Organizing reality
Yesterday, the WGA announced plans to begin organizing writers working on reality television shows. Unlike writers working on traditional dramas or sitcoms, these writers haven’t been covered by the guild, which means they receive no health insurance, no residuals, and no set pay minimums.
As WGAw president Daniel Petrie put it in the press release:
The secret about reality TV isn’t that it’s scripted, which it is; the secret is that reality TV is a 21st-century telecommunications industry sweatshop.
Most readers of this site are familiar with one kind of writing when it comes to film and television. It happens on three-holed paper, with uppercase scene headers and neatly indented blocks for dialogue and parentheticals. But the truth is that much of the work a professional writer does in Hollywood takes on other formats: treatments and beat sheets, outlines and season patterns. Even in non-reality shows, a lot of the writing takes place before you type “FADE IN:”. So it’s a mistake to confuse “unscripted” with “unwritten.”
Many of the people who the WGA would like to organize are currently called producers — which is the norm in television. Be it The Simpsons or The Sopranos, many of the writers in television are called producers of some stripe: Executive Producer, Co-EP, Supervising Producer. Despite the title, there’s no doubt they’re writing. Every episode says “written by” or “teleplay by.”
In reality TV, there’s usually no “written by” credit. But it would be a mistake to think there’s no writing.
In addition to the obviously-scripted moments (someone has to tell Jeff Probst what to say), every episode needs writers to figure out what the hell the story is. Yes, video crews will capture the action, and a team of editors at Avids will ultimately cut the footage together, but the decisions about what actually happens in a given episode fall upon the writers, who have to tease plot, character development, comedy and tension out of hundreds of hours of “real life” taking place.
These people are, in fact, organizing reality. Which is why they deserve to be able to organize under the WGA umbrella. You can read more about the situation here.
UPDATE: After reading a note left in the comments section, I don’t want to understate the role editors often have shaping the “what happens” in reality TV. They’re often performing functions that would normally be the purview of writers; the question is, why aren’t they being compensated for it?
Formatting a reality show proposal
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June 21st, 2005 at 11:11 am
John,
Your support for the WGA’s efforts to organize reality television is admirable and I am sure well meaning, but it is obvious you do not know how reality television is put together.
The writers on all of the major reality television shows (the cut, survivor, nanny 911, apprentice, etc.) are the editors. Period. (I know this because I edit one of the top 10 reality shows.) The producers wield significant power in the field, but when it comes to putting the show together — picking out beats and making them funny or tense or sad, creating story and character arcs… 80 to 90% of it is done by the editors. (yes, that much!)
The WGA knows this, and for the first time in their history, they are also soliciting EDITORS to join the WGA movement. Without the editors on board, no reality production company would ever agree to a union contract. After all, you can replace the 4 reality producers in a day or two… if 15 editors walk, the show is set back months…
If there are 4 producers and 15 editors on a series, who’s really filling the sweatshop with sweat?
BTW, I do think the producers play an integral role in the creation of reality TV, but it is more in vein of pointing the editors toward fertile material and general organization/approval than in the writing or creation of the content.
Your comparison to other shows actually demonstrates my point:
On a show like Sopranos or the Simpsons, there are 10 to 15 writers who spend a part of their time meeting as a group and then go off in teams or by themselves to craft (write) the individual episodes… After some time alone, they meet again as a group and refine their work and compare progress and discuss emerging season arcs, etc. Then they break apart again and individually tweak their work… This process continues until they have a shooting script. On these ‘conventional’ shows, there are also people who receive only producer credit, and they serve many roles, (time management, budget issues blah blah blah) they are important, but they do not write the show.
On a major reality show, you have 10 or 20 editors who spend part of their time meeting as a group and part of their time individually crafting (writing)episodes. (’Individually means alone in a room with the editing equipment–no producer–much like a writer sitting at a typwriter.) After some time alone, they meet again as a group and refine their work and compare progress and discuss emerging season arcs, etc.
I think the similarities are obvious.
I understand, that there are some shows where this is not the case — where the editors only do 50 or 60% of the ‘writing’ — like the cheap make-over shows littering cable. But for the biggies, the ones people talk about around the water cooler, the ones the WGA really wants to sink its teeth into, the editors are the ones holding the pen.
If the WGA continues to call producers the ‘writers’ of reality TV, it will never gain a foot-hold in the world of reality television. I for one was on the fence about signing the WGA reality card, and now I probably never will because of the misleading information they are giving upstanding members like you.
