The sorry state of streaming residuals shows why SAG and the WGA are striking.

  • MeldrikA
    link
    fedilink
    arrow-up
    6
    arrow-down
    3
    ·
    1 year ago

    I can get behind fair wages, but I don’t understand residuals. You were paid to do a job, but you also expect a cut of whatever future revenue it might achieve?

    • JohnnyCanuck@lemmy.ca
      link
      fedilink
      arrow-up
      8
      ·
      1 year ago

      You were paid to do a job, but you also expect a cut of whatever future revenue it might achieve?

      If it’s in the contract then yes.

      If you’re wondering why it’s in the contract, this is very common in lots of different business types.

      Up front, there may not be a desire to make a huge investment. What if isn’t a success? So you tell whoever is making , “hey, we’ll pay you measely dollars now to make it, and pay you percent of money that comes in for it down the road.” This way you can invest a smaller amount up front ensuring the thing gets made, but everyone involved gets a cut based on the future success.

      Since the success/amount made isn’t determined in a one-time deal, you pay out the shares of the success over time: aka residuals.

    • downpunxx@kbin.social
      link
      fedilink
      arrow-up
      8
      arrow-down
      1
      ·
      1 year ago

      If you don’t understand residuals, like owning stocks, which continue to pay out on future worth through dividends, when their values go up, I’d suggest you pick up a book.

    • Random Dent@lemmy.ml
      link
      fedilink
      arrow-up
      6
      ·
      1 year ago

      I mean why not? If your labour helped create the thing, and it’s still generating value, why not receive a share of the value? Especially when higher up execs who might not have even worked on it at all are making bank from it.