Why are the people that are employed as writers for studios in Hollywood indispensable?

Question

I know there has to be many, many other people in the United State and the World that could relocate and do the same work for what the studios in Hollywood (and New York, and all other places where they employ writers) is willing to pay.

Any other industry, and they would temporary and/or permanently replace these individuals that were employed as writers. I have learned that anyone can be replace, so why can't these writers be replaced. I mean they aren't that special alone. Any of them alone couldn't write a tv show. Writing a tv show or a film script requires the collaboration of many, many people. So it is not like anyone of those individuals that are employed as writers have any specific talent. Together they have loads of talent, but couldn't they find hundreds and thousands of more people that are willing to work together and collaborate on writing projects.

If writers are so indespenible then what would happen to these studios if all the writers were killed. Would there be a meltdown in the tv/film entertainment industry? I mean there a thousands of individuals that are going to school to become professional writers so why not recruit them? If they would just put a thousand amateur writers with college degrees that have seen and done things, and have to been writing for decades, then there wouldn't be a shortage of writers and they could pay writer's what they want because there would be so many of them competing for the same job. The United State is a capitalist economy so why not implement that into the world of writing. Make the job market for professionals writers even more competitive by recruiting every amateur writer with college degrees in some form of writing and loads of amateur writing experience.

Some people may think that an amateur writer isn't as good as a professional, but the only difference is a professional is someone that gets compensation for what they do. An amateur doesn't receive any compensation for what they do. They do what they do because it is what they love.

I believe it is a time for a change with the present writers and get some new faces in there that can prove that there are more than 5000 people out there that can write a professional script for a tv show or film.

What do you all think?

bananano: please answer the question

Why can't Hollywood temporary and/or permanently replace these writer's? There are thousands of people out that that are independent writers. So why don't the studio temporary recruit until the writer's on strike want to come back? That is what they do in every other industry. Grocery store workers goes on strike and the grocery store just hires workers temporary until the workers want to come back. Some gets there job back, some don't.

Please answer the question. Don't give me an answer that writers deserves to be paid. Everyone deserves to be paid for the work that they put out. Why can't they get someone else to do the job, even if it is on a temporary basis?

Note to the person that said that I am "hopping" mad about not being able to be a writer.

My field has no relations to the entertainment industry.

Jennyjen

So you are saying that the only people that have been writing for 40+ years is people that have worked in studios for 40+ years? There are many people all throughout the global world that has been writing for 40+ years that have written outstanding material.

My point is, these writer's can be gotten rid of and replaced with all the other writers out there.

I don't watch much television shows or films, but what I dislike is that every other industry can replace workers just like that, but writers can go on strike and the studios don't announce that they are now hiring for writers.

I know there are great independent writers out there. And again, no I am not talking about myself. I am not in that field. I am not a writer, but I do not there are a lot of writers out there that can write just as great as any of the writers on strike.

I guess my question and post really struck a chord, because a lot of people got really defensive.

Answer 1

some of the writers have been around for years and have contributed to the success of one show or another. No one is indispensable, and I think that maybe not so seasoned writers who are trying to get in the door be given a chance to prove themselves. They are definitely alot of talented writers out there. I support the strike, I do not support the way in which they have gone about it.
A good writer is a good writer. Some have been working on the same show from the beginning. hard call.

Answer 2

I read your question and decided that you could have elaborated, by using less words.
But, you do have a good point.
I wish they would start a program or show/movie project written by amateurs only.
The pros are just like anyone else, they start out with many ideas and end up running out of ideas, a one trick pony, so to speak.
If I were in charge, there would be no contracts, except for the editing department.
I would solicit the public for ideas as to what they want to see and buy scripts from independent writers to be edited and used.
It would be a type of bidding war instead of a bunch of idiots sitting around, wasting time and not throwing any real input into their scripts.

Answer 3

Writers are indispensable to the movie industry because they are (I believe) the ones that TRULY keep movies alive and going. And I don't think any other movie crew members (like the actual directors, production, lighting crews, etc.) are or maybe could be qualified to write scripts. Also, they are the only ones who are allowed to meet with people (like authors, if the movie[s] are based on a book[s]). They are also the ones that start a movie getting produced and directed. There are also other reasons, I am sure, on why writers are indispensable to the movie industry but I'm not going to go into them because I am sure there are other people who will tell them to you and explain way better than I EVER could..

Answer 4

While I do not support striking or unions in the general sense, in this case they have a bit of a point, at least from my understanding. They had a short sighted contract put in place that only allowed a residual percentage of only VHS media, and they do not receive the same from other media. This clearly is an inequitable situation.

There are several series that are completely mapped out to the end, such as Lost and Heroes. To introduce new writers at this point in time would essentially make those series worthless.

Answer 5

Sadly, it sounds like you are hopping made because you cannot get a job.

Why are you so upset. If you cannot find a job as a writer, find a job as something else, that would appreciate writing talents. If you go the rest of life being angry because you are not being hired, you are going to spend a lot of time being angry.

We must learn to get on with our lives, because many many times, something better is always on the horizon and if you take the opportunity that has been given you, to start in a different direction, you may be surprised.

Answer 6

Writers write for others who depend on them to make the shows including the jokes and other information. Like everyone else they deserve to be paid for their work, especially if it used and reused.