The Strike Is On!

Shifty · Nov 5, 2007

Talks Fail, Strike On
Writers Guild walks out, maybe for a long time

By Richard Verrier and Claudia Eller, Los Angeles Times

November 5, 2007

Hollywood's film and television writers went on strike early Monday morning (Nov. 5) after last-ditch efforts to negotiate a deal with the major studios failed Sunday.

Despite the aid of a federal mediator and back-channel talks between top writers and studio executives, the sides were ultimately too far apart to bridge the massive divide between them and avert the first writers strike in nearly two decades.

After three months of contentious negotiations, talks broke down Wednesday night (Oct. 31) when the writers' three-year contract expired. Although they made minimal headway on some issues Sunday, the parties could not come to terms on such key issues as how much writers are paid when their shows are sold online.

The question now is no longer whether or when they will strike, but how long a walkout will last and how much pain it will inflict.

Both sides are girding for what many believe will be a long and debilitating strike, potentially more disruptive than the 22-week walkout by writers in 1988, which cost the entertainment industry an estimated $500 million.

"Once it starts, it's going to get ugly," one of the guild's strike captains said Sunday.

A strike doesn't necessarily preclude the writers and producers from continuing to negotiate on a new contract and could even accelerate that process as both sides try to minimize the financial toll it could take.

Negotiators for the Writers Guild of America and the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers spent more than 10 hours in talks at Sofitel hotel in West Hollywood. At 9:30 p.m., writers guild officials walked out of the meeting.

"It is unfortunate that they choose to take this irresponsible action," alliance President Nick Counter said.

The guild said that although the union had agreed to withdraw its proposal to double DVD pay, which had been a stumbling block in negotiations, producers refused to make concessions in other key areas. Among other things, producers refused to grant the union jurisdiction for most new-media writing, the guild said. They also insisted on a proposal that would allow them to reuse movies or TV shows on any platform for promotional purposes with no residual payment.

"This proposal alone destroys residuals," the guild said.

Sunday's talks marked the most substantial meeting since the parties began protracted negotiations this summer, raising a glimmer of hope that a deal might be within reach.

Back-channel efforts by some of the industry's top writers and chief executives appeared to break a logjam that had stopped the sides from starting the negotiations in earnest.

The apparent headway came amid outside pressure from such respected writers as "ER" executive producer John Wells, a former guild president, and "Desperate Housewives" creator Marc Cherry as well as News Corp. President Peter Chernin, Warner Bros. Entertainment Chairman Barry Meyer and Walt Disney Co. CEO Bob Iger.

A federal mediator brought in last week had coaxed both sides back to the table Sunday.

But ultimately, not enough progress was made to avert a strike.

A strike would immediately affect more than 10,000 film and TV writers nationwide, the majority of whom appear to be determined to wage a long fight.

"These are some of the most important issues writers have faced in many years," said Dan E. Fesman, a writer for "NCIS." "If we don't get these protections now, then we don't know what our futures are going to be."

As part of its preparations, the guild has amassed a strike fund of about $12.5 million to help provide loans to writers during a walkout. Writers wouldn't automatically get the money but would have to apply for assistance based on financial need.

In contrast, major studios and networks are better equipped to withstand a long walkout because they are owned by deep-pocketed media giants with diverse global businesses. Since the last writers strike in 1988, Hollywood has seen a wave of media consolidations. Disney acquired Capital Cities/ABC Inc. in 1996 and Viacom purchased Paramount Pictures in 1993 and CBS in 2000.

However, there's no question a strike would hurt their business. To keep production flowing, studios and networks have stockpiled scripts. Although networks have enough shows to carry them through the fall season, a strike stretching into next month would disrupt midseason programs that begin airing in January as well as next year's TV pilot season. By replacing new episodes of shows with reruns, reality TV and sports programs, networks risk having viewers permanently turn to other forms of entertainment.
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So no new late night talk shows tonight. Then it will be the soaps in about three weeks. Then some primetime shows will go into reruns in December and 2008 will be a mess of reruns, new reality shows and some shows who prepared airing new episodes.

