Studio suspends "Office," "30 Rock" actors

[Joanne98]

Source: Reuters

LOS ANGELES (Hollywood Reporter) - As the writers strike nears the end of its second week with no resolution in sight, the most dreaded phrase in Hollywood is making the rounds: force majeure.

Producer Universal Media Studios on Thursday began notifying the regulars on NBC's "Bionic Woman," "The Office" and "30 Rock" that the studio is suspending them on half-pay for five weeks, citing the force majeure provisions in their Screen Actors Guild (SAG) contracts.

While deals with actors allow for the force majeure -- or "greater force" -- option right after production is suspended, such a contract clause could be invoked for writers very soon if the strike continues. Most writers' production deals trigger the termination clause four to six weeks into a stoppage, but in some, the cushion is said to be only two weeks.

That means that as of Monday, studios could start terminating their overall pacts with writers.



Read more: http://www.reuters.com/article/entertainmentNews/idUSN1635179420071116

[sakabatou]

1. Uh-oh...

[msongs]

2. there is life without TV ya know nt

[ccpup]

3. you're right

but many of these people associated with these shows are only working a set number of weeks a year and scrounging to pay the bills the rest of the time. Losing even two weeks hits them very hard in the pocketbook.

So, for some, it may mean a lot more than just enduring re-runs on TV.

[maxsolomon]

8. define "many"

"some people" say that "many" actors on television are well compensated.

if there's never another banal sitcom, or episode of law & order, would you really be worse off?

[ccpup]

10. defining "many" is quite easy

easily half a dozen hair and make-up, dozens and dozens of crew, dozens of grips, several lighting, half a dozen catering, 4 to 5 camera, 7 to 8 boom ... the list can go on and on. And we're not even including the daily production staff whose work is utterly dependent on whether a show is up or not.

The well-compensated actors are, quite literally, the smallest part of the picture.

You're trying to make this about the quality of the show when those I mentioned above have very little to do with that. If the Network or Studio insists on easy-to-follow, not-too-interesting scripts for a nation easily entertained and just as easily distracted, is it really the crews' fault? The camera guys' fault? The actors' fault? Even the writers' fault?

[kimmylavin]

16. Well...

"if there's never another banal sitcom, or episode of law & order, would you really be worse off?"

I would be. My husband's a grip and I'm trying to be an editor.
Thanks for the support! :hi:

[mountainvue]

28. I don't think that's the point. n/t

[robinlynne]

4. They would be really foolish to do that. Hollywood is very pro-union.

[cstanleytech]

5. Yeah but no one forced the actors to do this.

Its a writers strike after all not an actors one so I don't feel much sympathy for the actors.

[high density]

6. Many of the actors on "The Office" are writers

And on "30 Rock," Tina Fey is obviously a writer too. As for "Bionic Woman," who cares what happens to that piece of trash.

[cstanleytech]

9. And they did not have to do any writing then if they are WGA

members but if they were being paid for their acting they should show up for work.
In regards to Bionic Woman I will just point out that it could be far worse, it could be as bad as the 5th year of Earth: Final conflict was for example *shudder*

[high density]

11. Writers that cross their own picket line to work as actors?

That would be nonsensical. "Good Day, Evil Producer Man That Won't Pay Us Decent DVD and Online Residuals. I wrote this script we'll be shooting today, but remember that I'm here as an actor. I hope my non-actor writer friends out there on the picket line understand the difference between me the actor and me the writer."

[xchrom]

15. this isn't about weather a show is good or bad -- it's about a strike.

it's about labour rights -- no matter who you are or what the work is that you do.

that's the whole idea behind honouring labour.

[BadgerLaw2010]

26. Can't act without script. Can't work on script during WGA strike. Actor-writers are being ethical.

As far as Bionic Woman - the studio wants to kill that wretched money loser ASAP. Strike just provides an excuse.

[LeftyMom]

7. Yeah, I guess they could cross a picket...

If they were scabbing assholes willing to stab their coworkers in the back.

But I'm glad they're not.

[robinlynne]

13. I don't cross picket lines. Do you?

[SoCalDem]

18. and once they 'run out' of ready scripts, the actors' work is pretty much DONE.

Why would they have them come in, to just stand around? and no shooting, means no work for the other people who work on shows..

There's more to tv production than actors & writers :(

[cstanleytech]

24. Long as the actors get paid they should not complain about just

standing around, considering how much some of them get paid I know I sure as heck would not complain about it as long as I was being paid.
As for scripts that depends on the shows, some have a large amount of them to draw on if they have been around for awhile kinda like how on Star Trek: TNG they just recycled old scripts to survive the writers strike about 15 to 20 years ago others like Pushing Daisies have far fewer because they are new shows.

[SoCalDem]

25. I didn;t SAY the actors were complaining.. just that once the scripts run out

the networks &production companies might as well lay everyone off..and some are doing just that..

[LostinVA]

29. oh brother

[ChairmanAgnostic]

12. for great fiction, there's Fox and CNN! Never fear, plenty of moronic

stuff to view.

[RavensChick]

20. Exactly!

I have cable, a computer, and lots of other things to keep me occupied. Besides most of the new shows suck anyway so I'm not gonna miss much.

[Generator]

14. Don't worry

Showdown in Persia:WW3, the reality series is due to debut in March. It will be on ALL the networks.

(Cheney and Liebermann have been assigned primary writing duties, with a ghost written position by Hillary and "unamed" members of the DLC)


:evilgrin:

[geomon666]

17. That's not really smart.

Considering the SAG contract comes up for negotiations this coming summer. SAG members are already planning their strike.

[Deja Q]

21. I've more sympathy for the writers than I do those actors,

who without the writers couldn't act their way from under a rock.

[cstanleytech]

23. I agree with the writers part atleast and yeah

the studios should give them a share of profit from sales on the internet.
Of course looking at the studios past history I would not put it above the studios to try and hide any profits with questionable bookkeeping practices.

[allisonthegreat]

19. I love NBC however

i notice that they are the first ones trying to get out of paying the writers what they deserve by getting substitute hosts and now this...lovely!:sarcasm:

[Orrex]

22. If this is what it takes to kill off that awful Bionic Woman show, then so be it

Sorry to hear about The Office and 30 Rock, though.

[spag68]

27. There's a new thing

called a book, try one!