roundtable: Buddy, Can You Spare a Million for a TV Show?

roundtable: Buddy, Can You Spare a Million for a TV Show?

Buddy, Can You Spare a Million for a TV Show?

dmendoza@tmn.com
Thu, 2 Mar 1995 17:59:45 GMT 

Date: Thu, 2 Mar 1995 17:59:45 GMT
Message-Id: <199503021759.RAA22394@purple.tmn.com>
From: dmendoza@tmn.com
To: roundtable@cni.org
Subject: Buddy, Can You Spare a Million for a TV Show?


In response to the following by Terry Dugas on 2/22:

" In TV production, like real estate, the key word is location, location,
 location.  If my fading memory serves me, "Rights and Wrongs" is produced
 by Globalvision out of New York City.  No matter how effectively and
 efficiently they spend their funds, they could save 25% if they worked
 in Wisconsin, or Oregon.  If they worked in Texas or Florida, they could
 save even more.  A local production company in little old Ft. Myers, FL
 produced a wrenching documentary on peasant life in Guatemala.  He spent
 about $20K on it.  Having done time in NY as a Producer, I can say with
 complete confidence that I could have done the same show for about $100K.
""

Although I certainly agree with Terry Dugas about the economics (much 
less the sanity) of producing outside of NYC, there is a big problem 
with her example of the Fort Myers independent producers who made the 
documentary on Guatemala for $20,000.  As in this case, and in almost 
all others involving independent artists in the country, that production 
was most likely subsidized by little or no income/profit for those who 
made it, no health insurance, no pension plan, and probably big credit 
card bills.  The current blather about "government subsidizing the 
arts/artists" is too outlandish to even consider.  Most of the 
"culture/arts -- including independent video and film -- is 'subsidized" 
by less than minimum wages for the creators, no health care, credit 
card-juggling, AND passion and talent. The ultimate blow is the minimal 
venues and markets for the work. Yes, PBS wastes money, but you can be 
assured the people who work there get paid a decent salary, have health 
care benefits, some expense accounts, and most likely some retirement 
fund. Most of the indendents who produce for them don't -- and that 
goes for those dancers you see on "Dance in America" too; except for 
the major ballet companies that have union-style contracts, the rest 
are among the lowest wage earners in the nation, and because of AIDS, 
health insurers have made it next to impossible to get health coverage-- 
even if they could afford it.

Perhaps it is time for someone to do a study on the hidden subsidies in
American culture.

David Mendoza
<dmendoza@tmn.com>

[CNI Home Page]