Multo.com :: Visual Magic

To The WGA, From An Independent

Does this strike include a call to independents?

Dear WGA:

As a freelance writer, who has been so for years, but not a member of your organization, I sympathize deeply with your members.  We in the independent world, particularly in internet content producing, work more with corporate bodies who have little experience in production, and little understanding of the costs or process.   Or we work on low budget productions, skewed more and more toward direct to DVD or internet broadcasting, where you are simply a gun for hire.  I cannot speak for my fellow independents and internet video makers, however I sincerely hope you will invite and include us in the fight, and in the union.

Rallying around the issue affects all of us, however, I believe that for the union to be truly powerful, it should also embrace the independent more inclusively.  The process and cost to get into any entertainment union is prohibitive to many independents, particularly documentary makers, and exclusion has turned a worker’s concept into an access-only club.   The ability to produce quality media no longer meets a pay scale rate allowing for a new media maker to afford both rent and dues.  Can these rates be more accessible to independents?  Can the initiation fee be more realistic to our times?  Can the concept of “writer” be broadened to include webisodes, podcasts, blogs and even code?  Can this concept also be embraced by the other unions, to understand that now an online content producer may do all roles professionally – write, direct, shoot, edit and stream?  Perhaps now is a time for the WGA to revisit what they see themselves as, and who they include in their mission.

For the ability of the many independents has grown exponentially in this digital age and talent is everywhere.  To harness that talent now would be a progressive action for the union to do, as the majors most certainly will, and probably already have, with contests like “America’s Next Producer”, “The Lot”, etc.  We independents need you to help us get the same rights, and you need us for numbers and solidarity with your cause.  This is not a threat but a call for inclusion.  Unions originally formed to protect the many poor laborers in this country, not just the ones who could afford entry.  Unions traditionally get their strength from the proletariat.  WGA, get yours now from the digital proles.

We are here, with you, ready to stand in solidarity.

Best,
Melissa Ulto
Independent Content Producer
Multo.com