WGA Strike - Joss Whedon Comments

[vacantlook]

I don't know which forum this truly belongs in, but I'll post it here.

I know there are a few other fans of Joss Whedon on this site, so I thought you too might enjoy reading some of his thoughts about the WGA strike.

FROM THE FRONT LINES!

More Joss Strike Talk.

 

[KoshFan]

I was wondering whether or not to launch a WGA strike thread. This'll do nicely.

At first I was all, "Labor negotiations, whatever," but Joss explained it all fairly well, and now I'm decidedly pro-union. Or pro-guild, in this case.

 

[Alluveal]

I think that last time they negotiated, they weren't considering what an impact the internet would have on the entertainment industry. Things have to evolve on every level, including giving the writers what they deserve. Considering that some of these stars get paid millions and millions of dollars, I see nothing wrong with the writers (the real HEART behind a story) getting to enjoy some of that success.

I am glad to see some celebrities out there supporting the strike, people like Jay Leno and Tina Fey.

 

[AntonyF]

I think the writers are right to strike... but I don't like the hero worship that is forming around the strikers. http://www.fans4writers.com/ has cropped up (got an email about it today, expect a post about it in the forums soon) which offers to support the strikes, including food shipments for them.

These writers are not poor. I'm not saying their rights aren't valid, but they are hardly so poor that they can't eat. Firefighters, police officers, doctors, soliders... they all do a hell of a lot more for a hell of a lot less. Yet these writers have got the cult of hero worship going on, so the strike has rallied fans.

Joss Whedon sticking in his oar in and going "to the "front lines" (again, like it's some war, I'd like them to really go to the proper front lines) and he doesn't even write for TV. After Firefly he broke off (or suspended) his deal with Fox and has done nothing for years. But now, as a way to rally the troops, he says things like "I want to work. I have this idea, for a show about a girl… I even have the actress for it." Well ain't that great, now there's a strike you want to do a show.

Fine get on with your strike, but must they be treated like brave heroes who deserve medals?

 

[KoshFan]

I think the writers are right to strike... but I don't like the hero worship that is forming around the strikers. http://www.fans4writers.com/ has cropped up (got an email about it today, expect a post about it in the forums soon) which offers to support the strikes, including food shipments for them.

These writers are not poor. I'm not saying their rights aren't valid, but they are hardly so poor that they can't eat. Firefighters, police officers, doctors, soliders... they all do a hell of a lot more for a hell of a lot less. Yet these writers have got the cult of hero worship going on, so the strike has rallied fans.

I don't think it's exactly "Help the starving artists," it's more a show of support. Strikes can get rather disheartening for the strikers, so having fans show up and show their appreciation might help them hang in there. It's also a smack at the companies.

Joss Whedon sticking in his oar in and going "to the "front lines" (again, like it's some war, I'd like them to really go to the proper front lines) and he doesn't even write for TV. After Firefly he broke off (or suspended) his deal with Fox and has done nothing for years.

Hardly nothing -- just nothing on the small screen. But that's a nitpick.

But now, as a way to rally the troops, he says things like "I want to work. I have this idea, for a show about a girl… I even have the actress for it." Well ain't that great, now there's a strike you want to do a show.

Well, if you'd read my "New Joss Whedon thread" you'd know that the idea is quite genuine, not something he's pulling out of his ass to rally support.

Fine get on with your strike, but must they be treated like brave heroes who deserve medals?

Maybe I'm biased because I'm a lover of stories, a writer of stories, and someone whose life has been immeasurably improved by stories... but stories matter. Seriously. Joss is a hero to me because he says good things and says them brilliantly, and uses what influence he has to do good work. It's also not a stretch to say that he's saved lives, possibly including mine. Yes, it's not as dramatic as when firefighters do it, but he does do it.

Plus I'm growing discontent enough (and hypocritical enough) to be happy whenever anyone pokes Corporate America in the eye.

 

[kurya]

Hey there.
I was the one that messaged AntonyF, and I would like to thank him for allowing me to leave a message here about the site, even though he may disagree with our methods, I appreciate that.

Before I post the blurb below, I just would like to stress that the "Food for Thought" program is meant as a gesture of support for the strikers and not meant to actually feed the "starving" writers. Also any leftover money from the food for thought campaigns will be given to WGA foundation and its associated charities.

Another important component of the campaign is to send postcards and letters to the studios and the companies that advertise on the newtorks. I invite people to check out the site now since it has been revamped with new additions and clarifications over the past weekend.

