Another Preview

Thank you Craig for this forum! It’s nice to air out views and see what others are thinking. It’s tough times for us writers. Nobody, NOBODY wants this strike. But since I’ve been in guild (since 93) all I’ve ever heard about is how we’ve “caved” and how we wish we as a union had a backbone. We’ll kids, MAN UP! It’s time to put regret behind and give some fight. I had dinner with two actors last night who wish they had not “caved” on their last contract. I told them to hang in there, we could all come together on this and make it work. Producers who are out there — you could end this strike tomorrow, literally, with a decent offer of some kind.

May you live a thousand years, Craig Mazin. You’ve got some loose cannon in you, but gotta say, in times like these, I’m coming to believe that’s not a bad thing.

As a DGA-er, and non-WGA-er, I also hate the idea of a strike. It is a failure on both sides. But, that being said, the best hope we all have is for a strong showing from you guys in hopes that it will force a quick solution. I posted a blog on another one of your threads, but I feel a need to reitertate a couple things:

1.) Got out big, go out strong, and be there when the first trucks arrive until the crews go home at night. If you want to impress the AMPTP of solidarty, be omnipresent. 2.) Go after any series or feature castings sessions called for the first few days of the strike. Go after those even scheduled off the major lots. See if the casting directors and actors will respect the pickets like they claim they will. Their unions have said they will honor the pickets, so it’s time to put up or shut up.
3.) Take the high road, and not the bait. Stay out of the public forum since you’ve been made out to be the bad guys. Keep it professional or you’ll continue to isolate yourselves as being unreasonable. 4.) You will not get everything you hope for and neither will the AMPTP. But, the midset of both sides must be to work toward an equitable solution for everyone. The longer the strike, the more the terms will be set in stone by the DGA and SAG, and less by you. Use back channels (Hmmm… You mean like all those agents that only stand to gain…?) to jump start the dialogue again. 5.) Think outside the box — picket movie theatres, the Apple Store, Blockbuster and Hollywood Video. Place informative pickets at places where the new media you hope to address is sold or rented. Educate and inform.

You’ve got 12,000 members that should be immediately out of work (except those 100-200 or so showrunner or DGA types that have to honor their contracts doing non-WGA covered work). If one quarter of the total membership showed up in force on each of the forst few days this week, you’d force the issue back to the table. If you call a 9am-5pm selective strike, you’ll be in for a long haul.

Good luck, guys. We’ll be watching from afar, and hoping for a quick resolution that supports everyone in the industry.

I heard today one of the studios (abc, I think) was planning to move the post of one of their shows (maybe Pushing Daisies) to some offsite post so their Executive Producer could give notes on cuts without crossing picket lines. Interesting. I wonder if we should be picketing post houses….

Me again, you all everybody:)

I have to ask something: let’s say you are a witness to two people fighting over a vase. The argument gets loud and quite unsettling. then let’s say, it gets petty, and you, the third party, are a parent overlooking two of your children fighting. You want this over, and you want it over 5 minutes ago.

Many in this situation would take a rule Bill Cosby said in “Himself”; parents do not want justice, they want quiet. Thus, you break the vase, reprimand severly both of your children for interrupting you and your ulterior motives, and just for good measure, you sit them down to tell of your struggles, such as eating dirt most nights as a child. And you would end it by saying “and I was thankful for eating it.”

Well then, those two people fighting over a vase would learn not to ever piss off your parents in that way again. As well, you make the situation become about your motives and needs.

We are seeing this with our leaders getting involved in this contractual dispute. The negotiators may still be only concerned about their petty differences (dick-measuring), but by way of the federal mediator, our leaders will state; too frickin bad. You are stuck with each other, therefore a strike is by our decree averted. Now get back to writing and producing our propoganda, because a terror attack and subsequent series of wars of our choosing is imminent, sooner than we think.

Just for good measure, with this strike averted, they will hammer the decree by still destroying Los Angeles as described in my initial posts. Because you see, our leaders and their leaders want the writers and the corporations to be quiet. They do not give a shit about your contractual dispute; in fact, with their ulterior motives, the leaders will at once both punish both sides and have their pretext for war.

In this case, both sides will be at the mercy of the financial leaders and their elected puppets, perhaps for the rest of our times. And yet, certain people still cannot see and hear beyond their personal needs, which are understandable yet not important to immediatly solve.

To those writers posting their grievances, I fully support you. I do, however, know that the theory outlined in these posts I have written is not only possible, but downright will happen eventually; sooner in this case since the involvement of our leaders has come to the forefront.

