196 replies to this topic

[stromberg]

Okay David Schofield and Zorin Industries, I think we've all read enough of this. Stop it. Now.

[byline]

Just don't put it as highly as the work of nurses.

And who here said they did? The WGA isn't asking for wages that exceed those of health care professionals, law enforcement and so on. (Though, of course, a fortunate few are paid more in one project than most of us earn in a lifetime. But they're the exception, not the rule.) They're simply asking for residuals from the distribution of projects to which they contributed intellectual property, in keeping with the similar system of royalties that songwriters and authors receive from sales of their published works. That way, they have a steady income even during periods of unemployment (which, for writers, can be frequent as demand for their work isn't consistent) and can pay for the necessities of life. Things like health care.

Contrast that with health care professionals who, by necessity, see a continuous stream of demand for their services. (And yes, I know of which I speak. My sister is a nurse, and I have numerous friends and relatives who are nurses.) By the very nature of their profession, of course health care professionals experience a great deal of stress, and they are paid on average higher salaries than those of other professions. Is it enough? Most would probably say it's never enough, given what they experience in their jobs (and also the expenses they racked up with student loans, etc. . . . though people in other lower-paying jobs also have those same expenses). But the one thing I've never heard any of them say is that they didn't know where their next paycheck was coming from, or whether they could get a job. There's simply too much demand for the kind of work they do.

Whether you agree that writers' jobs are of the same importance isn't really the point. When you think about it, sanitation workers have very important jobs (and we suddenly realize just how important when they go on strike). While they may not be paid a fortune, they are paid reasonably well and have a steady income. Most writers can't say the same thing, even though they contribute intellectual property to projects that make massive amounts of money for big corporations. All they're asking for is a portion of the residuals from the distribution of those projects to provide them with a living wage for their work.

Edited by byline, 11 November 2007 - 05:15 PM.

[Bondian]

Okay David Schofield and Zorin Industries, I think we've all read enough of this. Stop it. Now.

I agree.

Time for this, I think.

(In the country we see an Interviewer, with microphone. Behind him a man sits on a wall, with clip-board, binoculars and spotting gear.)
Interviewer: Good evening. Tonight we're going to take a hard tough abrasive look at camel spotting. Hello.

Spotter: Hello Peter.

Interviewer: Now tell me, what exactly are you doing?

Spotter: Er well, I'm camel spotting. I'm spotting to see if there are any camels that I can spot, and put them down in my camel spotting book.

Interviewer: Good. And how many camels have you spotted so far?

Spotter: Oh, well so far Peter, up to the present moment, I've spotted nearly, ooh, nearly one.

Interviewer: Nearly one?

Spotter: Er, call it none.

Interviewer: Fine. And er how long have you been here?

Spotter: Three years.

Interviewer: So, in, er, three years you've spotted no camels?

Spotter: Yes in only three years. Er, I tell a lie, four, be fair, five. I've been camel spotting for just the seven years. Before that of course I was a Yeti Spotter.

Interviewer: A Yeti Spotter, that must have been extremely interesting.

Spotter: Oh, it was extremely interesting, very, very - quite... it was dull; dull, dull, dull, oh God it was dull. Sitting in the Waterloo waiting room. Course once you've seen one Yeti you've seen them all.

Interviewer: And have you seen them all?

Spotter: Well I've seen one. Well a little one... a picture of a... I've heard about them.

Interviewer: Well, now tell me, what do you do when you spot a camel?

Spotter: Er, I take its number.

Interviewer: Camels don't have numbers.

Spotter: Ah, well you've got to know where to look. Er, they're on the side of the engine above the piston box.

Interviewer: What?

Spotter: Ah - of course you've got to make sure it's not a dromedary. 'Cos if it's a dromedary it goes in the dromedary book.

Interviewer: Well how do you tell if it's a dromedary?

Spotter: Ah well, a dromedary has one hump and a camel has a refreshment car, buffet, and ticket collector.

