4 ms·

There are places to write that aren't hollywood, you know? Chances are their BATNA is a bit more developed than "go to doordash".

crazygringo 3y ago
No there aren't really. Writing for American TV and film is a very unique skill set and virtually everywhere you would work is covered by the union. All productions have been shut down. The same union covers if you're writing in New York or Atlanta. And they're not going to pick up and go to London or Mumbai. The backup plan really is DoorDash, Uber, etc.
- danaris 3y ago
  I mean...sure, you're right about the union, but that doesn't mean that there aren't people who write for TV, movies, ads, novels, fanfic... ...But creative writing in general doesn't tend to pay the bills on a regular basis without the exact types of residuals the studios are actively trying to take away from them. So they're already used to having to pick up side gigs or even have day jobs to make ends meet.
  - crazygringo 3y ago
    I don't know what you're trying to say. Someone who writes for TV, that is their day job. You can't have a job writing for TV "on the side", that's not a thing. Writing novels is not a reliable source of income, and fanfic doesn't make money at all. It's true that TV writers often do have to pick up some kind of work in between seasons, though it depends on the show.
    - danaris 3y ago
      You're right; you can't have a job writing for TV "on the side," because the schedules won't allow it. But you also can't make a living writing for TV year-round (each gig is on the order of 2-4 months, from what I've read)...unless you earn enough residuals. So...wait, that would mean that without solid residual schedules, TV writers...just can't make a living??! And those residuals are exactly what the studios are trying desperately to take away from writers.
- oneTbrain23 3y ago
  Union vover individuals only especially just Americans in this case. Production still can happen in Bollywood and Seoul producing exact thing American writers can while at a fraction of the cost. Union is basically toast if they want to drag this via attrition. I am seeing corporate will win outright to these unions exactly like what Reagan did with traffic air controllers.

crazygringo 3y ago

No there aren't really. Writing for American TV and film is a very unique skill set and virtually everywhere you would work is covered by the union. All productions have been shut down. The same union covers if you're writing in New York or Atlanta. And they're not going to pick up and go to London or Mumbai. The backup plan really is DoorDash, Uber, etc.

danaris 3y ago
I mean...sure, you're right about the union, but that doesn't mean that there aren't people who write for TV, movies, ads, novels, fanfic... ...But creative writing in general doesn't tend to pay the bills on a regular basis without the exact types of residuals the studios are actively trying to take away from them. So they're already used to having to pick up side gigs or even have day jobs to make ends meet.
- crazygringo 3y ago
  I don't know what you're trying to say. Someone who writes for TV, that is their day job. You can't have a job writing for TV "on the side", that's not a thing. Writing novels is not a reliable source of income, and fanfic doesn't make money at all. It's true that TV writers often do have to pick up some kind of work in between seasons, though it depends on the show.
  - danaris 3y ago
    You're right; you can't have a job writing for TV "on the side," because the schedules won't allow it. But you also can't make a living writing for TV year-round (each gig is on the order of 2-4 months, from what I've read)...unless you earn enough residuals. So...wait, that would mean that without solid residual schedules, TV writers...just can't make a living??! And those residuals are exactly what the studios are trying desperately to take away from writers.
oneTbrain23 3y ago
Union vover individuals only especially just Americans in this case. Production still can happen in Bollywood and Seoul producing exact thing American writers can while at a fraction of the cost. Union is basically toast if they want to drag this via attrition. I am seeing corporate will win outright to these unions exactly like what Reagan did with traffic air controllers.