Shifty · Nov 5, 2007

Here's a look at where many shows stand:

Late Night
"Colbert Report" and "The Daily Show"
Would go into repeats immediately.
"The Tonight Show" and "The Conan O'Brien Show"
Would go into repeats immediately.
"Jimmy Kimmel Live"
Staffed with WGA writers, so it would probably go to repeats. But Kimmel could also decide to wing it and do the show himself.
"Nightline"
Would likely stay in originals.

ABC
"Lost"
Expected to have eight out of 16 episodes ready.
Midseason, none have aired yet
"Cavemen"
Expected to have 12 out of 13 episodes completed.

CBS
"Moonlight"
Expected to have 11 out of 12 episodes completed.
"Cane"
Expected to complete all 13 episodes.

NBC
"Friday Night Lights"
Expected to complete 15 of 22 episodes.
"Scrubs"
Expected to complete 12 of 18 episodes.

CW
"Supernatural"
"Gossip Girl"
and the rest of its lineup Has 10-12 episodes completed;
Those shows also have roughly five scripts that are ready to shoot.
"America's Next Top Model,"
"Beauty and the Geek"
and new shows such as "Crowned" (the mother-daughter beauty contest)
Three of a number of reality shows that have already been ordered up, meaning they are covered for the rest of the season

USA
"In Plain Sight"
New show, episodes are nearly wrapped
"Psych" and "Monk"
Enough scripts in hand to guarantee a full second half of each season
"Law and Order: Criminal Intent"
Enough for first half of the season (10); the second half (12) will be affected (meaning not enough scripts to guarantee production start as scheduled.)
"Burn Notice"
Scheduled to start production of Season 2 in January
"Starter Wife"
Scheduled to start production in March

Sci-Fi
"Stargate Atlantis"
Expected to go on as scheduled.
"Battlestar Galactica"
Has 10 hours of episodes, plus a two hour movie to air this Fall.
"Eureka"
Will be affected.

FX
"Thirty Days"
Completed, not expected to be affected.
"Nip/Tuck"
5th season, the 22 episodes were planned for two cycles: 14 to run from now to February and eight next year. All 14 in the first cycle have been written. So, only the second cycle could be affected.
"The Shield"
The final season is written, no date set for airing.
"Dirt" and "The Riches"
Production is underway, and they could be affected.
"Rescue Me"
5th season, just announced, would be affected since production is expected to start in early '08.
"Damages"
No word yet on whether it would be picked up
-- L.A. Times

Shifty · Nov 5, 2007

Once a WGA walkout begins, B.J. Novak -- a writer and a star of NBC's hit comedy "The Office" -- will face a very tough choice.
Variety.com
Sun., Nov. 4, 2007, 9:00pm PT

As a card-carrying member of the Writers Guild, he'll clearly be on strike. But he's also a thesp and a member of the Screen Actors Guild. NBC's studio arm has made it clear that it expects Novak the actor to show up to work today, strike or no strike.

Because it has several scribes who also serve as thesps (also including Mindy Kaling and Paul Lieberstein), "The Office" is one of the most visible examples of shows where conflicting interests will be at work once a strike begins. But all over town, a number of WGA members will be facing similarly tough calls.

The vast majority of TV shows are run by producers who double as scribes. The networks are counting on these writer-producers -- aka showrunners -- to keep things humming on set as work continues on scripts already in the can.

But the WGA has been urging its showrunners to stand down. It held a meeting Saturday at the Sheraton Universal designed to persuade showrunners to stop working immediately. The argument is that the more episodes the nets have in the can, the longer a strike will go.

"The official line on all of our shows is we expect you to show up," said one senior network executive. "We've told them that it's required under their contracts, and they'll be in breach if they don't show up."

"Showrunners will not show on Monday or all week," predicted one top exec producer-showrunner. "No one likes to leave a crew unsure of whether or not they have work, or assistants wondering where their next paycheck will come from. And no one wants to leave their baby in someone else's hands. It's a difficult time. But I will not cross a picket line."

Studio and network execs aren't sure what to expect today.

