Why in the world do actors & more over TV, film, screen plays, writers need unions? Because of paper cuts? Truckers ok, waitresses, strippers, nurses, miners, car workers, mechanics ok I understand they have risks they could sustain that could disable them & keep them from being able to make a living or even kill them. I do not know how a paper cut is going to keep a person from making a living. Even if you lose a hand or finger now a days you can still type or dictate your story to someone but a nurse or mechanic that cuts has serious risks that can kill them or certainly be life altering & prevent them from being able to retrained. Many also don't have more then a high school education further limiting their options if injured or made sick, so again why do writers need unions why do actors especially in Hollywood need unions. Off Broadway play actors maybe they usually aren't making lots of money like Hollywood or on Broadway actors would but still writers need a union?
2007-11-02 05:12:11 · 4 answers · asked by usfunparks 1 in Entertainment & Music ➔ Other - Entertainment
Seriously??
Okay, professionals in the entertainment industry need unions for the same reason other professionals do- to make sure there is a standard in contract labor.
The writers, for instance, need the union to protect how many hours they're expected to put in and what sort of work is involved.
Actors need the union to protect their work conditions- SAG makes sure you're only onset for a certain amount of hours, that you get proper breaks, that you receive a certain pay scale, etc.
If each writer, actor, etc had to negotiate their own contract (as opposed to a standard the unions set forth) there would be so much time wasted bartering that the industry as a whole would suffer tremendously.
2007-11-02 05:21:33 · answer #1 · answered by La vedette 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
For every famous star, there are thousands who are struggling. Writers are still struggling, very few actually get rich off screenwriting.
Under the old "Studio System" actors were essentially owned by film studios. It was kind of like the way sports teams own players today.
Though a few did well, there was a lot of insecurity. Abuses were rampant. Child actors were often exploited and actresses often faced the notorious "casting-couch." The Screen Actors Guild and other unions of the entertainment industry did a lot to end abuses and bad working conditions.
The other thing that unions were able to secure were ancillary rights. Studios used to claim complete ownership over product in whatever form and in whatever market.
2007-11-02 05:28:32 · answer #2 · answered by js giggy 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Become one and you will figure it out soon enough. Clearly, you are not one of them or you wouldn't be asking this question. Hollywood, etc., is filled with "sharks" that will take advantage of people, including the writers, if they are not protected by unions. The unions are to protect the rights, working hours and conditions (with no union they could be forced to work 24 hours at a time - would you like to have no restrictions on what you HAVE to do at work?) that the writers will have to work under. It isn't as simple as you think.
2007-11-02 05:27:12 · answer #3 · answered by Paul Hxyz 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
actors need unions to protect them from people like you you blasphemous creature
2007-11-02 05:19:35 · answer #4 · answered by ohmygodicantfindanid 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