Comments on: A Matter of Opinion: Buying DVDs During the WGA Strike?

By: WGA supporter

WGA supporter — Sun, 23 Dec 2007 20:00:30 +0000

Actually the main thing you can do is NOT watch any streaming shows. Writers make zero from streaming. Actually they make less than zero because they get paid for reruns on TV, but now the corporations are putting the reruns online and not paying.

Shows like Lost are never rerun on TV now.

Complaining to advertisers is good. Boycotting DVDs or going to the movies might help because it puts pressure on the corporations - especially if you publicize it.

By: JessicaRae

JessicaRae — Mon, 17 Dec 2007 21:03:18 +0000

Steve S - the BBC is an excellent choice. I have been meaning to watch the show, “The Tudors” (or “Tudors”).

Davello, as always, thank you for your feedback.

Mindy - You make some excellent points. Although, I like to think that the Writer’s do care about whether or not we enjoy what they write! The AMPTP really only cares about what sells and makes the most money. And that is a sad, sad reality.

By: Mindy

Mindy — Sun, 16 Dec 2007 04:27:37 +0000

I don’t see why I should have to stop buying DVDs because writer’s want a 5% commission instead of 2.5%. In the end, it doesn’t affect my enjoyment value of the product. Besides, the DVD itself only costs what, like 15 cents to make? What’s the difference between 2.5 and 5% of 15 cents?”

That logic makes no sense whatsoever. We’re talking about percentages of the DVD sale price, not the cost of making the DVD. Also, neither the WGA nor the AMPTP cares about the “entertainment value” you get from buying a DVD. They care about who gets the money from that DVD.

I don’t buy many DVDs anyway (I’m not much of a rewatcher), so I’ll not hesitate to buy a DVD if I want it during the strike, because I’m not likely to buy many anyway. Incidentally, I agree with Matt’s decision, but obviously not for the same reasons he has (i.e. I actually stopped and thought about whether my reasons made sense or not.)

By: davello

davello — Sun, 16 Dec 2007 02:10:30 +0000

Bob Wehadababyitsaboy, a fan of LOST, House, Bones, Pushing Daisies, & Stargate Atlantis, from Pensacola, FL. writes:

Well, I’m not buying any DVDs or iTunes downloads (I never do the last one, anyway) but my mom is. They may or may not be for me.

The dude from LOST, Damon Lindelof or Carlton Cuse, the ones you always see on the recap specials, is working on organizing the show’s post-production even though they are supporting the strike and are part of the negotiation committee. Later Google searches have told me it is Cuse doing this, not Lindelof. I dunno what’s important about this tidbit or why I felt like putting it in here, but, there it is.

By: Steve S

Steve S — Sun, 16 Dec 2007 00:41:35 +0000

I have so many DVDs lying around that I still haven’t watched that not buying is pretty easy. A fair exception is buying DVDs of material that’s not produced by AMPTP studios, difficult though it is to find. I’m sure if I run out of unwatched DVDs during the strike I can find something good from the BBC.