One studio chief said he doesn't think the showrunners for his half-hour comedies will be at work today. Indeed, it's widely expected that all multicamera laffers -- including "Back to You," "Two and a Half Men," " 'Til Death," "The Big Bang Theory" and "The New Adventures of Old Christine" -- will shutter production the moment writers strike, since sitcoms require all sorts of rewrites during the course of a production week.

And unlike single-camera shows, in which writers are too busy in the room to drive over to a set and watch an all-day filming, scribes are generally right onstage during a live taping -- and frequently huddle between takes in order to come up with snappier dialogue.

By contrast, the same studio topper said he thinks some of his drama showrunners will keep working to finish production on segs already scripted.

"It's a fascinating position these showrunners are put into," another studio exec said. "From a pure economics standpoint, if they can provide extra scripts, that's extra fees for a lot of people who need the money. On the other hand, the more episodes we have, supposedly the less pressure there will be on us. But I would think if I were a writer, I'd get as many scripts into shooting position as possible."

One drama showrunner conceded that most producers were in a bind, especially those trying to launch new skeins.

"It's incredibly painful to have episodes being shot that you can not supervise, scripts that will need adjustment that you can't help and cuts being edited and you're not in the room shaping," the producer said. "I'm also worried about what a loss of momentum could do to new shows finding their legs and their audiences. That said, this is bigger than us and may shape the industry for generations to come."

So what happens if these actors and showrunners decide not to work?

"Whether we'll pursue legal action will be determined on a case-by-case basis," one network suit said.

But realistically, it seems hard to believe NBC U would go after "The Office's" hyphenates or that Warner Bros. would sue Chuck Lorre if they opt not to render acting or producing services once a strike begins.

That's because Hollywood remains a town built on talent relations. As bitter as things could get with a strike, nobody wants to risk alienating key talent further by insisting they cross picket lines.

That said, nets and studios are also prepared to defend those scribes or actors who incur the wrath of the unions if they do show up for work. If "The Office's" Novak, for example, gets fined by the WGA, one NBC insider said the company won't hesitate to fight the fines on behalf of the scribe.
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The fewer episodes aired means fewer episodes available to put on iTunes, other online sites and on DVD sets. This is a mess.

TV could be hit hard
Long strike could ground pilot season
By MICHAEL SCHNEIDER, JOSEF ADALIAN
Variety.com
Sun., Nov. 4, 2007, 8:39pm PT

Latenight talkers, daytime sudsers and primetime multicam laffers will feel the pinch first, once TV writers hit the picket lines.

But should scribes and producers not hammer out a deal quickly, network and studio execs warn that much of pilot season could be tossed. And some even say that may not be a bad thing.

Meanwhile, once the last batch of hastily written scripts is shot -- or deemed unproduceable -- and the final notes are given on pilot scripts (which will then collect dust on someone's desk), tube execs may suddenly have a little more time on their hands. Some may even be enlisted to help out on the reality side, where activity will be frenzied as nets look to fill the scripted void.

Here's what may transpire at the networks and studios in the coming weeks, should a writer walkout drag on:

* Latenight. NBC's "Tonight Show" and "Late Night," along with CBS' "Late Show" and "Late, Late Show" are all expected to go dark today. Ditto Comedy Central's "The Daily Show" and "Colbert Report."
More than one option
o (Film) Nachtorstellungen
o (Film) Late Show
o (Film) Late Show
1999 - Thomas Gottschalk, Helmut Dietl
o (Tv) Late Show

ABC still wasn't saying what would happen with "Jimmy Kimmel Live," though odds suggest it'll shut down, too.

Robert Morton, the former Letterman producer who was at the helm of NBC's "Late Night With David Letterman" during the 1988 WGA strike, said Letterman and Leno feel compelled to back their union --even though, as performers, they could still be on the air Monday if they wanted.

"I think they have to show support for their writing staffs," said the producer, who now heads Panamort Prods. ("The Mind of Mencia"). "Even if they want to go back, they have to give their writers due respect."

It's widely expected the major latenight skeins eventually will return to the air, as they did in 1988.

"You want to be supportive of your guild, but when you have people making $600 a week possibly losing their jobs, you have to think of them, too," Morton said.

