Weeeeeeeeeeeee

Stttttttrrrrrrrriiiiiiikkkkkkkeeeeee

Its the second week of the heavily covered writers strike. From what I gather, and this is an overly simplistic bumpter sticker slogan explanation, the writers recognize that the business models of entertainment are changing rapidly and they demand new modes of compensation. The biggest source of contention seems to be in residuals on many new media formats like online downloading and things like TV shows on DVD, a recent phenom. There is an interesting article from the International Herald Tribune.
It basically comes to the conclusion that movies are no longer profitable. The culprit? Superstar celebrities, both of the acting and directing/producing/writing kind. They often are given "participation" points which means they get their salary [say 10 to 20 million] plus a percentage of the net gross of a film and NOT the net profit. They point out that 3 billion dollars were doled out in residuals and participation points last year. How much of that three billion went to the Writers Guild of America West which represent most Hollywood writers and have around 10,000 members? 121 million, a puny puny amount. A big name star, say Drew Barrymoore with the Charlie's Angels series or Keanu Reeves with the Matrix trilogy can easily make 70 million off one picture in participation points. Now you can see how the figure reached 3 billion and it wasn't due to the writers. They point out that the novelty of DVD's has worn off, people just aren't buying them as much and that is where movie studios were making all their money as they are incredibly cheap to make and have a high profit margin. This means the producers are digging their heels in, as one of their main duties is to make a profitable venture.


These photos were taken on my cellphone outside of where I work in Downtown where writers were protesting the filming of I believe CSI: New York

Goodmorning Midnight!

These are not ghostly apparitions or visits from Extraterrestrial beings. These are the lighting crews from a movie shoot on Thursday night that lasted from 9pm to 6am. The lovely views are from the window and entryway of my apartment. I wrote about this situation earlier but I do have some good news to report. Apparently the studio responsible is going to donate around 10,000 dollars to the Echo Park Chamber of Commerce who will then disperse the money as they see fit. I'm crossing my finger for paddle-boat renovations at the lake!

Queen of All Media

Oprah now has an official channel on youtube. It was only a matter of time. She has disabled the embedding feature [typical control freak that she is] and so if want to watch it you have to go over to youtube and cue the appropriate search. Her username is OPRAH. Yes, in dramatic authoritative caps. Now I always approach Oprah with deep fascination, awe, anger, and respect. The most complex of media figures with all kinds of coding, branding, and messages. Not content with just a magazine, radio channel, and TV show, she is reaching out to the next frontier, cyberspace. The head spins at the possibilities. She joined on November 1rst and her channel is already is the #6 most viewed today, #4 for the week , and #29 for the month.

Right now all the clips on her channel kind of play as a "director's cut" version of her show. Its mostly behind the scenes footage, extended interviews etc. This allows a new Oprah persona to be born. The shaky, amateurish feel of the youtube clips have a nicer, more humble, and laid back Oprah. An "oh gosh I'm on the youtube I hope you'll watch" vibe. Obviously to launch the channel she had a TV epsiode serve as a giant informerical where she interviewed many "stars of youtube" which included a skateboarding dog whom Oprah confessed was her favorite interviewee. She also harassed/interviewed the founders and CEO's, one of whom, Chad Hurly is semi cute for a crazy computer nerd/geek. He could totally pass as the drummer in some bland but smart indie rock band, a la The Decemberists.


My only question now is what will Oprah decide is important to post on youtube? Perhaps her show will become more expansive. Each episode will only be the first step in a multimedia expereince. At the end of the show she'll tell you to log on for a more informative and fully emmerisve expereince on the subject of any given epsiode. Maybe there can be weekly clips from her schools in Africa where girls shower praise and thanks on O. We all know they need some SERIOUS PR spinning going on given the recent headlines involving the school. There could be a weekly Remembering Your Sprit short where Toni Morrisson talks to us directy and intimately about our inner beauty and possibility. But my greatest wish and fantasy would be for VINTAGE Oprah clips/shows. You know, circa 1986 when she was still singing the glories of McDonald's hashbrowns and wasn't above doing a White Supremacy show. I got great pleasure in watching old Oprah clips on youtube and one day they mysteriously disappeared. Please Oprah open up your vast catalog of insipid celebrity interviews if soley for the purpose of delighting in early 90's hair and makeup.