I’m a big fan of your site. Thanks for all the great tips. Jp
June 21st, 2005 at 11:57 am
Best news i’ve heard in years against clear exploitation aimed at vulnerable creative staffs underpaid.
It’s not in the interest of some reality TeeVee programming to pretend they could swipe out the slate of improvisation in the minds of opportunity actors (or, as they call it, “participants” targeting the lion share of a prize!) without acknowledging the origin of the whole setup needed to be clearly thought of or dumped on paper to read.
In fact, employees of any business earn what they’re offered or considered to be worth.
What did they expect? Free staff and transfered responsabilities to the seasonal filmed winners who cash in?
Lower the value of text by paying it less, sure enough it simply fails to be recognized as necessary work or essential task. Indirectly and eventually, that is.
June 21st, 2005 at 11:58 am
Hey Jp:
Thanks for your great and detailed post. In no way did I mean to understate the massive job an editor has with a reality show — and you’re right, I have no first-hand experience working on one of these programs.
If you have a chance, I’m sure we’d all like to know…
Really curious to know. Thanks again for writing in.
June 21st, 2005 at 2:17 pm
John,
Here are the answers to your questions…. (ANSWERS IN CAPS)
NO. MOST SHOWS ARE NOT COVERED BY A UNION. SOME HAVE SIGNED DEALS WITH IA (EDITOR’S GUILD) BUT IN GENERAL, MOST EDITORS IN REALITY TV ARE NOT COVERED BY A GUILD. CURRENTLY, THE WGA AND IA ARE AGGRESSIVELY SOLICITING MEMBERSHIP — AND IN THE END, EDITORS MAY JOIN BOTH (LIKE ACTORS WITH SAG/AFTRA)
EVERY SHOW IS DIFFERENT… BUT, SINCE IT’S REALITY, IT’S NOT REALLY MAKING UP AN ARC (ALTHOUGH THIS IS POSSIBLE AND DONE ON OCCASION) IT’S MORE DECIDING WHICH REAL ARCS TO EMPHASIZE… AT THE MACRO, SEASON ARC LEVEL, A GENERAL DIRECTION IS SUGGESTED BY THE EXECUTIVE PRODUCER… (IE. ‘CONTESTANT X’ IS VERY SHY BECAUSE THEY JUST LEFT A MONASTERY… BUT THIS SHYNESS HELPS THEM LAND A SPOT AS A FINALIST…) AFTER WE HEAR THAT, WE EAR-MARC ANYTHING AT ANY TIME THROUGHOUT THE SEASON WHICH MIGHT HELP ILLUSTRATE THAT POINT. DURING THE TENTH SHOW, WHEN OTHER CONTESTANTS REALIZE THAT THEY’VE TOLD TOO MUCH TO THE SHY PERSON WHO ALWAYS LISTENS… IT’S A NEAT LITTLE ARC… BUT THE ACTUAL MOMENTS — THE CONVERSATIONS AND THE REALIZATIONS — ARE CRAFTED BY THE EDITORS. (EVEN AT THE IDEA STAGE – IE. WHICH SCENES SHOULD EVEN BE CUT…)
THERE HAVE BEEN NUMEROUS MEETINGS OVER THE PAST 6 MONTHS ABOUT THE WGA REPRESENTING REALITY EDITORS. MOST EDITORS DO NOT HAVE FAITH IN THE WGA. THEY FEEL AS THOUGH THE ONLY REASON WE WERE APPROACHED, WAS BECAUSE THEY DIDN’T HAVE ANY LEVERAGE WITHOUT US. PERSONALLY, I DON’T KNOW IF WGA MEMBERS WILL EVER BE ABLE TO THINK OF EDITORS IN THE SAME BREATH AS WRITERS – IT’S A NEW WAY OF WORKING FOR AN EDITOR WHICH EVOLVED OUT OF REALITY TV’S POPULARITY AND ONLY BECAME POSSIBLE WITH THE RECENT WIDE-SPREAD USE OF NON-LINEAR EDITING. (TWENTY YEARS AGO, IT WOULD HAVE BEEN NEAR IMPOSSIBLE FOR 1 EDITOR TO SCREEN AND CUT SCENES BASED ON 100 HOURS OF FOOTAGE FROM 10 CAMERAS… TODAY IT IS RELATIVELY COMMONPLACE.)
