Gawker: valleywag, writers' strike

Timothy Dalton appears in first look at StrikeTV's programming

Jackson West — Fri, 11 Jul 2008 18:40:00 EDT

Finally, an online video outfit from Hollywood professionals that looks like it might produce more than one hit! Harry Shearer's MyDamnChannel has "You Suck at Photoshop", FunnyOrDie is still resting on the laurel's of "The Landlord", IBeatYou can't beat anyone without Jessica Alba staring into the camera, and IFC's best semi-pro production, "Young American Bodies," just happens to have lots of nudity. Enter StrikeTV, an idea that came together on the picket lines during the writers' strike and has more professional writer-producer-directors (AKA "multihyphenates") on board than the lot of them. Add name-brand draws like former James Bond Timothy Dalton, übercute Mindy Kaling from The Office and none other than Bob Newhart and they may just have something.

No way does Viacom get $1 billion from Google now

Nicholas Carlson — Tue, 11 Mar 2008 11:55:01 EDT

When Viacom sued Google for $1 billion over copyright infringement on YouTube last year, it seemed unlikely Viacom lawyers would ever win that much. Now it will be that much harder. Judge Louis Stanton ruled that Viacom will not be awarded "punitive damages." If Viacom wins the case, any money it gets from Google will be a sum determined only by how much the alleged copyright infringement cost Viacom. Since Viacom executives argued during the writers' strike that they weren't making any money online, they may have a tough case getting anything.

The writers' strike, 2007-2008

Owen Thomas — Sat, 09 Feb 2008 18:57:23 EST

What is online video worth in the age of YouTube? $1,200, according to the Writers' Guild of America. That's the amount the group of television and movie writers agreed to accept for work streamed over the Internet. An odd amount, and like all fixed pay for the hit-and-miss, easily measured world of the Web, almost always the wrong one. Also easily measured: The relentless slide of television audiences. Here are the key dozen words from the Guild's 643-word letter to members:

To Our Fellow Members,
We have a tentative deal. "When they get paid, we get paid."

Best,

Patric M. Verrone

President, WGAW

Michael Winship

President, WGAE

Perhaps the strikers should have been exploring what happens if they don't get paid. Details!

Michael Eisner fantasizes about end to writer's strike on CNBC

Owen Thomas — Thu, 07 Feb 2008 20:20:49 EST

On CNBC today, he declared an end to the writers' strike. Not so, say our Hollywood sources. The strike will be over soon, they predict, but it's not done yet. Leave aside that question: Should we in the tech industry ever have cared about the strike in the first place?

Aside from providing us with some entertaining viral videos, the strike had no impact on the business of tech. TV ratings, even on programs produced before the strike, continue to plummet; there's no reason to expect them to pick up after the writers return to work. One sure loser: Venture capitalist who fancied themselves the new media moguls. As rapacious as Hollywood bosses are, they surely take less of their servants' work than Sand Hill Road. Like Eisner himself, these wannabe studio chiefs are left with only the purest fantasies of being a player.

Looks like those striking Writers Guild members...

Mary Jane Irwin — Wed, 26 Dec 2007 16:20:44 EST

Looks like those striking Writers Guild members have one more reason to justify their demand a share of Hollywood's Web profits. Turns out consumers are 47 percent more "engaged" in video ads on computer than those screened on regular TVs in living rooms. That could be because they're simply paying more attention in general: Internet viewers are 25 percent more engaged with the actual show than their TV-watching counterparts. [Online Media Daily]

Own a piece of this video for just 15 cents

Nicholas Carlson — Tue, 18 Dec 2007 14:40:24 EST

Yesterday, we told you about striking TV and film writers hitting up Silicon Valley VCs for cash. The plan is to copy WIll Ferrell's success with FunnyOrDie.com. But there is a reason Ferrell's "The Landlord" just passed 50 million views. It's funny. This clip, "THE G! True Tinseltown Tale: Dude, Where's My Car?", is not. But that's not stopping its creators from asking investors for money.

According to an SEC filing, Writers Group Film is offering 10,000,000 shares of common stock at a price of $0.15 per share in an attempt to raise $1,500,000. Not gonna happen. The video's only been viewed 1,100 times on YouTube and 300 times on FunnyOrDie, according to the filings. Unlike this video, that's pretty funny.

Letterman, Stewart striking side deals with striking writers

Nicholas Carlson — Mon, 17 Dec 2007 18:39:10 EST

The Writers Guild of America (WGA), which represents TV and film writers striking over their Internet pay, has decided to negotiate with individual bosses instead of the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers. Late-night hosts David Letterman and Jon Stewart will be the first to take the bait and negotiate side deals to get their shows back on the air, the New York Times reports. We're pretty sure Viacom will settle with Stewart's writers quickly. As the Daily Show scribes themselves pointed out, the company's $1 billion suit against Google/YouTube indicates they must understand the value of video online.

Hollywood writers turn to Sand Hill Road for handouts

Nicholas Carlson — Mon, 17 Dec 2007 18:00:02 EST

As the writers' strike wears on in Hollywood, TV and film scribes have turned to plotting startup strategies instead of scripts, the Los Angeles Times reports.

These wantrepreneur writers are taking inspiration from Will Ferrell's FunnyOrDie.com and former MTV executive Rob Barnett's MyDamnChannel.com. Now that's hilarious. Some are even talking about creating Facebook applications. And despite that, hedge funds and VCs like Accel and Spark Capital are taking meeting with them. We don't know who's fooling whom here, but it all sounds like a great idea for a sitcom.

