Where Do You Want To Draw The Line?
Links & Ponders August 12
ICYMI: I am giving away free subscriptions to HopeForFilm to any union member currently on strike, particularly SAG and WGA. The same goes for any student or someone feeling financial hardship. Just let me know you want a free “paid” subscription and it’s yours. No questions asked.
And btw, this post has a job lead and a grant lead if you are looking for a gig or any funding (and I would love to offer more such leads, so do let me know if you hear of such things!
Fasten your seatbelt. This is going to be a long and bumpy ride!
You remember when people took pride in what they stood for and where they drew the line? The WGA and SAG still do. And now the VFX workers at Marvel are saying they want to too. In fact, entertainment industry workers across the world are showing more solidarity for what is happening here than anyone seems to have anticipated. We all should be grateful that they do, as they may just save our collective livelihood. Hot Labor Summer indeed! 100 days and counting.
And in that regards, QOW: “If the studio execs want to prevent a worldwide labor revolt, they should start by ending the strikes at home.”
The WWLR is already happening thanks to Hollywood, and I am hoping this labor focused attitude is a tendency that is going to catch on. That people are going to dig in deep about the things they love. About the things that make life worth living. About the things that makes it swell to be a human being alive at this time in the world. And that we all recognize our communal labor is worth paying fairly for. We certainly don’t need many reminders of the opposite, but seem to get those reminders on a daily basis. And maybe those are the things we have to fight back a bit harder against. And will. Readily.
Remember when people didn’t want to support authoritarian regimes or nations that didn’t support human rights? When students and shareholders protested about how the endowments were invested or where the labor was sourced? What happened to that? Remember when folks in the cultural industries would check to see the track record of whom they were working or shilling for? Where did that go? Remember when people sang songs about what was right and what was wrong? When movies tried a bit more to offer a design for living? Everything is conected.
Although it’s a much smaller thing, remember when we felt good about not selling out? Sure many have written about the “dream of the ‘90’s” but isn’t it related to trying to leave everywhere better than we found it? That said, it’s understandable when it is a challenge to manage everything, when the pain of the world is sharp & pointed, that people want some relief. If they are given access to money and power, it’s understandable most take it. I am not interested in shaming anyone for the decisions they make on how to live. I had great hopes of changing things from the inside when I took the gig at Amazon. And I was happy to finally get a chance to have a retirement account.
I suppose though if anyone still felt good about not selling out, more people would feel disgusted by displays of wealth and greed. Or is that what is happening a bit with the strikes. How can anyone who owns stock in any of those companies not be embarrassed that their CEO’s take home that kind of pay – particularly when those that create the value struggle:
How does this all get solved? SAG claims the interim deals
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