Those videos can be viewed by those who take the time to do an online search. They are part of a series called “Speechless.” The writers do not plan to deliver seven speeches. Instead they expect to share with the public more than seven examples of how writers have been forced to accept the position of “silent partner.”
The writers have already put at least two different videos on the Internet. At their current pace, the writes should have little trouble producing at least five more videos. Perhaps they will ask David Fencher to write a script for video number seven. Fencher wrote the script for the movie named “Seven.”
The writers are not relying on the videos alone to bring home to the public the unfairness of the current situation. The writers are also peppering the Internet with new blogs. In addition, they have posted some written comments on various networking sites.
The writers want the public to be asking “How many TV episodes are usually put on the Internet? Does one program have only seven or less episodes?” Some TV producers have claimed that the reuse of TV episodes on the Web is no more than “promotional.” In one video Greg Daniels expresses his doubts about the correctness of that claim.
Daniels expressed his doubts in one of the videos posted on the Internet. The title of the video was “The Office Is Closed.” The writers must want the public to be asking “How many more days will this office remain closed?”
The members of the Writers’ Guild are eager to get back to work. They do not mind tackling a twenty-four/ seven schedule. They just want to be sure that they are fully compensated for their work.
When a TV show is posted on the Internet, there are ads running along with that show. Advertisers are paying for those ads. The writers want to know why they can not get some sort of remuneration each time a show that they wrote is shown on the Internet.
After all, those shows can be viewed at any hour of the day.
Advertisers can know that their ads become available to the public on a twenty-four/seven basis. At the same time, the writers are expected to search for story ideas on a twenty-four/seven basis. The writers think that they have a right to ask for a larger percentage of the profits made by the re-airing of the various TV episodes.
In addition to looking at the programs on the Internet, the writers are also concerned about the re-use of TV and film footage in any sort of “mobisode.” Will the writers be compensated each time a cell phone user watches a mobisode that contains part of an old film or TV episode? That is what the members of the Writers Guild want to know. That is why they have chosen to go on strike.
They are on strike, but many of them are still busy writing.