But while the skeins stayed dark for four months back then, it's hard to believe Dave, Jay and company will keep mum that long this time.

One network insider thinks it could be at least several weeks, however -- throwing a major monkey wrench in studios' plans to hype their holiday movies.

Nets, eager to provide a hospitable environment for movie ads, may cooperate with studios by airing repeats featuring past appearances by actors who have current movies in release. A Letterman rerun featuring Tom Hanks or Julia Roberts could be slated the same week "Charlie Wilson's War" opens.

Whenever the hosts return, it's unclear what they will be able to do. They're clearly allowed to perform under their AFTRA agreements, but they may not be able to write their own monologue jokes.

"It might look a lot like 'host chat' on 'Regis and Kelly,' " one latenight insider said, predicting cue card jokes would be replaced by impromptu ramblings. "The hosts will just come out and talk about what's going on."

Those who remain on the shows will all have to struggle to fill airtime normally reserved for jokes and sketches. Morton recalls the last strike, when then-helmer Hal Gurnee came up with "Hal Gurnee's Network Time Killers" to close up the gaps.

* Current series: Right now, studio execs say they've got a month of production left to go on single-camera dramas and comedies -- that is, if scripts are in tip-top shape and can shoot without any changes.

"For the next couple of weeks, we'll be busy trying to complete episodes that were either in production as of Monday or for which we have scripts that we can shoot," said one studio chief. "There will be impediments, though, from people not wanting to cross the picket lines to people not wanting to honor contracts."

A studio exec said the focus on how many scripts are available to shoot isn't as crucial as some have made it out to be -- having eight episodes vs. nine in the can, for example, won't make much of a difference.

"People are pretty focused on trying to get as many shootable scripts ready as possible, but one more or two less won't make or break our business, the networks or even impact a strike," he said.

The exec said his studio will decide whether to actually shoot a script sans writers once they see how polished the piece is once pencils go down at 12:01 this morning.

If only minor tweaks are needed, studio execs could potentially make the changes themselves -- ultimately, they own the scripts, after all. But scripts in need of major triage simply will not be produced.

"If you felt like an episode was at 85% of what it normally will be, you would probably produce it, but below that, you wouldn't produce it," the exec said.

All those rumors of script stockpiling, however, were mostly talk. Given the schedule for writing primetime shows -- now is around the time staffs start to fall behind -- that would be virtually impossible.

"Most of TV is hand-to-mouth," one exec said. "You can't get too far ahead."

* Sudsers. Most have a backlog of completed episodes and scripts that should keep viewers in a lather through year's end.

After that, it's possible network execs and producers could use existing story outlines to write scripts themselves, as happened in 1988.

* Quizzers. Most shows don't have WGA scribes or can get along without them. Exceptions: syndie powerhouse "Jeopardy" and the daytime version of "Who Wants to Be a Millionaire" are WGA shows.

However, as with many quizzers, both shows tape episodes far in advance.

It's understood producer Sony has enough segs in the can to keep the show in originals through April. And "Millionaire" will tape its final seg of the current season this week, ensuring no repeats this season.

* Back-nine orders. Only a handful of new fall shows have been given full-season orders, in part because webs wanted to see if a strike took place. Once a walkout begins, shows that would be likely to get back-nine orders may be forced to wait a lot longer.

"We don't legally have to pick up more episodes until mid-December or later," one exec said. "You might as well wait."

* Development/pilot season. The status of projects is all over the map.

In many cases, the nets picked up spec scripts -- which are potentially in decent enough shape to be shot.

NBC, for example, has more than a half-dozen pilots ready to lense, many with big-name helmers attached (Brett Ratner, Richard Shepard).

A few pilots already have taped, including ABC's Cedric the Entertainer comedy.

Other projects are in early drafts that already have been turned in; the majority, however, probably were not going to be turned in until Thanksgiving.

"Some good scripts are in, but we'll take a hard look at them," one exec said. "Whether we'll feel they're good enough is another thing. The idea of not being able to rewrite them at all is scary."