In context, Gen. Pervez Musharraf of Pakistan has declared a State Of Emergency, suspending the country’s constitution and public rights. Syria is on track to be invaded unless they strike their adversaries first. The nation’s money and resource supplies are running out. And our leaders continued to fianlize their plans for continual Global War. there are fine alternative media websites to know these issues. You may know quite a few of them.

By the way, I stand corrected on the WarGames writing credits. And interesting trivia to boot about Badham’s role; I would not have guessed Martin Brest shot some of the earlier scenes (the Maury Chaykin-Eddie Deezen scene namely.) Nonetheless, the film is still interesting even today, and may provide a thoughtful insight into what may and will occur, and perhaps what can be done to avert these forms of pain and suffering.

All the best in the times ahead,

Lax24

I’ve tried to keep out of this. Really I have. I can’t keep quiet any longer. CRAIG, with respect: Shhhhh!

Pretty please with sugar on top: No more, “we’re screwed/[a strike] is going to hurt us — that’s my biggest fear” type comments. Especially when you’re being quoted in the media.

Strong showing. It’s a fight worth fighting. You ARE going to make a difference. You don’t believe that? You think it’s going to “hurt us?” Save those comments for your diary or private message board.

These seemingly innocuous comments are being read by a hell of a lot of people. Many of whom believe you speak on behalf of the WGA — I know you don’t, and it’s not your fault that people misconstrue — but I urge you to think about these comments as you write your next post detailing your feelings about the strike — especially the “we’re screwed” sentiments.

Respectfully,

Priya

Metinker —

Re: Post… Whereas I agree it would be shameful that showrunners are undermining themselves, I don’t think picketing post houses would pay off. In truth, you can send DVD’s the the showrunner’s house and he can dictate changes. You’ve got DAX and other streaming solutions too, allowing the member to never even have to leave the house.

On the otherhand, I really think that hitting casting sites is the most immediate solution of all. Shows with scripts will feel it RIGHT NOW if they cannot even get the casting directors or actors to cross the line. This involves major and indie studios, plus places like Lantana.

Here’s another idea: Picket the Los Angeles, Santa Clarita, and Santa Monica, and Pasadena Film Permit Offices. Force the Teamster Location Managers to cross the lines to get their film permits. Don’t think it will be as effective since permits are often times faxed or couriered to the shows. But, it’s something to throw into the mix, perhaps later in the week when most ongoing shows shoot on practical locations (Thursday and Fridays being the most active).

Show up in force, or don’t bother to walk out.

A pair of on-target posts, Shreve. Keep tossing out the ideas.

I hope I get to picket CBS, just so I can feel in direct defiance of Ms. Tassler’s lunkheaded comments.

Thanks, bro. You know I am not pro-strike. But since you’re going out anyway, it’s best to kick a** right out of the gate if you’re going to influence a quick resolution.

The WGA — as far as I’m concerned — deserves more and better residuals. But of course, that isn’t the answer to the central, real-world question …

… which is:

Does the WGA have the leverage to get more and better residuals?

Please don’t take this question for anything other than what it is, a question to which I don’t know the answer.

Isn’t picketing a place of business that the WGA doesn’t have a labor disagreement with kind of below the belt? I mean just because Locations people go into the permit offices doesn’t mean picketing the permit offices is a good idea. We have no beef with the Permit Office, with the Teamsters or with the State/City.

If I were a 3rd party trying to conduct business and the WGA picketed my place because actors or Teamsters do business there, I’d suddenly become very anti-WGA.

We’re not demonstrating AGAINST the Teamsters. Or against post-houses or grip houses.

Maybe I’m totally wrong, but I would think that if we started to picket places Teamsters go, instead of picketing legitimate AMPTP places of business, then the Teamster support would dry up pretty quick.

Again, maybe I’m totally off base.

For those needing java to strike early in the morning at Universal: if you get off at the 101-North Barham exit, there’s a new Starbucks that just opened across the bridge on Cahuenga about a block to the right, right next to an entrance to 101-South.

I liked the idea someone (a teamster?) wrote suggesting you put your Starbucks coffee in styrofoam cups -

for more of that rolled-up shirtsleeves struggling prole look :-)

Pepe—

I think you have an excellent point and it’s probably bad form to picket anybody you don’t have an actual labor beef with. I’ll admit, I’m new to this strike thing and was thinking more at how to be effective, as opposed to fair — when I should be only advocating “fair and effective” - those ideas being joined. So thanks for pointing that out!

