Support NeoGAF

[MIMIC]

This link leads to a full-page ad taken out by the WGA in Variety--it lists showrunners who aren't doing any writing, or assigning any writing to their staffs, until they get a deal

OH MY GOD

 

[MIMIC]

Notable shows from that link that will be affected:

30 Rock
Everybody Hates Chris
Family Guy
American Dad
The Office
Grey's Anatomy
Heroes
House
The Shield
The Unit
The Simpsons
King of the Hill
Smallville
The Closer
Cold Case
Law & Order
CSI
The Tonight Show with Jay Leno
Lost
Two and a Half Men
The Wire
ER
My Name Is Earl

No 24 yet

 

[Kevtones]

Everyone I know in the WGA hates the WGA.

 

[neonglow]

This link leads to a full-page ad taken out by the WGA in Variety--it lists showrunners who aren't doing any writing, or assigning any writing to their staffs, until they get a deal.

The Wire is listed, but as I understand it the final season's already done, so that's a show of solidarity more than anything else.

There's a lot of new shows on that list. This strike can't be helping those shows find an audience. I wonder how the writers on those shows will feel if this thing is prolonged and they find themselves out of a job.

 

[Prospero]

I've been asked to stand on a picket line by my strike captain so looks like I'll be in LA most of next week. As fucked-up and depressing as this situation is, I'm looking forward to making my sign this weekend.

Unfortunately, some are not as enthusiastic as you are:

I Need Somebody to take my place on the picket line

[...]It is supposed to be hot next week so I don't feel like marching with "my brothers." Will you take my place for $10.00 an hour? This could be steady work if the strike lasts a long time. You must be able to work for 4 hours a day, five days a week.

You need to at least look a bit like me too.My strike Captain does not know what I look like so close is fine. I'm white, 6'2" and have brown hair.

Email me if you want the gig

Location: Universal City
it's NOT ok to contact this poster with services or other commercial interests
Compensation: $10.00 per hour

 

[chubigans]

Just updated the OP with all the news we know so far, and will update accordingly.

 

[Dan]

No 24 yet

Yeah, uh, just because it's not on that list, doesn't mean it won't be affected. That ad is just a declaration by certain showrunners of complete solidarity, not some bizarre selection of what shows' writers are involved.

 

[guess]

The Big Bang Theory

 

[Servbot #42]

No 24 yet

24 is fucked,as this links says they only have completed a few episodes, remember the rewrites they had to make plus the delayed shooting?.

However, FOX will have a tough decision in this regard with 24 - the heavily serialized program got a much later start filming this year than usual because of several production problems and rewrites and probably would also only have about 8 completed episodes to air, leaving as many as 16 hours of Jack Bauer's next dangerous day unresolved for quite some time.

 

[MIMIC]

God dammit

 

[ParticleReality]

I assume they want money right?

Carol Barbee
(Jericho, Swingtown)

Thanks for fucking over Jericho you bitch.

 

[chubigans]

I assume they want money right?





Thanks for fucking over Jericho you bitch.

Please read the OP.

 

[ParticleReality]

Edit: Fuck it. She only wrote 2 episodes, were not losing much.

 

[border]

Errrr, Jericho is completely in the can. Whether or not it comes back is dependent on the ratings of those finished episodes. Without a lot of competition next spring, Jericho is likely to do pretty well.

 

[Matt_C]

Why is there that much support for these guilds these days? Doesn't the studios realize that there are billions of other tallented writers who are out there not restricted by out-of-date labor unions? It's not like these writers work with dangerous machinery. Also, what's so bad about hiring writers directly as regular employees like people who work at games companies? I am certain that it would be at the benefit of production companies to have their own internal writing staff, with regular wages, without interfearence of a third party. Honestly, many of these writers would not mind having a regular wage with benefits without royalties. In other industries, I do not see people complain about not getting royalties for sales being sold, mail being ship, or bugers served. Instead why not offer the writers company stock or 401ks like other established businesses? I just wish Hollywood would move into the 21st century like other entertainment based industries like gaming and comics.

