Do you know what a showrunner is? They are the folks that are writers/producers on TV shows, and their job is to make sure scripts are written and shows are produced and edited. Guess what? Most of the TV industry’s showrunners are on strike, maybe all of them soon. That means NO more production on TV shows. So don’t expect to see any new Heroes, The Office, and more, after they run out of shows already in the can.
By the way, The Office is confirmed to have shut down ALL production. But what about other TV shows? What about movies? Writers Guild of America (WGA) members are picketing outside studios in L.A. and NYC.
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NBC tried getting an alternate ending to officially end Heroes‘ season in December if the strike happens, and creator/producer/writer Tim Kring refused. I have heard rumors he’s off the show, but that might mean is walking the picket line.
Daytime and nighttime talk is now in reruns, because there are no writers. Guess Letterman doesn’t want to try new episodes of his show without writers, like he did during the last strike in 1988.
The only thing still going are movies, because showrunners don’t exist there. Instead, it’s Line Producers handling the production with their teams. Scripts are in, time to start production, but no re-writes during filming can really hurt. But after late next June, if there’s a Screen Actors Guild (SAG) strike, there won’t be anything for a long time. And SAG members are walking the lines, too. Directors Guild of America (DGA) could also strike next year with SAG; I haven’t heard any reports of DGA members walking the line.
If the WGA, DGA and SAG all strike together (ie, no deal is made with the WGA), it could destroy the film and television industry for a long time.
So why can’t the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers (AMPTP, including studios) and the WGA come together? While negotiating last night, in L.A. with the WGA West branch, the East branch of the WGA went on strike at midnight EST. The AMPTP didn’t know about this until around 9:30 PST, and they quickly suspended talks. There apparently was real progress being made, but the WGA West knew East was striking during the last-minute negotiations, and the AMPTP are angry they didn’t try to delay the East’s strike.
Not to mention the WGA’s anger with the deals they want for their members.
Which meant that unless a deal is reached, no new narrative shows (Heroes, etc.) after a few weeks, and no talk shows starting NOW. (Well, with The View off the air, maybe that’s okay. *Wink*.)
I’m not a big fan, but I know there are plenty who love The Daily Show and The Colbert Report. Off the air for the time being.
Will there be a new South Park Wednesday? Yes, so far there will be. South Park’s writers, producers, etc., can change the show even a couple of days before it airs, so a strike may have had an impact, unless they wrapped it up, writing-wise, by Sunday.
More soon. I’m going to say one thing; billions are being lost for all sides, and I think the general public will start to get irate with both parties when reruns and reality TV dominates. Plus, local stations, advertisers and businesses all get hurt by the strike, which hurts everyone else. Believe me! WGA and AMPTP, please put aside hurt feelings and ego, start negotiating quick!
Sources: Ain’t It Cool News, Deadline Hollywood Daily, Mania
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15 Comments
Y’know… as frustrating as it is for us as fans… I’m actually on the writers’ side on this. They’ve been at the bottom of the barrel for so long in Hollywood, it’s ridiculous. Wasn’t it only a few years ago that they were given contractual access to the sets of films they wrote?
I mean, seriously… the single most important element of film and television is the script. It’s the blueprint… and, without a blueprint, few actors or directors will be able to make anything but experimental arthouse media. Without actors, you can do animation. Without directors, you can make graphic novels or lower-quality film.
Yet - in spite of this - a bit of recognition through DVD sales etc. is way to much to ask for. Studios make a mint on old TV shows and can’t offer an extra few cents per sale to the people that made them worthy of multi-generational interest?
It’s a joke… and I, for one, will be happy to wait awhile, if that’s what it takes. Heck… perhaps they can stop paying certain actors $20million plus if it’s such a problem to pay up.
too*
(Whoops…)
Well, I always said if the actors strike, it’ll be like sports stars striking. The fans/audience will hit them with backlash.
I think the main concern is New Media (downloads, etc.).
Heath
Heath,
GREAT piece, bud. And yeah, I’m with the writers on this one. They’re so critical to the process but for the most part I’m sure they get the relatively short end of the stick.
Kane, nice to see you around again.
Vic
On TV, writers are king. In film, they get all the blame if it bombs, none of the praise if it does well.
heath
I too am on their side,I just want this to be over soon.
I love the Colbert Report,its waaaaaay funnier than the Daily show with JS,IMO.
I can see a South Park episode about this strike sometime in the near future……..
Will this strike affect animated projects,like The Batman and the upcoming Spectacular Spider-Man? I hope not.
Again,excelclecnt piece,Heath.:-)
I just find it insanely ironic that so many talk shows can’t survive on the wit of their hosts and had to be shut down because of the strike.
Vic
LOL! Same here,Vic!
Kel,
Thanks for the compliment. I think animation isn’t covered. I saw something about it somewhere. I’ll search around.
heath
Lost news:
http://www.comingsoon.net/news/tvnews.php?id=39069
If the strike lasts a while, you will only see half of the season (8 episodes–yes, they dropped it down quite a number).
heath
I’ve visited the Writers Guild of America website and looked over the information about the strike, and it’s interesting to see just what points they’re stuck on. In the words of the writers, the AMPTP wanted the writers to agree to this.
“• No jurisdiction for most of new media writing.
• No economic proposal for the part of new media writing where they do propose to give coverage.
• Internet downloads at the DVD rate.
• No residual for streaming video of theatrical product.
• A “promotional” proposal that allows them to reuse even complete movies or TV shows on any platform with no residual. This proposal alone destroys residuals.
• A “window” of free reuse on the Internet that makes a mockery of any residual.”
(from http://www.wga.org/subpage_member.aspx?id=2540)
As a writer myself, (not of TV or movies, but a writer nonetheless) I have to side with the writers on this. They deserve this money, and some of them, if not all of them, may need the money they’re not getting. If a writer can’t make a suitable living writing, he’ll have to find something else to do.
As for animation, it seems like it depends on the company doing the animation, and whether the writers for that show are covered by a WGA contract. In other words, it might vary from series to series. The rules of the strike are on the WGA website, so you can go and look at them if you want.
My only gripe is that Paul Haggis was recently paid $4-5 million by Sony to write the latest Bond script, and then he walked the picket line outside Sony’s studio. Huh…
heath
Thanks for the answers,guys.
Heath I’ve heard of actors getting 10 million for a few episodic tv shows.
5 milion to scribe Bond seems like a bargan.
^
As much as it sucks to see 24, Heroes, Prison Break and other shows I will allways stand behind the writers.
^
Just looking at the contract restrictions you can see how tightassed the studios are. They don’t want to share any of the streaming profits, that’s just plain greedy as hell.
^
The writers are not budging on this point because they know that if they don’t make a stand now they will collectivly loose alot of revenue in the not to distant future.
^
The studios are on the edge of making all their product availible streaming but there waiting for the writers to agree to this BS deal so that they dont have to pay them.
The studios are destroying Heroes, 24 and the rest by not giving them a fair deal. I blame them and hold them responsable!
To me, I’m on no sides, really. I have a LOT of friends who are below-the-line, making decent money, but nowhere NEAR what writers, actors, producers and directors make. They effectively put a ton of people out of work. A whole lot.
To me, I blame both the studios and the WGA for not reaching a deal, because they’re affecting many larger numbers of workers in the industry who make far, far less than either come up with.
That’s my .02.
What's your opinion? Leave a comment!