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ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT/tCle CMrlotU 9a«t
Thursday, April 8, 2004
Hollywood writers seek bigger cut
of DVD money in contract talks
By Gary Gentile
THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
LOS ANGELES (AP)
Movie and television writers
will seek a bigger cut of prof
its from the fast-growing
DVD market when talks
begin Monday on a new
three-year contract.
Members of the Writers
Guild of America also want
studios to help cover rising
health care costs.
Producers counter they
caimot afford to pay writers
more because production
costs have increased and
changing economics and
viewing habits have made it
tougher to recoup invest
ments.
“It’s not surprising to hear
media moguls pleading
poverty,” the guild told mem
bers in a recent negotiations
update. "But don’t be fooled.”
The WGA contract covering
11,000 writers is set to expire
on May 2. The union’s last
strike, in 1988, delayed the
start of that year’s fall TV
season.
Both sides have offered lii>
tie public comment about the
negotiations or the possibility
of a strike. Some industry
sources have said that
unscripted reality shows
would make it easier to fill
holes in the fall TV schedule
in the event of a walkout.
The talks are shaping up as
a sequel of sorts, with many
of the same economic issues
on the table that dominated
the last round of talks in
2001.
Those negotiations were
settled when writers dropped
demands for an increase in
home video payments and
won a share of video-on-
demand revenue.
At that time, DVD sales
were only beginning to
become a major revenue
source for studios. By 2003,
however, sales of DVDs had
soared to $16 billion, with TV
shows accoimting for $1.5 bil
lion, according to industry
figures.
Writers now get a tiny frac
tion of that revenue _ only
about $1 for every $300 in
studio profits, the WGA said.
The union wants to increase
its share, which is based on a
formula used since 1985 _ the
beginning of the VHS video
tape boom.
Writers also want expanded
participation in reaUty pro
gramming, a growing con-
Couple balances musical career and
marriage as popularity takes off
Continued from page 10B
And imlike other singers. Kindred is really
a family. The couple have two childreH, so
they have to balance family, career and trav
el.
“It’s amazing that we’re still together,” Aja
said, “And that we stfil like each other.”
'The duo has heen married for nearly six
years. And they are learning as they go along,
Aja said. “There is no one else in a situation
like ours.”
“We’re two individuals with our own feel
ings and emotions that we want to share with
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the world. Truth has been missing in R&B
music. Everybody wants to be something
they’re not. And that’s what we’re trying hard
not to do,” Fatin said
At one time, both Aja and Fatin were pursu
ing solo careers. But Hidden Beach recording
star Jfil Scott saw the group performitrg at
Philadelphia’s famed Black Lily and brought
them to the attention of Hidden Beach presi
dent Steve McKeever, according to the group’s
website.
Fatin said the next Kindred project should
be released next year.
A fish
story
Noel’s Gallery held
a reception for
Fernando Porras
last Friday.
His exhibit “a fish
story” will run
through May 29.
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