Spoiler

Yes I am aware of the irony of my avatar and this topic. It's not like Rob Hubbard gets that many royalities from his days at EA, c64 days, or his modern cellphone gaming work

 

[BigJonsson]

Jack Bauer doesn't need writers, he can just yell DAMMIT and shoot people up each week

 

[Blader]

Don't the producers of 24 usually write the scripts? Would they be bound to the WGA?

 

[dead souls]

Don't the producers of 24 usually write the scripts? Would they be bound to the WGA?

Everybody who writes anything in hollywood is a member of, or as you put it bound to, the WGA.

 

[Servbot #42]

Don't the producers of 24 usually write the scripts? Would they be bound to the WGA?

if they are members, which they probably are.

 

[Dan]

Edit: Fuck it. She only wrote 2 episodes, were not losing much.

Wow, you really don't understand how this works, do you?

 

[p01ar]

Yup, but with most animated shows, scripts are in the can far ahead of schedule.

The South Park guys have said they they often rewrite the show over the weekend and pull all nighters to get the show up Wednesday. I know that they have to deliver for air about 6 hours before it goes up.

This is a rare case, but that is how they are often able to react so quickly to the news.

 

[BenjaminBirdie]

NOT LINDELCUSE. NOT FUCKING LINDELCUSE OH MY FUCKING LORD.

One, two, princes kneel before you
(thats what I said, now)
Princes, princes who adore you
(just go ahead, now)
One has diamonds in his pockets
(that sounds great, now)
This one, said he wants to buy you lockets
(aint in his head, now)

 

[ParticleReality]

Wow, you really don't understand how this works, do you?

No and I don't care. She can be replaced.

 

[BobFromPikeCreek]

Rob McElhenney
(It's Always Sunny in

No, Mac! Why!?!?!

 

[grandjedi6]

No and I don't care. She can be replaced.

No she can't. Every writer is in WGA. And If you aren't in the WGA you can't write in hollywood. So every writer in hollywood is on strike

 

[Blader]

No, Mac! Why!?!?!

Imagining Mac on the picket lines...:lol

 

[grandjedi6]

Imagining Mac on the picket lines...:lol

Doesn't this mean every writer has to picket eventually, including Jon Stewart and other talk show hosts :lol

 

[ParticleReality]

No she can't. Every writer is in WGA. And If you aren't in the WGA you can't write in hollywood. So every writer in hollywood is on strike

What bullshit, why the fuck would anyone have to join such a thing to write scripts.

 

[Kelsonk]

Is this "picket line" a metaphorical thing, or are there literally gonna be a bunch of writers holding up signs outside of studios?

 

[JoshuaJSlone]

What bullshit, why the fuck would anyone have to join such a thing to write scripts.

So that they can decently benefit from writing the scripts.

 

[grandjedi6]

What bullshit, why the fuck would anyone have to join such a thing to write scripts.

You basically have to join WGA to write for TV shows or movies as a job

Is this "picket line" a metaphorical thing, or are there literally gonna be a bunch of writers holding up signs outside of studios?

They are literally going to be holding up signs.

 

[The Elite]

Notable shows from that link that will be affected:

30 Rock
Everybody Hates Chris
Family Guy
American Dad
The Office
Grey's Anatomy
Heroes
House
The Shield
The Unit
The Simpsons
King of the Hill
Smallville
The Closer
Cold Case
Law & Order
CSI
The Tonight Show with Jay Leno
Lost
Two and a Half Men
The Wire
ER
My Name Is Earl

No 24 yet

24 is probably the most affected. They had rewrite the whole story due to Fox backing out on the original concept for the 7th season. Lost has only two scripts missing from the 16 it had planned.

 

[whytemyke]

Imagining Mac on the picket lines...:lol

That alone would be a sweet premise for an episode.

"No man! We could be scabs!" Danny Devito gets pissed though and joins the picketers. I dunno, just sounds like something they'd use as a premise for the show.

 

[jamesinclair]

Josh Schwartz
(Chuck, Gossip Girl)

Well that answers my question on if writer/producer/director/creators are affected.

But JJ isnt on the list, so my fingers are crossed he said fuck the guild.


Thats all I need really, lost.

