The DVD market could easily be flooded with non-union films, if a producer is able to invest in a non-union project without violating their own adherence to WGA rules.

Then again, the adage that you get what you pay for may well hold true: the quality of scripts by unknown, non-union writers may be so much lower that it's not worth the risk to a producer. On the other hand, let's not forget that every union writer was an unknown, non-union writer at one time too.

In the end, I would like to see every writer--both union and non-union--refuse to work for below scale, whether during a strike or not. That's just not a reality for non-union writers, however. And in case any WGA members with dual-citizenship plan on trying to make some money in Canada (which is not on strike) over the next few months, be aware that animation writers in Canada, despite being covered by the WGC, don't even have minimum script fees--and the "standard rates" seem to be dropping each year rather than rising. You see, animation fees are "subject to negotiation," but a starving writer has very little negotiating power. That's why we need a healthy union on both sides of the border. I think the situation warrants some serious attention here in Canada, though I doubt Canadian writers have the guts and gumption that the American writers are showing right now. (Then again, with the appallingly low rates for scripts in Canada, we have a lot less to lose, and a strike might not have as much impact on our livelihoods as the comparatively flush US writers working for "the Networks.")

In the end, I still think it would be nice to see more writers pick up a camera or hook up with someone who can pick up a camera so that they own more of their own work. Then if the film makes money online the artists can keep most of it, and not just the relatively small amount they'll probably derive after a the strike. As distribution becomes democratized via the Internet, more writers need to flex their muscle by creating content they own directly. I think that could also send a very loud message to the studios. They need our words and ideas more than they know. And we're not just going to give it away. The Internet will soon be the ONLY way audiences receive content (whether it's viewed on a TV or a computer screen). It's a fight writers can't afford to lose.