They’re finally opening. I love brown-eyed susans/black-eyed susans, which I will refer to in the future as ‘susans.’ They’re self-seeding, of course – my favorite thing. I’d say that most of the flowers in the big garden bed self-seed. It makes gardening so much easier.
I love their autumnal colors, a little prediction of what is to come.
Some more information on the need for the strike:
When Don was acting in Hollywood, and indeed, when I first met him, he had amassed an extensive body of work in television. In those days, if you were working fairly consistently, after several years, your agent could negotiate your day fee. When he was playing a recurring role in LA Law, he was getting $3500/day. And in those days, the first rerun of an episode paid the exact same amount. So he would earn $7000 for that one appearance. That may seem like a lot, but the average actor might work 4 times a year, so $7000 x 4 equals $28,000 a year. Not much.
Then the studios and networks stopped any negotiations as to fee. Period. Now, you get offered the day rate, which is a little over a thousand dollars. That’s it. If you question it, you get this response: Either take it or don’t take the job. It’s what I got paid for my acting work on Spoiler Alert. That’s less than a third of what Don used to get.
Do you see what’s happening here?
If it isn’t streaming, you’ll get a residual, but the residual is based on that greatly decreased day rate.
If it is for streaming, you will get NO RESIDUALS AT ALL. Most actors live on their residuals because there are so many weeks and months where they can’t get work. Don still gets residuals from Three’s Company and you know how long ago that was. After all this time, the residuals are very, very small, but they help, and when you’re trying to make your rent, feed your kids, pay your mortgage, you need them,
SAG also changed their health insurance requirements a few years back – remember when they took away the great insurance Don had earned because he was a Senior Performer? They also changed the requirements for qualifying for health insurance – now, you have to make $26,000 a year to qualify. Because of low pay, no residuals for anything made for streaming, and the difficulty of finding work, 87% of union members don’t qualify. Only 13% of members have health insurance.
When studios systematically chip away at an actor’s earning potential, they take away the chance to actually make a living, to provide for families.
Don would tell you that the business has changed dramatically and that he doesn’t recognize it anymore.
When you treat actors as a commodity for your use and not as talented creative artists that you’re lucky to have on your project, you become soulless, corporate bean counters. Meanwhile, the CEO of Warner Brothers/Discovery, David Zaslow, makes $246.6 million dollars a year. Bob Iger, the CEO of Disney, who makes $27 million dollars a year, said that he found the demands of actors were not “realistic” and that “it is very disturbing to me.” I’d say that we find your utter disconnect very disturbing.
A ‘Let ’em eat cake’ mentality that did not go over well at all. He’s been repeatedly under fire for those comments.
This is what SAG is up against. The studios have become part of massive corporate entities, entities that feel that scanning a background actor’s body and using it over and over again so that they don’t have to deal with background actors – or pay them – ever again is a good idea.
I’m so disillusioned with this world we live in. We have a broken lawn mower, a dehumidifier that stopped working, a washing machine that stopped working, and we’ve already had to replace our window a/c unit. We have to try a figure out a way to pay for replacements, which in actuality means we’ll use the lawn mower but only do a bit at a time because it’s so hard to push now, we’ll stick paper towels under the washer until we can afford to call a repairman and hope against hope that we don’t have to replace the stacked unit, and, because we have a 140 year-old half-basement that gets wet when it rains and all we have had is rain lately, we’ll choose to replace the dehumidifier first because more rain is coming tomorrow and the next day and the day after that.
But, Don and I are not special. So this isn’t a ‘poor me’ thing. This is the reality for more than 90% of actors in the union. I suspect it’s the same with Actor’s Equity (the theatrical union.) And these studio heads want to keep chipping away at any possible income for actors.
Added note about me: As a dialect coach, I don’t even have the protection of a union. None. I don’t have a manager, I don’t have an agent. I have to negotiate the very small fees I get all by myself. It’s draining. And I wouldn’t have health insurance if I was not married to Don, so thank God for that, at least.
Just sharing a bit of the reality that every actor (and writer) deals with on a daily basis and why the strike is absolutely necessary.
Stay safe.
Happy Tuesday.
