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  #11  
Old 11-03-2007, 12:25 AM
Duke Duke is offline
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Default Re: Screen Writers Guild Strike?

They just want to take a month off for nanowrimo. Lazy bastards.
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  #12  
Old 11-03-2007, 01:39 AM
CharlieDontSurf CharlieDontSurf is offline
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Default Re: Screen Writers Guild Strike?

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How does this effect people that are both writers and actors. I know a few of The Office actors also write scripts for it. Do they just stop writing and keep acting? Seems like a bit of a weird situation.

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The show stops once they are out of scripts.
You can't have a show if there are no writers/scripts. also most of the TV showrunners have said they are striking so that is major because a showrunner does way way more than simply write episodes.

Its a big deal esp if this is a long strike which many predict it will be.

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Right, but my understanding was that at this moment in time most network shows have scripts stockpiled.

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No they don't. Movies yes..TV no
they have essentially another months, maybe 2, worth of scripts.

So they have no episodes for Jan/Feb on. and you simply can't write them all/shoot them all at once.

So TV is FUBAR. Late night shows are FUBAR. The EMMYs/Oscars are kinda FUBAR. Film can be FUBAR cuz there is no re-writing or touch up that can be done.
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  #13  
Old 11-03-2007, 01:50 AM
Dominic Dominic is offline
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Default Re: Screen Writers Guild Strike?

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How does this effect people that are both writers and actors. I know a few of The Office actors also write scripts for it. Do they just stop writing and keep acting? Seems like a bit of a weird situation.

[/ QUOTE ]

The show stops once they are out of scripts.
You can't have a show if there are no writers/scripts. also most of the TV showrunners have said they are striking so that is major because a showrunner does way way more than simply write episodes.

Its a big deal esp if this is a long strike which many predict it will be.

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Right, but my understanding was that at this moment in time most network shows have scripts stockpiled.

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No they don't. Movies yes..TV no
they have essentially another months, maybe 2, worth of scripts.

So they have no episodes for Jan/Feb on. and you simply can't write them all/shoot them all at once.

So TV is FUBAR. Late night shows are FUBAR. The EMMYs/Oscars are kinda FUBAR. Film can be FUBAR cuz there is no re-writing or touch up that can be done.

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UPSIDE: I optioned a script last week - yay me!
DOWNSIDE: damn strike might [censored] up my chances yet again.

[img]/images/graemlins/mad.gif[/img]
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  #14  
Old 11-05-2007, 03:28 PM
Aloysius Aloysius is offline
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Default Re: Screen Writers Guild Strike?

IM just received from my friend at another studio:

"Jim Brooks is picketing outside my office right now."

Haha - he should just go and buy Fox instead.

-Al
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  #15  
Old 11-05-2007, 03:35 PM
Aloysius Aloysius is offline
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Default Re: Screen Writers Guild Strike?

Oh - and from the Network perspective, this is a pretty good summary in Variety. Also CDS is pretty much spot on wrt TV (don't know the film side as well).

Current over / under 4 months I take the over but we shall see.

-Al
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  #16  
Old 11-05-2007, 03:43 PM
pryor15 pryor15 is offline
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Default Re: Screen Writers Guild Strike?

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UPSIDE: I optioned a script last week - yay me!
DOWNSIDE: damn strike might [censored] up my chances yet again.

[img]/images/graemlins/mad.gif[/img]

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hey, at least it's something, right?


I'd like to point out that even though i'm big on unions, I'm not going to stop working on this damned script I'm working on, even if the strike is a perfect excuse.
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  #17  
Old 11-05-2007, 03:58 PM
CharlieDontSurf CharlieDontSurf is offline
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Default Re: Screen Writers Guild Strike?

To give u an idea about how TV can be fubar'd even if they have stockpiled a month or two of scripts

this is a email that has been sent around and posted on several sites..artfulwriter/nikkifinke etc

"As you all know by now, we are on Strike. It's sad that we have arrived here and I don't know each and every one of your opinions, but I wanted to share my personal plans for what I intend to do until we have a fair contract.

I am currently quoted in today's Hollywood Reporter as saying that I will do some producing work, but won't do any editing as I consider that to be writing. While I said something similar to that earlier last week (I've learned you can't trust a word of what these trades report), that was before I went to the Showrunners Meeting yesterday and became very crystalized in what I need to do. Like many of you I have spent the last week contemplating what to do in case of a strike. What are my responsibilities to my writers, my cast, my crew, my network and my contract? How do I balance these various concerns?

At the Showrunners Meeting it became very clear to me that the only thing I can do as a showrunner is to do nothing. I obviously will not write on my shows. But I also will not edit, I will not cast, I will not look at location photos, I will not get on the phone with the network and studio, I will not prep directors, I will not review mixes. These are all acts that are about the writing of the show or protecting the writing of the show, and as such, I will not participate in them. I will also not ask any of my writer/producers to do any of these things for me, so that they get done, but I can save face.

