I read in the Seattle PI that Hollywood is preparing for an actors strike. That's the bad news. The good-ish news is that the studios will try to film as many episodes to take them into the summer/fall season.

Oh, bother.

We just got finished with the writer's strike! This isn't good. I hope they get finished with the first half of Season 7 before they start this strike! They don't want to see me cry! At the rate Season 7 seems to be going it might be late next year before it ever gets finished! This just isn't good...

Do you have a link to the article?

I found it in the actual paper (hard copy) but I could try to find it. BRB.

Same article, different paper

Yeah, I figured that. I didn't want to be asking a stupid question but most newspapers also have them online. Was hoping you could link to the online version of the article you read.

Ohh...no...that's not good that's really not good...Writer's strike now actors strike...shoot me but what's next...fans strike? Hello...this is USA not Poland...in Poland yes we can have strikes. We had or still have....nurses strikes, doctors strikes, post offices strikes (ended a week or something ago), miners strikes, teachers strikes (if the teachers won't get what they want in the 1st September they won't open the schools...that's not good too) railwaymans strikes (soon is going to happen, that's what they told), carriers strikes...I don't know who wasn't or isn't on the strike it was so many of them this and last year that the strikes I've count are the ones I remember...probably students didn't strike yet that's for sure...in Poland even writer's didn't strike and actors didin't too but they might soon...I'm affraid so..
Oh man...this is going to be really hard to end...

I read a blip about this a week or so ago...was wondering if this was going to take off or not...right now it could happen...hope it doesnt

If the actors go on strike, I might just give up television (except for every Monk episode I can catch). I cannot and will not endure that onslought of reality TV again.

Join me in the lost art of reading!

That's it. I call Monk. Let's put together a back up cast and we can press on without them. I'm not waiting until they should be shooting season eight to see season seven. They had a good run, lets move along. <smirk>

-M

I don't mean to sound insensitive to actors out there but COME ON! Most of these actors already make ridiculous amounts of money. But I am sure a strike is about more than that right? I probably will give up on TV if that does happen. Enough already.

You can be Natalie.

Okay! What a compliment, thank you.

I think this is more about people who are just breaking into the business, and also for actors to get some cut in the use of their images in other media.

SAG’s leadership is lobbying Aftra members to reject the contract offer because the larger union says it does not offer enough in minimum wages for major television series roles and does not secure adequate payments for the digital use of actors’ work. SAG is also seeking new rules on product placement and an increase in allowance for gas and travel costs.

Unless I'm reading this wrong, which I could be...oh the Shirley Temples. They're getting to me already. I can feel a tap dance coming on.

I wish I could go on strike to get an allowance for gas costs. It's just crazy to me because I am sure even so called "struggling" actors make more than I do in a year. Why can't I go on strike? I need a union stat.

What you need is a bus pass, my friend.

I did try that once. When it took me 1 1/2 hours to get to work I gave up. I can drive there in 15 minutes. LOL

Ah, I actually feel the deep hurting on that subject. I was an apprentice to a pastry chef (for about 2 months.) The commute was almost 2 hours, each way, by bus. Yeah. That was part of the 'this is too much for me to handle" scenario.

I was really hoping you would ask me to be Natalie?

I agree, Bubba! I hope they get everything worked out!

One lengthy strike that can bring production to a standstill followed by another lengthy strike that can bring production to a standstill--I wonder how many shows will be bodies in its wake, and whether Monk can weather it. The stronger shows like Monk should be able to withstand another strike and come out on the other side with little more than a scratch or two.

One older article said these shows were pushing hard to get as much production as possible in before Monday-tomorrow-because that's when the current contracts are due to expire. I wonder how much of the new season is in the bag? Personally, I'd have been filming through the weekends and made the workdays longer. The more they have filmed, the longer these shows can survive another strike.

Any weaker shows that are seen as already teetering on the edge of viability in the studios' eyes will probably wake up in the morning to find tags on their toes. It really sucks.

This just in from the President of SAG:

"Los Angeles, June 29, 2008 – Screen Actors Guild released the following statement from SAG National President Alan Rosenberg: “We have taken no steps to initiate a strike authorization vote by the members of Screen Actors Guild. Any talk about a strike or a management lockout at this point is simply a distraction. The Screen Actors Guild national negotiating committee is coming to the bargaining table every day in good faith to negotiate a fair contract for actors.” "

From www.deadlinehollywooddaily.com

The only group that benefits from this strike talk is the AMPTP to further divide already divided unions (SAG and AFTRA).

And from what I've heard, even IF IF IF there was a strike, it would impact MORE the film side of the industry than the TV side (which is not what happened in the WGA strike. TV was way more affeced in that battle which is why many WGA feature writers grumbled then over going out for what they felt, rightly or wrongly, were "TV" issues).

Well this is reassuring! I would think they would avoid an actors strike at all costs, especially after all of the lost revenue, etc. from the writers strike.

I agree! I am sure they lost a lot of money during the writer's strike and an actor's strike would only add to that.

Median annual earnings of salaried actors were $23,470 in 2002. The middle 50 percent earned between $15,320 and $53,320. The lowest 10 percent earned less than $13,330, and the highest 10 percent earned more than $106,360. Median annual earnings in the industries employing the largest numbers of actors were as follows:


Accounting, tax preparation, bookkeeping, and payroll services $29,590
Performing arts companies 28,850
Motion picture and video industries 17,610


Minimum salaries, hours of work, and other conditions of employment are covered in collective bargaining agreements between the producers and the unions representing workers. The Actors’ Equity Association (Equity) represents stage actors; the Screen Actors Guild (SAG) covers actors in motion pictures, including television, commercials, and films; and the American Federation of Television and Radio Artists (AFTRA) represents television and radio studio performers. While these unions generally determine minimum salaries, any actor or director may negotiate for a salary higher than the minimum.

