SAG Split On Contract Negotiations

Uhh oh it starts out grim already..lol

I think most, if not all can agree with me that the actors have little to no reason to need to strike. Especially with most BIG actors being paid upwards of $15-20 million a movie (thats for 6-10 months of work or less)and big TV actors making $1 million an episode. Sure lesser actors get paid much less. But look what they do, they play pretend all day like we all did when we were kids. True its serious work, but come on. Extras get paid $129-309 for 8 hours day per SAG extra rates (resource EXTRAS Wiki). Most AVERAGE people dont make that kinda money sitting in their cubicle staring at a computer screen all day (I'm a cubicle jocky haha).

So Actors Come on, lets get this done like the directors did, quick painless and AHEAD of schedule :)

"Extras get paid $129-309 for 8 hours day per SAG extra rates (resource EXTRAS Wiki). Most AVERAGE people dont make that kinda money sitting in their cubicle staring at a computer screen all day (I'm a cubicle jocky haha)."

I don't have any skin in this game so I don't have any strong opinions on this strike. But if you are going to play armchair financial analyst, you need to do it right. Unlike a cubicle jocky, actors do not get paid every day. In fact, as actors, they are often out of work a lot. The pay scale is designed to be as high as it is to reflect that. If the pay was as much as a regular day job, people would not leave their (much more stable) day jobs to act. It is all about opportunity cost.

And still, with this scale, most actors cannot live off their annual pay from acting. Which is why the LA restaurant system is so crucial to the entertainment industry.

Even with the "big ticket" stars, there's another consideration to be made.

Like professional athletes, what they get paid for the amount of work they do may seem ridiculous to most people. But when you take into consideration how much money the entertainment they are part of brings in, suddenly their salaries look low.

These negotiations and strikes aren't about Tom Cruise, Tom Hanks, Julia Roberts and Reese Witherspoon. They are about the people in commericals, the bit part players, the wacky friend you see every third episode of a tv series.

All i'm saying is the directors got it done fast and to me I dont think there should be much of a hold up. OK if you want to take a look at the other end of the acting spectrum. Heres a good example. I think it was back in the year 99-200 (not sure of the year) There was "The Norm Show" Starring Norm Macdonald and co-starring a then fairly un-known Artie Lange. Artie stated on the Howard Stern Show what he made an episode for that show, which i believe only lasted 1 season. Said he made $38,000 an episode. an episode of a small production show(22 mins) like that maybe takes 2-3 weeks tops to make. So you are saying that isnt good money for 2-3 weeks work? Dont forget the back end MOST actors get on their many productions, then factor in advertising. Sure the small guy who does commercials need to be protected. Just like in our more stable jobs, the more work you do the more you are paid, and the BETTER you are at doing it the more you are paid.

I just hope for a quick resolution. But to be honest if a SAG strike happens, i will not be behind it at all, not like I was with the writers. Even then i was maybe 70/30 on that one.

I would rather they start the strike sooner then later. The Writers Strike just ended so there will be a lot of catch up or new products to write. Which means during that time while they are writing, the actors can work on their resolutions. Otherwise, if the strike happens later on, productions would end up being halted which in turn will cost companies more for holding onto their sets and such while waiting for their actors to come back. What do you guys think?

I don't really know what the reasons for an actor's strike would be, but it seems to be they're the most overpaid when they're powerful. There's a direct relationship between high paid actors getting egregious amounts and lower paid actors not getting enough to live. For example, Hillary Swank, made so little doing "Boys Don't Cry", she couldn't qualify for medical care under the Actors' Guild, and, even after winning her first "Best Actress" Academy Award, didn't have much money. She's lucky she struck it big with "Million Dollar Baby". A lot of terrible actors make ridiculous amounts of money.

I think it would be fair for people like Ben Stiller who do the same thing every damn film for $20 million to take a pay cut so lesser paid actors who may never get recognition or major money for their hard work can get more.