Simpsons Pay Dispute Settled 223
ackthpt writes "Simpsons voice actors were receiving $125,000 per episode and considering how wildly profitable the show is for FOX, in syndication and merchandising, the actors felt they should get a bigger piece of the pie. The strike is settled with a 4 year contract for the actors, though FOX is mum about further details, so the show will go on. For a bit more on this see this article on BBC News or The Gate."
Re:Not Enough $$ (Score:5, Insightful)
Re:Is that $125k per character voice per espisode? (Score:1, Insightful)
Actually, they could just be paid by the hour for their time. :-)
Thats it? (Score:5, Insightful)
With the Simpsons having been around for 16 seasons, I think it sounds reasonable that the voice actors should be given a raise from 125k. .
Re:125K per episode is never enough... (Score:5, Insightful)
When was the last time you got a raise? Did you feel bad because somebody in a third world country could live on that amount for a year? What you get paid isn't a direct relation between what you need to live on, its of what your work is worth. Their work, since it makes Fox a metric crap load of money, is worth more than yours, which doesn't make a people a crap load of money.
Re:125K per episode is never enough... (Score:5, Insightful)
It's the same thing any
However, the money values are so extreme in this case that I agree it's it seems almost pointless to us.
Re:125K per episode is never enough... (Score:2, Insightful)
If it stopped airing, it would mean a dramatic change in way people watch TV, and people don't like change.
It is sad how money seems has become as important as it has. It's no longer about providing people with entertainment. But with the influence that the actors have, they have the power to get what they want.
Re:125K per episode is never enough... (Score:5, Insightful)
This goes along with people saying actors aren't worth the $20 Million or so to put them in a film. Well, they may not be $20 Million talented, but if their face brings in $250 Million in profits then I would say it's a good investment.
Re:125K per episode is never enough... (Score:2, Insightful)
300+ shows have aired... gee - they must have started making the simpsons quite some time ago
Re:Not Enough $$ (Score:2, Insightful)
The money is pouring in already. It's simply a matter of who gets the gains, and I think the voice actors have a pretty strong point to stand on that they are partially responsible for that money flood.
Re:Not Enough $$ (Score:5, Insightful)
However, they're still accumulating money for the future of their family... and they're also well aware that News Corp.'s money making machine from The Simpsons would start slowing down if all of them were not to come back to the show.
That's their reason to hold out... they want their fair cut of the profits, because even though all of them are rich beyond their wildest dreams, that still doesn't make getting taken advantage of feel any better.
Re:125K per episode is never enough... (Score:2, Insightful)
If they only made two episodes a year, as you have said (you said they're paid 250k a year, 125k per episode, so two episodes a year), and there have been 329 episodes, that must mean that they have been making episodes for 164 years, or since 1840.
Do you accept you have made a mistake and that you are an idiot?
They produce episodes at the rate of one a week, but the total time for production is six months.
Re:All's fair (Score:5, Insightful)
Here's the thing:
If they're that hard to replace, they obviously crucial to the shows success and deserve the raise. If the writers, animators, technicians, and other staff want a raise, they have every right to hold out for one. And if they're as valuable to the show, I'm sure they'll get that raise.
Re:125K per episode is never enough... (Score:1, Insightful)
How about the WRITERS who actually create the ideas that make the show worth watching?
Re:All's fair (Score:1, Insightful)
And the alternative is to commoditize yourself by making yourself just like everyone else?
Re:125K per episode is never enough... (Score:4, Insightful)
These guys are substantially increasing the cost of producing a new episode (assuming they didn't also push residuals upward), which means the show is going to get to that cost:returns balance point that much sooner. Two or three years down the line when they lower the new episode count and finally produce the great grand last episode of The Simpsons, and it's all reruns after, will you still be making excuses for these guys? The show could run much longer if everybody weren't holding it hostage to milk it for as much cash as they can. That other folks do it to doesn't make it any less slimy.
Seriously, $125,000 per episode is some REALLY good pay. In their shoes, that kind of mad cash and knowing I was producing something so integral to American culture would be enough.
Whether or not you think they deserve their raises (Score:2, Insightful)
Re:All's fair (Score:3, Insightful)
The average person probably won't notice a change in plot style, minor style changes or anything that would result in those staff being replaced. But they would recognise the change in voices. Likewise for live-action movies/shows: they would probably not realise the change in writing/plot style, nor style, nor special effects, but changing the actor would stick out like a sore thumb.
Then again, Dumbledore in Harry Potter was replaced recently, we'll see how people react to that...
If you don't think the actors are worth the money. (Score:4, Insightful)
With the sole exceptions of Simpsons, 24, and Bernie Mac, FOX hates it's viewers... (The Littlest Groom, When Animals Attack, World's Deadliest _______?, Who wants to Marry a Millionaire, The Mask, Return to Eden..., etc...)
Do ANY of you want the Swan to return?
I didn't think so...
Re:Much as I love the sompsons (Score:3, Insightful)
Athletes are entertainers. If tomorrow, the world stopped giving a shit about baseball, baseball players wouldn't make money.
Re:125K per episode is never enough... (Score:5, Insightful)
Let's say Fox makes $1 million in profit per actor per episode, after paying everyone but the actors. If Fox pays the actors $125,000 a piece, that is $875,000 per actor in pure profit into the News Corp's wallet. That's several million dollars per episode to finance Fox News Channel propaganda and generally make a few very rich men even richer and more powerful.
I think, if the Simpsons actors feel they are making less than their fair market value from Fox they are morally obligated to negotiate a higher salary and perhaps donate the balance to a good cause, or even just do anything with the money that's not evil. That would be better than the alternative of letting News Corp keep it.
Being willing to let others profit off you and only get a tiny portion of compensation is not a virtue, it's stupidity and it only leads to exploitation by the most corrupt element of society (such as News Corp).
Re:125K per episode is never enough... (Score:3, Insightful)
Really? I thought when a business was successful, you were supposed to lay off a bunch of workers to drive up your stock price for the short term, cash in on your stock options, and move to a tax shelter island.
Re:Much as I love the sompsons (Score:3, Insightful)
It's a pity the world didn't actually wake up and realise that spending MILLIOS of dollars just to pay people to play A GAME instead of putting that money into things like social programs or education is insanity at best...
Ah well, maybe one day, but I'm not holding my breath, and yes I am feeling a bit cynical, and no I don't care about sports much at all.
If they're so concerned about Fox making so much.. (Score:3, Insightful)