It should be noted that while this particular site has started out from whedonesque.com, numerous efforts are underway among various fandoms, and this site is just an attempt as a one stop shop to exchange information and coordinate these efforts. People in the Supernatural, Colbert Report, The Office, and other fandoms are doing similar initiatives.

Thank you for your time!
Prakash

Fans4Writers is a movement of fans – fans of TV shows and movies, actors, directors, producers, crewmembers and everyone involved in the team effort of crafting wonder. But most of all we are fans of writers, because they are where the wonder begins. They write the words we remember, they create the characters we love, they think up the lines that stay with us forever.

As supporters of the people who develop and write the stories that have meant so much to so many, we wanted to do something tangible to show them that we support the Writers Guild of America strike.

And so we are proud to bring you - our fellow fans - Fans4Writers.com

Fans4Writers.com is a rallying point for all fans. We are supporting the strike through morale boosting activities, protests to networks and advertisers, spreading the word and educating the curious.

Originally conceived by fans of Joss Whedon, Fans4Writers.com has evolved to encompass fans of all writers. And we are committed to providing ongoing support for the duration of the strike.

So, what are we doing?

Our “Food for Thought” program delivers sustenance to those on the picket lines. Our “Postcard Protest” is a simple way to get your message to where it’s needed most. Our media campaign will tell the industry -- and the public -- in no uncertain terms that we support the writers' right to a fair deal. And if that weren’t enough, we have lots of goodies available to help you spread the word.

To find out more about what you can do to support the WGA strike, go to Fans4Writers.com

You can also help by donating to our “Food for Thought” and other programs. At the conclusion of the strike, any remaining funds will be donated to the Writers Guild Foundation to support its charitable and educational activities.

Remember, without the writers, there would be no fandoms. And without us, there would be no studios.

Yours in solidarity,

Fans4Writers.com

fans4writers@gmail.com

 

[Recoil]

I think the writers are right to strike... but I don't like the hero worship that is forming around the strikers. http://www.fans4writers.com/ has cropped up (got an email about it today, expect a post about it in the forums soon) which offers to support the strikes, including food shipments for them.

These writers are not poor. I'm not saying their rights aren't valid, but they are hardly so poor that they can't eat. Firefighters, police officers, doctors, soliders... they all do a hell of a lot more for a hell of a lot less. Yet these writers have got the cult of hero worship going on, so the strike has rallied fans.

Joss Whedon sticking in his oar in and going "to the "front lines" (again, like it's some war, I'd like them to really go to the proper front lines) and he doesn't even write for TV. After Firefly he broke off (or suspended) his deal with Fox and has done nothing for years. But now, as a way to rally the troops, he says things like "I want to work. I have this idea, for a show about a girl… I even have the actress for it." Well ain't that great, now there's a strike you want to do a show.

Fine get on with your strike, but must they be treated like brave heroes who deserve medals?

Finer words have not been said, and I agree 100%. I think they are entitled too. But as someone who drops by Whedonesque.com every couple of days, I can tell you the "hero worship" is exactly the problem, and Whedon and the rest are TAKING ADVANTAGE of it. Joss is known to post on his own site/blog once in a blue moon. But since the strike he has had SEVERAL posts drumming up support from his fanatic fans and follows. This is to be expected I guess, but I really was disappointed to see how much of it he is doing. Posting a blog about your thoughts and the issues and leaving it at that is fine, but he has come back several times stirring things up a bit, and that is in poor taste in my opinion. So much so I find it detracts from my caring about the entire issue.

Sure there are some poor "starving artist" writers out there who need every penny they can get, and THEY are the ones suffering right now....but they aren't the ones who likely caused this strike in the first place, and Whedon and the rest are clearly not "suffering on the lines" as they would have everyone believe.

Lots of people are cashing in on this, from stars pubically saying they will pay the fees of their writers so they don't "suffer" (which is clearly a PR stunt) to Whedon and some of the rest drumming up fan support.

The whole thing is unsavory to me, and I can't ignore it enough anymore.

 

[Jade Jaguar]

For every successful, wealthy writer there are probably ten, or more, that don't sell a lot, and are barely making it. I don't blame them for wanting a cut of later iterations of their work, such as DVDs. Without the writers, these works would not exist. The actors, producers, directors, all get theirs, so why not the writers?

On the other hand, I miss the Daily Show!
It's hard to watch the news, without something to counteract it.

