2007-2008 Writers Guild of America strike

[Hurmoth]

Not long now till they sit down and talk and hopefully something will come from it!

If we want it to go away quickly, check out this site :)

[Rappy Veteran]

If we want it to go away quickly, check out this site :)

Just like the nuts campaign for Jericho :D

[Hurmoth]

Possible breakthrough?

Lindelof Lost Over Hollywood Strike

On Monday, the Los Angeles Times used Lost exec producer Damon Lindelof as emblematic of how the Hollywood writers feel that were screwed on digital. "I felt like somebody was trying to pull the wool over my eyes," he said of the deal that put ABC's deal to put his show for sale on Apple's (AAPL) iTunes.

Today, NYT reported ABC actually gave Lindelof a pretty good deal on a series of online shorts, Lost: Missing Pieces, that could serve as a template for how the WGA and the studios could get out of this mess. Writers for the 2- to 3-minute episodes got $800 for a 13-week run on Verizon Wireless phones. After that, repeats on other media, including the Internet, generate residuals of 1.2% to 2% of the fee the studio receives to license the shows. That's short of the 2.5% the guild is seeking, but Charles B. Slocum, assistant exec director of WGA West, called it "the pattern we are looking for in our negotiations."

But as Paid Content points out, this deal was negotiated outside the union structure. Indeed the very nature of the fast-changing digital environment resists templates, drawing into question whether a single (union negotiated) deal can could work today, let alone into the future.

Source: http://www.alleyinsider.com/2007/11/lindel...ood-strike.html

[Rappy Veteran]

I haven't been catching these Webisodes but I have read about them.

[Hurmoth]

Writers strike claimed two more casualties on Monday

Variety reports that the writers strike claimed two more casualties on Monday.

Warner Bros. called off a February production start on Shantaram, the Mira Nair-directed adaptation of the Gregory David Roberts novel that was to star Johnny Depp.

The Weinstein Company, meanwhile, postponed Nine, the Rob Marshall-directed musical that was slated to start production in March with Javier Bardem, Penelope Cruz, Sophia Loren and Marion Cotillard starring. Production is now scheduled to begin production in the second half of 2008.

Delays were caused because the scripts weren't ready. Sony previously delayed the Ron Howard-directed Angels & Demons, and United Artists halted the Oliver Stone-directed Pinkville, citing the same reason.

Source: http://www.comingsoon.net/news/movienews.php?id=39472

[Hurmoth]

Writers strike could cost $21.3 million a day

As thousands of TV and film writers marched along Hollywood Boulevard in the third week of their strike, film officials put a price tag on the potential economic toll of the walkout. Los Angeles' economy will lose more than $20 million a day in direct production spending if the writers strike extends into next month, according to FilmL.A. Inc., the nonprofit group that handles film permits and promotes the industry.

"If the strike continues it's going to have a huge impact on the local economy and middle-class jobs," FilmL.A. President Steve MacDonald said Tuesday.

Writers walked out more than two weeks ago in a dispute with major studios over pay for work that is distributed via the Internet, video iPods, cellphones and other new media. Writers and major studios are set to resume talks Monday, although the guild has vowed to continue striking until a deal is finalized.

On Hollywood Boulevard on Tuesday afternoon, striking writers were joined by members of such unions as the Screen Actors Guild, Teamsters and Service Employees International Union. The solidarity march drew 4,000 people, according to the Writers Guild of America.

The 1 1/2 -hour rally, which moved along the historic stretch of the boulevard, kicked off with an appearance by R&B singer Alicia Keys. "I'm here in support of this cause," she said amid deafening cheers. "I want you to know I am a writer, too."

Depending on how long it lasts, the strike could end up inflicting more economic pain than the previous writers walkout in 1988, which lasted 22 weeks and cost the entertainment industry an estimated $500 million. That was the equivalent of a little more than $3 million a day.

Hollywood is a more dominant force in the region today, with studios and networks that are part of global media giants such as Time Warner Inc., Walt Disney Co. and News Corp. Los Angeles also is more dependent than ever on television production, which has taken the biggest hit in the strike. The walkout occurred in the middle of the fall TV season, before networks had a chance to stockpile all the scripts they needed.

Already, at least two dozen shows have stopped production, including dramas such as "24," "Cold Case" and "Desperate Housewives," late-night shows and several sitcoms including "Till Death," "The Office" and "My Name Is Earl."

