Back in 2007, I had the honor of speaking with Tim Minear (Buffy, Angel, Firefly, American Horror Story) about the strike the WGA was having at that time. We quickly get into what Tim Minear perceived as the most important issue facing writers at the time. Can you guess what it was? It was digital distribution. At minute 5, Tim highlights how ABC.com in 2007 was calling the streaming of entire episodes “promotions” instead of episodes. These are things to keep in mind as we see the networks attempt to rebrand films and television shows “content.” As Tim says in this interview, the choice of words is very particular.
That strike resulted in writers getting a fairer share of DVD and video revenue, but it did not fully address streaming revenue. The most recent strike resolved some of the streaming revenue issues but like the old strike it had a new issue to address, in this case artificial intelligence. The marketplace and technology are changing so fast that writers, directors, actors, and illustrators find themselves facing new challenges before they’ve had time to address prior challenges.
We live in exciting times, but they are also frustrating times for many. When a lot of people think of television and film writers, they think of people making millions of dollars a year. While that is true of the David E. Kelleys and Shonda Rhimes of the world, who have a creative track record and audience appeal that enables those earnings, it isn’t true for most. Most writers in Hollywood are very much nose to the grindstone middle-class workers struggling to pay rent in a place as expensive as Southern California can be.
That’s one of several reasons why I adhere to Harlan Ellison’s rule “Pay the Artist!” It’s why I support so many Kickstarters. It’s why I am a Patreon patron for others and it’s why I’ll buy whatever role playing game product you’re making. Exposure doesn’t pay the bills. “Promotion” isn’t supporting the artist and I’ve too many artist friends to think it does.
Episode 29: Tim Minear Discusses 2007 WGA Strike and Digital Distribution