The Sphere
General Garbage => Tropical Paradise of Hard Shelled Fruits => Topic started by: B E C K on Nov 15, 2007, 10:34:50 AM
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I decided to make them their own thread. Now taking bets for how long this will last.
A Variety article published a week ago about the strike: http://www.variety.com/article/VR1117975542.html?categoryid=2821&cs=1
In reference to the second photo there, I think the writer of "the Big Bang theory" should remain on permanent strike. :rawr:
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THe Writers for SUPERNATURAL MUST BE GIVEN WHAT THEY WANT! Money! A condo! HAND JOBS! BLOW JOBS! PROSTITUTES! I don't care! They must keep writing! THEY MUST KEEP Making episodes! I'm so PISSED!!
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wtf is Big Bang Theory or Supernatural?
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I read something about some of the newer shows getting a possible ax due to the strike. I kinda like "Dirty Sexy Money" so I'm a tad concerned for its future. Anyway, here's a couple of more strike-related articles:
TV Shows See Strike as a Second Chance - http://www.nytimes.com/2007/11/15/arts/television/15life.html
CBS May Be Biggest Loser in Prolonged Writers Strike (Update1) -
http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601213&sid=adNkJqAT7iMA&refer=home
And only 8 episodes of LOST got done before the strike. Bah. I guess waiting again for new episodes will be nothing new.
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Strike Chart: How Long Before Your Shows Go Dark?
http://community.tvguide.com/blog-entry/TVGuide-Editors-Blog/Ausiello-Report/Strike-Chart-Long/800026937
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What are they striking about again? They took away the funyuns in the lounge?
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I thought it was about DVD money, but then the writers took that off the table and the execs still wouldn't meet the lesser demands. So fuck it. I'm not sure if this affects me in anyway. I don't know exactly when they start casting for pilots. I don't watch these shows so theres no complain on that end.
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They should get DVD money though. Course I may be bias.
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It's the Internet money that's the biggest concern. Fullblown episodes of shows are being sold legally online, and the writers aren't getting a cut.
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Again...they should get money for that. If you ask me they should get the same cut of DVD and online sales of the show as they do for when it airs on network TV. It should be an across the board precent that covers every way, shape, and form, in which that product is sold.
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Yeah, what E said. Apparently none of the execs want to discuss it. I think they should pay writers residuals for the online stuff. Maybe more of their profits going to the writers will make them double-think some of the crap that gets out there in the first place.
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Again...they should get money for that. If you ask me they should get the same cut of DVD and online sales of the show as they do for when it airs on network TV. It should be an across the board precent that covers every way, shape, and form, in which that product is sold.
Absolutely. All of this should have been handled years ago.
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Well, Fox has a solution, Air the Eps without the Writers!
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Yay, "Dirty Sexy Money" got picked up. Hopefully the strike will work out and everyone can get back to work.
Well, Fox has a solution, Air the Eps without the Writers!
You mean their reality teevee-fest? I guess we can't say we didn't see that one coming.
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I actually found myself somewhat enjoying one new series this season... Chuck. The CIA agent's hot and I'm not exactly sure why he hasn't boned her yet.
That was what I was thinking when I watched the only episode I've seen of it. And then the CIA girl, who's pretending to be Chuck's GF, told him they had to sleep in the same room together to keep up their facade of dating... but no sex, which pissed off the sexually frustrated Chuck... although he was more pissed that a girl who worked at the mall with him had the hots for him but wouldn't date him because she thought he was dating the CIA agent... and then when the agent told Chuck she didn't have feelings for him he called off the fake relationship and went after the mall chick leaving the agent feeling all emo because she really did like Chuck.... god it's like Melrose Place with secret agents. No problem with writing episodes here....
oh yea, give the writers the damn money.
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Apparently Seth MacFarlane of Family Guy fame's involved in the strike too. That's HUGE leverage against Fox.
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Two week recap: http://www.tvfodder.com/archives/2007/11/wga_strike_repo_1.shtml
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Here is the email that went out from the guy that runs The Shield:
Showrunner Explains Why He’s On Strike
I’m receiving a lot of reports of TV showrunners and hyphenates choosing not to work on their shows during the WGA strike. I’ll update this post with names as I receive them. But here is an email sent around this morning by Shawn Ryan, the showrunner of The Shield, The Unit, and The Oaks and also a member of the WGA Negotiating Committee, explaining to fellow showrunners and TV writers what decision he’s reached and why:
“As you all know by now, we are on Strike. It’s sad that we have arrived here and I don’t know each and every one of your opinions, but I wanted to share my personal plans for what I intend to do until we have a fair contract.