 

[GKarsEye]

I think worrying about "starving writers" vs successful ones is kind of beside the point. The real issue is the future of entertainment distribution. The strike is based on the logical conclusion that less and less revenue will be generated from television broadcasts in favor of other outlets, for which the producers refuse to compensate the writers.

Sometimes unions strike to prevent future mistreatment, not just to rectify current wrongs.

Though I haven't really been following the details, I have seen a couple of clips of The Office writer-actors (because they're funny even on strike) and I don't see them complaining that they're starving or whatever.

As for Whedon and his fans- I'm not into that scene but remember when Farscape was canceled and fans were literally picketing that? I made fun of it and everyone jumped down my throat. At least fans showing some kind of support to striking writers might be somewhat selfless. Hardcore fans are, by definition, lamewads with no life (yes I include myself) and while I'd rather have people their energy into voting, community service, charity, etc, if they're gonna fan-wank anyway, better to at least do it this way.

 

[Jade Jaguar]

I think worrying about "starving writers" vs successful ones is kind of beside the point. The real issue is the future of entertainment distribution. The strike is based on the logical conclusion that less and less revenue will be generated from television broadcasts in favor of other outlets, for which the producers refuse to compensate the writers.

EXACTLY

 

[GKarsEye]

Sorry for the double post, but figured we could also use this thread to vent about shows we like not being on TV anymore or eventually:

- Ditto, Jade, re: Stewart (and I'll add Colbert). For a while DS was getting kinda dull but then for some reason it picked up and once again became the highlight of nights when I was sober and/or sexless.

- The Office. Last new episode on Thursday. Supposedly the next one they were going to produce would have been awesome according to the cast. At first I thought they might be exaggerating or trying to make everybody feel bad about the strike, but

*SPOILERS FOR THE OFFICE*


the next one to produce and therefore first to not air would involve Pam and Jim being in Michael's home (possibly for dinner, finally, as Michael wanted?). You know all sorts of awkward delicious hilariy would ensue with those three and Jan.


*OFFICE SPOILER DONE*

- Lost. 8 episodes were apparently made or written and that's it, so we could be looking at 1/3 of a season. I'd rather them just not air anything then.

- The final season of The Shield and forum favorite Battlestar Galactica are in serious jeopardy (which makes me at least glad that another favorite show of mine, Jeopardy!, isn't in danger).

- I haven't seen anything at all about The Wire, because that show is so goddamn underrated, but if that doesn't happen, I'll throw my f'n cable box ou the window.

 

[KoshFan]

At the risk of being one of those hardcore fans -- heck, who I am I kidding? I am a hardcore Whedon fan -- I'll leap to his defense. Again. At least one of his posts over at Whedonesque was due to the fact that he couldn't go out and picket due to illness and he wanted to do something. Also, I think he can't stop writing funny stuff, but as he's officially put down his pen he has no other outlet...

He's not starving, and his stable of writers (Jane Espenson, Drew Goddard, etc.) might be doing pretty well, but nobody ever gets rich off writing except book factories like John Grisham. Joss did a video the other day, and basically explained his position; I can't find it right now, but basically he said this: the whole marketplace is changing. Time was the writers got residuals from reruns and advertising. With DVDs taking over the market, reruns are attracting less advertising and therefore less money, and the writers feel it's time to change the old contracts, which were written upwards of 30 years ago. Moreover, soon their material is going to be sold in entirely new areas, and under the present contracts they aren't going to see any of that while their old sources of revenue dry up.

Basically, the whole writing economy is starting to shift, the writers want to rewrite their deals to reflect that, and the companies for some reason don't want to update their contracts. Simple as that.

Yeah, there might be some grandstanding going on, but a low-key under-the-radar strike is pretty pointless.

 

[Galahad]

There's definitely something ironic about a writer issuing a written statement when on strike.

 

[Chilli]

Sure there are some poor "starving artist" writers out there who need every penny they can get, and THEY are the ones suffering right now....but they aren't the ones who likely caused this strike in the first place, and Whedon and the rest are clearly not "suffering on the lines" as they would have everyone believe.

I haven't been following everything he has been saying. I did read his first posting, though, in which he said the following:

Let me be clear on one point: I know I have it easy. I’ve done well, and I’m grateful that I can weather a long winter. Compared to what the studios have made off me my share is tiny and cute, but I’m in no position to complain. But take that differential, apply it to someone who’s just getting by when they deserve better. Now take it and… well, just take it, ‘cause when it comes to the internet and the emerging media there’s nothing there for the artists. There’s no precedent; these media didn’t exist the last time a contract was negotiated. We’re not just talking about an unfair deal, we’re talking about no deal at all. Four cents from the sale of a DVD (the standing WGA deal) sounds exactly as paltry as it is, but in a decade DVD may have gone the way of the eight-track. We have to protect the rights of the people who tell the stories, however they’re told. I’m never gonna be as articulate as Shawn or Brian (both of whom have been linked here, I believe), but I am just as committed. And a lot phlegmier.

