At a moment when all industry planning seems keyed to a possible strike, talks between Hollywood’s talent guilds and their employers are finally about start, Variety reports.
The Writers Guild of America, studios and networks will launch Monday morning what are widely expected to be bitter negotiations at the Encino headquarters of the Alliance of Motion Picture & Television Producers.
Pre-bargaining rhetoric has been particularly rancorous. Writers want a guaranteed cut of the revenues from new-media platforms and increased jurisdiction; companies are insisting they need to revamp the residuals system so that they can recoup before letting others share the wealth.
The two sides are at odds over the health of the business, with the WGA asserting that showbiz is in excellent shape via a bulletin mailed to its 12,000 members last week. But top execs warn of soaring costs, declining profits, audience fragmentation and a future resembling that of the battered music business.