I am currently quoted in today’s Hollywood Reporter as saying that I will do some producing work, but won’t do any editing as I consider that to be writing. While I said something similar to that earlier last week (I’ve learned you can’t trust a word of what these trades report), that was before I went to the Showrunners Meeting yesterday and became very crystalized in what I need to do. Like many of you I have spent the last week contemplating what to do in case of a strike. What are my responsibilities to my writers, my cast, my crew, my network and my contract? How do I balance these various concerns?
At the Showrunners Meeting it became very clear to me that the only thing I can do as a showrunner is to do nothing. I obviously will not write on my shows. But I also will not edit, I will not cast, I will not look at location photos, I will not get on the phone with the network and studio, I will not prep directors, I will not review mixes. These are all acts that are about the writing of the show or protecting the writing of the show, and as such, I will not participate in them. I will also not ask any of my writer/producers to do any of these things for me, so that they get done, but I can save face.
I will not go into the office and I will not do any work at home. I will be on the picket line or I will be working with the Negotiating Committee. I will not have an avid sent to my house, or to a new office so that I can do work on my show and act as if it is all right because I’m not crossing any picket lines.
I truly believe that the best and fastest way to a good contract is to hit these companies early, to hit them hard and to deprive them of ALL the work we do on their behalf.
How do we ask our staff writers to go out on strike as we continue collecting producer checks? How do we ask the Teamsters to respect our picket lines if we won’t ourselves or if we’re sneaking around to do the work off-site?
Just so you all know what I am prepared to give up….
Tomorrow, we begin to film the Series Finale of The Shield. I think it’s the best script our writing staff has ever written. This is the show that made me. This is the show that is my baby. If the strike goes on longer than two weeks, I won’t be able to step on set for the final episode of the show. I won’t have a writer on set, as I have had on every episode since the fourth episode. I won’t be able to edit this final culminating episode. I won’t go to the wrap party that Fox TV and FX are paying for. You can’t tell me that any episode of television is more important than this one is to me, and I am ready to forego all those things in order to strengthen my union.
Tomorrow, we begin filming a new pilot, The Oaks, that I am Executive Producing. It’s an amazing script that David Schulner wrote and I signed up to help him make this show. Until we have a fair deal I cannot do that now and it kills me.
We are currently filming Season 3 of The Unit, a show that does fairly well, but against House and Dancing With The Stars, usually finishes in 3rd place. We have no guarantee that we will back for a 4th season. I just gave a director friend of mine his first TV directing gig. I’d like to see him succeed. He’ll have to finish the show on his own now without a writer on set, or my help in the editing room.
Some people have made the argument that if they don’t do this producing work or this editing, that someone else will do it, and this act won’t hurt the companies. I respectfully disagree. If we ALL stop ALL work tomorrow, the impact of this strike will be felt much more quickly, much more acutely and it most likely will end sooner, putting our writers, our cast and our crews back to work sooner!
I spent nearly 12 hours today in the Negotiation Room with the companies. I watched our side desperately try to make a deal. We gave up our request to increase revenue on DVD’s, something that was very painful to give up, but something we felt we had to in order to get a deal made in new media, which is our future.
I watched as the company’s representatives treated us horrendously, disrespectfully, and then walked out on us at 9:30 and then lied to the trades, claiming we had broken off negotiations.
I can’t in good conscience fight these bastards with one hand, while operating an avid with the other. I am on strike and I am not working for them. PERIOD.
You will use your own instincts and consciences to decide your own actions. But if you would like to follow in my footsteps (and those of many, many others who made this pledge at the showrunner’s meating on Saturday), I encourage you to sign the trade ad that the WGA will be putting out on Tuesday by the dozens and dozens of showrunners who will simply not work at all beginning in the morning.”
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"meating".
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Why can't they just sign the deal? They're sacrificing a larger cut in the DVD profits to get SOMETHING in Internet sales, DAMN IT COMPANIES!!!
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Because the corporates will ground these artists into dust! They will submit completely or go back to eating ramen and hot dogs!
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"meating".
Sounds hot.
Poor Shield guy. I hope things turn out all right for him.
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UPDATED: Press Blackout Lifted -- Companies Offer Rollbacks (http://unitedhollywood.blogspot.com/2007/11/press-blackout-lifted-companies-offer.html)
The first comment to the article on that page is by Wil Wheaton, which brought me to this:
Can media conglomerates afford to pay the writers? (http://wilwheaton.typepad.com/wwdnbackup/2007/11/can-media-congl.html)
Oh, and Carson Daly is lame (http://unitedhollywood.blogspot.com/2007/11/exciting-employment-opportunity.html). But you already knew that.
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An interesting blog: Animation Writers (http://animationwriters.blogspot.com/)
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Yeah I forget what the deal is with animation. It's like they've been getting raped harder the whole time and no one (not even WGA) cares?
