Strike Watch 2007: Update!

The word "stockpiling" doesn't show up until the 12th graph of Michael Cieply's piece today in the NYT about the spector of a strike that currently haunting Hollywood. But that's basically what going on these days, with the town "frantically hedging it's bets." The writers' contracts expire this October and the actors and directors contracts are up next June. At issue, at least for writers and actors, are issues related to compensation and digital distribution.

With that in mind, top actors (Cieply talks about the complicated machinations of scheduling Adam Sandler, Vince Vaughn, Matt Damon, Jim Carrey) are all looking to book (or have booked) their two "pre-strike" pictures, because with or without an actual strike, no films are currently set to shoot next July. Basically after June 30, 2008, "no studio wants to be caught with filming on its schedule, especially under expensive 'pay or play' deals" that are part of most A-list actors' contracts. But no top-level talent will sign on to a project without having a look at a the final script, so the heat has been turned up on screenwriters as well.

Meanwhile, on the TV side, writers are facing the similar pressures as they are working to deliver extra episodes of shows before October (hence the recent supersized order of Heroes for 30 episodes from NBC).

But even if a strike is averted, because of the rush to production now, Hollywood will most likely see a "defacto strike" come next spring, same as they saw in 2001. And for those who remember those days, some pretty crappy/slapdash films came out of that era. That, and way more "strike-resistant" reality TV programming.