Studio System Collapse?

So, now, three of the smaller fish have bailed on the unified studio collective and cut their own deal with the WGA to end the strike for them. A lot of smaller studios and producers and whatnot were exempted from the strike in the first place, but it’s been interesting to see how has broken from the collective and cut their own deal with the writers.

Worldwide Pants was first, David Letterman’s production company, followed by United Artists and now the Weinsteins.

On top of that, we had the People’s Choice Awards, which were apparently a disaster (no writers, no audience, and taped acceptances), and the organizers of the Golden Globes wisely canceled their ceremony, though I suppose awards will still be given out. The 800-pound gorilla is the Oscars which are coming up in a couple months or so. If those get canceled, Hollywood could be hosed.

Which tickles me pink. The recording industry seems to be circling the drain (although it’s always unwise to count as out an industry that has that much money and power), and I would be somewhat amused to see a massive shake-up in the film and television industry. It has needed such a change for a while now, and it seems that the writers might be getting it done where all the positive enticements for change from the internet culture have failed so far. The irony being that the internet is the bone of contention for the writers.

I certainly don’t blame them. They get a pittance in royalties from video, and I don’t want to see them marginalized like that again.

So I am kind of hoping that the studios get their act together, restructure their business a little and get things done, though mostly because I feel bad for all of the rest of the people who aren’t actors, writers, or studio execs in all of this. They’re getting hosed the most. What would amuse me the most is seeing new creative partnerships growing out of this, especially if the strike drags on. Cutting out, basically, just the current crop of producers and studio execs; maybe not realistic, but potentially amusing as hell.

All that to say, I guess, that it’s interesting to see the collective start to crumble a bit. I wonder which of the indies will go next.

Crossposted with klech.net