After months of negotiations and speculation, the Writers Guild strike is officially underway, so now we can finally stop talking about what might happen if Hollywood’s writers stage a walkout…and start talking about all the repeats and reality shows we’ll be watching.
Of course, we can also talk about the strike itself, especially when totally awesome celebrities are on the picket line — and oh look, here’s Judd Apatow, giving IGN Movies an exclusive interview on the work stoppage!
Apatow joined his fellow writers outside the Sony lot on Monday, and IGN Movies was on hand to ask him a few questions about the strike. Though he isn’t on the Guild’s negotiating committee, he’s certainly one of the industry’s better-known scribes, and even provided a helpful analogy for members of the general public who might not know what a “residual” is, or might even think writers already make enough money, thank you very much:
One of the main conflicts the Writers Guild have with the AMPTP is over new media, such as digital downloads of TV series or movies, which writers currently receive no residuals for. I asked Apatow how he might explain the reason for the strike to the general public, and he addressed the new media issue using an analogy, saying “Here’s how I would explain it: If you’re a teamster, you get paid to drive a truck. But if someone invents a new kind of truck, and you’re still driving it, you should still get paid.” Apatow noted that watching TV or movies online is becoming more and more common, remarking “We’re switching trucks at this point. But if someone comes up with a three wheel truck, you’re still driving!”
For more of Apatow’s thoughts on the writers’ strike, click on the IGN Movies link below — and then be sure to check out the rest of Rotten Tomatoes’ strike coverage!
To Strike, Or Not To Strike — What’s The Deal as Hollywood’s Clock Runs Down?
Workers, Er, Writers, Unite — The Strike Is On!
As Hollywood Strike Begins, Celebs Join Writers on Picket Lines
Source: IGN Movies