Thanks for all this information about the strike. My husband was an English teacher for forty years. With every new contract that was negotiated with the local union, benefits were degraded or just plain disappeared, pay raises would shrink. Because he started his career in NYC in the 70s some of his benefits were permanent. We are very lucky in that regard. I always support union efforts to engage in fair collective bargaining and to advocate for better pay and benefits for their members. I hope the SAG and Writers Guild strikes are successful. We as a society can not afford to continue to accept so much income equality. And having people with fortunes consisting of hundreds of millions of dollars scolding union members is so galling. Good luck to the strikers!
Thank you so much, Terri.
Stay safe.
Yes it is a. Very difficult time for so many many people. I thank God every day that my husband has a pension and good health health care. I never had a job with a pension. Just living on Social Security would be very difficult.
Thank God Don has a pension. Yes try to get a dehumidifier that is really important. You don’t want mold. We are sitting here waiting for the repairman to look at our refrigerator. Pray we don’t need a new one.
Hang in there
It’s always something, isn’t it, Linda? Hope you just needed a minor repair.
Stay safe.
Thank you for taking the time to explain this to us. I was astounded as I usually am, by the salary amounts that CEO’s are paid…it’s ridiculous in my mind. The actors and writers have every right to strike, and their cause is a just one, As a former Teamster, I fully support you all.
Didn’t realize you were dealing with all the other things in your life. Yes…de-humidifiers are very important. Sure wish the rain would let up for you. Hope you can enjoy your day! ;)
I try not to mention our financial worries. Who wants to hear about that?
We had even more of a deluge yesterday!
Stay safe, Donnamae.
Thank you so much for that detailed explanation of the strike. It’s criminal how they’re treating talented creative artists. I so appreciate what you, Don and all creative artists do. Our world would be so much bleaker if we couldn’t look forward to the superb entertainment we get at our fingertips nightly after a hard day, or if we didn’t have the luxury of seeing high-quality entertainment at the movie theater. I hope these spoiled, jaded, out-of-touch CEO’s wake up soon.
I fear they won’t, Jenny.
Stay safe.
I heard a man this morning saying Netflix will not even reveal their profits. How can they negotiate in good faith when they with hold just critical information? They cannot. Plus, I have heard that “the business” will be severely hurt and may not recover? Really? I do not think so.
I too, am having repairs to deal with…It is a total bummer (do they still say bummer?) and so expensive…
Take Care,
Kaye
It will be better, rather than being severely hurt.
Oh, these repairs. I’m so tired of it all! I’m sure you are, too.
Stay safe, Kaye.
Thank you for the additional insight into a world about which most of us “civilians” don’t know enough. I hope there is resolution that is fair to the writers and actors. The amount of money earned off their backs is obscene.
It is obscene, Wendy.
Thank you.
Stay safe.
wow …
thank you for sharing that, claudia.
while i realize time, space and interest for news is variously and for practical reasons limited, i’ve seen very little on tv and in the newspaper about the writers’ and actors’ strikes … and what i have seen, i’m sorry to say, included negativity towards those on strike (and less, if any, towards those with multi-million dollar salaries) and only briefly mentioned a reason for the strikes. you have shared here what should be included in the news … you show that it’s not greed, but a fight for fairness (of pay, of one’s talents and of use of one’s likeness) , that it’s about livelihoods and lives, not “just” something some people do for other people’s entertainment. you made it real by personalizing and humanizing the issues, claudia. again, thank you.
best wishes and prayers for a speedy and fair resolution to end the strikes and the real-life situations behind them and the entertainment so many of us need (count on as a break from troubles in the world and our own lives) and enjoy.
kathy
i should clarify that it’s not writers and actors being greedy … they’re not greedy. you and don aren’t greedy. the greed i mentioned is that of studio execs that receive such obscenely-high multi-million dollar salaries.
as a thankfully-now-retired social worker who couldn’t earn in 150 lifetimes (not years … lifetimes, working at least forty full-time years in each lifetime) what that ceo receives in one year, i definitely support the strikers!
kathy
same good wishes and prayers about the appliances and other troubles.
kathy
xoxo
I knew what you meant, Kathy!
xo
So many people assume all actors are rich. It’s narrow minded, lazy thinking. I’ve had to correct more than a few commenters on social media concerning those percentages. Drives me nuts.