I will not go into the office and I will not do any work at home. I will be on the picket line or I will be working with the Negotiating Committee. I will not have an avid sent to my house, or to a new office so that I can do work on my show and act as if it is all right because I'm not crossing any picket lines.

I truly believe that the best and fastest way to a good contract is to hit these companies early, to hit them hard and to deprive them of ALL the work we do on their behalf.

How do we ask our staff writers to go out on strike as we continue collecting producer checks? How do we ask the Teamsters to respect our picket lines if we won't ourselves or if we're sneaking around to do the work off-site?

Just so you all know what I am prepared to give up....

Tomorrow, we begin to film the Series Finale of The Shield. I think it's the best script our writing staff has ever written. This is the show that made me. This is the show that is my baby. If the strike goes on longer than two weeks, I won't be able to step on set for the final episode of the show. I won't have a writer on set, as I have had on every episode since the fourth episode. I won't be able to edit this final culminating episode. I won't go to the wrap party that Fox TV and FX are paying for. You can't tell me that any episode of television is more important than this one is to me, and I am ready to forego all those things in order to strengthen my union.

Tomorrow, we begin filming a new pilot, The Oaks, that I am Executive Producing. It's an amazing script that David Schulner wrote and I signed up to help him make this show. Until we have a fair deal I cannot do that now and it kills me.

We are currently filming Season 3 of The Unit, a show that does fairly well, but against House and Dancing With The Stars, usually finishes in 3rd place. We have no guarantee that we will back for a 4th season. I just gave a director friend of mine his first TV directing gig. I'd like to see him succeed. He'll have to finish the show on his own now without a writer on set, or my help in the editing room.

Some people have made the argument that if they don't do this producing work or this editing, that someone else will do it, and this act won't hurt the companies. I respectfully disagree. If we ALL stop ALL work tomorrow, the impact of this strike will be felt much more quickly, much more acutely and it most likely will end sooner, putting our writers, our cast and our crews back to work sooner!

I spent nearly 12 hours today in the Negotiation Room with the companies. I watched our side desperately try to make a deal. We gave up our request to increase revenue on DVD's, something that was very painful to give up, but something we felt we had to in order to get a deal made in new media, which is our future.

I watched as the company's representatives treated us horrendously, disrespectfully, and then walked out on us at 9:30 and then lied to the trades, claiming we had broken off negotiations.

I can't in good conscience fight these bastards with one hand, while operating an avid with the other. I am on strike and I am not working for them. PERIOD.

You will use your own instincts and consciences to decide your own actions. But if you would like to follow in my footsteps (and those of many, many others who made this pledge at the showrunner's meating on Saturday), I encourage you to sign the trade ad that the WGA will be putting out on Tuesday by the dozens and dozens of showrunners who will simply not work at all beginning in the morning."

Shawn Ryan showrunner of The Shield, The Unit
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  #18  
Old 11-05-2007, 04:02 PM
daveT daveT is offline
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Default Re: Screen Writers Guild Strike?

Options are the bane of every screen writer I ever met. It seems like they all have one script optioned for four years. I used to congratulate them, I know better now.

They are picketing all over Hollywood right now. Just passed up some studios. Funny to see a truck pass through. How can they get any respect from a dude who is schlepping boxes all day?

Many TV scripts are done freelance. A freelancer writes a script on spec and the studios either takes it and have their team rewrite it or they reject it. Many shows, especially ones like SNL pay attention to current events. It helps with their spotenaity.

As unionized as the studios are, a camera operator can't even push a broom without permission from the Teamster's, etc, I doubt that the actors are going to be writing any new scripts either if they are in WGA.

The WGA is not a real union by the way. It is sort of like AFTRA (pay the 1k or whatever it is). The qualifications to join WGA is to write a script, have them library it, and pay the fee. The issue is that you would be a total retard to write your name in Hollywood without registering it first (many actors had to change their names because their name was not available through SAG). Everyone that has wrote any script at all in Hollywood is registered with WGA, so no one can work, and it would be automatic disqualification from the union and the end of your career, real or imagined, if you scabbed.
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  #19  
Old 11-05-2007, 04:15 PM
Dominic Dominic is offline
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Default Re: Screen Writers Guild Strike?

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Options are the bane of every screen writer I ever met. It seems like they all have one script optioned for four years. I used to congratulate them, I know better now.



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Hey, it's $3500 for six months with an option to renew for another 6 months. Options like this have helped pay my bills for over 15 years. I'd rather have the damn thing optioned and out there than sitting in my desk.
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  #20  
Old 11-05-2007, 04:15 PM
Dominic Dominic is offline
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Default Re: Screen Writers Guild Strike?

good for Shawn Ryan! I'm really looking forward to The Shield's final season, too...
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