Interviewer: Mr Sopwith, aren't you in fact a train Spotter?

Spotter: What?

Interviewer: Don't you in fact spot trains?

Spotter: Oh, you're no fun anymore.

(ANIMATION: Then a girl in bed. Count Dracula enters. The girl reveals her neck. The vampire goes to kiss her but his fangs fall out.)

Girl: Oh, you're no funn anymore.

(A man at the yardarm being lashed.)

Lasher:... thirty-nine... forty. All right, cut him down, Mr Fuller.

Lashee: Oh you're no fun anymore.

(Back to camel spotter.)

Spotter: Now if anybody else pinches my phrase I'll throw them under a camel.

Interviewer: (giggling) If you can spot one.

(Spotter gives him a dirty look. Knight in amour appears beside him. He hits interviewer with chicken.)

[DLibrasnow]

Okay David Schofield and Zorin Industries, I think we've all read enough of this. Stop it. Now.

Agree completely.

[Mr. Blofeld]

(In the country we see an Interviewer, with microphone. Behind him a man sits on a wall, with clip-board, binoculars and spotting gear.)
Interviewer: Good evening. Tonight we're going to take a hard tough abrasive look at camel spotting. Hello.

Spotter: Hello Peter.

Interviewer: Now tell me, what exactly are you doing?

Spotter: Er well, I'm camel spotting. I'm spotting to see if there are any camels that I can spot, and put them down in my camel spotting book.

Interviewer: Good. And how many camels have you spotted so far?

Spotter: Oh, well so far Peter, up to the present moment, I've spotted nearly, ooh, nearly one.

Interviewer: Nearly one?

Spotter: Er, call it none.

Interviewer: Fine. And er how long have you been here?

Spotter: Three years.

Interviewer: So, in, er, three years you've spotted no camels?

Spotter: Yes in only three years. Er, I tell a lie, four, be fair, five. I've been camel spotting for just the seven years. Before that of course I was a Yeti Spotter.

Interviewer: A Yeti Spotter, that must have been extremely interesting.

Spotter: Oh, it was extremely interesting, very, very - quite... it was dull; dull, dull, dull, oh God it was dull. Sitting in the Waterloo waiting room. Course once you've seen one Yeti you've seen them all.

Interviewer: And have you seen them all?

Spotter: Well I've seen one. Well a little one... a picture of a... I've heard about them.

Interviewer: Well, now tell me, what do you do when you spot a camel?

Spotter: Er, I take its number.

Interviewer: Camels don't have numbers.

Spotter: Ah, well you've got to know where to look. Er, they're on the side of the engine above the piston box.

Interviewer: What?

Spotter: Ah - of course you've got to make sure it's not a dromedary. 'Cos if it's a dromedary it goes in the dromedary book.

Interviewer: Well how do you tell if it's a dromedary?

Spotter: Ah well, a dromedary has one hump and a camel has a refreshment car, buffet, and ticket collector.

Interviewer: Mr Sopwith, aren't you in fact a train Spotter?

Spotter: What?

Interviewer: Don't you in fact spot trains?

Spotter: Oh, you're no fun anymore.

(ANIMATION: Then a girl in bed. Count Dracula enters. The girl reveals her neck. The vampire goes to kiss her but his fangs fall out.)

Girl: Oh, you're no funn anymore.

(A man at the yardarm being lashed.)

Lasher:... thirty-nine... forty. All right, cut him down, Mr Fuller.

Lashee: Oh you're no fun anymore.

(Back to camel spotter.)

Spotter: Now if anybody else pinches my phrase I'll throw them under a camel.

Interviewer: (giggling) If you can spot one.

(Spotter gives him a dirty look. Knight in amour appears beside him. He hits interviewer with chicken.)

Erm... what?

[Zorin Industries]

Sod off yourself, David Schofield.

