Writer's Strike

I've been watching and reading news reports about the potential writer's strike on the west coast. An article this morning in the New York Times, Writers Set to Strike, Threatening Hollywood, summed up the possible impact - not only on writers and studios, but on all of the ancillary businesses that feed the movie machine.

A cleaners who processes 2,000 costumes a day. A nursery that supplies the plants needed for those jungle scenes. Caterers. The only company that doesn't seem to be dismayed at the thought of a strike is Starbucks - since all of the unemployed actors, productions assistants, props people, etc will need some place to hang out.

The issues surrounding the strike are important. Like the music industry where artists and studios have seen changes to the way their art is delivered, downloaded and shared, the movie and television industry is facing the same challenges. Should writers be compensated when their words appear online or on a cell phone?

I fall squarely in the writer's camp. Writing is what I do. It's my job and I deserve to be paid for my creativity and ability. It is my choice to give my words away or sell them. It has always driven me crazy when I hear people say they copied a movie DVD or downloaded songs from a share site. Someone wrote that, created that. You have just taken food out of their mouths.

I have another reason to be watching this strike. Our son Harry graduated from Syracuse's Newhouse School in May, moved to Burbank, and is trying to make his way as a film writer. He knows full well that it is a competitive business and it won't happen overnight. He has taken non-writing jobs to pay the bills as he pursues his dream. A possible strike directly impacts his choices. It also affects his roommate Dennis who is a production assistant on Two and a Half Men. Once they run out of already written scripts, he will be probably be layed off.

Does the industry need to look at new ways to structure compensation. Yes. Will the conglomerates that own the studios look beyond bottom line to the backbone of the industry - the people who create what's on the screen - and protect that asset. It remains to be seen.

One final note. The writers may have to go on strike, but that will not keep them from writing. It's in our blood. It's how we think and understand the world. If writers stopped writing - the world would be a very sad place.