Travis,

The Teamster was not advocating that the writers trick the drivers into thinking they were drinking regular guy coffee by pouring the Frappacinos into stryofoam cups. The Teamster was suggesting that the writers ACTUALLY drink regular guy coffee.

For my money, I’m betting writers will physically push and fight like tough-guy Teamsters before they drink lousy coffee.

At least, I know I would :-D

And Travis,

If you are going to demean the WGA’s most staunch ally with your elitist comments that you obviously find wry and pithy, do it on you own stupid Myspace page. Don’t do it here.

It’s not welcome here.

Craig has underscored this strike is serious business and the consequences are dire. He’s also made repeated suggestions and pleas that it somehow be averted.

Over at Writer Action there’s been the suggestion of creating entertaining and humorous spots to sway public opinion towards the WGA’s side. The pitch has come from a working writer as well as a writer/director. They intend to draft people to contribute and it seems everyone wants to pitch in, getting themselves some visibility in the process, and create something akin to Parker & Stone’s fabled calling card: “Your Studio & You.”

While comedy shorts posted on You Tube drafting a celebrity like Jimmy Fallon doing a parody of the Britney Spears fan bemoaning “Leave the studios alone!” (which somebody has pitched) may sound amusing, doesn’t that also conversely trivialize some of our key issues?

A recent comedy short showed some very well employed scribes pretending to be forced into menial jobs due to a strike. The truth of the matter is, I’ve now talked to one freelance writer and another team who are combing empoyment ads as we speak, looking for any sort of gig they can find in the event of a strike. They’ve got rent, utilities and car payments and can’t afford to participate in supposed video parodies. They all struck out this pitching season.

Unfortunately, none of these people were amused by that particular video. In fact, it made them feel ashamed to be potentially filling out job applications for restaurants and clerical work.

The issues we’re striking for will protect the lowest earning members of our Guild, not just those whose residual checks are opened at an accounting firm.

Nicholas Counter’s grotesque press release doesn’t address older writers whose classic works are now part of this internet equation.

Is a guy who wrote a couple of “Star Trek” episodes back in the sixties, just recently remastered and being sold on iTunes, one of the people who make $200,000 a year that Counter refers to? Sorry to sound maudlin, but perhaps that revenue will buy some better groceries that week. I’ll gladly bite the bullet for the eldest WGA member because their struggles might be my “ghost of Christmas future.”

I think the way to sway public opinion is to put a face on the people who suffer from rollbacks and need every cent that comes from repeats of their work. These members could never be accused of greed because of the decidedly austere lifestyles they lead. Sometimes downsizing isn’t a personal choice, but a necessity.

When I was a kid, I loved a “Munsters” episode where Louie Nye played a kid show’s host named “Zombo.” I got to meet the writer of that particular episode when I was in high school, because he was teaching my English class. The guy was always wistful when talking about his past writing career and dreams that never came true.

I don’t know where my ex-teacher is, but I hope those checks from “New Media” reach him.

It’s interesting to note that Craig deals in parody, but is taking the impact of a strike very seriously.

(Speaking of which: I recommend King’s Road: it’s rocket fuel.)

And Travis, If you are going to demean the WGA’s most staunch ally with your elitist comments that you obviously find wry and pithy, do it on you own stupid Myspace page. Don’t do it here. It’s not welcome here.

Oh, I’m sorry…is this your website now, Pepe? I must have missed that memo.

I’ll dole out the welcomes and not-welcomes, if that’s okay with you. Travis is certainly welcome here.

Craig’s fantasy word is “deserve.” Nobody “deserves” anything. If you want a raise, you ask for it. If the person who signs your checks doesn’t agree, they’ll say no. If you don’t like it, you can walk and look for another job or you can go back to work. Deserve has nothing to do with any of this. Under the concept that all the writers “deserve” more, you could argue that all writers “deserve” the same money. Why? Because someone said they “deserve” it. If Craig gets a million for a rewrite, we all should…after all, why should he get more than anyone else. And the answer is, he gets what the people who write the checks think he is worth. And so it should be will everyone. But this strike isn’t about that. This is about group think in which people who can’t get something on their own merit and terms, try to extort it from the check writers by economically threatening them. And that is how we are where we are. We are now where it comes down to nobody deserves anything but many will get more or less than they expected. How the war ends we will all have to wait and see. Of course may won’t be able to afford the wait…and they’ll leave the business. And that is good because whatever advances are made in the MBA probably wouldn’t have helped them anyway. Of course the show runner should make out like bandits if the guild prevails. And they make even more money if there are staff cuts to make up for the cost increases. But may they “deserve” it?