Very nice level your argument has descended to.

Frankly, I put the odd saved life ahead of a few lousy words[/i]"... Well, "frankly", I'm not sure I want to live in a world where how much a nurse earns is deemed more important than cultural expression, art and the strength of the written word.

Quite. An intersting stance. Not necessarily the majority - or moral? - view. But there you are.

As a suggestion, perhaps you should ask your agent to see if he can get your TV companies to let you make a programme on it.

Either way, my involvement in this one ends here. I've said all I want to.

I endorse that one again. Sorry folks that it got a bit bloody there, but as the great Dolly Parton once said, "if you don't stand for something, you'll fall for anything". And when it comes to screenwriters and their welfare, I will always stand firm.

Now, where's my airship.....?

[Bondian]

(In the country we see an Interviewer, with microphone. Behind him a man sits on a wall, with clip-board, binoculars and spotting gear.)
Interviewer: Good evening. Tonight we're going to take a hard tough abrasive look at camel spotting. Hello.

Spotter: Hello Peter.

Interviewer: Now tell me, what exactly are you doing?

Spotter: Er well, I'm camel spotting. I'm spotting to see if there are any camels that I can spot, and put them down in my camel spotting book.

Interviewer: Good. And how many camels have you spotted so far?

Spotter: Oh, well so far Peter, up to the present moment, I've spotted nearly, ooh, nearly one.

Interviewer: Nearly one?

Spotter: Er, call it none.

Interviewer: Fine. And er how long have you been here?

Spotter: Three years.

Interviewer: So, in, er, three years you've spotted no camels?

Spotter: Yes in only three years. Er, I tell a lie, four, be fair, five. I've been camel spotting for just the seven years. Before that of course I was a Yeti Spotter.

Interviewer: A Yeti Spotter, that must have been extremely interesting.

Spotter: Oh, it was extremely interesting, very, very - quite... it was dull; dull, dull, dull, oh God it was dull. Sitting in the Waterloo waiting room. Course once you've seen one Yeti you've seen them all.

Interviewer: And have you seen them all?

Spotter: Well I've seen one. Well a little one... a picture of a... I've heard about them.

Interviewer: Well, now tell me, what do you do when you spot a camel?

Spotter: Er, I take its number.

Interviewer: Camels don't have numbers.

Spotter: Ah, well you've got to know where to look. Er, they're on the side of the engine above the piston box.

Interviewer: What?

Spotter: Ah - of course you've got to make sure it's not a dromedary. 'Cos if it's a dromedary it goes in the dromedary book.

Interviewer: Well how do you tell if it's a dromedary?

Spotter: Ah well, a dromedary has one hump and a camel has a refreshment car, buffet, and ticket collector.

Interviewer: Mr Sopwith, aren't you in fact a train Spotter?

Spotter: What?

Interviewer: Don't you in fact spot trains?

Spotter: Oh, you're no fun anymore.

(ANIMATION: Then a girl in bed. Count Dracula enters. The girl reveals her neck. The vampire goes to kiss her but his fangs fall out.)

Girl: Oh, you're no funn anymore.

(A man at the yardarm being lashed.)

Lasher:... thirty-nine... forty. All right, cut him down, Mr Fuller.

Lashee: Oh you're no fun anymore.

(Back to camel spotter.)

Spotter: Now if anybody else pinches my phrase I'll throw them under a camel.

Interviewer: (giggling) If you can spot one.

(Spotter gives him a dirty look. Knight in amour appears beside him. He hits interviewer with chicken.)

Erm... what?

You're obviously not a Monty Python fan, then.

[Major Tallon]

Is there any substance to the rumor that Allen Smithee has joined the strike?

[zencat]

Another very informative video.

[killkenny kid]

You're obviously not a Monty Python fan, then.

But, we know I'm a fan.

[Royal Dalton]

Is there any substance to the rumor that Allen Smithee has joined the strike?

