Yay for Solidarity! Actors Speechless for WGA Strike
Filed under: Celebrities and Controversy, Scripts, Politics
Over at Deadline Hollywood Daily, Nikki Finke has something extra to be thankful for today: to thank her for her tireless coverage of the WGA strike, WGAW president Patrick Verrone has granted her exclusive posting of the WGA's "Speechless" internet videos over the holiday weekend. The vids, conceived of by director/writer George Hickenlooper and writer Alan Sereboff, will feature SAG actors in short pieces that support the concept that without the writers, there would be no movies. By making these as videos to be shown exclusively on the internet, the WGA also makes a point about internet residuals, which are part of the beef the writers have with the
"Included are SAG talent such as Sean Penn, Holly Hunter, Laura Linney, Alan Cumming, Jay Leno, Harvey Keitel, Kate Beckinsale, Tina Fey, Tim Robbins, Gary Marshall, David Schwimmer, Patricia Clarkson, James Franco, Julia Louis-Dreyfuss, Martin Sheen, Josh Brolin, Susan Sarandon, Andre 3000, Chazz Palminteri, Jason Bateman, Christine Lahti, Patricia Arquette, Jenna Elfman, Olivia Wilde, Richard Benjamin, Paula Prentiss, Eva Longoria, Justine Bateman, Joshua Jackson, Rosanna Arquette, Diane Ladd, Rebecca Romjin, Minnie Driver, Nicollette Sheridan, Robert Patrick, Matthew Perry, Ed Asner, and America Ferrera and the cast of Ugly Betty. Arrangements have been made to also shoot Woody Allen, Maggie Gyllenhaal, Jane Fonda, Marisa Tomei, Ethan Hawke, Jason Alexander, Charlize Therone, Minnie Driver, Philip Seymour Hoffman. Many, many more are also in the works."
It's very cool that all these actors are stepping up to support the writers in their strike, and I have to give props to Finke for her relentless dedication to covering the strike. Here's hoping that when talks resume on November 26, things will get resolved quickly, with the writer's getting what they deserve.
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
11-23-2007 @ 4:53PM
jason Dupin said...
If the writers get any cash for there work beyond the salary the studios give them to write the script, then so should every member of that studio. Every person that put for the effort to do anything for that script. Without them the writers script is nothing more than a thought. To say the writers are the creators it is very disrespectful. They are ONE element in the creation of the show that would earn the studio money. As a graphic designer I don't earn a dime after the initial cost of a logo creation. Should I get paid for every time the company puts it on a t-shirt or a website?
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11-28-2007 @ 5:33AM
entourage fan said...
Actors and actresses would be nothing without writers. In fact, none
of the cast or crew of a tv show would have a job without good
writing. Rare is the show that can keep an audience on just eye
candy. People tune in week after week because the writing compels or
entertains them. We watch shows because of clever, sharp and smart
writing. That is what kept us rivited to M*A*S*H, Friends, LOST and
Entourage.
Actors and Actresses get paid big bucks and residuals for repeats,
dvds, and online viewings.
Why shouldn't the real talent, the writers, get a piece of the pie?
I am sorry that we won't have tv after January and that my HBO
favorites, Entourage and Big Love, might get pushed back to Fall
(because of the impending Actors Guidl Strike). But, I feel for the
writers and support them 100%!!
Reply
12-18-2007 @ 11:56AM
jason Dupin said...
Writers alone can not produce a show. Yes they should get credit for there work, but so should the people that bring their words to life. It takes a team of people to produce a show. Which is why any individual group of people getting residuals for a show is BS? I think the whole team should get credit. Give money to the directors of photography. Their creativity provides the look and feel of the show. Without them all the writers have is a piece of paper.
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