Thanks so much, Kathy.
Stay safe.
In my humble opinion, no one works hard enough to earn $246.6 million a year. People with that kind of wealth lose touch with the average people who are struggling to pay for housing and food, raising children. Hope the strike is resolved fairly and quickly. Thanks for providing such great insight to it all. Hugs, Elaine
i agree, elaine!
hope you are well and keeping comfortable!
kathy
Exactly. NO ONE should earn that much.
Thanks, Elaine.
Stay safe.
Watching all the wonderful work that actors do, I had no idea that the pay could be so little for most of them. It got a bit pricey to go to the movies for us, so we watch a lot of TV. But if I have to turn off the TV, I will until there is more equity for all actors, writers, and all the little people that work so hard to bring fun, laughter and joy into my life. Hope you get just enough rain and not too much or too little. Sending prayers to all who are on strike, and especially to you and Don.
We got way too much rain, Tana. A deluge!
Thanks for your support.
Stay safe.
The do need to strike Claudia! My dad was always a Union man. He always said join the Union wherever you work and sometimes strike is the only way. I don’t know how people can live on the deal they offer. It’s hideous.
It is unbelievably unfair. My brother and dad were both union members, Judy.
Stay safe.
Great information Claudia on the strike. I know that actors and writers are really getting taken advantage of and it’s not right. The world is changing and so much of it isn’t for the better. I hope you and Don continue to be ok. Hugs!
It’s depressing. I feel that – in almost all aspects – the world I knew is no more.
Stay safe, Linda.
It would be nice to know a way we could help. Giving up streaming? or something? let us know, I think a lot of people would love to help.
I don’t know. I suppose pausing streaming would help, but it would only be effective if millions of consumers did it, and that just won’t happen.
Thanks, Jan.
Stay safe.
I had a PT job at a grocery store in the Chicago area (where I grew up) and was a member of a Union. My Dad explained how important that was. He was a truck driver and said without the growth of the Unions, there would not be a middle class. I see the middle class fading daily….. My husband was a teacher and Union member for 35+ yrs. He was President for 5 of those years. When Scott Walker (UGH! BLECH!) was Gov of Wisconsin, the 1st he did was go after the teachers and the Unions. (He never graduated from College btw). It has been down hill since then,
I don’t know if you saw the clip of Kevin Bacon being interviewed on the Picket Line the other day. His words were quite inspiring.
Every day I become more & more disillusioned with this country and the people. I look for inspiration everywhere I can find it and cling to those moments. Another thing we should “change” is attaching Health Insurance to your job……it really makes no sense if you think about it!!! When the worth of your health care is connected to the bottom line of a company, which includes the pay of the CEO, VPs, etc. you better believe they are looking for cheap and what & who they do NOT have to cover.
Enough ranting for me. I do have a question….. the night time hosts on programs have all been showing reruns since the Writer’s strike began. Why do the morning shows continue? And “reality shows” ? Do they not have Union writers or is it somehow different writers. I don’t understand why the Tonight show has been off, but the Today show continues??? Night & Day?? Take care.
I’m incredibly disillusioned with this country.
My dad and brother were both union members.
I’m not sure about the morning shows. They have to have writers. Reality shows are supposedly unscripted, but we know that isn’t true. I assume that what you’re seeing re reality shows was already in the can when the strike started. Netflix, for example, has enough new series material already written, filmed and in the can, that they say they’ll be fine for a number of months.
I’ll have to do some research on the morning shows.
Thanks, Chris.
Stay safe.
Thank you for this information. It’s heartbreaking.
I have a innocent question- as an employer we are required to deduct fees for Medicare, Social Security, Federal and State taxes from our employee’s check. Do the studios do that for the actors or are the actors set up as an independent contractors?
It’s raining and thundering again! My poor pup is hating this weather as much as we are.
Yes, all those things are deducted from their paychecks. They are not independent contractors. I, however, am.
Thanks, Betsy.
Stay safe.
Thank you for explaining this situation so that it is easier to understand. You are the first person to break it down so effectively.
Thank you, Cynthia. I appreciate that.
Stay safe.
