What the Writers' Strike Means to CSI: NY

^That's a big part of it. And technically, they want 4 cents, since they're already getting 4 cents from every DVD sale, so the total is 8 cents. Either way, it really doesn't sound unreasonable. The other issue is residuals from internet airings/sales of shows (network airing shows on their websites with commercials in them, sales on iTunes, Unbox, etc.) just like they would get from TV airings or DVD sales.

From what I understand, the Second Life continuation has not been written and won't air in Feb. as planned.
 
Kind of ironic that TPTB want to capitalize on cross-platform play with the two-part episode, but the second part may not get written because TPTB don't want to pay the writers for cross-platform play.
 
PerfectAnomaly said:
Kind of ironic that TPTB want to capitalize on cross-platform play with the two-part episode, but the second part may not get written because TPTB don't want to pay the writers for cross-platform play.
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And here I had worried that my question might have been a bit off topic :lol:. Instead, it turns out to have been more appropriate to the thread than I realized ;). It is really quite amazing when you think about how much technology has changed, even since the last strike. It would be hard for either side to have anticipated some of these "cross platform" issues, which I suppose is why they are tangled up in this mess now. Had they been able to anticipate it, steps might have been taken to head this off before it got so desperate. Hopefully everyone involved will take some deep breaths and honestly try to work it out. In the meantime, I guess once all the original episodes have aired (by February it sounds like) there are always books. Hopefully by then the library workers strike in my city will be over. :rolleyes:
 
I really feel for all of my fellow CSI fans over the pond,here in the UK we are a series behind all of you so this is not affecting us so much but come January we get the series of CSI & CSI NY+ Miami that you are watching now as it stands it looks like they will be shortened wont they ? BTW thanks for all of your info on the strike it makes it much more clearer to a Brit like me,we had a tv strike on our commercial channel in the 70,s and it blacked out the entire channel for 4 months and all we had was public tv(BBC)to watch its awful when you cant watch your fave shows all i can say is hang in there and hope that it gets resolved soon,our writers have good deals over here i hope your writers get the same :( :confused:
 
stella61, actually you could argue that this will affect us, at least it could well affect out TV channels. Five gets the majority (or it always used to, I can't remember the exact figures) of its advertising revenue as a result of the CSI franchise, and has a huge reliance on US shows in general. So a shorter season, when it does air, would mean reduced revenue for them and as yet unknown consequences. ;) As an avid watcher of many US shows, I'm saddened by the strike, even if we won't necessarily feel the affect of it immediately.

I have to say though, although $0.04 doesn't seem like a lot of money, doesn't it depend on what everyone else is receiving per DVD? Doubling what the writers get would set a precedence, which inevitably would surely lead to others requesting more per DVD too? Which is bound to happen with the other deals for the SAG and the Director's Guild coming up some time in the new year. Likewise with the residuals, although I can see why not receiving payments from those would be frustrating and unfair.

My point really is that everyone wants more money and thinks they deserve more, of course they do, but without knowing all the details and all the financial issues I personally find it difficult to agree either way. Sure, the writers really make or break the shows, but so do so many other people who are involved, from the actors actually translating it onto the screen, or the directors conducting the episodes and making it look good on screen, to the people working way behind the scenes on much less money but still doing an incredibly important job.

Anyway, in my opinion, the strike will probably mean that NY will forego continuity, end up with potentially unfinished storylines and may finish the season with a disappointing episode, but then I guess everyone else will be in the same position too so we shouldn't be too worried about that. :lol:
 
Elsie,
I think you bring up some really valid points. It looks as though a precedent will be set, one way or another. We think we're suffering now by not being able to watch our shows continue. However I think we will suffer more in the much longer term as, like you guys say, other hard-working departments that contribute start asking for their piece of the pie. I can see DVD prices sky-rocketing as everybody fights to get their 8 cents. I think the writers (and others involved) deserve the reap the rewards from what they work hard for, but I think it is the consumer who will ultimately pay the price.
 
^ Unfortunately that's true for almost all 'products'. Whenever the price of raw materials, like the scripts, increases the 'producers' of an end product will first look for ways to cut back other costs. And the first things they will be looking at are the wages, since this is one of the major debit posts on every company's balance. As I understood from the article Fay linked to, the producers are already trying to use (or were perhaps even looking out for) this strike as a 'force majeure' (unforeseen[?] major event) to unbind short term contracts, cancel deals and fire employees.

