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November 23, 2007
The First Celebrity Ad Campaign For A Strike
The WGA continues to pursue public opinion for a strike, seemingly uninterested in making this a fight about the actual issues that are on the table. I honor those involved with this effort for their effort and passion in a good cause, but I have to wonder how any of this can change public opinion.
Writers are a class of the industry that has, after years of being told to, such low self-esteem that it is the only group I can imagine that feels that their first effort must be to let people know they exist. Of course actors need words to speak.
How about a spot where Sean Penn, screenwriter, is talking to Jeff Garlin, screenwriter, and saying, "So I get paid a 1.2% residual when my movie shows on HBO, I get paid $1.2% when my movie gets played on cable television, and while studios are making much more profit when they sell DVDs, I only get .4%? And now, those idiots want to pay that same junky rate when they stream my film on the internet, which is already more profitable than DVD because of how little it costs to deliver?" Garlin can't think of a word to say... Speechless.
I'm not trying to write ads for the WGA. They are much more talented than I. But there are real arguments to be made - like this whole strike is about $500 million a year max in a business with over $125 billion in revenues - and as much as people love the group wank, it was making me chafe from Day One.
Holly Hunter
Paula Prentiss/Dick Benjamin
Sean Penn
Jeff Garlin
The Cast of Ugly Betty
Kate Beckinsale & David Schwimmer
Posted by poland at November 23, 2007 11:04 AM
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