I wasn't even aware Carson still had a show.
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America didn't know either... though they still don't care.
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I liked one of the comments that was all "I thought Carson was dead." :lol:
I came across this other site, I think it's one linked by Wil Wheaton. And one of the blog entries is about things you as an audience member can do to help the strike. And as sorry as I am to say it, it's completely unrealistic. To paraphase off the top of my head, there were things like "stop buying and renting DVDs", "stop going to the movies", "stop watching TV", "call Les Moonves". Come on, now. And then the person would say something like "well if you don't stop going to the movies, at least stop seeing movies by the following four companies, blah blah blah".
I dunno, but I just trust that if this strike goes on for too long, the audience will be ready to roast the companies. Especially the LOSTies after we've had to wait nearly a solid year for a promised solid stream of new eppys, just to get a short stack. More than one blog has also made it clear that if the WGA demands were met, it would cost less than what it costed to make "Transformers". FTW.
However, there was also mention that contracts with the screen actors and directors' guilds would be up next June. So if the writers' get what they want, then that would call for increases with the other two. And if the writers' don't, the other guilds would be fucked.
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I don't see how the other guilds would be fucked but if the corps give up money to the writers it would show weakness and the other guilds could move in for the kill. I'm not ready to join SAG but it would be nice if scale pay went up for when I am.
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Because the writers would be the first line successfully beaten down, that's how. There was this whole post-thing explaining it, but I'm too lazy to go find it.
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Yeah it would set precedent for refusing demands just like giving in would set precedent for giving in. I don't see why the directors couldn't strike though.
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Strike May Cut Returning "LOST" Season (http://ap.google.com/article/ALeqM5jiDSsxdTUKKKe4gaoB_nSRBRLJ2gD8THJ7PG0)
Letterman to seek deal with writers (http://www.usatoday.com/life/television/news/2007-12-15-letterman-writers_N.htm) (Very awesome and very interesting if talks succeed and the show returns.)
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More stuff on the Letterman return. I've never been a Letterman girl, but is this guy ever getting points with me:
http://www.deadlinehollywooddaily.com/late-night-breakthroughs-and-breaches/
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I'm seeing "New episodes of Leno/Conan Jan 2nd" in their shows... did they find new writers or is this strike over?
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The strike is not over and doesn't look like it's reaching its end anytime soon. Everyone who isn't David Letterman and Craig Ferguson that are returning are doing so without writers. Leno and Conan O'Brien are members of the guild themselves, and therefore barred from writing monologues. They can improv and that's the extent of it. Expect lots guest focus, assuming people will want to go on the shows (since it could be viewed as them not being supportive of the strike). The Daily Show and the Colbert Report are also supposed to be coming back, but I don't know what the hell they're gonna do with no writers. I think Jimmy Kimmel may also be coming back. A lot of these people are getting desperate and if they don't come back, virtually all of their non-writing staff will be jobless. If Letterman's deal comes through, he and Ferguson (since his show is owned by the same company, Worldwide Pants) will be the only two that return with writers.
Expect schedule changes in the next year as networks scramble for new material to air. Some shows will be leaving the schedule entirely (on what is supposed to be a temporarily basis) as a result.
EDIT: Corrected a mistake.
Also, it is done: Letterman And Writers Strike Deal, Giving CBS The Edge (http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/12/28/AR2007122802625.html?hpid=moreheadlines)
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In case you get some BS about having to register, I copied the above link here:
Letterman And Writers Strike Deal, Giving CBS The Edge
Craig Ferguson's show, owned by Letterman, also gets its writers back. (By Frederick M. Brown -- Getty Images)
David Letterman's Worldwide Pants company negotiated its own pact with the striking Writers Guild. (By Jeffrey R. Staab -- Cbs Via Associated Press)
David Letterman will have some help being funny when his talk show returns to the air next week.
Letterman's production company yesterday became the first to cut a deal with the striking Writers Guild of America, enabling "Late Show With David Letterman" and "Late Late Show With Craig Ferguson" to resume production with their writing staffs.
Letterman's Worldwide Pants, which owns both shows, worked out the agreement just days before late-night talk shows will resume after an eight-week hiatus. The disruption was caused by the writers' strike that has stopped production of dramas, sitcoms and talk shows. Almost all of the talk shows have said they will return Wednesday, but without writers. "The Daily Show" and "The Colbert Report" on Comedy Central will return the following Monday, Jan. 7.
The agreement gives huge leverage to Letterman and CBS, which will now have the only late-night shows with material written by professional writers. That will include topical monologues and other bits, such as Letterman's signature top 10 list. Other talk shows are still scrambling to patch together material without writers. Under union strike rules, the shows' staffs can't write anything that the writers would have written.
