Comments on: ‘Snide Remarks’ addresses TV strike, coffee

By: Steve S

Steve S — Wed, 14 Nov 2007 14:03:06 +0000

It doesnâ€™t matter whether Evanier is aware of other business models or not.

This is the type of attitude which has stopped America from improving its health care system because a European model “wouldn’t work here,” its transportation system because a Japanese model “wouldn’t work here,” etc. I’ve never understood this principle of “American exceptionalism” that claims that no system employed outside US borders can have any relevance to anything occurring within our borders.

By: Amp

Amp — Wed, 14 Nov 2007 06:24:33 +0000

It doesn’t matter whether Evanier is aware of other business models or not. What he’s saying is that the residual system is the system currently in use and the WGA thinks its writers deserve a bigger share.

By: Steve S

Steve S — Mon, 12 Nov 2007 22:57:08 +0000

Evanier’s comments are good at addressing the very peculiar situation of American writers in the tiny part of the global entertainment world that behaves the way he describes. In countries with national television companies (and film boards) where products are NOT produced “on spec” but are actually commissioned in advance, writers are as likely as not to be paid a flat fee and do not get any more money if the show becomes an oft-repeated favorite than if it gets cancelled in mid-run. (Of course the people who commissioned the work might well remember in the case of a cancellation!)

Evanier writes as if he is unaware of any other business model than the one that Hollywood employs. I suppose he will next tell us that it is “obvious” that waiters & waitresses should receive part of their wages in tips rather than getting a regular salary like most other employees.

By: Lowdogg

Lowdogg — Mon, 12 Nov 2007 17:45:48 +0000

Evanier’s post is a good answer to a good question.