Meanwhile, even if pilot scripts are in, studio and network chiefs said they're not so sure they want to spend the money to produce a pilot -- especially if the actors plan to go on strike in summer.

"Pilot season will definitely be in jeopardy if the strike goes on a while," said one top exec.

Another suit put the dilemma facing nets this way: "Do you want to make a pilot and July 1 have your actors go on strike, and then be sitting there with a pilot you invested $6 million or $7 million between the network and studio, but can't utilize it for some period of time?

"That's why right now I don't know whether we'll be taking any of those scripts."

And if a strike continues, execs said, pilot season will "grind to a halt."

"Maybe a few pilots will be made, but you're looking at an entirely different upfront," an exec said.

If a strike is settled by late spring, the nets could also take a handful of scripts and simply roll the dice by ordering them to series, pilots be damned. (Not an entirely foreign concept -- projects like Fox's Joss Whedon/Eliza Dushku drama already have episodic commitments, and cablers including FX normally produce just a handful of pilots and usually greenlight the majority of those to series anyway.)

"How much worse can we do?" an exec said.

Considering the diminished returns the nets see on a yearly basis, there's actually an argument to be made that the nets should simply return most of this year's shows next fall -- saving money by not having to promote new scripted fare and instead trying to grow the shows already on the air, including series on the bubble.

"I could set next fall's schedule now without development at all," one network head said.

But without a settlement by the upfronts, what would fall 2008 look like?

"My guess is all the networks will be able to announce schedules next fall with primarily new programming, but it will have a lot of reality and news," one exec said. "Maybe Fox will have some animated shows that will be available to them. But the upfront will be a very different upfront."

For starters, the nets may forgo the massive Carnegie Hall/Lincoln Center/Radio City Music Hall song-and-dance show in front of thousands of media buyers.

"Maybe instead of a New York hall, they'll just meet with individual ad agencies -- it will be a modified upfront," an exec said.

* Network execs. Don't expect people in the network suites to lose their jobs right away. "We're not going to lay anybody off until we have to, and that would have to be a very long strike," said one topper.

Instead, many current and development staffers may find themselves helping out their brethren in the alternative programming divisions -- which are expected to kick into overdrive if a strike wears on.

"There's a bunch of scripted development people here freaking out at the prospect of not being busy," said one net exec. "They're begging to help out the reality people."

Lines between reality and scripted have blurred so much in recent years that the skill sets for the two genres are now similar.

That said, alternative execs will not necessarily welcome input from scripted suits. One wag laughed at the idea of Fox alternative prexy Mike Darnell -- known for operating his own kingdom within the net -- enlisting Fox's scripted team.

One studio exec said his alternative team is already dusting off reality ideas that have been percolating for a while.

"I know that we've been keeping some things on the shelf to pitch," he said. "There will be plenty to do for a while."

* The TV Critics Assn. press tour. There's already talk that the semiannual powwow -- in which nets hype their new shows -- could be scaled back if a strike lasts.

A network insider said TCA prexy Dave Walker will meet with the networks on Monday to discuss strike scenarios. While journos need some notice before making hotel reservations, networks say they can postpone a call on the TCA until at least December.
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Darthphere · Nov 5, 2007

I'm totally going to be a scab writer.

Prison Mike · Nov 5, 2007

what's a scab writer?

Dr. Evil · Nov 5, 2007

k18 said: ↑

what's a scab writer?
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Maybe it's a Screenwriter not a member of the Writers guild?

Shifty · Nov 5, 2007

A scab is a worker brought in by the employer to work while a union is on strike.

BatMatt · Nov 5, 2007

what does this mean exactly for The Office? I'd hate to see that show hit in any way

BatMatt · Nov 5, 2007

Nevermind, you can go to www.officetally.com and see for yourselves how The Office would be affected

enterthemadness · Nov 5, 2007

Darthphere said: ↑

I'm totally going to be a scab writer.
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I would like to become one, too.

Arkady Rossovich · Nov 5, 2007

In a way,i doubt people would care.In some ways,the television season has not been that good.

