The rich threaten to strike

Ask the average Screen Actors Guild media relations guy if SAG wants to strike so soon after the extended writers strike that lost Hollywood billions, and they’ll assure you that of course they don’t want to create another work stoppage in the city of Guilded Implants.

But ask them about their expectations for the next SAG contract and their double-speak is about as convoluted as that of a truck accident lawyer. SAG is demanding to get what neither directors nor writers could manage: a better cut of DVD sales. Furthormore, they want even more than the AMPTP was willing to give writers and actors in terms of new media residuals.

SAG and AFTRA (who will negotiate separately for the first time in 27 years) naturally think they’re the most deserving because actors are out-front, the faces and bodies that sell movies. Never mind that the actors are already far more well-compensated on average than any director or writer will ever be.

Sure, folks like Tom Hanks will claim the battle isn’t for them, but for the casting session rejects who rarely get work. So… if they rarely get work… how is it that better DVD and new media residuals will help those folks again? No, this is all about turning $20 million per flick actors into $30 million per flick headliners.