Most TV shows are filmed in L.A., so the effect is especially acute here. If the strike continues into next month, virtually all of the 44 one-hour dramas and 21 situation comedies that are shot in Los Angeles will stop production entirely as the shows run out of fresh scripts to keep crews filming, industry officials say.

That will translate into a loss of 15,000 jobs and $21.3 million a day in direct spending, according to FilmL.A. The estimate is based on the average number of employees on these shows, and their typical budgets and shooting cycles.

For example, a single episode of a drama costs about $3 million to produce, employs 300 people and takes eight days to shoot. An episode of a half-hour sitcom costs $1.5 million, employs an average of 88 employees and has a five-day shooting cycle.

Sitcoms were the first to take a hit because of the shorter lead times in writing them. During the first two weeks of the strike, filming for sitcoms outside of studio soundstages dropped nearly 50% compared with the same period a year earlier, according to FilmL.A. Activity for TV dramas has been virtually flat, while on-location reality TV shoots jumped 23% recently.

FilmL.A.'s estimate is conservative because it only takes into account jobs in the industry, not the scores of jobs at restaurants, hotels and other businesses that service Hollywood. The entertainment industry accounts for almost 7% of Los Angeles County's $442-billion economy.

Nor does it factor in job losses from the feature film sector. Studios already have scripts in hand for their 2008 slates, so only a few feature films have delayed production, including Ron Howard's "Angels & Demons" and Oliver Stone's "Pinkville."

The level of disruption was underscored by Tuesday's march. Streets connecting to Hollywood Boulevard between Ivar and Highland avenues were closed to traffic for the march.

After Keys performed two songs, the crowd -- led by a small fleet of Teamsters trucks -- marched to the sound of drumbeats, waving signs and chanting, "Contracts! Now!" and "On strike, shut 'em down -- Hollywood's a union town!"

Creative messages dotted the sea of signs. One marcher took the opportunity to seek an eligible bachelor, waving a sign that said, "Looking for Mr. Write."

Helicopters and a small plane pulling a banner that said, "WGA -- on the same page," circled overhead. Representatives from Creative Artists Agency walked through the crowd serving scones and hot apple cider.

"The writers are fighting the fight that we have coming up next year, so we're staying with them every step of the way," said Pamm Fair, deputy national executive director of the Screen Actors Guild. The actors contract expires June 30.

The commotion drew attention from curious onlookers. Residents in apartment complexes along Hollywood Boulevard cheered from open windows, while store owners stood in their doorways, some handing out coupons to marchers.

The march came to an end in front of the Chinese theater, where "A Beautiful Mind" writer Akiva Goldsman, actress Sandra Oh of "Grey's Anatomy" and Writers Guild negotiation committee Chairman John F. Bowman took to the stage.

"Pay us and we'll shut up and go back to work," Bowman said during his speech. "Show some soul, we'll show some flexibility."

Source: http://www.latimes.com/business/la-fi-stri...0,7046861.story

[Hurmoth]

The Writers Strike?s Impact on JJ Abrams? Star Trek

Screenwriter John August has been doing an incredible job blogging about the WGA strike, and his encounters on the picket line. In one of his latest blog entries, August talks about a conversation he has on day 10 of the strike, meeting and chatting with Damon Lindelof and J.J. Abrams. The Star Trek director expressed his frustrations of being in production on a movie during the strike, and what problems it creates. Here is an excerpt:

?Damon is producing the new Star Trek movie, which J.J. is directing. Which is shooting on the Paramount lot. Which we are currently picketing.?

?Star Trek is the biggest movie shooting at Paramount. It?s directed and produced by WGA members, who are following the spirit and letter of the Guild?s rules. They?re walking the line while being forced to cross it.?

??Forced? isn?t quite right, because there?s an alternative: J.J., Damon, and the other WGA producers could refuse to cross the picket line. They?d get fired, sued, and replaced by a less-conflicted director and producing team ? all probably within a week?s time. What?s tougher to figure out is whether it would make a damn bit of difference.?

?Neither J.J. nor Damon are writers on the movie. But they are writers, and WGA members. During a WGA strike, you?re not allowed to write on movies or television shows, period. So they can?t change a word of the script, nor can anyone else. The script they had at 11:59 p.m. November 5th is the script they have to shoot.?

?To a screenwriter, that might seem kind of awesome. For once, the director can?t change things. But when its your own movie, it?s maddening. J.J. was describing a scene he was shooting the day before. Midway through it, he got a great idea for a new line. Which he couldn?t write. Couldn?t shoot. Couldn?t be in his movie.