In addition, Letterman and Ferguson will be the only shows that can regularly attract big-name celebrities without fear of a picket line. Out of solidarity with striking writers, TV and movie actors have been reluctant to appear on "The Ellen DeGeneres Show" and "Last Call With Carson Daly," the two talk shows that have gone back on the air. The writers' guild has objected to both. Neither Letterman nor Ferguson have announced guest lineups for their first shows next week.
By creating a separate agreement with Letterman, the writers' union hopes to put pressure on all of the networks to come to a comprehensive settlement. Without writers or famous guests, the other shows will probably lose viewers to Letterman.
"I am grateful to the WGA for granting us this agreement," Letterman said in a statement issued by his company. "We're happy to be going back to work, and particularly pleased to be doing it with our writers. This is not a solution to the strike, which unfortunately continues to disrupt the lives of thousands. But I hope it will be seen as a step in the right direction."
A deal between the union and Letterman, who is a 30-year member of the writers' union, was possible because his company owns the two talk shows. The other talk shows are owned by the networks and the studio conglomerates against which the writers are striking.
A key issue in the dispute is how writers should be compensated when the networks and movie studios distribute films and TV shows over new media, such as the Internet. The WGA called its deal with Worldwide Pants "a comprehensive agreement that addresses the issues important to writers, particularly new media. . . . Today's agreement dramatically illustrates that the Writers Guild wants to put people back to work, and that when a company comes to the table prepared to negotiate seriously, a fair and reasonable deal can be reached quickly."
While CBS continues to hold the digital rights to Letterman's shows, a union representative, Neal Sacharow, said Worldwide Pants will "take full responsibility" for paying writers when CBS makes money from the shows in new-media formats.
The union said that Worldwide Pants "had accepted the very same proposals that the Guild was prepared to present to the media conglomerates when they walked out of negotiations on Dec. 7," adding, "It's time for NBC Universal to step up to the plate and negotiate a company-wide deal that will put Jay Leno, who has supported our cause from the beginning, back on the air with his writers."
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I was asleep so I missed the return of the late show hosts. Everyone but ABC comes out lousy on our tv anyway.
From USATODAY, Late-night shows return fully bearded — with and without writers (http://www.usatoday.com/life/television/news/2008-01-02-late-night-strike_N.htm). My notes in brackets:
By Gary Levin, USA TODAY
Late-night talk shows returned Wednesday with politicians, some ad-libbed material — and "strike beards."
Off the air since a Writers Guild of America walkout Nov. 5, it was largely a case of haves and have-nots: CBS' Late Show With David Letterman was back with writing staff intact, thanks to a side agreement with the union, and Letterman bounded on stage surrounded by a high-kicking group of female dancers sporting strike placards. "Two long months, but by God, I'm finally out of rehab!" he shouted.
ON LENO: Huckabee plays some bass, says he and Obama are similar
In an opening monologue filled with what seemed like prepared jokes, NBC's Jay Leno said, "we can write for ourselves," [He can? I heard otherwise.] and said he didn't blame Letterman for forging a side deal. "We have to go by ourselves up against the CBS machine." But he said "the strike is especially hard on NBC. Do you know there are actually more people picketing NBC now than watching NBC?"
After a few strike-related jokes — "at ABC, the writers tipped over Regis" — stagehand Biff Henderson asked Letterman, "When are the writers coming back?"
Conan O'Brien, also without writers, vamped to fill time, attempting (in vain) to beat his 41-second record for spinning his wedding ring, and showed a taped segment about his time-wasting office routine since the strike began.
The shows were scarce on A-listers, as top actors feared negative publicity from crossing picket lines. Though Letterman had Robin Williams, Leno had chef Emeril Lagasse. O'Brien had comedian Bob Saget. ABC's Jimmy Kimmel had Andy Dick.
Letterman's top 10 list was recited by striking writers of other shows.
Presidential candidates won some exposure a day before the Iowa caucuses: Mike Huckabee had an extended interview with Leno and jammed on bass with the band; Hillary Clinton opened Letterman's show with a taped joke: "Dave has been off the air for eight long weeks because of the writers' strike. Tonight he's back on. (Pause). Oh well, all good things come to an end."
But a main topic was facial hair: Letterman sported a white beard that prompted Williams to shout, "My God, man, you've aged!" and compare him to Gen. Robert E. Lee, a rabbi, and someone who "should have their own cough drop."
O'Brien said he grew his red beard "out of solidarity for my writers, and to prove that I have some testosterone."