Anon Because,

Since I’m on a working class hero binge here, I’ll concur. I didn’t find the spot showing six-figure earning writers joking about having to work minimum wage jobs very funny.

It was disrespectful and I’m sure if TV watching land saw it, many of them would feel personally insulted. “Oh look, the poor rich guy has to work at the job I’ve been doing every day for 30 years to support my family. What a dire turn of events for him. Haha!”

To all —

I’m actually a DGA guy, not a Teamster on location in the Southeast.

Re: coffee… Personally, it’s hard to feel sympathetic if it looks like a Starbucks stockholders meeting. Hence, the styro idea. Leave the Porsche at home and car pool in the minivan.

Re: My idea of picketing places like casting offices and the permit offices… Picketing places where AMPTP productions are sending their employees (including WGA members) to keep working is well within your rights. True, you are not picketing the Teamsters. But, if the Casting Directors (who are Teamsters) have to cross a picket line to conduct a casting session, you are taking the fight to the Studio. If the WGA showrunner has to meet a picket line, will he/she cross? What about the actors coming to read for Producer’s session?

In some cases, casting takes place offsight, but still supports an AMPTP show. It’s easy to find — check Breakdown Services. Or, go to the places you usually have sessions like Lantana or Sunset Gower. Game on.

As far as permits offices go… Yes, you are not trying to hurt the Teamsters ability to do work. But you are not trying to hurt the IA, the DGA, or SAG either when you picket a studio lot. You hope for disruptions and a show of sympathy. By hitting the permit offices, you’re really interrupting the AMPTP’s ability to get filming permits to continue operating. You would not think twice about showing up on a location to try and shut down a show, so why not hit them at the first level — the permit process?

Hitting post houses, prop houses, grip houses — not really effective. Hitting places where the AMPTP productions are directly impacted by stopages or slowdowns should be okay. The producers fully expect you to picket the usual suspects: Universal, Sony, Warners, Disney. Again, think outside the box and add some wrinkles.

Remember, pickets are to create disruptions of normal operations. As long as YOU have permits to strike, and as long as you keep moving (cannot block public access for safety reasons), you should be good to go. Just keep it professional and make a huge show of force and let ‘em know you are serious.

Craig,

You’re right. I’m sorry. It’s your place. I over-stepped.

I should have said:

Travis, if you are going to refer to Teamsters as “rolled-up shirtsleeves struggling proles” I’d personally prefer you do it at your own stupid website. Not one that is on the front lines of this labor battle.

Monty Python said it best: “And now another movie about the struggle of the working class made by rich Hollywood stars.”

This is why I don’t frequent Writer Action much. It’s hopelessly out of touch.

As a WGAw member, I’m more than a little alarmed at comments like Priya’s. Not everyone voted for the strike - I didn’t - and not everyone agrees that it’s the appropriate course of action to take - I don’t. But the idea that we have to tow a company line or be part of the propaganda… well, it just smacks of the current Bush Administration. Censorship comes from fear (of ideas, dissent, etc) and if our guild is already afraid… we’re fucked.

DVD residuals paid to writers last year — 56 million. CEO Tom Freston’s severance — 62 million

I didn’t realize that so many people planned on actually forming physical picket lines in order to disrupt production. I guess that could theoretically create pressure to get a deal done sooner. It does kind of seem strange though. Is this more important in the short-term because most productions really don’t need any critical writing done for at least a few months off or more? So is it a tactic to draw support from actors and others to stop work and force a resolution quickly?

Why let those productions that can continue do so without some interruption? If you don’t put the effort and physical presence from jumpstreet, then don’t go out in the first place. If you cannot disrupt ongoing productions, putting your WGA member peers and AMPTP members on the spot, then you are not serious about getting this thign resolved. Better to see the solidity of your peers and the unions that have pledge their support now. If you wait too long, it may be too late. Forcing the issue may allow you to get back to the table before they open talks with the DGA.

I agree, Steven. If you take a gander at what’s being pitched over at Writer Action you’ll see not only are their initial proposed spots elitist, they’ve also got the key issues wrong.

They’re acting like the proverbial “let’s put on a show” kids. How about a funny spot showing a home foreclosure?

To me, Tom Freston’s severance package made the best point.

