WGA Strike info & discussion

[cka]

http://afp.google.com/article/ALeqM5...qSWiuccILiB1gw

http://www.nytimes.com/2007/11/02/bu...ei=5087%0A

long story short, the writers were getting dicked over hard on dvd residuals and are very likely going to strike to try and get their fair share of income on those plus internet sales (for the current and forseeable future.) I personally can't really blame them for wanting their share of the profits, but goddamn did the contract have to expire this year?!? Some of the best tv in YEARS is on now.


WHAT DOES THIS MEAN FOR ME?!

Right now, it means very little. Here's a quote from the NY Times article that pretty much sums it up:

The walk-out threatens an instant jolt to television talk shows like “Late Night With David Letterman” and “The Daily Show With Jon Stewart,” which rely on guild writers to churn out monologues and skits. And if the strike drags on, audiences could see the eventual shutdown of soap operas, TV series and movie productions, as they exhaust their bank of ready scripts.

Once the big shows run through their pile of scripts, and if the strike is in effect, TV will be reduced to shitty reruns and reality TV.

At any rate, feel free to discuss the situation here. I'll leave this topic stickied for a little while.

edit: as of a little while ago, it appears that the strike is official and WGA members will start picketing on monday

[YellerDog]

I've got a friend who was planning on moving out to LA to write next year, this kind of blows that straight to hell. Hopefully he'll keep developing his own scripts and keep 'em under his hat until this thing blows over.

[Gonzo]

I've got a friend who was planning on moving out to LA to write next year, this kind of blows that straight to hell. Hopefully he'll keep developing his own scripts and keep 'em under his hat until this thing blows over.

Don't be too sure about that. I assume he's not in the Guild which means studios have to look at non guild members which means that they will green light things from unknowns. Sadly, it means they may greenlight things that suck, but they do that anyway.

[YellerDog]

Don't be too sure about that. I assume he's not in the Guild which means studios have to look at non guild members which means that they will green light things from unknowns. Sadly, it means they may greenlight things that suck, but they do that anyway.

Scab work during a strike is fiercely punished.

Doing some non-union work over there during a strike gets your ass blacklisted.

[Rumpy]

Just need a creative pen name.

[YellerDog]

And a unicorn.

[Rumpy]

That would help a lot.

[Razor Ramon]

Scabs need to watch their asses on this. I don't suggest any writer give any of the studios work until this is all over.

Nothing worse than the union finally settling this and you never being able to work in Hollywood again.

[Drewbacca]

Don't be too sure about that. I assume he's not in the Guild which means studios have to look at non guild members which means that they will green light things from unknowns. Sadly, it means they may greenlight things that suck, but they do that anyway.

Don't you have to be a member of the Writers Guild of America to even be considered for script work? No union is going to let non-union members take jobs from them without legal backlash, or in the very least some kind of career crippling blacklisting.

[arjue]

No Conan makes me a sad panda.