Last weekend's Screen Actor's Guild Awards, despite exciting wins for lots of actors, movies, and shows, had an undercurrent of drama (how appropriate!) because of a dispute between actors and TV/movie producers over how actors should be compensated for appearances in "webisodes" and other new media (like the online diaries and such that their characters create to supplement the shows/movies). A similar issue was involved with the writer's strike (which you may remember from last season!) Some actors feel that they should strike until they are compensated with residuals (a payment whenever the episode appears that TV and commercial actors receive for broadcasts).
Should actors be compensated for online content in the same way they are compensated for on-screen performances? Or are they benefitting enough in that the online performances generate more publicity for their shows, and greater viewership will enable them to negotiate bigger contracts for on-air content? Are webisodes "promotion" or "production"?
Is a strike the actors' best option or will it just disgruntle the public given that many, many people are facing economic hard-times and many of these actors already rank among the highest-earning members of our society?
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Lego, Cav (the Lego brand name was derived from the Danish expression "leg godt" - play well - and lego also translates in Latin as "I study" or "I put together"...really, one of the world's most perfect words!)
I feel that in a way the SAG is being very greedy about this strike. I don't understand why they would even think about going on strike with the economy we are in right now. At least they have jobs when there are 100s of thousands of people that have lost their job. If they go on this strike it will cause other people to loose their jobs temporaily like: Camera men, editors. even caterors that cator for award shows, directors, set designers, etc. I believe that if they want to strike in this economy it is in a way being selfish. If they want to strike they should at least wait untill the economy becomes better.
I dont think actor's should be compensated for internet content. They should only be conpensated for the full work or episode as whole and not a webisode.
Sorry Cav. I got bored, and I had to go back to the messageboard.
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Favorite Albums of 2008: 1. In Rainbows 2. Alopecia 3. Meğ suğ í eyrum... 4. Narrow Stairs 5. Visiter
no apologies, and no boredom required - you are always welcome!! :)
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Lego, Cav (the Lego brand name was derived from the Danish expression "leg godt" - play well - and lego also translates in Latin as "I study" or "I put together"...really, one of the world's most perfect words!)