The writers’ strike is in its fourth month, and the actors’ is in its second, and it looks like neither side is going to come to the table anytime soon.
I couldn’t fully understand why the AMPTP is not coming to the table to negotiate a deal that would get everyone back to work, and earn them money. But then Fast Times at Ridgemont High’s Judge Reinhold explained it perfectly.
I’m making my own films now. The first is a western.
I won’t accept a “waiver” to stockpile content for the very companies who are attempting to take away our ability to make a living.
I won’t cross our union line.
We’re striking for survival. Striking to be able to sustain a living.
Our residuals, our health insurance, our UNION has saved myself and my family through highs and lows for 40 years.
Throughout my career, studios were run by people who came up through the ranks and understood what it took to create film and television content. They reluctantly accepted a partnership as the way for them to make billions. Big tech companies are disconnected from the process and don’t want a partnership. They never have and they never will. They understand numbers and algorithms, not storytelling craftsmanship or entertainment.
They see anything they pay to the creative community as a LOSS for their bottom line.
This is not an opinion. This is the reality. It’s scary to realize the truth.
This strike is NOT our fault.
This strike is not for the faint of heart.
Decent, innocent, talented people are going to be financially devastated …
If we splinter off by creating loopholes for ourselves and others to walk through, we lose.
If we don’t stand strong and fearless for ourselves and our future WE WILL LOSE what the people before us were courageous enough to WIN.
And there you have it. Creatives are not running the studios and streaming services; businessmen are. Business people only see dollar signs, so they don’t understand creativity and all the blood, sweat, and tears that go into it. In the same way, we don’t understand business.
And because they don’t understand it, nor do they care about people, they are letting their companies go into the shitter and destroying people’s lives.
However, if they understood what actors and writers do to get the CEOs their multi-million salaries, then maybe their companies wouldn’t be in the red. The studios need to bring back people who worked their way to the top and not keep merging with tech firms that have no emotions like computers.
I hope that Judge Reinhold considers running for SAG President because he would do a better job than the publicity whore who is doing the job now.