SOME HOST WRAPS ARE AD-LIBBED, SOME ARE WRITTEN OR LINE-FED BY PRODUCERS AND SOME ARE WRITTEN BY UNDERPAID WRITERS. SO, IN A SENSE, THIS IS AN EXCEPTION TO MY ARGUMENT. THESE PEOPLE/WRITERS DESERVE WGA REPRESENTATION FOR THEIR WORK. HOWEVER, UNLIKE SCRIPTED SHOWS WHERE THE EDITOR GETS THE SCRIPTS AND CUTS TO IT… WE ARE NEVER GIVEN A SCRIPT FOR HOST WRAPS… WE ARE GIVEN RAW FOOTAGE AND WE GO TO WORK AND MAKE IT MAKE SENSE AND MAKE IT CONCISE AND MORE DRAMATIC OR HUMOROUS AS MAY BE APPROPRIATE. (I HAVE CUT DOZENS OF HOST WRAPS FOR MANY SHOWS AND I HAVE NEVER BEEN GIVEN A SCRIPT – AT BEST, I AM GIVEN A TARGET TIME (IE THIS SHOULD BE UNDER ONE MINUTE…) AND I HAVE TO FIND A WAY TO MAKE IT MAKE SENSE AND FIT IT IN THE WINDOW.
YES, I HAVE WORKED ON SHOWS THAT HAVE PREVIOUSLY ONS AND COMING UPS… THEY ARE SOMETIMES LOOSELY SCRIPTED (BUT ALWAYS BY A VERY JUNIOR PRODUCER – USUALLY CALLED AN ASSOCIATE PRODUCER). AGAIN THE SCRIPT MAY HAVE A FEW LINES OF COPY AND AS SUCH, THEY DO DISSERVE WGA REP., HOWEVER, AGAIN, THE EDITORS USUALLY HAVE TO PICK OUT AND FINESSE THE REALITY MOMENTS THAT GO IN BETWEEN THE LINES OF COPY (AND SOMETIMES WE ARE THEN FORCED TO RE-WRITE THE COPY SO IT WORKS WITH THE BEST REALITY MOMENT…)
IF ALL OF THE EDITORS WALKED OFF OF A REALITY SHOW, IT WOULD BE VERY MUCH LIKE ALL OF THE WRITERS WALKING OFF OF A SIT-COM — A MAJOR SETBACK TO SAY THE LEAST. OTHER PEOPLE COULD BE BROUGHT IN, BUT THE SHOW WOULD GREATLY SUFFER AND IT WOULD TAKE LONGER TO FINISH.
As a final thought, I want to stress the fact that in no way am I trying to downplay all of the work put in by the various producers. My main point is that the editor plays a greater role in this new paradigm than most people realize (or would like to acknowledge.)
For a more in depth look at Editors in Reality TV, check out this link:
http://www.editorsguild.com/newsletter/marapr05/marapr05_confessions.htm
June 21st, 2005 at 2:20 pm
First, full disclosure: I’m a WGA member, in plain old movie-writing, and my wife is a Story Editor on a reality show. So this topic has particular resonance in our household.
Though he’s not incorrect, I think Jp is being a bit disingenuous toward reality writers (or “story editors” or “segment producers” or whatever other names they’re given to avoid the controversial “writer” title). Yes, this movement absolutely depends on the involvement of the editors, and the WGA made a very smart, strategic move in getting them on board. Certainly, there would be no TV shows, reality or otherwise, without the editors.
However, there are many shows where reality writers and editors divide the work 50/50, and they’re not just the “cheap makeover shows” (check out MTV on any given weekend; you’re guaranteed to see a marathon of shows tag-teamed by reality writers and editors). These writers watch 30-60 hours (at least) of footage, figure out what the best “story” is in that footage, pitch it to the staff, and write a treatment/outline/beat sheet/whatever-you-want-to-call-it, which then goes to the editors. Now, the editor may choose to use all or none of that treatment (though I have not yet heard the story of an editor who scrapped every single thing), but whether or not they choose to use it, the fact is, someone has helped them create a story, whittle down the footage to the appropriate beats, even down to giving the editors the timecode.
And again, I realize that reality writers are more easily replaced than editors (in reality AND the movie biz) But to demean the contribution of the reality writer is to do the same thing the studios do when they treat movie and TV writers like dirt — “the script is just a blueprint;” “the director is the REAL author of a movie” — it divides those of us striving for the cause.
And let’s not forget, whatever your opinion of the quality of ANY reality show, whether it’s “Survivor” or “Makeovers For Hillbillies,” I guarantee you, the creators/producers are making a killing, and the people who work for them deserve to benefit from that.
