Friday, June 29, 2007

Please let there be no strike.

This article is one reason a lot of folks are stressed out in Hollywood right now. We are trying to cast our movie and every day another actor is unavailable. Ugh!

If there is a strike, most of us at production companies will lose our jobs, even those with contracts. There is a clause, in all these contracts that under extreme circumstances they are null and void. A strike by the actors, writers, and/or director's Guilds would qualify.

Most people think well, these guys get paid a lot. That is true for a tiny minority. Over 90 percent of the people in the Screen Actors Guid are unemployed. The big issues are going to be over DVD profit sharing and other ancillary markets (the web, iPhone etc.). It might get ugly.

Why worry now? The problem is you need more than a year for most movies to prep, shoot and edit. It's going to be an interesting 11 months.

I hope our movie gets made. I need to get one movie in the can before June '08. If I lose my job, I will have a little bit more in savings. No movie = no Producer's fee = a broke-ass unhappy person.

12 comments:

Sara, Ms Adventures in Italy said...

...I hope this doesn't happen to you, that would be terrible. :( Keep us updated.

Delina said...

Oh :( I hope things work out for you. I'm sure they will.

Anonymous said...

Remember The Secret this is the time you need to apply all that you read... FOCUS on what it is you do want and only that... This way you will draw to you only that which is loving to you.

Kathy said...

I will keep my fingers crossed for you! Yes, as Cleopantha said, use The Secret! Did you ever read the book? I know you talked about it, but I can't remember if you read it or not...I haven't yet.

nyc/caribbean ragazza said...

Thanks delina and sara.

Cleo and Kathy I did read the Secret. I can't remember when I post about it...it's under the books label.

I'm trying to not stress out about it. It's not like I can prevent a strike. :) If I lose my job, I'll focus on writing full time.

Anonymous said...

Hang in there. I was on (a teachers') strike last month for 10 days and it was miserable. I pray it doesn't happen to you. Coraggio!

Wanderlust Scarlett said...

I wish you the best of luck. I hope so much that this doesn't happen. If it does, would you go back to Italy?


On a lighter note, if you need actresses I can be out there at a moments notice to fill the bill.
Happy to help! ;o)-
Just kidding.

kind of...


Scarlett & Viaggiatore

gibber said...

You said it best. You can't prevent the strike, so DO NOT STRESS about situations that are 100% out of your control. You just continue to do you!

Michelle | Bleeding Espresso said...

And here's the not so prestigious part of the job :( Many positive thoughts coming your way from southern Italy :)

nyc/caribbean ragazza said...

grazie tutti.

Shelley - At Home in Rome said...

Good luck with this. If you do (facciamo le corna) find yourself out of work, just remember that things happen for a reason and it could be that this is part of the larger plan of your life, to get you moving over here sooner. You never know! In any case, you always have our guest bed to crash on if you need. Fingers crossed!

nyc/caribbean ragazza said...

shelley - grazie for your kind offer. :) If the strike does happen I will just roll with the punches. I mentioned to my sister it might be the push I needed in order to make the leap.