Picketers stayed away from Letterman, but some marched outside O'Brien's Rockefeller Center studios, and they were out in full force at Leno's studio in Burbank, where they were sidestepped by Huckabee, whom picketing M*A*S*H writer Larry Gelbart called "Snuckabee." [He should've called him "Suckabee".]
"The strike is huge and shutting down all of Hollywood," said picketing Two and Half Men star Jon Cryer. "Two shows going on isn't going to change it."
There's a top ten list on that page from Letterman, which gets props for including striking writers but is lame as usual. I like 10 and 6 though.
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Intriguing.
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I'm suprised Letterman, Leno and O'brian don't write their own stuff anyway. If standup comedians write their own shit and can wing it when they run out of material, so can late night hosts. My opininon of these guys has gone way down.
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During the Break I had a chance to Watch Craig Ferguson. That guy's hilarious.
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As members of the guild they weren't supposed to be writing for themselves even I think.
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Of all things that could have possibly returned, why does it have to be late night?
I couldn't laugh at Conan/Letterman/etc. if they were killed on stage and their remains set ablaze.
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I'm suprised Letterman, Leno and O'brian don't write their own stuff anyway. If standup comedians write their own shit and can wing it when they run out of material, so can late night hosts. My opininon of these guys has gone way down.
Well considering O'Brien use to write for both SNL and the Simpsons he would be prefectly capable. I don't even know if he is still a member of the WGA, but I'm sure he was at one time.
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He's still a member. (I've said it at least once in this thread, but I don't blame you for not reading.)
Some more stuff:
First, the NY Times on the fact Jay Leno's been writing monologues (http://www.nytimes.com/2008/01/05/arts/television/05stri.html?ref=business). I've bolded the first few parts because after that, the rest of it goes into non-monologue stuff. Quoted for your convenience:
Leno Faces Writers Guild Action Over Monologues
Paul Drinkwater/NBC
Jay Leno has defied the writers union by writing monologues.
By BILL CARTER
Published: January 5, 2008
The restrictions that the striking Writers Guild of America has placed on late-night television hosts to keep them from writing material for their shows continued to have no impact on the leading late-night star, Jay Leno, who planned once again to write and perform a comedy monologue for NBC’s “Tonight Show” Friday night.
A spokeswoman said Friday that the guild would definitely take some action against Mr. Leno, who is a member.
“The answer is, he is not getting a pass,” said Sherry Goldman, a spokeswoman for the Writers Guild of America East. She said that the action to be taken had not yet been specified.
Patric M. Verrone, president of the Writers Guild of America West, also pledged Friday that the guild would respond to Mr. Leno’s decision to continue writing his monologues.
Another impediment that the guild and its supporters have raised against the affected late-night shows — pressuring high-profile show business guests to avoid appearing on them — is proving to be a serious challenge for “The Tonight Show With Jay Leno” and “Late Night With Conan O’Brien” on NBC, as well as “Jimmy Kimmel Live” on ABC.
All three shows have reported resistance from publicists for many of the guests that the shows typically book. All three declined to release their guest lists for next week’s shows.
“The bookings continue to be tough,” said a representative of one of the shows, who asked not to be identified so as not inflame the opposition from the guild. “Why should we announce guests and invite the guild to try to give cold feet to those people?”
Because David Letterman’s Worldwide Pants production company reached a separate interim agreement with the East and West Coast writers unions, “Late Show With David Letterman” on CBS has been able to return with writers and is starting to assert another advantage it expects to enjoy over the other shows: booking guests.
Since they will not have to cross a picket line to appear with Mr. Letterman or on “Late Late Show With Craig Ferguson” — the show that follows his on CBS, which Worldwide Pants also owns — much bigger stars are lining up for both shows.
The best example: For Monday Mr. Letterman has booked perhaps the most appealing late-night guest from the movie world, Tom Hanks, and also plans an appearance by Mike Huckabee, who just won the Republican presidential caucuses in Iowa. Mr. Letterman is also trying to land the Democratic winner, Senator Barack Obama of Illinois, for Wednesday night.
Political guests, especially Democrats, may gravitate to Mr. Letterman and Mr. Ferguson because they will not have to antagonize labor unions to appear on those shows.
On Wednesday night Mr. Huckabee did turn up as the lead guest on Mr. Leno’s first show after two months off because of the strike, helping Mr. Leno to a dominant ratings win over Mr. Letterman. That was considered a coup for Mr. Leno because Mr. Letterman could use material from his writers, while Mr. Leno declared that he was able to write material for himself. The guild contends that he cannot.
The ratings margin did shrink on Thursday, the second night of strike-affected programming in late night. Yet Mr. Leno still won, drawing an estimated 5.2 million viewers to 4.6 million for Mr. Letterman. On Wednesday the numbers had been 7.2 million for Mr. Leno and 5.5 million for Mr. Letterman.
