Writer vs. Writers vs. Reality
Sitcom writer/political writer Warren Bell has an interesting tidbit on the whole reality story editors/WGA/producers imbroglio.
Anyway, Warren's obviously an establishment-type, old-school guy, so he's against unionizing reality story editors. But he's Spongebog anecdote is definitely interesting.
The WGA has similarly pursued unionizing of animated shows for years, and actually killed off the first incarnation of "Spongebob Squarepants" some years ago. Basically the union convinced Paramount that the show fell under WGA jurisdiction and put the screws to them -- so the studio decided to cease production rather than continue under the union pay scale. Nice going, WGA! Only the show's enduring appeal (and more accurately, its genius) allowed it to survive and resume production some years later. (This is not hearsay, by the way. I was told this version of events by a WGA official.)But, Spongebog is a monstrously successful property. Why can't its handful of writers get good money for making Nick/Paramount billions? Hell, Spongebob is more successful than most live-action scripted crap. The only reason I can think of to explain why Spongebob might not be as valuable as say, Friends, is that its advertising money isn't that great, seeing as how it's kiddie. And maybe there's something screwy with merchandise money, where it doesn't all go to the same place and blablabla. Also, there's no money in rebroadcast rights, seeing as how Nick's not going to syndicate to the highest bidder. (And really, the syndication/rebroadcast money is what makes scripted writers rich).
Anyway, Warren's obviously an establishment-type, old-school guy, so he's against unionizing reality story editors. But he's Spongebog anecdote is definitely interesting.
3 Comments:
Spongebob before it gained popularity is one thing, but can you imagine production companies and networks readily abandoning such staples as Survivor, Apprentice, Top Model, Extreme Makeover, Bachelor, Real World, American Idol, etc, etc, etc? The answer is an emphatic "no." Networks are desperate for programming. Also, a healthy number of animated shows (including Simpsons, King of the Hill, etc) are unionized.
Reality TV is a genre like comedy or drama and when the market desaturates it will still firmly have a place on television. Warren Bell sounds like a very bitter man who is part of a weak minority within the guild, basing his opinions on conjecture. Fact is, the overwhelming majority of reality shows make enough profit to where they can unionize and still make an incredulous amount of money. The WGA isn't going after the little mom and pop, fly-by-night production companies either. They're targeting the big boys: Viacom, WB, NBC/Universal, Fox, Disney. Viacom last quarter netted 6.4 billion. That's billion with a "B." Raising the payscale on some of their most profitable shows will not affect them at all. The WGA membership voted almost unanimously to back this campaign. Warren Bell and others like him (that would be: uninformed cynics)can shove it. I take exception to use of quote marks around the word "writer."
To play Devil's Advocate...
Do you think that if reality writers like yourself unionize, you will then make it incredibly hard for aspiring showbiz folks (like myself) to break into the industry? It seems that if the reality folks join the establishment they'll close off one of the last remaining "under-the-radar" showbiz avenues.
I can't say for certain, but would guess no. It's difficult enough already getting work as a reality writer. That also seems like a question that could only be dealt with company by company. Some, like mine, promote from within (ground-floor positions as loggers and PAs on up) while others look around for credentials. Depends a lot of what kind of time crunch the show is under, but I imagine that the pull-yourself-up-from-the-bootstraps thing would still be totally viable.
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