Pepe, (#12)

Not only is picketing anyone other than your direct employer ‘below the belt,’ it’s also illegal, and can (will) draw an unfair labor charge for the WGA. I believe it’s called a ‘secondary boycott’ and thanks to our federal labor laws, is not allowed. You are allowed to have an informational picket, but you can not ask anyone to ‘not cross’ an informational. You also have to be careful with the wording on the signs you carry at an informational, to stress that you don’t have a beef with anyone other than your primary employer.*

The sad truth is that much of the teeth that a picket had, have been pulled by those same Labor Laws. LAPD has a ‘Labor’ liason, who makes sure that picketers, and Unions, abide the laws, and don’t block driveways, gates or doorways.

With that in mind, you might wonder what good having a picket can do.

Me too, and I’ve been on a bunch of them.

*I am not a labor lawyer, but I am well versed in labor issues, as well as strike/pickets. Your milage may vary.

As a WGAw member, I’m more than a little alarmed at comments like Priya’s.

Alarming…and disappointing, particularly from professionals who require freedom of expression in order to do their job.

Working writers should write op-eds or letters to the editors of their hometown Gazettes. You should make Youtube videos or ask the folks at funnyordie to run banner ads in support of the WGA. Start a WGA myspace page and get as many friends as you can, post bulletins and ask your friends to repost them. This is all grass roots stuff of the 2000’s, and some of it from the old days. The point is, you need to paint an Everyman face on this.

Susan

Bloomberg reports:

“Freston, who spent more than 20 years at Viacom, will receive $58.9 million in severance, the New York-based media company said in a regulatory filing today. He also will get $7.4 million in deferred compensation and $5.7 million in a retirement-fund payout.”

Closer to $85 million.

I assume this is what is straining their bottom line so much that they can’t afford to give writers fair residuals?

Pepe (#12) —

If you strike casting sessions of AMPTP shows currently in production, are you not striking the show? If you are interfering with their ability to secure filming permits, are not striking the show? These are both “direct employer” issues, effecting AMPTP shows currently in production. I would encourage the WGA attorneys to be prepared to show the correlation between these less than traditional picket sites and the direct connection to the employers.

Conversely, just throwing a picket up at the local grip or prop house is not direct. I’m not advocating that at all. But, perhaps throwing up a smaller presence (under the guise of informational pickets) at places like Blockbuster, Disneyland, Apple Stores, etc. might help with support and solidarity.

Pepe, the last teamster I spoke to, on a commercial 2 weekends ago, makes much more than I do: $500/day.

But Teamsters are working class guys, and working-class people are associated with hard jobs and struggle…for good reasons.

So I don’t see why you’re looking for excuses to paint me blue.

I’ve been through some difficult times over the past few years sans a normal salaried job - sometimes even doing construction work for months on end - but that was my choice, and I’ve been happier when I’ve chosen to keep my senses of humor and self-possession instead of collecting injustices, perceived or real.

I can appreciate that you may not be in the most light-hearted mood right now, but I don’t see how I’m to blame for it.

Seriously, man, I was just trying to tell you guys a convenient place to grab some coffee bright and early near Universal.

If you don’t appreciate my sense of humor, fine, but don’t lose yours and tell everyone to lose theirs, too.

And 29: fwiw, I really agree with you:

I’ve been wondering where the Letters to the Editor are, where the full-page ads in Variety are. Where are they?

They’re not meaningless: they matter.

Without taking action by doing what Writers do best - write - they’re reduced to complaining about what someone else writes.

Regarding Mr. Counter’s purposeful use of the term “employees” in his press release…

I agree with SusanC in the other thread that the not-so-subtle suggestion here is that all WGA writers can be replaced.

Partly true — audiences wouldn’t miss the creators of that hideous “menial jobs” short referenced above. (nothing aggravates people more than the presumption that one person’s particular occupation is somehow less dignified than another’s.)

So yes, that bit alone proves many of us can be replaced quite easily. However, the top 700 or so WGA writers have been vetted, and though the members of the “700” change from month to month and year to year, their collective VALUE cannot be easily replaced. The quality of their writing is consistently high, they consistently meet deadlines when millions of corporate dollars are at stake, and, quite frankly, they aren’t crazy. They are proven assets. Wall Street likes proven assets.

But if Mr. Counter & Company hand over the reins of their TV, film and internet empires to all-comers, the Lax24s of the world will suddenly be on deadline — and instead of that swashbuckling PG-13 adventure he was contracted to deliver by May 1, Lax24 will mail in an 814-page manifesto that proves a Shadow Government is responsible for an abrupt rise in peanut allergies in North American school children… peanut allergies that are bringing the world to the brink of a nuclear holocaust.