But in the narrower audience segment of viewers between the ages of 18 and 49, the primary group advertisers seek in late night, Mr. Leno’s edge was even smaller Thursday. In that group he had an advantage of just one-tenth of a rating point: a bit less than 2 million for Mr. Leno and slightly more than 1.8 million for Mr. Letterman.
Two other late-night entries are scheduled to rejoin the competition Monday. “The Daily Show With Jon Stewart” and “The Colbert Report” with Stephen Colbert will both resume production on the Comedy Central cable channel. The shows have been seeking to make their own deal with the Writers Guild for an agreement similar to the one Worldwide Pants was able to reach.
The shows have contended in negotiations with the guild that they have just as much right to an agreement and that to deny them would amount to favoritism to Mr. Letterman. But as of Friday no deal had been made.
That meant those two shows remained subject to the guild’s restrictions on writing, though it was not yet clear how Mr. Leno’s defiance of the guild’s rules might affect what Mr. Stewart and Mr. Colbert, who like Mr. Leno are members of the writers guild, decide to present as comedy material.
Both those shows displayed the same caution about booking guests as the others subject to the strike. Neither released a planned guest list for the week.
In other strike news, the president of the Screen Actors Guild reiterated on Friday that members would not cross picket lines to appear on the Golden Globes awards show Jan. 13.
“There appears to be unanimous agreement that these actors will not cross W.G.A. picket lines to appear on the Golden Globes Awards as acceptors or presenters,” the president, Alan Rosenberg, said in a statement released after a meeting with some nominees on Friday.
The Golden Globes are scheduled to be shown on NBC, but the fate of the broadcast, and possibly the ceremony itself, remains unclear.
Brian Stelter contributed reporting.
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Also:
Actors likely to snub Golden Globes (http://ap.google.com/article/ALeqM5iE0uIqtrdPXiNMr1qniAIsCAa0fwD8TVEUK00). But then again, I'm sure most of you already knew about that one.
Writers Guild is close to a deal with UA (http://www.latimes.com/business/la-fi-strike6jan06,0,5265875.story?coll=la-home-center). That's United Artists, as in the studio headed by Paula Wagner and cah-razy Tom Cruise. A small studio, but still progress.
What "Fi-Core" Really Means (http://www.huffingtonpost.com/michael-seitzman/what-ficore-really-mea_b_79819.html). Gives a good def of fi-core and why it's bad for the strike.
http://www.deadlinehollywooddaily.com/ -- Has all kinds of stuff including about the UA deal, the WGA and Leno's monologue, and Leno's threat to go fi-core. Lots to read if you're so inclined.
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Leno had rather face the wrath of the Guild than the wrath of NBC...that much is obvious. Considering that the guy's supposed to be retiring next year, maybe he just doesn't give a crap what they do, but does want to ensure that the Tonight Show continues under his auspices.
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I don't see why there is an option to go ficore. That seems like bullshit scabbery to me.
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New at Deadline Hollywood Daily:
CES: Bill Unveils Microsoft-H'wood Deals
Tonight at the opening of the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas, Bill Gates announced a bunch of Hollywood deals for movie and TV programming from NBC Universal, Walt Disney, MGM and Showtime because Microsoft's Xbox and MSN online services need to keep up with rivals like Apple's iTunes. Sony's Sir Howard Stringer also spoke. All the details in the morning along with lots of CES updates throughout the conference, including the Hollywood CEO symposiums. Oh yeah, this is going to make the WGA-DGA-SAG negotiations with the AMPTP way more interesting.
Rumors Upon Rumors Of WGA Side Deals
So many rumors of WGA side deals: Lionsgate, The Weinstein Co, and the latest, Lucasfilm.
Also there's a blurb about the DGA.
Meanwhile, Leno and Kimmel are so desperate for guests, they're gonna be each other's guest! (http://www.movieweb.com/tv/news/97/25497.php) Or as philly.com put it: "Desperate for guests, Leno and Jimmy Kimmel will appear on each other's scab shows." :lol:
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If this goes on for a longer term (the scabbery), in the end it'll hurt Leno's rep, along with the show's rep. Bad mojo.
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Golden Globes canceled. (http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601088&sid=aMFNCdGwSebs&refer=home)
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I watched the Daily Show and the Colbert Report last night. Not as funny as usual, but I give them credit. Colbert had on a huge fake beard when he and Stewert were talking to each other, then it got caught in a shredder.
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From Variety, Force majeure ax falls at ABC Studios (http://www.variety.com/article/VR1117978950.html?categoryid=2821&cs=1). Basically, due to the strike, ABC took the opportunity to terminate a bunch of deals.
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Television needs an enema.
