SAG Strike Coming

I actually thought it wasn't going to happen. But after reading the latest issue of "Screen Actor" magazine, I am now certain of it. I fear this town cannot survive another long strike. The WGA set the stage, and I feel so bad that they will be out of work again. Or maybe they won't! I guess they can keep writing and keep getting paid, as producers stockpile content for episodes that won't be produced for awhile. I'm not sure what the future looks like in terms of new media, but it's scary.

As both a Producer AND a SAG actor, I see both sides. But I'll tell you, SAG NEEDS to make these contracts MUCH easier to deal with. The terms and the sheer volume of paperwork and requirements to be a signatory are already hard enough for small independent projects! The idea of needing a SAG contract for something small I want to post on YouTube seems daunting. Yet, I know there must be a line, or we'll all be working for free, and our skills will have no value. I couldn't help but wonder when I saw the "I'm f*cking Matt Damon" viral video, (and it's "I'm f*cking Ben Aflick counterpart) --which was hysterical --what that meant for filmmakers. Stars have now taken over ALL media. Did they get paid for that? Was that covered by a SAG contract? If they are willing to work for free (and fun) then how can people who are not stars expect to make a living in this new age of democratic filmmaking?

On that note, please enjoy "F*cking Ben Afflick" (below) and remember that Sarah Silverman and Jimmy Kimmel are a couple...