WGA Strike Hits "Lost" HQ

Watching "Lost" on ABC.com

About 20 Hawaii-based WGA members marched down to the Hawaii Film Studio last week to picket in a show of solidarity with fellow mainland writers. The studio is home to ABC's "Lost" production. "Lost" became an immediate hit when it premiered in 2004, and its interweaving sci-fi storylines have translated nicely to alternate platforms like the Internet, iPods, and cell phones.

The show has been a pioneer in alternate distribution, which is precisely the issue that the WGA is striking over. In fact, "Lost" producers had already pounded out a deal with writers for "Lost: Missing Pieces," a series of "mobisodes" that reveal additional details about the show's characters. According to the New York Times, writers were paid $800 flat for each mobisode in exchange for the studio's right to run them on Verizon cellphones for 13 weeks. After the 13 weeks, any repeats on any media will earn writers residuals equal to 1.2 to 2% of the license fees paid to studios.

Some hope that the "Lost" mobisode deal will serve as a model during contract negotiations that resume tomorrow. However, the WGA is seeking alternate media residuals worth 2.5% of license fees.

>> ‘Lost’ set picketed by writers [Hnl Star-Bulletin, 11/20/07]

>> Hollywood Writers Picket Diamond Head Set of 'Lost' [KHNL, 11/20/07]

>> Webisodes of ‘Lost’: Model Deal for Writers? [NY Times, 11/20/07]
>> Strike Takes Out 'Lost' [NY Post, 11/23/07]

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