Writers' strike hurting, not helping CollegeHumor

Nicholas Carlson — Thu, 13 Dec 2007 16:20:26 EST

The television and film writers' strike over Internet pay was supposed to be a boon for Internet-only content creators. But according to CollegeHumor cofounder Ricky Van Veen, that's not been the case.

"I think TV/features and Web shorts are two different animals," Van Veen told me. "Creating a 44-minute episode of Lost and a 2-minute short like Hand Vagina definitely require different skill sets."

In fact, Van Veen says the writers strike is hurting College Humor. Or at least its brand. Viacom's Paramount studio bought the rights to a CollegeHumor film a couple years back and signed on Gene Stupnitsky and Lee Eisenberg, writers from The Office. But, Van Veen said, "The project is on pause because of the strike."

Jack Black rallies writers for Internet pay

Nicholas Carlson — Mon, 10 Dec 2007 14:29:36 EST

Negotiations to end the Hollywood writers' strike over Internet pay collapsed Friday after studios refused to cave on "any proposal that uses distributor's gross as a basis for residuals," according to the AP. Whatevs. In bigger news, Jack Black and Tenacious D's latest work entered the canon of made-for-the-Internet protest videos, restoring the genre to its rightful place.

Writers strike talks turn "substantive" as videos turn "not funny"

Nicholas Carlson — Fri, 07 Dec 2007 12:33:02 EST

Hollywood writers striking over Internet pay announced yesterday that talks had turned "substantive." And just in time too. Because wow has the quality of viral-video updates on the strike dropped off from the early days.

Carson Daly explains crossing the picket line

Nicholas Carlson — Tue, 04 Dec 2007 15:02:42 EST

Late-night host Carson Daly, somehow still on television after making his name on MTV's TRL, here explains his decision to cross the writers'picket line. Hollywood writers are refusing to work because they want to be paid for content distributed over the Internet. A question: Would anyone even be able to tell the difference if Daly's show lacked professional writers? Did it even have them before the strike?

Lolcats, bulldogs join writers on strike

Owen Thomas — Mon, 03 Dec 2007 16:07:21 EST

Why is the Hollywood writers' strike ultimately foolish? Because, as the rise of YouTube has demonstrated, millions of people are willing to settle for cats playing the piano, otters holding hands, and dogs riding skateboards. The Internet's wealth of loser-generated content may not match their output in quality, but for making Google richer, it does the trick nicely. This video is funny — but somehow, I don't think the writers should be laughing quite so hard.

Carson Daly crosses picket line; writers say, "who?"

Nicholas Carlson — Fri, 30 Nov 2007 12:53:28 EST

Amid fears that late night stars David Letterman and Jay Leno — or worse, Comedy Central stars John Stewart and Stephen Colbert — would cross picket lines, TV and film writers striking over Internet pay have reason to relax. It's just Carson Daly. Yeah, that guy who was on MTV ten years ago. Here's a clip to refresh your memory. It's from a site that Daly would apparently call "the YouTube."

Writers striking over Internet reject $130 million offer

Nicholas Carlson — Fri, 30 Nov 2007 12:15:23 EST

Hollywood studio bosses, in the guise of the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers, said they offered writers striking over Internet video payments a three-year deal which amounts to a $130 million increase over the $1.3 billion they currently receive each year. Writers quickly dismissed the offer calling it "dispiriting news" and a "massive rollback." The strike continues, offering writers the chance to make more funny videos for YouTube, like this one, starring Christina Applegate. Has anyone pointed out to them that they're not getting paid for these videos either?

John Edwards visits writers striking over Internet pay

Nicholas Carlson — Wed, 28 Nov 2007 19:58:43 EST

In what will surely go down as one of the most iconic images of all time, the presidential candidate held up the bullhorn and offered words of encouragement to the men and women from all corners of ~~New York~~ the major metropolis as they pressed on with their struggle. Yes we speak of working television and film writers with their average salaries of around $200,000, fighting against the studios — the man! — who will not increase their share of Internet revenues. John Edwards, working class hero.

Studio head visits striking writers

Nicholas Carlson — Tue, 27 Nov 2007 19:27:01 EST

The film and television writers' strike over Internet residuals doesn't just effect writers. Think of the studio executives and their poor families, suffering. Here's "studio head" Roger Trevanti to make his case. You may recognize him from his recent appearence on Saturday Night Live.

Writers and studios to renew talks today

Nicholas Carlson — Mon, 26 Nov 2007 16:12:41 EST

Hollywood writers striking over Internet and DVD residuals will meet with their employers today. Talks better go well or this could mean the "total collapse of Hollywood's entertainment machine," the typically reserved Wall Street Journal remarks. Southern California's writers, the paper theorizes, face economic pressure from fires and subprime mortgages. When studios run out of scripted episodes, television viewers may never return. Sounds like you better get your popcorn ready.

Writers' strike costs L.A. economy $21 million per day

Nicholas Carlson — Fri, 23 Nov 2007 15:42:05 EST

The TV writers' strike over online-video residuals costs the Los Angeles economy $21. 3 million per day, according to nonprofit group FilmLA. The strike, which has already shut down production on shows 24, Cold Case and Desperate Housewives, keeps 15,000 from working. The last time the writers struck, in 1988, the total cost came to an estimated $500 million, or about $3 million a day.

Apple ads light into Vista for the holidays

Nicholas Carlson — Fri, 23 Nov 2007 11:06:45 EST

Have you missed John Hodgman, The Daily Show's "expert," since the writers' strike started? Well, he's back in action, reprising his role as "PC," joining Robert Scoble's bid to urge Vista users to not give up on Microsoft. The campaign appears to make use of an especially vicious form of keyword targeting: Here, it appears on CNET's Windows Vista page.