SAG Politics

How long has it been since the contract for Film & Television has been up? Almost a year now. I agree that we need to get back to work, and get the hollywood economy back again. Lots of my friends aren't working right now because of how slow it is. What I do not like, is people like Alec Baldwin going against the main advocates for a new contract. This is old news, but I am just remembering it since I am now voting on the contract. He said that the Producer's last and best offer was good enough. New media is the big pull of the new contract, and the now SAG minority is complaining that we will get screwed over like we did when VHS tapes first came out. And after looking at the specs for new media, it does seem like very little income for actors, when advertisers are making LOADS. I watch HULU all the time, and guess who the spokesperson is? ALec Baldwin. Right after I heard that report on him supporting this final contract agreement, I saw his commercial for HULU. Wow of course you support that crappy contract, you are getting paid millions probably for the promotion of HULU. I feel like new media is going to effect NEW actors more than it is older ones. People trying to get ahead by doing webisodes and the like will get screwed over when it comes to revenues generated by said webisodes. For one episode of Always Sunny, you have to see 4 commercials, or one 2 minute commercial, which by television standards is nothing. But someone is paying for those ads to be on HULU, and I would wager many many more people are watching the same episode on hulu as they would on FX where Always Sunny plays. I feel something is just not right with this contract, they are using the economy as an excuse to settle for crap. I wish I knew what was really going on, I feel like we are just getting second hand knowledge from all ends. But hey I guess thats hollywood anyway.

Jobless in the land of the American Dream

Now I have been jobless since this blog was started, and I am constantly looking out for more work to do. Web stuff, film editing, film producing, CAD work, just selling stuff, etc. When I am driving around dropping off resume's I can't stop thinking about how it might be our fault this economy is the way it is. Where I live I would say is middle class. People driving around in NEW mercedes, porsches, and other cars they have no business in. I could barely handle a 450$ a month payment for a subaru, and that was when I was getting paid well. People don't account for the money that they should be SAVING. They think that every month if they have ANY money left over, then thats fine. I am as guilty as anyone using credit cards, I used a credit card to pay the difference I lost when I had to sell the Subaru. (when you buy a car off the lot, at the first payment you are already upside down on it because of TT&L). I also used my credit card for school books and my SAG card. Now I have a crazy balance. It sounds simple, but NO ONE does this: If you don't have the CASH money to pay for something, don't buy it. Save your money. You will save money on interest, so much money. And most likely you will have better credit if you use your money correctly. Check out this funny but really true video:

DON"T BUY STUFF YOU CAN"T AFFORD!