"The strike ultimatums of the two major actors' unions will expire tomorrow night. Very insider sources tell me that the Producers Guild refuses to compromise. All film and television actors will officially start the strike at 2 a.m. the day after tomorrow. All American movies, TV dramas, live programs, and radio programs have all been stopped. Starting the day after tomorrow, major TV stations can only broadcast dramas that have been filmed.
After next weekend, TV stations can only show reruns of old dramas or imported TV dramas. Movie production also stopped, and after half a year, the people of America had no new movies to watch. "Agent Limato said.
"What? All entertainment program production has stopped?" Ronald looked blank.
Film and television actors in America belong to two major actors unions: the Screen Actors Guild (s actuild, referred to as sag), and the American Federation of Television and Radio Artists (referred to as aftra, also known as the Television Actors Guild). ).
Beginning in March 1980, the two major actors' unions began collective bargaining with the Association of Television and Film Producers (assootioelevisiop), demanding better treatment.
One of the two parties to the negotiation, one is a trade union registered with the government, can initiate collective wage negotiations on behalf of all union members, and initiate a strike when negotiations break down. All union members must be forced to obey. Members who do not obey the strike resolution can be labeled as "workers". Fired in the name of "thief".
The other side is the association, which has no coercive power over member institutions. But this association is a producers' association, an association of capitalists. No one is willing to let the union take away more benefits for no reason.
In addition, the AMTP has fewer people, is more united, and has greater tolerance for strikes. In a sense, it has more bargaining chips than the two major actors unions.
The two sides talked about it from March to May. The Producers Association AMPTP refused to give in, and the two major actors' unions vowed to launch a strike if their goals were not achieved.
At this stage, no one took the strike threat seriously. Two years ago, in December 1978, when Ronald was participating in the filming of "Rock High School", the two major actors' unions also threatened to strike. Soon the management Compromise ended the labor dispute.
However, the news from agent Ed Limato is very pessimistic about this strike.
The reason is that the two major actors' unions have made seemingly unreasonable demands, and their negotiator Ed Asner is a desert cobra who bites his opponent and won't let go.
The Screen Actors Guild, and the Television Actors Guild, made two major demands.
Article 1: Continue to increase the minimum wage for actors, increase the minimum wage by 40%, and increase the daily wage from US$225 to US$315. When Ronald heard this, it became even more difficult to get into the Screen Actors Guild.
Even more life-threatening is the second one, asking for a share in the home video department. In addition to being paid a fixed salary when movies and TV shows are released, all actors must participate in revenue sharing from VHS tapes, beta tapes, and pay-TV.
The union requires that 12% of all pay TV operating income from video tapes must be included in the actors' surplus, and the film and television dramas will be handed over to the two major actors' unions, and the actors' union will then issue checks to members to distribute the residual value.
"Is there a lot of income from this video tape?" Ronald was not sure how much money this part of the money was.
"The viewing rate is high, but the total amount is very small." Pfeiffer's agent Limato replied, "Only 2% of households in America now have video recorders, and the proportion of pay TV is about the same. It's a small amount of money."
"But it will become more popular in the future, right?" Ronald owns a VHS video recorder, which has recorded many classic movies, and it is very convenient to use.
"It's hard to say who will go to movie theaters to watch movies with video tapes? All eight major studios hate this thing. Now Universal is suing Japan's Sony Corporation, the manufacturer of beta video tapes, to ban the sale of video cassettes in America. Very big.
So a lot of people don't understand why union negotiator Ed Asner is so tough? "
Limato was well informed. Just like television destroyed many market segments in Hollywood, housewives stopped going to movie theaters and watched movies at home. If teenagers watch videotapes at home, the last piece of Hollywood cake will be gone.
"If it's not for the interests of the union and the actors, then it's for his own interests." Ronald is no longer a naive child. If something goes wrong, there will be problems, and this Asner is probably no exception.
"Yeah, you're smart, Ronald. Word on the grapevine is that Asner is seeking the SAG chairmanship."
"Isn't he a TV actor?" Michelle Pfeiffer has been in the TV industry and knows Asner's name. He is one of the most popular TV series in the 1970s, CBS's "The Mary Tyler Moore Show" A regular actor who plays a character named Lou Grant.
This character was so popular that after The Mary Tyler Moore Show ended, CBS gave him a spin-off called "The Lou Grant Show."
"How can TV actors have the social influence of movie actors?" Limato hates this cobra, which has stalled the work of his actors. Moreover, Limato's staff are all star actors, and he doesn't care much about labor unions. Fight for the interests of low-level actors.
"He is the far left wing of the Donkey Party and an active member of the American Donkey Party Socialist Association. He was inspired by the former California governor's victory as the Elephant Party's candidate for leadership, and he also wanted to follow suit." Limato criticized Asner. ambition.
"How long will the strike last?" Ronald asked.
"No one knows, but Asner will last at least a month, otherwise he won't make a few headlines, and making headlines during the election season is his purpose."
Limato held Ronald's shoulders and continued: "I know about you and Michelle, but Pfeiffer is a rare star seed. Her face shape is naturally suitable for the wide screen, and her hair color and temperament are both excellent. It’s just one chance away from soaring into the sky.”