June 21st, 2005 at 2:29 pm
Hey John,
I’d like to thank you for addressing this topic on the front page of your site. I have worked on various reality television shows for the past five years in various capacities. In that time, I have been called a producer, a segment producer, a story editor, a senior story editor, a supervising story producer… the list goes on. I have never on any of these shows been considered a “writer.” And that, I think, is at the heart of this issue.
I’d like to comment on JP’s statement “The writers on all of the major reality television shows (the cut, survivor, nanny 911, apprentice, etc.) are the editors. Period.” In my experience, this is simply not the case. I agree that editors are an integral and collaborative part of the production of these shows, but to assert that the “story” of a particular episode or series is “written by” the editor is untrue. One of the difficulties of this debate is that every reality show requires different “story needs.” On some shows, editors are involved in the construction of an episode from the moment they get a listing of the raw footage, on other shows; editors are resigned, unfortunately, to the role of button pusher.
On a show like Big Brother, story material is collected in real time in a control room by story “editors” and story “producers”. This is where the decision on what is viable story and what is not is made. The story editors/producers take the raw footage, go back into an office and stare at their computers for hours on end, (sometimes overnight in 18 hour shifts) in order to isolate specific story beats and organize them into a segment script –in this case, a listing of shots and time codes that tell a specific story. The story editor/producer then interviews the houseguests to get interview bites needed to glue the story pieces together. The script is then given to an editor or a series of editors who basically cut the episode under the supervision of a producer. If this isn’t writing, I’m not sure what is.
Other shows have different processes. On shows like Making The Band, Joe Millionaire, or The Real World, the form of storytelling is more narrative as opposed to a segment-based show. On these shows, season long story arcs are laid out in detail by story editors and producers based on screenings of the raw footage, field notes, and story logs. Episode beat sheets are written by story editors and are approved by producers. In the case of Real World and Band, long form, prose scripts (sometimes 20 pages long) are written along with time code listings in order to convey the tone and pacing of a story to an editor. Most of these shows are made up of twelve to twenty episodes containing complicated character and season arcs and follow the same three-act structure that traditional scripted series abide by. All of this occurs before the editor sets foot in the bay. Again, if this process is not considered “writing” by the networks or the production companies then I’m missing something.
I, in no way, mean to undermine the contribution of editors on reality shows. They are the ones who physically bring the story to life. Often they find better story beats or create a different narrative tone through their editing, and yes, they sometimes have to cull through hours of footage on their own, digging for scenes to make a story flow better, but they are adding to the process rather than starting from the blank page.
JP adds “I do think the producers play an integral role in the creation of reality TV, but it is more in vein of pointing the editors toward fertile material and general organization/approval than in the writing or creation of the content.” This is again, not true. On more that one occasion I, as a story editor, have had to re-write outlines and scripts endlessly, trying to get the best balance of material. I’ve had to script out, from scratch, temp interview bites (sometimes, due to lack of time or budget limitations, these bites are actually read verbatim by the talent as dialogue). On some shows we’d revise the story structure and season arcs multiple times before any second of footage is digitize into the Avid. On one show I produced, the editor came from a documentary background and while he was only assigned one episode to cut, he began to pillage scenes and beats from material that was meant to be included in other episodes. If it were not for the story department – if it were not for the writers, the series would be a stylish montage of pointless scenes with no beginning, middle, or end.
All of this goes to show why we, as reality “people” — writers and editors together need to be protected by the Guild. Aside from obvious factors like insurance, pension, and fair minimums, we are often hired to perform multiple jobs with no clear description and unfair working environments. On some shows I’ve worked on, the executive producers go into the edit bay and re-cut the shows themselves without and editor or a writer. Should they, hold claim to a “writer” credit as well? When JP comments, “The editors are the ones holding the pen.” I’m forced to wonder what I’ve been doing with my time for the last five years.
June 21st, 2005 at 2:31 pm
Great, Jp#1 (the one who’s the editor). Thanks so much for answering those questions, and helping us see what areas are currently being handled by writers, editor and producers.
And thanks Jp#2 (the guy married to a story editor). I’ve known a few feature editors who seem to have never read the script either. Ahem.
Obviously, “reality TV” is a very broad category, including everything from traditional game shows, to Survivor, Fear Factor, American Idol, Trading Spaces, The Real World and Big Brother. No two shows are going to work the same way, and the interesting question is whether and how the people who are creating the storylines — doing writerly jobs — can or should be covered by the WGA’s protection.