I just keep seeing Mr. Mazin mention being in SAG now and can’t help but look forward to whatever tour-de-force performance he’s got going that got him into yet another Guild.

I really feel like a slacker only being in the WGA.

From # 34: The point is, you need to paint an Everyman face on this.

I shake my head at comments like this. There’s no escaping the fact that you’re primarily Hollywood writers. Everyone in the country has an idea of what that means, and however wrong and varied those ideas might be, “everyman” isn’t a part of any of ‘em. You have no idea how silly and false efforts to “look regular” appear to regular folks.

And you’re not helped by the fact that the WGA has such a complex and confusing set of demands that anyone not regularly reading this site has no chance to get even a tiny grasp of what’s at stake.

If grassroots support is necessary (and I’m a little skeptical that it is, or that it will make any meaningful difference in the negotiations), then you’d be best served by having your negotiators drastically simplify your contract demands. Something simple like “No rollbacks and a fair rate for internet/new media!” is a mantra that most people could grasp, and potentially sympathize with.

Plus, it might actually give the negotiations a chance to succeed.

Shreve and Metinker -

I want to pick up issue of showrunners providing services during the strike.

I’m with Craig on the strike - didn’t want it, thought it could be avoided, but totally supportive of the union if we do it. I just became a strike captain.

And while I learned today that an overwhelming majority of showrunners have decided not to provide any services during the strike. I’ve also heard that some showrunners are going to continue to edit their shows off-site and that at least one of these showrunners is on the negotiating committee.

How can we, in the name of union strength, ask the teamsters to risk income and careers to support our strike when the most successful members of our union will not?

Studios are threatening showrunners. Don’t they always do this? And isn’t amnesty a provision of every strike-ending labor agreement the WGA has ever participated in? And aren’t these showrunners are the most sought after writers in TV who, when it’s all over, will have more and better opportunities that anyone else in the guild?

In practical terms, showrunners would risk little or nothing to fully honor the strike, not just its picket lines. The strike isn’t about picket lines, it’s about production. And showrunners shouldn’t do it.

If they believed otherwise, they wouldn’t be moving their work to secret locations. Doing so only heightens their hypocrisy. They want to hail the union when the WGA membership is watching while privately kowtowing to the studios that have made them rich. It’s wrong, it’s stupid and it will prolong the strike.

“Pencils down means pencils down” isn’t enough. As John Bowman said on his own behalf at the WGA meeting on Thursday: he considers everything he does for a show writing, and he’s not going to do any of it - on-lot or off-site - during the strike.

Pencils down should mean video monitors off, editing bays empty, production halted.

Lets find a way to demand this of the guild members most able to afford it.

RM

Let me see if I’ve got this right.

Craig is crossing the WGA picket line because he’s in the DGA and he’s contractually obligated to go to work.

The WGA is counting on the Teamsters to honor the picket line although the Teamsters are contractually obligated to go to work.

Anyone? Bueller?

Hoffa’s Handsome:

The Teamsters as a union will not “honor the picket line.”

Individual members may choose to do so without reprisal or discipline.

That is not the case for SAG, DGA or IATSE members.

Hoffa’s twin,

The teamsters are protected from company reprisal. I don’t believe the DGA or SAG (or IATSE?) have that same protection.

But I do know it’s a right the WGA is fighting for currently.

While Craig has a contract under current DGA rules (which don’t expire until early summer), he must fulfill it or face legal reprisal.

“Noboby puts Baby in a corner.” Oh, Jennifer Gray….

Or what Craig said…

RM-

I’m quite surprised to hear a member of the negotiating committee would do post on their show. You would think of all guild members, they would get it.

I heard 80 showrunners were at the meeting today and were very solid in the idea they would not work if the strike does in fact begin tomorrow night (the others,I assume, were off busily filling the companies script coffers).

I think our worst case sceneario is the TV producer hyphenates who do not stand firmly on the line. However, I get it that it’s a tough place to be in. Hundreds of people’s jobs rely on them and that’s got to weigh heavily, plus, there’s the “I want to be a hero to my employer” thing that we all feel when writing/producing for the big corps. In all aspects, it’s a tough spot. But, but but… if ever there was a time to decide if you have a writer’s soul or a suit’s… It’s now. And I guess we’re going to see people’s true stripes through this adversity. As my strike captain wrote to me: We should remember, they would never hire us to produce if we didn’t first write!

