Thursday, 02.14.08
Rethinking the writers' strike
by Flickr user Here in Van Nuys
Now thousands of writers -- not to mention thousands of gaffers, stuntwomen, best boys, make-up artists, bikini waxers, actors, costume designers, lunch-truck operators -- are headed back to work. Says Jonathan Handel, associate counsel for the WGA: "They successfully faced down six multinational media conglomerates and established a beachhead on the internet." Which is true. But will that be enough? As creative professionals, the writers represent an unusual slice of unionized labor: very well-paid, difficult to replace by maquiladoras or the Chinese, often drawn from privileged backgrounds. Yet they remain vulnerable for the same reasons GM's unionized workers are vulnerable: they are in an industry that is dying fast. As viewers turn to video games, user-generated content, and other active alternatives to the passive consumption of one-liners and soap opera pap, Hollywood will have to get smarter, leaner, and more flexible to survive.
Why We StrikeLost co-creator Damon Lindelof made a strong case for the strike. |
Winners and LosersPatrick Goldstein of the Los Angeles Times tells us who's up and who's down. |
