I was under the impression that most contracts that writer and hyphenates are under prohibit them from working on purely internet projects except with the production house they are currently contracted with. So despite the strike, the writers/producers that are under contract are not free to start working on internet projects. So unless the AMPTP companies start force majuering contracts, the writers are stuck for the time being.

If that is true, CaBil, it isn't stopping Seth McFarlane.

Well, FOX is continuing his shows without him, so he may not be feeling very amenable to FOX at the moment.

And who knows what his specific contract says? I am under the impression that what I outlined is the general framework. Though if I am wrong, someone out there with first hand experience, please feel free to correct me...

BTW, what is he working on?

MacFarlane's internet deal

According to a Hollywood Reporter item, Seth has made a multi-million dollar deal with Google to distribute exclusive, original content for the web, which will include original animated material. He said, "I have always felt the Internet is a great home for what I do." Congratulations, Seth!

I don't know much about it other than people at a certain media company are nervous.

there's also the people involved with that Quarterlife show that's being shown on myspace.

Soon to be on NBC...

Yeah, Quarterlife sold out, effectively. I know a lot of people (including me) were watching to see if they would sink or swim on their own, but not so much now.

Google are also speaking to Simon Fuller, aka American Idol God, that FOX ultimately owes it's network to at the moment. I'd imagine people are also nervous about that to some degree.

The Quarterlife folks had the deal inked with NBC long before the strike and before they ever went live on MySpace. Basically NBC paid for chunk of the costs and part of their contract was that NBC had right of first refusal on Quarterlife. In essence, they get the chance to produce it before the creators shop it elsewhere. One the strike started NBC exercised that option. It's really isn't a case of selling out. I've heard more than one interview with the creators and they aren't happy that things played out with this way during the strike, but there isn't a lot they can do since the contract was in place months before the strike.

I'm not saying sold out like it's a bad thing, NoiseDesign - although I hadn't realised NBC part financed the production.

The big deal with Quarterlife is that the creators have maintained complete creative control of the project as well as ownership. They just couldn't keep it off the air this winter as NBC already had the contract in place.