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Well its getting one. This won't be the last set of firings.
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This is the golden opportunity for some people with talent and originality to eschew the political process and get a break. We might actually have some shows worth watching next season.
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......or a bunch of reality tv. Ugh!
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I fear it'll be less of the first, more of the second.
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Interview with The Shield's" Shawn Ryan. (http://blogs.kansascity.com/tvbarn/2008/01/the-shields-sha.html) Some interesting insights.
The subtitle on this one explains it all but I linked the article in case anyone wanted to read it: UNION members in Australia will be asked to join a campaign expressing support for striking Hollywood writers. (http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/story/0,25197,23067264-7582,00.html)
Another self-explanatory one: Writers strike puts Justice League of America on hold (http://www.news.com.au/entertainment/story/0,26278,23069012-5013560,00.html). But if you haven't seen the chick that was casted as Wonder Woman, she's on that page. More about Justice League here (http://www.comics2film.com/index.php?a=story&b=30829).
Also, some more dropped deals due to strikage (http://www.reuters.com/article/televisionNews/idUSN1655966020080116).
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Not really related to the strike, I didn't know Spike from Buffy is playing Piccolo in a live action Dragon Ball movie (http://www.variety.com/article/VR1117975946.html?categoryid=1236&cs=1). I have mixed feelings.
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That 87eleven group sounds interesting. I might look them up when I move out there.
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Not really related to the strike, I didn't know Spike from Buffy is playing Piccolo in a live action Dragon Ball movie (http://www.variety.com/article/VR1117975946.html?categoryid=1236&cs=1). I have mixed feelings.
Well I'll be a shit stain on soiled drawers. I've heard rumors about live action DBZ, but I though they were just rumors. Expecting movie to be royal piece of shit.
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I could've been nappa ;_;
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It was my understanding that you still could be. There's no Vegeta in this one from what I can tell. Piccolo's the villain.
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sweet!
Now I just have to make sure ron perlman is too old do it.
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...Ron Perlman IS too old to do it.
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NOOO! Ron Perlman is awesome! He could still do it!
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Go pull a Nancy Kerrigan on him. He can't be a fearful Saiyan with a cast on his leg.
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Grammys won't be picketed. Like anyone really cares. (http://www.variety.com/article/VR1117979449.html?categoryid=18&cs=1)
A messy looking article about the DGA deal and the striking writers. (http://dtv.broadcastnewsroom.com/articles/viewarticle.jsp?id=283662)
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It's pretty much over, now.
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So they've been saying. Been poking around for some confimation and I don't see anything except Michael Eisner shooting his useless mouth off. Meanwhile, Crappity Fair has canceled their Oscar party. (http://afp.google.com/article/ALeqM5gABPh73E9QjnvljJNljeChoJbf9A)
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Official word of the strike's end as posted by deadlinehollywooddaily.com (http://www.deadlinehollywooddaily.com/strike-end-game-wga-members-vote/). Hurrah. Now let's get new episodes for this shit.
Here's the official WGA announcement to striking writers:
On Tuesday, members of the Writers Guilds East and West voted by a 92.5% margin to lift the restraining order that was invoked on November 5th. The strike is over.
Writing can resume immediately. If you were employed when the strike began, you should plan to report to work on Wednesday. If you're not employed at an office or other work site, call or e-mail your employer that you are resuming work. If you have been told not to report to work or resume your services, we recommend that you still notify your employer in writing of your availability to do so. Questions concerning return-to-work issues should be directed to the WGAW legal department or the WGAE’s assistant executive director.
The decision to begin this strike was not taken lightly and was only made after no other reasonable alternative was possible. We are profoundly aware of the economic loss these fourteen weeks have created not only for our members but so many other colleagues who work in the television and motion picture industries. Nonetheless, with the establishment of the WGA jurisdiction over new media and residual formulas based on distributor’s gross revenue (among other gains) we are confident that the results are a significant achievement not only for ourselves but the entire creative community, now and in the future.
We hope to build upon the extraordinary energy, ingenuity, and solidarity that were generated by your hard work during the strike.
Over the next weeks and months, we will be in touch with you to discuss and develop ways we can use our unprecedented unity to make our two guilds stronger and more effective than ever.
Now that the strike has ended, there remains the vote to ratify the new contract. Ballots and information on the new deal, both pro and con, will be mailed to you shortly. You will be able to return those ballots via mail or at a membership meeting to be held Monday, February 25th, 2008, at times and locations to be determined.
Thank you for making it possible. As ever, we are all in this together.