This will of course realize a lot of money, but the producers also have to deal with loss of income from commercials, selling of on-line episodes, etc. And although $ 0.04 extra doesn’t sound like a lot, when multiplied by the number of writers per episode/DVD and the number of times they’re watched/sold, it will end up in the millions; and perhaps even more when the eventual (hopefully early) result will be used as a precedence for others in the business to claim their extra piece of the proceeds.

It’s not easy to take a stand on this, but I think the writers are right to demand some extra income based on the simple fact that what they (and others) have created is now available in so many more ways than when the initial deal was made, and I don’t think it’s fair that the producers are the only ones to profit from this availability. But since the costs of the final compromise will most likely exceed the initial benefits for the producers, I have no doubt that we’ll have to pay something extra for the end product.

The only plus about this strike that I can think of, is that there is no one to write new shows and their trailers, so we can all be assured that our series will be back next season.
 
Just a question here....will the cast and production team still get paid while the strike is on or will they all be heading for the dole queue??


...or indeed looking for jobs elsewhere. Maybe Carmine's band was a good idea after all :lol:
 
I totally agree with you dutch. The writers have generated a product that is available in many more formats now than there were even available 19 years ago at the conclusion of the last contract negotiations. People weren't really watching DVDs back then and we certainly weren't watching movies and tv shows on the internet. Itunes was but a twinkle in some techie's eye. It's not unreasonable to ask for a cut of all of the residuals available to the writers; after all, it is their work and we wouldn't be watching were it not for them.

The producers are trying to play a hand that I think they will ultimately lose in the long-term, especially considering the amount of power that unions wield in the United States. Unfortunately, in the short-term, the writers who are not living in Beverly Hills and rolling in money will be the ones to suffer.
 
Uuuh, suits playing really hard and that just after 5 days of strike.

The entire 102-person crew of “The Office” was fired today after production of the last previously-written episode wrapped:

Dale Alexander, a key grip on “The Office” wrote an Email to the Los Angeles Times explaining what happened and his point of view.

This is truly shocking!!!
Is this possible to any CSI franchise as well?
 
That's HORRIBLE. :( :( :(

And yeah, that's ultimately what's going to happen to all the crews from all the shows, since without any scripts, there are no episodes to film/work on. :(
 
Top41 said:
That's HORRIBLE. :( :( :(

And yeah, that's ultimately what's going to happen to all the crews from all the shows, since without any scripts, there are no episodes to film/work on. :(
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:( It really is terrible. And like you say, all the crews are in danger, including guest staring actors. It's so bad that they have to take it so far. :( Just hope they'll reach a compromise before more people have to suffer the consequences.
 
Yes it is terrible, but it was also inevitable. Why would they keep paying people for doing nothing? This will continue to happen across the industry as the shows finish up filming the scripts they have left.

(Below is similar to what I posted in the general tv and media forum)

I have to admit that I generally don't find myself agreeing with industrial action, so I would never be likely to support it. I have no problem with a peaceful protest, but I would never join in and have no issue with crossing a picket line. I don't tend to believe (at least in the UK where I am) that it works.

It greatly saddens me that people who can have no effect over the strike and are just trying to earn a living in their chosen profession are the ones immediately suffering. Although again I don't know for sure, and it is a generalisation, but I believe that the writers are earning significantly more than many others involved in the industry. Many others who have already lost their jobs, may lose their homes and who knows what else. I'm not saying that the writers don't deserve a fair share of the revenue made from media that wouldn't previously have been considered as significant, I'm just personally finding that it is increasingly difficult to support a cause that actually directly causes so much irreparable damage to so many.

The entertainment industry is huge, and incorporates many individuals and jobs, all of whom will suffer and continue to suffer the longer this goes on. I get that industrial action is supposed to cause huge disruption and that in damaging the lives of others those who have the power to negotiate may feel forced or inclined to get back to the table and negotiate a deal. But if I were one of those already affected by the actions of one union I certainly wouldn't be feeling any sympathy for the writers.
 
I feel for the writers not getting what they desereve for writing scripts and all but its really sad that other people are having to suffer for their strike.

102 people are now joblees. This is only from one show. What will happen when other shows decide to lay of their crew members?

This is just really sad. I trully hope that this will all be resolved soon.
 
Elsie said:
Yes it is terrible, but it was also inevitable. Why would they keep paying people for doing nothing? This will continue to happen across the industry as the shows finish up filming the scripts they have left.
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I suspected something like that might be the case but I didn't realise it would be so draconian...
 
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