Dec 29 2008
Ed Asner for Actors’ Strike
The LA Times has an interesting editorial, written by actor and longtime Screen Actors Guild (SAG) member, and former president, Ed Asner. Asner has seen his share of SAG ups and downs, strikes, and negotiations with studios. He’s holding firm on the Guild’s stance to threaten an actors’ strike if they don’t get the deal they want.
Concerns about a strike at this time are valid. It’s a dangerous line to walk, between losing a large part of future income to the studios, and losing an entire career when the industry falls apart. Network TV still hasn’t recovered from last year’s writers’ strike (and movies haven’t fared that well, either)–an actor strike at this time would be devastating to the upcoming program schedule and future seasons.
Asner makes some good points on behalf of keeping a strike on the table, however. While the studios didn’t seem to mind losing all that time to the writers’ strike, they’re smarting from it now, and might be disinclined to repeat the experience so soon. Asner also is sure to stress that this contract is about setting a precedent for all future contracts:
“What all of those with weak knees fail to acknowledge is that the business plan for new media is being written right now, and that what we agree to now will become the “template” that the industry will cling to going forward, with no obligation to make charitable revisions. Why does that matter so much? Because right now, you can go to your local Best Buy, purchase a big-screen TV with a direct Internet connection and download television online programming with the touch of a remote. It’s happening now.
Actors simply can’t afford to be cut out of the emerging revenue stream. The offer in new media is a lot of zeros, unfortunately not lined up in a row. It includes zero minimum compensation, zero overtime, zero residuals structure, zero forced call consideration — pretty much zero everything. This deal will take billions of dollars out of actors’ pockets in the same way our bad deal in home video and DVDs has cost actors $4.5 billion in lost compensation over the last 27 years, according to estimates compiled by the Writers Guild of America.”
Ed Asner also admits honestly that big name actors are in less danger of money problems than your average working actor, but every actor still deserves to get their cut of the revenue for the work they’ve put in. These big name stars will certainly have a larger bank account to settle on even if the industry tanks from a strike, but I’m sure even these well-off actors would prefer to still have careers next year. While Asner feels that SAG members should approve the possibility of striking, he’s obviously hoping a strike can be avoided. He just wants it as a potent negotiating point to use against the studios. The problem (that many members of SAG are concerned over) is if the studios call SAG’s bluff.
Read the full article at the LA Times website .