At least from that, it doesn't seem like he is making his own personal suffering sound too unbearable...

 

[Chilli]

- The final season of The Shield and forum favorite Battlestar Galactica are in serious jeopardy (which makes me at least glad that another favorite show of mine, Jeopardy!, isn't in danger).

This brings me to a stupid question.

Does this strike involve Canada too? Or is it the US funding that would delay BSG?

 

[LondosHair]

He's not starving, and his stable of writers (Jane Espenson, Drew Goddard, etc.) might be doing pretty well, but nobody ever gets rich off writing except book factories like John Grisham. Joss did a video the other day, and basically explained his position; I can't find it right now, but basically he said this: the whole marketplace is changing. Time was the writers got residuals from reruns and advertising. With DVDs taking over the market, reruns are attracting less advertising and therefore less money, and the writers feel it's time to change the old contracts, which were written upwards of 30 years ago. Moreover, soon their material is going to be sold in entirely new areas, and under the present contracts they aren't going to see any of that while their old sources of revenue dry up.

Well said, and I agree. This new deal they're trying to get written up will not only help themselves, but also the writers that are "starving."

When was the last time you saw a good movie on your cable/satellite guide (or TV Guide booklet if you're still living in 1983) and decided to watch it, even though you already had it on DVD? Point is, back in the day, you'd watch that movie on TV, even tho it's edited for content or length, because you didn't have a copy of it. Today, if people want to watch Independence Day, they fire up the DVD player instead of tuning in to USA or FX. That means less residuals, of which the writers already get a fairly skimpy deal.

Frankly, I think it's silly to grump about when someone starts up a food drive. Of course folks like Whedon aren't literally starving or living from paycheck to paycheck. It's a show of support, not a humanitarian effort.

 

[GKarsEye]

This brings me to a stupid question.

Does this strike involve Canada too? Or is it the US funding that would delay BSG?

Sorry, I really don't know that kind of detail. I don't even remember where I heard or read that BSG is in danger.

 

[AntonyF]

Seriously. Joss is a hero to me because he says good things and says them brilliantly ...

I suppose it depends on how people see hero. Sure Joss is a great writer. In fact his stuff has helped me a lot in my life. But a hero? No. He sits at a desk, writes and gets paid a lot of cash. Heroes are people like firefighters. And are they getting food shipments this week? No.

I realize my latter piece of reasoning is along the lines of "you can't do something nice for someone, because someone else deserves it more/is suffering". I shouldn't eat so much because Ethopians starve etc. So maybe I shouldn't say it.

But still... they are writers. They tap on a keyboard. Do the public really need to do so much for them?

The TV industry really is strange on how it gets fanatical support (general comment, not just about strikes).

 

[GKarsEye]

The TV industry really is strange on how it gets fanatical support (general comment, not just about strikes).

It's not "the TV industry," it's artists and entertainers in general, including athletes. And it's simply because we know who they are.

Ok, firefighters are heroes. How many firefighters do you actually know?

Comparing them is silly. I'd rather bitch that people feel more "inspired" by TV writers than novelists and journalists, who also sit and type on a keyboard, so at least the comparison is more logical, but it lets me be more snobby.

 

[KoshFan]

But still... they are writers. They tap on a keyboard. Do the public really need to do so much for them?

Stories make us human, Ant. (And that's no real exaggeration. The ability to put together a real narrative is unique to humans.) Stories teach us how to live, how to work, what we do in the world; in fact, all teaching is storytelling, after a fashion. Some of the stories are true ones, some are made up, some are good and some are bad, but it's all stories.

Without stories, we would all be truly dead, no different from beavers or ants or bacteria.

Do we do a lot for them? Not really, not the way we support the stars who act in their movies. And frankly, most of the good writers don't care how much money they make, because it's about the art. But they need bread on the table first, before the art can happen, and all they are doing is making sure that bread keeps coming. Moreover, the support they are getting now is rather exceptional (and incidentally, it's mostly Whedon's fans, the other writers are going, "Who are these awesome, awesome people?").

So... a generous show of support once every million years isn't really that much to ask, considering they've told us how to be people for all that time.