It's hard to reference anything in Hollywood these days without putting it in context of "if a strike occurs." Just a few months ago, the prevailing thought was that with the Directors Guild, the Writers Guild and the Screen Actors Guild contracts all coming up for renewal with the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers in the next nine months, the two largest unions, the WGA and SAG, would wait to negotiate together when the SAG contract runs out at the end of June 2008. Instead, the WGA decided to be more proactive and started negotiations with the producers during the past few weeks. Needless to say, the discussions haven't been cordial. Here are some easy answers on what the hubbub is all about and how it affects you.

What do the writers want?
The Writers Guild wants a larger percentage of DVD sales and a share of Internet download and streaming residuals. The writers think they were shortchanged on previous contracts when they agreed to a discounted pay formula for home video sales and then saw that business take off.

What do the producers want?
The producers want to cap DVD profits and table Internet residuals until that market has sorted itself out as a viable option for significant profits. They originally tried to roll back all residuals in an effort to come up with a new formula, but pulled that demand off the table once it turned into a public relations nightmare with the writers.

What does a "strike authorization vote" mean?
Like other unions, the Writers Guild asked its members to grant it the ability to declare a strike if contract negotiations go badly. The results of the strike authorization vote, a 90.3 percent endorsement of voting members, means the union can declare a strike without going back to ask its members for approval.

Would movie studios stop making movies?
No. Production on any feature with a finished script would continue as scheduled. However, any writer found working on script revisions on a film production would face harsh penalties from the union. Additionally, members aren't allowed to work on any assigned new scripts during a work stoppage.

Will my favorite TV shows be affected?
Absolutely. A WGA strike would have a profound effect on network and cable television. Unlike movies, the turnaround time for TV scripts is much shorter. This means that many scripted shows would have to cease production once their fill of new scripts ran out. This could happen as soon as two to three weeks after the beginning of a strike.

Can anyone mediate the dispute?
If a prolonged strike occurs, it may take someone respected by both writers and producers to really make a difference. I've heard that DreamWorks Animation president Jeffrey Katzenberg, an AMPTP member, made a personal appeal to both sides during the past week or so with little success. There has also been speculation that Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger or Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa may attempt to step in, but the dispute is a long way from prompting their involvement. They would be much more inclined to get involved if actors strike next summer. That possible strike would lead to a production shutdown that would immediately affect the Southern California economy.

Related news: Hollywood writers go on strike

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