?Damon described it like having one of your superpowers taken away.?

?You can absolutely make a movie without changing the script. Big Fish and Charlie were shot just like they were written. But to not even have the option of changing something is a bizarre restriction, like making a Dogme 95 film with a $100 million budget?.?

Source: http://www.slashfilm.com/2007/11/23/the-wr...rams-star-trek/

[ZonoBurk]

I support them. The writers are what makes the damn TV show or movie!

If it's not over by next summer the actors union (SAG) and the directors union (DGA) will go on strike.

Then they will have no choice but to raise it to 4 cents.

[Rappy Veteran]

Report: A Strike-ending Deal Is "Already Done"

Will the strike negotiators be home for Christmas? A "very reliable source" tells Nikki Finke's Deadline Hollywood Daily blog that there appears to be a deal in place between both sides. "It's already done, basically," says the insider, crediting weeks' worth of back channel note-sharing conducted by Hollywood agents. "I was told not to expect an agreement this week," says Finke, "but my source thought it was possible that the strike could be settled before Christmas."

In other words, maybe, just maybe, TV viewers won't be handed a big lump of coal as this holiday season ? at which time the fresh scripted offerings will really start to dry up ? rolls around. "I don't want to raise false hope," Finke adds. "But this source has been very accurate in the past."

[Pretend]

Good news on this :o? :woot:

[gigapixels Veteran]

:o :o :o

If this turns out to be true, I will be very happy.

[Hurmoth]

I have to wonder though if there will be enough time to write scripts and get them in production for a complete season of our shows. We still may end up with shorter seasons of Lost, Heroes, etc. since most of those shows take 8 days to film and who knows how long to actually write the scripts (4 days I'd say is the shortest turn around time with that). So each episode takes at least, IMO, 12 days to and that's not including post production either.

If the deal isn't going to be finalized for another week or so, if a deal is actually done, then there probably won't be any production on most shows until after the Christmas break (maybe writing, but no actual production work). We're still looking at least mid to late January before new episodes are rolling out the door, which would make for shorter seasons. Lost might be ok though, but Heroes and and 24 I'm not so sure about.

[Rappy Veteran]

24 I would imagine would stay pushed back, as they have already announced that then it will stay that way.

[Viserov]

24 would still be delayed by a few months at least. I wonder if my favorite series Battlestar would have to be pushed back as well? When are the episodes of Family Guy going to start airing sans Seth MacFarlane?

I also read somewhere that shows filming in Canada were shutting down, including the 4400. I guess that means a fifth season? I can't for the life of me find the original source.

[cbosdell]

I wonder if my favorite series Battlestar would have to be pushed back as well?

They've filmed through episode 4x11 of BSG and are out of scripts. Production shut down November 17th according to RDM's blog (http://rondmoore.com). If the strike lasts too long there's a chance they won't ever finish the series and we'll be left with a cliffhanger ending. :(

When are the episodes of Family Guy going to start airing sans Seth MacFarlane?

They already have. The last two weeks of family guy were completed without Seth MacFarlane. That is the voices had previously been done but they were put together by FOX against his wishes. This past Sunday's episode was the last one that had any voicing done for it though so Family Guy is on hold for now.

[*RedBull*]

I say fire those writers, and hire some better ones giving them the benefits the old ones are bitching about. That'll show em.

[Hurmoth]

I say fire those writers, and hire some better ones giving them the benefits the old ones are bitching about. That'll show em.

They can't, that's the point of the union and besides that, why fire them?

[OPaul]

[Viserov]

They've filmed through episode 4x11 of BSG and are out of scripts. Production shut down November 17th according to RDM's blog (http://rondmoore.com). If the strike lasts too long there's a chance they won't ever finish the series and we'll be left with a cliffhanger ending. :(

They already have. The last two weeks of family guy were completed without Seth MacFarlane. That is the voices had previously been done but they were put together by FOX against his wishes. This past Sunday's episode was the last one that had any voicing done for it though so Family Guy is on hold for now.

According to Katee Sachoff, the last episode they filmed would be a suitable series ender. I was under the impression that they had only gotten 7 or 8 episodes into the show, but 11 makes me feel better, so at least we can get half a season.

And, thank god, I thought Fox was planning on moving forward with Family Guy sans Seth MacFarlane's voice. He IS Family Guy, and to do the show without him would just be a train wreck.