Best,
Patric M. Verrone
President, WGAW
Michael Winship
President, WGAE
Posted by Nikki Finke on Tuesday, Feb 12th, 2008 at 04:24PM | Permalink |
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A post-writers strike scorecard
By AARON BARNHART
The Kansas City Star
Writers are expected to return to work today now that the Writers Guild of America has moved to end its three-month-old strike. Last week, the writers walked the picket line at NBC Studios in Burbank, Calif.
Television and movie writers were expected back at work today as their 3 1/2 -month strike ends.
A new three-year deal with the companies that run Hollywood won’t be formalized until a vote of the 12,000-member Writers Guild of America concludes next week. But it seems like a slam dunk.
So who were the winners and losers in this strike?
Winner: The viewers. By ending the strike when they did, the writers ensured that most of the shows we actually watch, record and stream online will come back in time to finish their (shortened) seasons.
“Lost,” “Boston Legal,” “Grey’s Anatomy,” the “CSI” triplets, “30 Rock,” “The Office” and “House” are all planning at least a month’s worth of new episodes, mostly pegged to the May ratings period.
More ambitious schedules call for seven to 10 new episodes to be written and shot between now and the end of the season. (My source for this information is Brian Stelter, the well-connected TV blogger for the New York Times.)
The late-night shows that didn’t sign interim agreements with the guild during the strike — basically, all of them except the two on CBS — get their scribes back no later than tonight. Plus, the Oscars won’t have to be called off Feb. 24, as the Golden Globes were in January.
Loser: The viewers again. The long hiatus forced the networks to take a hard look at some new series that were just becoming fan favorites. The lucky ones will get to reboot next fall: “Chuck,” “Pushing Daisies,” “Moonlight” and “Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles” among them.
Some established hits won’t restart until next season, such as “Heroes” and “24.”
But for many shows that were still searching for an audience, a second chance won’t come, including three “C” shows: “Cavemen” (hurray!), “Carpoolers” (aww) and “Cane” (is that still on CBS?). And yes, “Friday Night Lights” is in trouble again as well.
Winner: “Jericho.” Canceled, then revived, the CBS thriller returned in a choice time period Tuesday night, a direct result of the strike draining the network’s pool of available shows to air.
Loser: David Letterman. He had a chance to really shine in the late-night spotlight, with his main rival, Jay Leno, working without writers and denied access to A-list talent (the actors guild was honoring the writers’ pickets). But Dave rarely rose to the occasion, while Leno’s energy and resourcefulness allowed him to put on shows on a par with his pre-strike output.
Winner: The two other guilds, Screen Actors and Directors, whose contracts were also up this year and will benefit directly from the writers’ hard-line stance on getting paid for Internet streaming.
Loser: Whatever idiots at the studios thought it would be a good idea to get the writers angry at them. And speaking of which, has anyone heard from the studios’ so-called chief negotiator, Nick Counter, lately? The deal appears to have been brokered without Counter, whose blustery run-ins with the union leadership made for great news copy but had little effect on the outcome.
Winner: Reality-show producers. The February sweeps are lousy (in more than one sense) with unscripted TV shows, since the networks had little scripted fare left by the strike’s third month. And because the union dropped its demand that reality writers be represented, networks can continue treating them as low-end tape editors (and subject them to 90-hour work weeks) instead of what they really are.
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I'm glad it's over, but I still think they should have got more then they did.
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Shoot, I'm not even sure what they have. If you have a link somewhere that states what they got, post plz.
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I think they only got a precent of the internet sales, but I'm not sure. I know they didn't get the DVD precent that they wanted.
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From DHD:
Carson Daly's 'Last Call' Hosed By NBC
Remember how Carson Daly took all that abuse for going back to work as the host of Last Call during the writers strike? Well, I've confirmed with the network that NBC has thanked him by cutting his show's budget and firing most of his writers. "This is obviously an NBC decision and it's not his decision," a source close to Carson complained to me. Specifically, the network confirm for me that this week it fired 9 Last Call employees, including 3 of the four writers whose contracts ran out during the strike. (The one scribe kept on still has 4 weeks remaining on his pact. The other 6 employees trimmed worked in other departments.) NBC sources insist that the Last Call budget cuts weren't done because of the strike and would have made regardless of the WGA labor action. This, after the network threatened to cancel the 5-year-old show altogether unless Carson went back to work. Which just goes to show that, in Hollywood, no "good" deed goes unpunished. Daly still has two years more to go on his contract, and his New Year's Eve special delivered its best-yet ratings -- but karma can be a bitch.
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I unpin this topic with a link from Deadline Hollywood Daily about Superman. I had no idea the widow of one of the creators was fighting for the rights back.
http://www.deadlinehollywooddaily.com/federal-judge-rules-against-warners-on-superman-copyright/
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Hah I always watch Carson Daly's show....it comes before Poker After Dark (and after Conan)