The strike called by The Writers Guild of America to secure a structure for future revenues from digital media continues. Today sees demonstrations of support in London, Toronto, Montreal, Paris, Dublin, Sydney, Brisbane, and Perth.
My favourite story so far is of the homeless person on Hollywood Boulevard holding a handmade sign that read, Bums Support Writers.
Despite attempts to engineer a myth that all those involved in the action are pampered and wealthy, most non-industry people seem to appreciate the principle that the writing generates the money.
And on the wealth thing... the writer's economy is a mosiac of paid work, past work, and speculative endeavour that tends to horrify most people used to the relative security of steady employment. I once saw an American TV scribe chill an entire room when he was asked what happened to those who didn't ascend the ever-narrowing ladder to showrunner heights.
"You fall off the face of the earth," he said simply.
UPDATE:
Read James Moran's first-hand account with pics, and the report from The Writers Guild of Great Britain.
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6 comments:
Yikes. That's a thought and a half. Luckily I have my sizable inheritance to fall back on. Oh no, wait: that's just a myth created by my half-baked imagination. Damn.
Did you go to the demo in London today Stephen?
I couldn't do the demo as I'm one of those non-metropolitan, country-cottage-dwelling writer types who parachutes into London when the job calls and has to run for home straight after. Usually it's a two-day process. I believe the Moran boy was there, though.
Yes I got a text from him earlier promising video and everything... About the demo of course, eeurgh dirty boys.
Wow, a country cottage eh?! Guess you must be one of those rich writerly types Emily Bell thinks we all are??? ; P You're letting the side down by not living in squalor Gallagher, remember that.
P.S. Why isn't my blog linked in your side bar, HMMMMM? (I'm ignoring the obvious = ie. 'cos I jet in only to insult professional writers that I am jealous of and/or offer dubious double entendres... Tho if memory serves me, YOU were the one who started it with
the caged hand...)
You'll get in the sidebar when the cheque clears, and not before.
I was there, and I punched someone in the face, shouting "this one's for Gallagher". No idea who they were, but it's the thought that counts.
I don't have video myself, but there were video cameras there, so it should be coming soon. I'll have my pics up soon, though.
Proof positive that we can field a lineup of writing pros just as gorgeous as any that California can throw up.
In all seriousness, there's more to this than a local pay dispute. It's about getting our entire industry to grow toward the light.
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