[Rappy Veteran]

According to Katee Sachoff, the last episode they filmed would be a suitable series ender. I was under the impression that they had only gotten 7 or 8 episodes into the show, but 11 makes me feel better, so at least we can get half a season.

And, thank god, I thought Fox was planning on moving forward with Family Guy sans Seth MacFarlane's voice. He IS Family Guy, and to do the show without him would just be a train wreck.

Yeah I would be miffed if they just went on without him because as you said he does most of the voices...

[*RedBull*]

They can't, that's the point of the union and besides that, why fire them?

Uh no, any business can actually fire union represented individuals under impasse. Which the writers are being unreasonable and asking for too much which is causing us, the viewers, lost episode viewing. They are being selfish. They should negotiate incrimentally to achieve the things they are demanding now. Since they care little for us viewers, I say fire the lot of em.

**Disclaimer** The views indicated above are not supported by neowin.net, it's staff, members, subscribers, affliliates, Neobond, Shockz, Hurmoth,..ok maybe Hurmoth..., nor by the individual posting the above nonsense.

[Hurmoth]

Uh no, any business can actually fire union represented individuals under impasse. Which the writers are being unreasonable and asking for too much which is causing us, the viewers, lost episode viewing. They are being selfish. They should negotiate incrimentally to achieve the things they are demanding now. Since they care little for us viewers, I say fire the lot of em.

**Disclaimer** The views indicated above are not supported by neowin.net, it's staff, members, subscribers, affliliates, Neobond, Shockz, Hurmoth,..ok maybe Hurmoth..., nor by the individual posting the above nonsense.

They have contracts with the unions, they can't fire them. That's the point of a contract. There are clauses where they can get rid of them, but most likely will have to continue paying them a certain amount or some kind of severance package.

The selfish people are people like you who seem to care more about some TV show than the livelihoods of those who create the shows. And your disclaimer is suppose to do what? Make me feel small because you called my opinion nonsense? :laugh: If anything the fact that you went there only makes me feel bigger. Thanks (Y)

[gigapixels Veteran]

They have contracts with the unions, they can't fire them. That's the point of a contract. There are clauses where they can get rid of them, but most likely will have to continue paying them a certain amount or some kind of severance package.

The selfish people are people like you who seem to care more about some TV show than the livelihoods of those who create the shows. And your disclaimer is suppose to do what? Make me feel small because you called my opinion nonsense? :laugh: If anything the fact that you went there only makes me feel bigger. Thanks (Y)

:yes: The writers are being anything but selfish. If people never strike, they'd never get their point across and they'd never get anything better. The writers aren't asking for much, just what they should have been entitled to in the first place. It sucks for us, yes, but it happens and it's only TV. It's not that big of a deal if our seasons get cut off sooner if the writers, those people that make these shows that we enjoy so great, aren't getting compensated a fair amount for their work.

[*RedBull*]

They have contracts with the unions, they can't fire them. That's the point of a contract. There are clauses where they can get rid of them, but most likely will have to continue paying them a certain amount or some kind of severance package.

The selfish people are people like you who seem to care more about some TV show than the livelihoods of those who create the shows. And your disclaimer is suppose to do what? Make me feel small because you called my opinion nonsense? :laugh: If anything the fact that you went there only makes me feel bigger. Thanks (Y)

You don't read english very well do you? You seem not to get the meaning of what I posted. Instead you seek to insult me and make yourself feel bigger by making me seem smaller....just pointing it out. I mean no ill towards you.

So let me spell it out for you. I support unions, I don't know enough about the issues at hand to have a valid postion other than to support unions. I wasn't making fun of your point of view but rather jokingly suggesting you are actually against them. Have a nice day.

[Hurmoth]

You don't read english very well do you? You seem not to get the meaning of what I posted. Instead you seek to insult me and make yourself feel bigger by making me seem smaller....just pointing it out. I mean no ill towards you.

So let me spell it out for you. I support unions, I don't know enough about the issues at hand to have a valid postion other than to support unions. I wasn't making fun of your point of view but rather jokingly suggesting you are actually against them. Have a nice day.

Now you try to redeem yourself by turning your own words, but they are clear, what you said was, "Which the writers are being unreasonable and asking for too much which is causing us, the viewers, lost episode viewing. They are being selfish." Now you're saying that you don't know enough about the issues to have a valid position, but that's not the way you originally wrote it.

And the disclaimer may have been intended to be jokingly but that's not the way they came off. I apologize if I took it the wrong way.