"I contacted the advertisement for Lux soap for her. The news of the strike has not been leaked to the public yet. As long as we quickly go back to Hollywood to sign a contract, we can get few job opportunities during the strike. Lux is a mass consumer product, and her advertisement will The broadcast became known throughout the country.”
Ronald looked at Michelle Pfeiffer, originally wanting to ask her what she thought. But seeing the desire for success in her blue eyes, I instantly understood that I knew Pfeiffer's answer without asking.
"when are you leaving?"
"Tomorrow morning." Limato answered on her behalf. I will pick her up at eight o'clock tomorrow morning. You can have a good chat in the evening. Then he turned and walked out the door.
"Ronnie, I will always owe you twice. You helped me get rid of the scammers, and you also helped me sign a good agent. Sooner or later, you will come to Hollywood. I know your ambition, and I will wait for you in Hollywood." Michelle Pfeiffer approached Ronald and said hesitantly.
Ronald didn't want to make the short separation sad. "Did you know that I'm an advertising director? If you go to shoot a Lux soap commercial, you can act it for me first and I'll tell you about it."
Pfeiffer smiled and hugged Ronald. The smell of Lux soap steamed up from his body and spread through his hair into Ronald's nose.
With her slightly wet hair draped over her shoulders, Pfeiffer hugged her chest with her hands and looked back with a smile, "Lux soap makes my skin smoother." The smooth back and the perfect curves are fascinating.
Ronald picked up his Nikon camera and started taking pictures.
"That's it, Michelle. You have the most charming way of smiling back."
Putting down the camera, Ronald finished the "Special Acting Coaching", and the two lay hugging each other. Pfeiffer drew on Ronald's chest with his fingers, "I am a person who is afraid of loneliness. Come to Los Angeles as soon as possible." .”
"Yes, if there is any progress with the script this time, I plan to suspend my studies at New York University. After finishing the work on the Endless Love crew, I will first go to San Francisco. I have a meeting with Mr. Mersey, Coppola's editor. I have made an agreement that I will go there to study for a period of time, and I will go to Los Angeles to meet you when I am free on the weekends."
"Kiss me, Ronnie." The two of them were extremely affectionate all night.
Ronald got up early the next morning and prepared a sumptuous breakfast for Pfeiffer. He smiled and ate it with her until his agent Limatora knocked on the door.
"Aren't you going to take me to the airport?" Pfeiffer noticed that Ronald didn't stand up.
"No, I find that I can't bear to say goodbye at the airport. It's better to say goodbye here, just like an ordinary couple saying goodbye in the morning."
"Hahaha, it's not common in America for a husband to send his wife out for work."
"Set up and call me." The two kissed goodbye affectionately, and Ronald helped take Pfeiffer's luggage downstairs and put it in the taxi called by the agent.
After sending Pfeiffer away, Ronald began calling people he knew in the industry. First, his agent Richard.
"Strike tonight, that's exactly what I got."
"Oh, shxt. Is the news reliable?" Richard's level was obviously not high enough to know this inside information in advance.
"Quite reliable, Pfeiffer's agent brought her to Los Angeles to give up the role in Endless Love."
"I immediately went to tell Niceta that several of his actors would be affected, and filming of Jane Fonda's '9 to 5' would also be stopped. I'll contact you later." Richard hung up the phone.
"Paula, there's a strike tonight and you'll have to rearrange Tom's plans."
"Is the news reliable?...Okay, I will let him go back to Hollywood first and rent him a good apartment. We need to try to retain the role of Endless Love. What he needs now is an appearance on the screen."
Then there is his own advertising agent Eddie.
"Eddie, did you hear that? The two major labor unions have decided to strike tonight. The advertising project at Calvin Klein can continue.
When Brooke's mother gets this news, she will definitely go to the set of "Endless Love" to lower her price first. Guber will shake the balance of the heroine back from the girl named Meg Ryan. We have to seize it. The strike, which led to the filming of the commercial, was not going to put up with her daughter being without work for a month. "
"Leave it to me, you wait for my call." Eddie Cohen put down the phone and went to contact Calvin Klein, the designer of ck jeans.
Then it was director Zeffirelli, "Franco, it's me, Ronald. I've got definite news that the two major actors' unions will announce a strike tonight. It will last for at least a month."
"Fanculo! Ed Asner is a viper. I knew he was going to take a tough stance. We have to stop filming and I'm going to find Mr. Guber."
"He may already know. I will break down the script and give it to you. I think your assistant director should be free."
"I'm sorry, Ronald, but you'll be welcome to the set when filming resumes."
"Thank you, Mr. Zeffirelli."
Ginger is still old, Ronald thought of Helen Slater's father Gerald, who was obviously busy with this matter before. PBS programs are mostly educational, documentaries and imported British TV series.
These programs do not have videotapes or pay TV, and have different contracts, so they are not affected by the strike. On the contrary, the three major public television stations still need to purchase programs from PBS to fill the gap of the lack of new TV series produced by the strike.
However, if the strike lasts for a long time, the movies scheduled to be released next will also be affected. The copies of "Rock High School" that have entered long-term screenings and midnight screenings will be able to sell more. It seems that I will soon reach the second place. conditions for dividends.
Ronald rubbed his chin and thought that maybe he could ask Mr. Roger Coleman for a bigger bonus.
multiple copies