 

[suaveric]

Josh Schwartz
(Chuck, Gossip Girl)

Well that answers my question on if writer/producer/director/creators are affected.

But JJ isnt on the list, so my fingers are crossed he said fuck the guild.


Thats all I need really, lost.

JJ Doesn't run Lost, the guys who do are on the list, fyi

 

[border]

They had rewrite the whole story due to Fox backing out on the original concept for the 7th season.

What was the original concept?

 

[Gary Whitta]

So that they can decently benefit from writing the scripts.

Fantastic health and pension plans, too.

 

[chubigans]

What was the original concept?

Something to do with Africa I think.

 

[Blader]

What was the original concept?

The first two episodes or so were set in Africa, but it was nothing too radical plot-wise IIRC.

 

[Branduil]

Yes, you're missing something. Union contracts specify that certain positions are union held positions. You must be in the union to work that job, and the company can't hire you unless you become a member. It's how unions work.

How is that legal?

 

[Brannon]

Can the powers that be make an episode of something without writing a script? Just wing it?

Would probably be a comedy...

 

[Ford Prefect]

LA Times has some info on the effect on particular shows:

http://www.latimes.com/entertainmen...75998.photogallery?coll=la-home-entertainment

Here's a look at where many shows stand:

"Colbert Report" and "The Daily Show," late night

Would go into repeats immediately.

NO OH MY FUCKING GOD NO OH PLEASE NO OH MY GOD NO

 

[grandjedi6]

Can the powers that be make an episode of something without writing a script? Just wing it?

Would probably be a comedy...

Not really. You can't write the script so it would either have to be a reality show or improvisation. And few actors can do improvisation well.

NO OH MY FUCKING GOD NO OH PLEASE NO OH MY GOD NO

What else are they to do? I mean they might be able to run some shows if it was all episodes made of interviews. I'm just disappointed that we may not see Colbert's reaction to being shot down for the primary

 

[Ford Prefect]

I'm just disappointed that we may not see Colbert's reaction to being shot down for the primary

Did he not learn by Thursday's show? I'm day behind in Daily Show/Colbert Report tivo's, so I still have one sweet episode of each to savor.

Spoiler

So, just to be absolutely clear: In the event of a strike, we, the following showrunners, will do no writing and no story breaking — nor will any be asked of our writing staffs — until we get a deal.

What's "story breaking"?

 

[JoshuaJSlone]

I'm just disappointed that we may not see Colbert's reaction to being shot down for the primary

Yeah, if not for this situation I doubt he'd have accepted defeat within the course of one episode.

 

[Gary Whitta]

What's "story breaking"?

It's when the writers take the overall rough story outline for a TV episode and break it down/flesh it out into its individual scenes.

 

[Brannon]

oh My GOD I have The Final Solution!

See, in the Writer's Guild Assossciation, you have to be able to WRITE. But what if you don't WRITE? What if you make a video of yourself saying who says what and how and when and all of that? They're not WRITING anything, they're DIRECTING with hints of micromanagement...

It could totally work!









Now that I've strained that bad idea out of my brain, time for more Phanto... crap I just beat it. More Meteos then.

 

[grandjedi6]

Did he not learn by Thursday's show? I'm day behind in Daily Show/Colbert Report tivo's, so I still have one sweet episode of each to savor.

Spoiler

He did learn on Thursday's episode but it was real quick due to the looming strike. I wanted to see him stretch it out

 

[laesperanzapaz]

What this really hurts are shows like Daily Show/Colbert Report. Or even the Late Night talk shows.

WHAT WHAT WHAT WHAT WHAT WHAT WHAT WHAT WHAT WHAT WHAT WHAT WHAT WHAT

WHAT WHAT WHAT WHAT WHAT WHAT WHAT WHAT WHAT WHAT WHAT WHAT WHAT WHAT












ah, but i still support them. fucking quality writers there

 

[Shouta]

You know, I'd probably scab write for a show (even though I suck) and then slink back to the gallows after the strike was over and back to doing what I planned to do for a career. Too bad I'm not in a position or city to do that, heh.

Anyway, I'll just be watching foreign programming after TV goes into reruns.