So to any showrunners out there, please consider how important to your support is to our cause and think long and hard before leaving us on the street…

I’m not saying that painting an Everyman face or writing Op Ed pieces will help with negotiations. I’m saying that it will hopefully help prevent writers from being the villains in all of this. Right now, management controls what’s being spun about the strike. Without a counter-spin, IMO, writers will come off looking like whiny babies.

Susan

“#45 Hoffa’s twin,

The teamsters are protected from company reprisal. I don’t believe the DGA or SAG (or IATSE?) have that same protection.”

Golly gee, SML…

What company is that?

I’m an aspiring screenwriter (wannabe, newbie etc.), however I am also a professional advertising copywriter.

And the spoof YouTube spots mentioned above will work against the union.

There’s a science to effective advertising.

If you’re going to use the media to gain public support, you have to press emotional buttons.

My spin would be — the WGA is fighting the same greedy corporations which have undermined the American work force to stuff their pockets with profits generated by the workers’ labor.

You have to correct the public’s assumptions (that all writers are rich) and ignite (with subtlety) their fears.

Give them a case study of how a particular writer has been screwed over. (Someone above mentioned a former Star Trek writer receiving no residuals on DVDs.) Use that writer’s photo in the ad. Put a face on the majority of writers who are not millionaires.

There is leverage — entertainment (films, TV) is perhaps the last refuge for the powerless seeking escapism, seeking to live vicariously through the characters writers create.

(I read somewhere that when the working Joe undergoes debt counseling, the majority refuse to give up their cable subscription. They’ll cut other expenses but they want to keep their 195 channels. Entertainment is their only escape from the stress of their lives.)

However — all good ads end with a call to action. Are you wiling to ask the public to boycott? Stop buying DVD sets for Xmas gifts. Boycott theaters.

Are you willing to go the distance and really piss off the opposition.

In the history of unions, half-measures never worked.

Only the Teamsters have the right to allow their members to refuse to cross a picket line without reprisals. It is an “invididual’s choice” made by the Teamster member him/herself.

No, the DGA, SAG and IA don’t have that in their contracts.

RM — Nobody wants to put the Teamsters (or for that matter, the IA, DGA or SAG) members out of work. I am not a fan of this strike, and I stated in an earlier post that I view it as a failure on both sides. But, a strike WILL effect them all. And a longer strike will be devistating for the industry as a whole.

(Okay… Back on my non-WGA soapbox…)

That being said, barring a miracle today, the strike will begin tomorrow. My belief is that the only way the strike will have an impact will be if the strike hits anywhere and everywhere is legally can. That means those sites where you can disrupt the production and also those sites where WGA members are still working.

I agree that some showrunners will continue to function in areas of post or production. As hyphenates, they do have their contractual obligations to honor. But, unless the Guild gets out in huge numbers and hits some of the less then traditional studios sites, this strike will drag on. Casting sessions. Editing Rooms. Sets/locations. If WGA members are performing work, you should be there with a picket, too! Maybe these hyphenates are honoring that contractual obligation, but nothing says you can’t make it a little uncomfortable for them…!

Remember that the idea of pickets is to cause disruption. You can do it legally and effectively if you get a couple thousand members to show up. Can you imagine if just 20% of the current WGA membership showed up to picket on the first couple days? That’s 2400 picketers! Imagine what a statement that would make! Imagine of you had 50% or 6000 members on the picket line. I assure you, talks will resume by the end of the week, if not sooner.

The sheer numbers of strikers would allow you to picket places where all phases of production (prep, production, and post) might be disrupted. As somebody in an earlier post indicated, these have to be “direct employers, ” and if planned correctly, they can be. The casting directors, the editors, etc. are all hired by the shows to perform services. Yes, some are contract employees and not salaried — it shouldn’t matter. They directly service the individual productions.

Go out BIG. Hit ‘em everywhere. Shut the town down. But, be professional and respectful of the crew members that have to cross the line. They don’t have a choice in the matter. But they will be much happier if the sheer WGA presence helps force a quick end to this mess.

Oops… Let me clarify “non-WGA soapbox.” I’m DGA, not WGA. But would love to see you guys force the issue and a quick solution.

From SusanC #50: Are you willing to go the distance and really piss off the opposition.

This, in a nutshell, is a major part of the problem with the WGA’s approach. Anyone who’s ever been involved in negotiating knows that “pissing off the opposition” makes eventual settlement much more difficult.