June 21st, 2005 at 2:50 pm
Ralph:
Again, thanks for the great, detailed post.
I think your point about who’s actually doing the work is apt. Even in features and traditional television, the editor has tremendous influence in the shaping of the story — hopefully for the better. It’s no accident that the movies of mine which have turned out the best are the ones in which I’ve had a strong and respectful relationship with the editor; we’re trying to do the same thing, but with different tools at our disposal.
June 21st, 2005 at 5:09 pm
Every show is different. I am sure that on some shows, the story editor/producer is the most important member of the team…. (I’ve yet to see that, but if you say so, I believe.) Personally, it has been my experience that the Auteur’s of Reality TV are the editors. Here’s a few quotes from the biggest names in the business to support my opinion.
“The role of the editor is absolutely pivotal on a reality series,” notes Bertram Van Munster, creator/executive producer of CBS’ “The Amazing Race.”
“It is the editor’s job to take the hours of endless footage and present it in a way that tells a good story,” “With the camera rolling 24/7, we wait for the drama to unfold and package it accordingly. That is what good reality television is all about.” Mark Burnett…
“The role of the editor is pivotal because he or she is shaping the entire series,” notes Nigel Lythgoe, executive producer of Fox’s “American Idol.”
(these quotes are in an HR article from a couple of weeks ago…
I think every job is very important… but the WGA crying foul over hard work for story editors seems a bit strange when many reality shows don’t even give a credit for story editor (or really have someone that fulfills that function.) All reality shows have editors.
I’ve said enough on this subject… either way, we’re all being hood-winked by the man.
June 22nd, 2005 at 12:05 am
Maybe I can help settle the debate.
As a Board Member, I want to be clear that the leadership of the WGAw made a very intentional determination a few months ago that we weren’t interesting in simply organizing the “writers” of reality TV, but the storytellers of reality TV. That means writers AND editors.
I think if you (editors and writers) think in terms of storytelling, the nomenclature won’t get in the way of the goal, which is unity.
June 22nd, 2005 at 5:22 am
This could all be solved very easily by cancelling all reality shows and replacing them with scripted fare or documentaries. And then we’ll have world peace.
June 22nd, 2005 at 8:08 am
Great thread. I can already tell I’ll be reading it a few times just to digest everything. Thanks to all who have contributed.
June 23rd, 2005 at 10:10 am
Another thought on the subject.
I think what this dialogue has proven is that there is no set rules governing this segment of the industry. On some shows, the story responsibility falls under the story editor. On others, it’s a segment producer. And on others, it’s the editor.
In my experience, it is the story editor who is primarily responsible for creating and managing the show’s story arc. For an hour-long program, I usally screen up to 200 hours of footage before the editor is even hired. But screening the footage is only a portion of the job. The other part is planning the entire show with the shooting producer and then MANAGING that story line during the shoot. JP’s quote from Mark Burnett is interesting, but if “we waited to let drama unfold” in reality tv, we might not ever get the “drama” we’re looking for. We straight-up manipulate reality at times or create the opportunity for situations to occur that serve the overall story arc.
Also - the story editors on our show write voiceover dialogue, write the bump ins and outs (teases and recaps), and we write show promos (on the next).
On our show, by the editor’s first day on the job, all the footage is digitized and they receive a script for the entire show. (In some cases, the show is still shooting so they may only get half the script.) That script has already been through a vetting process with the show producers, who share the responsibility of creating the story with the story editor. On top of that, our editors work side-by-side with either the story editor or a segment producer in the edit bay, taking direction and notes throughout the whole process. I have worked for three seasons on a popular reality show and I’ve never seen an instance in which an editor is building story arcs without the active participation and guidance from the story department and the show producers.
What the editors bring to the table on our show is visual style and the technical skills to carry the story editor’s and the producers’ vision to reality. They contribute on a story level, for sure. And I’ve worked with amazing editors who totally get the story and how to create an arc. It’s just that in my experience, that doesn’t fall under their job description.
Which is all the more reason to create groundrules for the industry.
As a side note, the editors I’ve worked with get paid sometimes as much as double what the story editors and producers earn. On our show, they are also eligible for overtime, but the producers and story editors are on a flat weekly rate, regardless of late night or weekend work.
Getting back John’s original point…sometimes it does sort of feel like “sweatshop” labor, when you look at your weekly check and divide it by the number of hours worked, so getting some kind of protection with union would be helpful, to say the least.