I heard he refused to put his name to it.

[Zorin Industries]

Just to let you all know....David Schofield and I are now dating...it's not been as awkward as you think....

;o)

ZI x

[Mr. Blofeld]

(In the country we see an Interviewer, with microphone. Behind him a man sits on a wall, with clip-board, binoculars and spotting gear.)
Interviewer: Good evening. Tonight we're going to take a hard tough abrasive look at camel spotting. Hello.

Spotter: Hello Peter.

Interviewer: Now tell me, what exactly are you doing?

Spotter: Er well, I'm camel spotting. I'm spotting to see if there are any camels that I can spot, and put them down in my camel spotting book.

Interviewer: Good. And how many camels have you spotted so far?

Spotter: Oh, well so far Peter, up to the present moment, I've spotted nearly, ooh, nearly one.

Interviewer: Nearly one?

Spotter: Er, call it none.

Interviewer: Fine. And er how long have you been here?

Spotter: Three years.

Interviewer: So, in, er, three years you've spotted no camels?

Spotter: Yes in only three years. Er, I tell a lie, four, be fair, five. I've been camel spotting for just the seven years. Before that of course I was a Yeti Spotter.

Interviewer: A Yeti Spotter, that must have been extremely interesting.

Spotter: Oh, it was extremely interesting, very, very - quite... it was dull; dull, dull, dull, oh God it was dull. Sitting in the Waterloo waiting room. Course once you've seen one Yeti you've seen them all.

Interviewer: And have you seen them all?

Spotter: Well I've seen one. Well a little one... a picture of a... I've heard about them.

Interviewer: Well, now tell me, what do you do when you spot a camel?

Spotter: Er, I take its number.

Interviewer: Camels don't have numbers.

Spotter: Ah, well you've got to know where to look. Er, they're on the side of the engine above the piston box.

Interviewer: What?

Spotter: Ah - of course you've got to make sure it's not a dromedary. 'Cos if it's a dromedary it goes in the dromedary book.

Interviewer: Well how do you tell if it's a dromedary?

Spotter: Ah well, a dromedary has one hump and a camel has a refreshment car, buffet, and ticket collector.

Interviewer: Mr Sopwith, aren't you in fact a train Spotter?

Spotter: What?

Interviewer: Don't you in fact spot trains?

Spotter: Oh, you're no fun anymore.

(ANIMATION: Then a girl in bed. Count Dracula enters. The girl reveals her neck. The vampire goes to kiss her but his fangs fall out.)

Girl: Oh, you're no funn anymore.

(A man at the yardarm being lashed.)

Lasher:... thirty-nine... forty. All right, cut him down, Mr Fuller.

Lashee: Oh you're no fun anymore.

(Back to camel spotter.)

Spotter: Now if anybody else pinches my phrase I'll throw them under a camel.

Interviewer: (giggling) If you can spot one.

(Spotter gives him a dirty look. Knight in amour appears beside him. He hits interviewer with chicken.)

Erm... what?

You're obviously not a Monty Python fan, then.

But I am, good sir; I'm rather the devoted fan of Holy Grail.

"Look, you stupid bastard; you've got no arms left!"

[Bondian]

You're obviously not a Monty Python fan, then.

But, we know I'm a fan.

LOL. And I believe 'Fawlty Towers'.

Just to let you all know....David Schofield and I are now dating...it's not been as awkward as you think....

;o)

ZI x

ROFL.

But I am, good sir; I'm rather the devoted fan of Holy Grail.

"Look, you stupid bastard; you've got no arms left!"

Classic.

[Skudor]

Ian, where do you get your transcripts from?

[DLibrasnow]

The producers are hitting back at the "disinformation" being spread by the WGA:

http://news.bbc.co.u...ent/7092201.stm

[Bondian]

Ian, where do you get your transcripts from?

http://www.orangecow...honet/sketches/

Received cheque with thanks. LOL