XPost: rec.arts.tv, rec.arts.sf.tv, alt.tv.babylon-5
From: fn62@dial.pipex.com
wrote in message
news:1159913900.391924.69870@m73g2000cwd.googlegroups.com...
>
> Alison Hopkins wrote:
>> wrote in message
>> news:1159911116.882988.226420@h48g2000cwc.googlegroups.com...
>> >> Because the terms offered in the contract were of such a nature as to
>> >> make
>> >> them highly detrimental for her to accept, of course. It's called
>> >> constructive dismissal.
>> >>
>> >> Ali
>> A major problem was that jms and John wouldn't commit to allow her to
>> have
>> a contract clause that permitted her to film in a certain and limited
>> number of weeks for the other film. And, quite rightly, neither she, her
>> agent, nor the other film company would accept a verbal assurance to
>> that
>> effect. (Hell, I wouldn't take a verbal assurance on anything like that.)
>>
>> jms was unable to separate the personal from the contractual and thought
>> she
>> was mistrusting him. Which is why he got so stupid and pissy about it. It
>> wasn't Warner. Now, I don't trust jms, but that has nothing to do with
>> it;
>> in a business context you simply cannot rely on word of mouth and verbal
>> assurances from *anyone*. People crap on you all the time.
>
> Having reread JMS' quotes, this is where he is really offbase. Claudia
> wouldn't have gotten the film contract without it in writing, unless
> the film producers were willing to accept JMS' verbal agreement with
> them. JMS only caused confusion regarding this issue. And add
> Copelands statement that she needs to film 22, I can see where stress
> occurred.
Correct. jms got antsy because she wanted things in writing. Quite right on
her part.
>
>> In the Industry it is actually very standard to have let out clauses to
>> allow you to film other things - Bruce certainly did this. It was not
>> Warner
>> insisting, it was jms and John, and mostly jms. And she certainly wasn't
>> after being paid for episodes she wasn't in.
>
> This is the crux of the problem. She says she wasn't after $$ for
> episodes she wasn't filming. It sounds like she wanted to do what
> Stephen Furst did for his network show.
>
> JMS claims that she (or her agent) demanded to be paid for 22 but have
> it in writing that she only film the last 18.
Nope. Not true.
>
> Based on the quotes, it's clear that at minimum she wasn't in good
> communication with her agent. I mean there's just no excuse for
> him/her to not get claudia the deadlines and status. A good agent
> would have all the info. understand it, and work with her. It
> certainly seems like he was negligent here or she's lying.
Neither of those.
>
>> The other actors got crapped on financially for fifth season. Badly. And
>> again it wasn't Warner.
>
> TNT had limited their budget and forced them to reduce roles for Mumy
> and Furst. SAG guidelines for cable are less lucrative than network
> and syndication apparently. That doesn't mean he couldn't have given
> them better than minimum deals, but I'm inclined to think that TNT
> forced their financial hand. And I think Netter handled the financials
> rather than JMS.
>
It was Copeland, as I recall, rather than Netter on the renewal. And he did
it at jms' behest. Let's not forget that jms still got paid his full whack.
jms and John had no real interest in looking after the actors' fees, they
believed that they had them over a barrel. Like I said, the atmosphere at
Wolf was very interesting.
Ali
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