The corporate campaign, the incessant name calling of Nick Counter and his evil corporations, the game with the chairs, etc. have done nothing but make the AMPTP more determined to hold firm. Piss them off enough, and they stop thinking financially and start thinking emotionally. Get them in that state, and their goal goes from trying to teach the WGA a lesson, to trying to destroy the WGA.

Pissing off the AMPTP is a foolish goal. Trying to get the public pissed off at the AMPTP is a fool’s errand. Keep your eye on the ball, and don’t let the fact that you’re pissed off cloud your strategy.

In the history of unions, half-measures never worked.

Really? No good contracts have ever been negotiated without a scorched-earth approach, without a long, damaging strike, without both sides becoming enraged at each other? Actually, your understanding of the history of unions is naive and, well, a little dangerous (and I say this not so much to SusanC as to the WGA leadership).

Eventually this will be settled. Eventually writers will again write for the AMPTP. What do you want that post-strike working environment to be like? The more this becomes about pissing people off, the worse it will be during the strike, and the worse it will be after the strike.

Pepe,

“Travis, if you are going to refer to Teamsters as “rolled-up shirtsleeves struggling proles” I’d personally prefer you do it at your own stupid website. Not one that is on the front lines of this labor battle.”

This isn’t the front line of the labor battle. This is a blog.

If you want to see the front lines, they’ll be all over town on Monday morning.

Interested:

I was responding to the YouTube spots mentioned above and suggestion of op-ed pieces as an avenue for gaining public support.

If you are going to bring your plight to the public you have to do it right.

And once you do state your plight to the public —what is your goal?

Do you want them to respond — “Aw, too bad.”

Or, do you want them to exert pressure on your opposition.

It has to be the latter otherwise there’s no reason to state your case to JoeAverage at all.

In my humble non-pro opinion the concessions made to end the 1988 strike created this problem. The WGA has a history now — and the opposition is counting on a similar WGA concession this time.

To prove them wrong — members will have to go all the way.

SusanC,

I think the goal should be both. I think you need sympathy from those who wouldn’t ordinarily get involved and activism from those who would.

Susan B.

Hoffa’s twin,

…I really wanted to insult you, but since you’ve proven you can’t read without an appendix I’m going to leave it…

Nikki Finke is reporting John Wells has been drafted into acting as a sort of backchannel mediator… Very interesting.

I know it’s not related to the subject, but…

you doing a Trilogy to that annoying “Tintin” but you dont doing even one movie to the brilliant masterpiece “Alfred J. Kwak”? (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/AlfredJ.Kwak%28TVseries%29) you should be ashamed of yourselves.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IZWWGqViUKg

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MSdbKFCZFNw

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zBXvWYVsXCA

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XgDGgxul1_o

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XiDQx67ZOX8

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qFTTTuqw4Zc

I hate to tell you this, but the term “JoeAverage” is condescending beyond belief. And that condescension is coming through loud and clear in what little public outreach I’ve seen so far.

Second, I think the idea of getting the general public “involved,” much less “active” is hopelessly naive. Do you see the general public really getting involved and active in global warming, or the war in Iraq, or any other hugely important issue that isn’t happening right now, in their backyard? I don’t. Is it possible that audiences across America will rise up to fight for Hollywood writers? Please.

A reasonable goal might be to inform the public of the central issues. That won’t lead anyone outside Hollywood to try to put pressure on the AMPTP, since that’s a hopeless goal, but it might counteract some of the negative press you’re getting.

And so far, the informational stuff I’ve seen writers putting out has been pathetic. Telling the public, as I saw recently on HollywoodUnited, that the average Hollywood writer makes $5000 a year from writing, is so ridiculous that it just makes people not believe anything you have to say.

The average Hollywood writer does NOT make $5,000 a year.

That’s just a gross misrepresentation.

I believe that’s the median (not mean), and it includes all of the members of the WGA who earn nothing in a given year…

…and there are a lot of those writers. Thousands, I believe.

The better stat is…

…what’s the mean average of writers who have been employed within the last year?

I mean, if you care about stats being useful.

I hate it when the Guild tries to prove a point by painting writers as five-thousand-aires. Ridiculous.

SML,

Groveling for Teamster solidarity after your Guild rolled en masse over our last picket line is insult enough. But thanks for chirping in.

SML,

You win!

It’s over!

Hit the bricks, man. You are ON strike. You’re in the top 3% of wage-earners in America! Go get more! Kick ass, On The Waterfront-style!

There are 302,000,000 citizens in this country, and 6,000 solid supporters are behind you all the way!!!

Nice work, dipshit. Enjoy your rice!