SouLeSS · Nov 5, 2007

Jourmugand said: ↑

In a way,i doubt people would care.In some ways,the television season has not been that good.
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SapphirePrima · Nov 5, 2007

Darthphere said: ↑

I'm totally going to be a scab writer.
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That's not a bad idea.t:

bullets · Nov 5, 2007

damn strike is messin it all up hopefully it will be over by the end of the week.

Webhead2006 · Nov 6, 2007

yea i hope the strike is resolved quickly and doesnt go to long. Cause i would hate to see the second half of current seasons of shows i am watching this season and shows in general get screwed out of their full seasons and all that. Hopefully the strike doesnt last as long as the one in 88 did which was 22 weeks. I really hope the studios give in on the guild's quickly and solve this within the month.

Downhere · Nov 6, 2007

This definitely sucks, especially in relation to some of my favorite shows. Hopefully everything gets worked out soon.

TheVileOne · Nov 6, 2007

It's time for everyone to move to Hollywood and sell your scab writing skills to THE LOWEST BIDDER!

Think about all the amazing plots we could put together for our favorite shows!

enterthemadness · Nov 6, 2007

TheVileOne said: ↑

It's time for everyone to move to Hollywood and sell your scab writing skills to THE LOWEST BIDDER!

Think about all the amazing plots we could put together for our favorite shows!
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I know...too bad I live on the east coast instead of the West.

Superfreak · Nov 6, 2007

Darthphere said: ↑

I'm totally going to be a scab writer.
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totally, I don't even know why the strike is an issue. I say the studios should screw them.

hiring scabs is the way to go. There are 6 billion people on the planet... and I'm sure atleast a million of those, can write better than those writers for TV and movies we already have. There are only a small number of regular tv shows that I would consider to have good writing anyway. As far as superhero shows... most writers can be canned. Any show on CW would actually profit from having freelance scabs come in and replace its regular idiot cast of writers.

I say producers cut the union out of the picture... and hire new talent, that can easily be found.

StrainedEyes · Nov 6, 2007

Superfreak said: ↑

totally, I don't even know why the strike is an issue. I say the studios should screw them.

hiring scabs is the way to go. There are 6 billion people on the planet... and I'm sure atleast a million of those, can write better than those writers for TV and movies we already have. There are only a small number of regular tv shows that I would consider to have good writing anyway. As far as superhero shows... most writers can be canned. Any show on CW would actually profit from having freelance scabs come in and replace its regular idiot cast of writers.

I say producers cut the union out of the picture... and hire new talent, that can easily be found.
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And shows that have ran for 5-6 years with the same writers would not show any ill effects of this at all.

Superfreak · Nov 6, 2007

Geo7877 said: ↑

And shows that have ran for 5-6 years with the same writers would not show any ill effects of this at all.
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obviously it depends on the show... but I can garentee, WB went to a university campus... in 5 minutes they could find an entire crew of writers that could surpass and replace the current writers already on their roster. Example: Smallville would have profited from having a new roster of writers after the 2nd season, and now it's on its craptastic 7th season (maybe the strike, will help the show, by replacing all their dumb ass writers, with people with a little more literary and dramatic writing skill)

really, it's the more involved narrative shows that will suffer: BSG, Lost, Heroes, Prison Break, 24. These are the shows that will be hit hardest by a strike I think.

one shot wonder shows (ie. those without an involved major ongoing narrative), it doesn't really matter. The writing is usually at a lower level than those listed above. And if the writing is on par, the aggregate quality of these shows generally fluctuates from episode to episode.

SouLeSS · Nov 6, 2007

You do realize that the producers/director/studio's basically tell the writers (most of the time, shows like The Office and what not not so much) the basic things to write, and expect them to write it in the quality of the network, right?

Fox has always had the fast action semi-high paced and semi-emotional shows.
CW has always had the 'love' shows (Dawsons Creek, Girlfriends, even Smallville, and don't dare try to say it's not)
NBC's had the dramatic shows with huge character developments more than plot twists or shock/awe.
ABC's always had that small glimpse of being a family network...

I mean seriously, it's not like the writers come in and just write some of these shows and then it goes on air. It goes though tons and tons of cuts drafts drops edits and rewrites before it's done, and during all that theres a huge producer/director/studio/even actor influence on what goes in and what doesn't.

