Re: attn. JMS: A TV writing question...

 Posted on 6/30/2003 by jmsatb5@aol.com to rec.arts.sf.tv.babylon5.moderated


>Does Hollywood pay writers, actors, dancers and musicians
>royalties on movies made 50 years ago? With tv, VHS cassettes
>and DVD (and replacements) the public is paying to see these
>old films again.

No, because firstly, most of the stuff made 50 years ago were made under
different contracts that allowed for very little participation over a very
short term. It's only been the last few decades that any real progress has
been made.

But even then, and this would be the secondly, the guilds didn't think much
would come of the VHS market, and gave away all but a few pennies here and
there to the producers. So you literally get about a penny or two off each VHS
sold, and this formula is being applied to DVDs as well.

jms

(jmsatb5@aol.com)
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