DISQUS

Cole.Abaius · 2 years ago

Beautifully written, Fure.

It's true of course. Working in Hollywood seems to dry up around Winter anyway - it's looking like the strike may exacerbate and elongate that barren time period.

John August had some good advice over at his website about finding and keeping work right now. Unfortunately, since it's solid, level-headed advice, it isn't very optimistic.

Good luck, buddy.

Michelle Graham · 2 years ago

An excellent piece, I know I'm on the side of the writers but it's easy to forget that the littler fish in the sea will end up in a lot of trouble. I hope the WGA sorts some form of deal out soon, for everyone's sake including your own!

Dave · 2 years ago

I am so sorry that you are in this position. Everyone deserves a raise in their pay every now and then because of the rising cost of living, but yes, they are whinging when it comes to wanting more - they make a nice sum of money compared to the average minimum wage worker who barely gets by, if at all.

Have you seen this? http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GJmUfr03g68 it might be of interest to you.

Robert Fure · 2 years ago

Dave,

Thanks for the comment. The youtube video is something very interesting that I'm sure not a lot of people are aware about. In my lowly positions I've handled paychecks to actors and writers and have seen the cash flow to them. All the battles between factions in Hollywood are not Haves vs Have Nots, but Haves vs Have slightly less.

The people who hurt are the people like me, my friends in the camera department, my post producers, the hard working guys in electric, the tireless drivers who often show up first with the equipment for the day.

Stay tuned for more articles on the Strike as it progresses. A new day of negotiations is coming up, the reasoning of which I'll soon comment on. And if the strike continues past that date, it is almost a certainty I'll be joining many of my friends on unemployment.

Lisa · 1 year ago

I agree with you on many levels. I work in conjunction with the film industry and am/was the owner of a gift basket business in the heart of the motion picture industry.
I 99.9% cater/catered to the film industry. Unfortunately this strike has destroyed my business and now I must try and find a way to get out my 5 year lease, because we/I can no longer make ends meat to pay the bills. I have had to let all of my employees go and next month I will shut my doors forever. It is really sad to see the greed in this industry. The higher ups really don't take into account all the little people this strike will hurt. This strike will not hurt the studios. They will recover. The writers will too. I have a friend who is a writer and she wrote one episode five years ago and has not worked since and she is totally fine with a beautiful home, so even the writers will be fine. The below the line workers will suffer on a grand scale. The directors strike is next and then the SAG strike, all proposed for this year! Happy freaking 2008!