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Three Reasons to Support the WGA Strike and Three Ways You Can Do It

Anne Wayman over at The Golden Pencil wrote a great article about the WGA strike today, and in the comments she asked me for ideas about how to support the strike. This post is my response.

Three Reasons to Support the WGA Strike

TV and Film Writer’s Don’t get to Copyright Their Work
Even as a lowly blogger, my work automatically gets a copyright the moment I publish it on my site. I own it. I might, like Leo over at ZenHabits, choose to give up that right, but it is my right to give. A screenwriter’s work, once it is acquired by a studio (which is pretty much the only way to see it get produced and distributed) no longer belongs to the writer. It never belongs to them again. Ever. They have no rights to it other than what the studios agree to give. The WGA is there to make sure the writers are fairly compensated for giving up the rights to their work. By the way, if you think this is the same for copywriters or technical writers, guess again. There’s a genuine difference between business writing performed to a company’s specifications and creative work performed in the hopes of people enjoying it.

There is a Limited and Tightly Controlled Market for a Screenwriter’s Work
The lion’s share of the television and motion picture market is controlled by just six extremely large corporations, all of whom work very hard to make sure that outsiders cannot compete on a level playing field. These corporations also control most major news outlets, which is why NBC was able to run a “news” program about the Golden Globes Awards that never discussed the fact that the original show was canceled because of a strike.

Electronic Rights Means A LOT More Than Just YouTube
The simple fact is that with ever increasing bandwidth and services such as Tivo and Netflix, we are moving closer and closer to the end of traditional broadcast television. We are moving toward a model of video-on-demand, in which most shows will be downloaded by people who want to watch them. The profit model for this is still in flux, which is why the writers want a percentage, rather than a set fee. They want to be sure that whatever the future model is, they are fairly compensated. If a profit can’t be made, a percentage of the profits can’t harm anyone. Obviously though, there will be plenty of profit made.

Three Ways You Can Support the WGA Strike

You Can Stop Going to Movies
TV will die its own slow death due to a lack of new content, but the movie studios have at least a year’s worth of movies ready to go. They will only feel the effects of the strike if you stop going to movies. You are welcome to go to movies produced by studios that have signed independent deals with the WGA. At present that list includes films by United Artists, Spyglass, MRC, and Weinstein Company. The list is growing every week though.

You can Walk the Picket Lines with Writers
The WGA writers welcome support from other writers, especially moral support. Walking the line is admittedly easier if you live in Los Angeles or New York, but the chance to meet all these writers can serve you well in the future, especially if you want to be a screenwriter yourself. If you don’t want to walk, bring them pizza or donuts. All writers love food.

You Can Write About the Strike
The major corporate players in this strike control much of the broadcast media, but they don’t control the Internet and they only have some control over newspapers. Write letters to the editors of newspapers and magazines. Blog about the strike. Write letters to the AMPTP and its major corporate players. Tell them to go back to the negotiating table and to stop playing PR games and giving ultimatums.

That’s it. I’m not asking you to give anyone your money or sacrifice anything more than a little time, effort, and maybe a pizza. Just be vocal in your support and remember who has the money and the power in this battle.