I’ve been reading up on the strike issues ever since the writers walked out in May. Hollywood executives have been operating on borrowed time for years thinking they could ignore what was going on and it would go away. Good for these unions for calling them on their bs. That Zaslov character sounds like a super villain if there ever was one.
For years I’ve suspected studios simply won’t pay for original ideas. Hence the never-ending avalanche of comic book movies, Marvel universe or whatever they call it and remakes. And all filled with computer-generated effects and no plotline. Can only hope some day these studio heads wake up and realize it’s a new world and things have to change or none of it will survive.
Isn’t it always the way that as soon as one thing breaks, something else needs replacing too. Oh, the joys of a homeowner.
Take care and hang in there.
Kay
Zaslov was trying to ruin TCM, as well. The outcry from the public was quite loud, including Spielberg, Scorsese, etc. So he backed off. He’s an ass.
Absolutely true about original ideas, Kay. They’re lazy. They just want to make money.
Stay safe, Kay.
Just came from the picket line at Sony. Walked with my son in law and granddaughter. Others were there with their children…can’t pay a babysitter while you are out of work. It’s hot out…it’s so frustrating and maddening.
Good for you, Deb! It’s so hard for all the picketers.
Thinking of you and your family.
Stay safe.
I can relate to the strike….my husband was and Air Traffic Controller in 1981. He was fired….for striking. I won’t go into all the damage that did to thousands of workers….and the system itself.
So….I have a question for you and Don. How do you feel about the big name actors agreeing to using AI in their movies. Is it a sell out ….or is there any redeeming quality to it? Specifically Harrison Fords movie….Just so you know….I am in total sympathy with the strikers….the many people who are supporting ….the grunt workers…..the writers….This is going to be a long strike…..and as devastating as Covid…..I feel for all ….(except the pigs at the trough trying to break the union)
Yes, my cousin lost his job as an air traffic controller, as well.
The AI used in Ford’s movie is specifically to make him look younger in some of the scenes. It was used in a movie with DeNiro and other actors last year. AI is a slippery slope. It’s been around for a while. I think the problem is not with AI, but how it’s used. If it’s used to stop paying writers and actors, to take away the way they make a living…NO.
Stay safe, Maria.
Claudia……the world is crazy….the weather…..the trump debacle…..the air quality….the terrible income inequality……and the selfishness and greed of people. who think only of themselves and forget that “A rising tide Lifts All Boats”. I hope they settle this strike in an equitable way….many of the people walking the picket line will not even be able to collect unemployment ins. and live check to check. So time is not on their side. The money grubbers will try to crush them….it is good to see the actors that walked out of the premier of Oppenheimer….but lets see a list of the A listers backing this strike. OKAY…i AM DONE VENTING. iF IT IS ANY CONSOLATION….I am in your corner.
I don’t know/understand most of this … but thank you for this information. What I do know is that with most big corporations/conglomerates … those at the top are greedy and selfish, and think only about themselves!! I pretty much never go to (or rent) movies anymore, and hardly ever watch TV. Don is correct, it’s not what it used to be! I’m so sick of “reality” TV! The powers that be have ruined it for everyone … especially those who want to share their artistry/talent with the masses. It’s so disappointing! It’s disgusting that the entertainment industry brings in billions of dollars, and yet those (like Don, and you) are paid less than in years past!
I agree, Debbie. It is disgusting.
Stay safe.
Take it from someone who is a lifelong proud union member, married to another, and descended from still another (adding up to well over 100 years combined), yours was by far the best in-plain-English explanation I’ve read so far about why this is happening. It should be required reading for those who complain about having to watch reruns because of striking workers. Please.
Oh, thank you, Naomi! That means a great deal to me!
Stay safe!
I consume a lot of movies, Netflix, and Amazon, and I had no idea there were no residuals for streaming services. This situation is obscene. Given the circumstances, it doesn’t seem that strikers Are making unreasonable demands. I wish them much success. As consumers, is there anything that we can do to help support them?
I don’t really know, Nora. If everyone who subscribes to a streaming service temporarily canceled it, that would make a difference. But that simply won’t happen. WE subscribe to streaming services, and unless this drags on, we’ll probably stay with them because we don’t watch network television.
Thanks, though.
Stay safe.
It is all about money now. The greed is unbelievable. So sad.
They make me sick, Kay.
Stay safe.