Splice Here, one of my new favorite reads, points to this New York Times article on the position of the Writers Guild of America strikers and how it relates to “big star” salaries.

“According to a report from the Writers Guild of America West, which represents the lion’s share of Hollywood writers, movie residuals were just $121.3 million in 2006, a mere drop in the $3 billion bucket. A big star, by contrast, can easily make $70 million or more from a single hit, if he or she enjoys a so-called first dollar gross deal.”

When you put it like that…ouch.