Some of you seem to think that it's incredibly easy to just plop out a 44 minute episode of Heroes or Smallville or Boston Legal that you could just do it week after week and your work would never get old or tiring or start to overlap with your previous work.

Wake up. It's not that easy. Scripts for 44 minute shows like Jerry Springer (yes, that show does have a script. It's not a 'reality' show, it's basically just a way for deadbeats to act.) are 30 pages long, and more wordy shows like Boston Legal or House are easily in their high 80's. Could you write 80 pages worth of dialogue true to every single character in almost every single way, as well as wrap up a one and done episode, and on top of that keep underlying plots for the entire season/series going week in and week out?

No. You couldn't. Theres a small amount of people in the world that can, and because they're basically getting ****ed in the ass with this whole money thing, you can bet that they know all of this, and they know the studios hiring scabs would be suicide.

This isn't something like a mill strike or a power plant strike where most of the jobs can be learned in about a week.

Superfreak · Nov 6, 2007

SouLeSS said: ↑

You do realize that the producers/director/studio's basically tell the writers (most of the time, shows like The Office and what not not so much) the basic things to write, and expect them to write it in the quality of the network, right?

Fox has always had the fast action semi-high paced and semi-emotional shows.
CW has always had the 'love' shows (Dawsons Creek, Girlfriends, even Smallville, and don't dare try to say it's not)
NBC's had the dramatic shows with huge character developments more than plot twists or shock/awe.
ABC's always had that small glimpse of being a family network...

I mean seriously, it's not like the writers come in and just write some of these shows and then it goes on air. It goes though tons and tons of cuts drafts drops edits and rewrites before it's done, and during all that theres a huge producer/director/studio/even actor influence on what goes in and what doesn't.

Some of you seem to think that it's incredibly easy to just plop out a 44 minute episode of Heroes or Smallville or Boston Legal that you could just do it week after week and your work would never get old or tiring or start to overlap with your previous work.

Wake up. It's not that easy. Scripts for 44 minute shows like Jerry Springer (yes, that show does have a script. It's not a 'reality' show, it's basically just a way for deadbeats to act.) are 30 pages long, and more wordy shows like Boston Legal or House are easily in their high 80's. Could you write 80 pages worth of dialogue true to every single character in almost every single way, as well as wrap up a one and done episode, and on top of that keep underlying plots for the entire season/series going week in and week out?

No. You couldn't. Theres a small amount of people in the world that can, and because they're basically getting ****ed in the ass with this whole money thing, you can bet that they know all of this, and they know the studios hiring scabs would be suicide.

This isn't something like a mill strike or a power plant strike where most of the jobs can be learned in about a week.
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I think we all know that.

But in the end, I don't care about them. I just care about how it affects my life. I want my TV. So there are really two options... get people who are willing to work for what is offered, who are equally as good as the writers who want more. Or, give more to those who are striking.

I really don't care how its solved, as long as its solved now.

I was just sayin, that there are billions of talented writers out there, who could do as good as, or a better job than those writers demanding more. So why not bring in new blood, new talent, for cheaper, and forget the union

Son of Sun · Nov 6, 2007

Superfreak said: ↑

I was just sayin, that there are billions of talented writers out there, who could do as good as, or a better job than those writers demanding more. So why not bring in new blood, new talent, for cheaper, and forget the union
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This is so wrong in so many levels that it just plain hurts, but like you said, some just don't care. One of the reasons that the good writers stay away from TV or movies is the fact that they do get pissed all over, even if they're basically the very reasons why anything even happens!

These people write books.

amazingfantasy15 · Nov 6, 2007

Darthphere said: ↑

I'm totally going to be a scab writer.
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enterthemadness said: ↑

I would like to become one, too.
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SapphirePrima said: ↑

That's not a bad idea.t:
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It's only a good idea if you want to write during the strike then never again, the strike will be resolved and once it is anyone who crossed over the picket lines will be blacklisted from working as a writer in Hollywood for the rest of their lives.

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bullets bang bang

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