Under terms of a joint SAG and AFTRA contract covering all unionized workers, motion picture and television actors with speaking parts earned a minimum daily rate of $678 or $2,352 for a 5-day week as of July 1, 2003. Actors also receive contributions to their health and pension plans and additional compensation for reruns and foreign telecasts of the productions in which they appear.

According to Equity, the minimum weekly salary for actors in Broadway productions as of June 30, 2003 was $1,354. Actors in Off-Broadway theaters received minimums ranging from $479 to $557 a week as of October 27, 2003, depending on the seating capacity of the theater. Regional theaters that operate under an Equity agreement pay actors $531 to $800 per week. For touring productions, actors receive an additional $111 per day for living expenses ($117 per day in larger, higher cost cities).

Some well-known actors—stars—earn well above the minimum; their salaries are many times the figures cited, creating the false impression that all actors are highly paid. For example, of the nearly 100,000 SAG members, only about 50 might be considered stars. The average income that SAG members earn from acting—less than $5,000 a year—is low because employment is erratic. Therefore, most actors must supplement their incomes by holding jobs in other occupations.

Many actors who work more than a set number of weeks per year are covered by a union health, welfare, and pension fund, which includes hospitalization insurance and to which employers contribute. Under some employment conditions, Equity and AFTRA members receive paid vacations and sick leave.

Median annual earnings of salaried producers and directors were $46,240 in 2002. The middle 50 percent earned between $31,990 and $70,910. The lowest 10 percent earned less than $23,300, and the highest 10 percent earned more than $119,760. Median annual earnings were $56,090 in motion picture and video industries and $38,480 in radio and television broadcasting.

Many stage directors belong to the Society of Stage Directors and Choreographers (SSDC), and film and television directors belong to the Directors Guild of America. Earnings of stage directors vary greatly. According to the SSDC, summer theaters offer compensation, including “royalties” (based on the number of performances), usually ranging from $2,500 to $8,000 for a 3- to 4-week run. Directing a production at a dinner theater generally will pay less than directing one at a summer theater, but has more potential for generating income from royalties. Regional theaters may hire directors for longer periods, increasing compensation accordingly. The highest-paid directors work on Broadway and commonly earn $50,000 per show. However, they also receive payment in the form of royalties—a negotiated percentage of gross box office receipts—that can exceed their contract fee for long-running box office successes.

Stage producers seldom get a set fee; instead, they get a percentage of a show’s earnings or ticket sales.


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Of course, all this could be easily avoided if the executives and marketing people stopped acting like all-wise gods and treating everyone below them as disposable rabble.

Yeah, TONY SHALHOUB (Executive Producer of Monk) , give your CO-STARS a RAISE!

Good idea. I wonder if Tony has the power to do this. It might be up to Andy Breckman.

I haven't seen anything on Yahoo but I didn't really go peeking and poking around either. Anyone have any news on this? Is it too naive to hope they settled it so soon?

He's the execa-ta-tive pro-du-cer. I rec'n he does. That's one of 'em jobs with pow'r....sorry, I've been listening to lots of Lum and Abner this weekend.

For God sakes, don't open the closet!

I think you're thinking of Fibber McGee and Molly, but I'm sure there were overflowing closets in the Jotem Down store.

Rofl!

There are four executive producers on Monk. Wouldn`t they have to vote on it?

I think it has been opened.

:::shrugs::: If Tony has a say, you'd think he'd side w/ actors, though. Since he's one. (Unless he's not taking a raise himself).

Maybe Tony is siding with the actors.

Maybe. Maybe not. We should ask him during the next cast question session.

When dya think there'll be another one of those?

I dunno. They should be starting with all the new, cool, Season Seven, Monk, hype-machine stuff pretty soon.

I would like to know what the actor`s salaries are. Maybe, they are making good money now. If not, I don`t think Tony wants to shoot himself in the foot, when things are going so well. Like I said, they still have to vote on it.
Up date: Tony Shalhoub makes just under 74k per year.

Is that really all he makes???

Source? That seems too low.

What is that mean?? 74k??

I think I found the article that I think Quinfran is referring to:

http://jobs.aol.com/article/_a/emmy-charac...809123809990002

But it's not Tony Shalhoub's salary -- it's Monk's projected salary, and it's an old article.

I'm sure Tony Shalhoub makes MUCH more than 74k (74,000 per year, US)

And if he doesn't, we should pass the hat.

I'm sure that 'our' actors make really good money, They've been on the show since 2002. (Except for Traylor who's been on since 2005). It's the actors who are new to the gang who will be most effected. The big boys will be out mostly for support.

I'd be more inclined to think that was a "per episode" figure and by today's salaries with these shows, that's even waaaaaaaaaaay too low for a "per episode" figure. This article from People magazine is from 2003 and puts Brad Garrett's per-episode salary for Everybody Loves Raymond at $160,000. It puts Ray Romano's per-episode salary at 1.8 MILLION. That's five years ago. Their salaries on these shows can vary according the popularity of the shows, ratings, star power, and a million other things, but you can see the ballpark in these numbers.

Yes, I really messed that up. I googled Tony Shalhoub Salary. I`m glad he makes more than that.

I heard that Charlie Sheen makes mega bucks.