Not a word
Last week, I wrote how much I admired the Pencils Down ad, in which TV’s top showrunners said they would be doing no writing on their shows during a strike. I said that I’d be delighted to sign a similar ad for feature screenwriters. I’m happy to say the WGA took me up on the offer.
This morning’s trades include this ad, signed by nearly every screenwriter you can think of. 1 (Click for a bigger version.)
There was a lot of speculation that the flurry of deals made before the strike meant that feature scribes would be busy typing away on assignments between shifts on the picket line. Nope.
Personally, I’m not writing on three big movies: Shazam! for New Line, a Sam Mendes feature for Dreamworks, and my fourth collaboration with a certain director for Warner Bros. Today’s Variety just announced that Prince of Persia signed a director — Mike Newell — but has no writer to work with him.
The blockbusters of 2009 are sitting unwritten. That’s an economic factor I’ve never seen reported in all of this. The next installments of Spider-Man, Harry Potter, and every other movie franchise are unwritten and unproducible until the strike is over.
If I were a theater chain, I’d be worried. If I were Wal-Mart, I’d demand answers. If I were a shareholder, I’d demand blood. The AMPTP’s refusal to return to the bargaining table is costing more than jobs, and will keep hurting the studios well into 2009 unless they get back to negotiating.
- **UPDATE:** Note entirely true: If you think hard, you can come up with names of screenwriters not on this list. It was put together over the weekend, and some writers couldn’t be reached in time. So don’t think ill of someone whose name isn’t there. From talking with the organizers, not a single screenwriter said no. ↩
Articles
November 8th, 2007 at 10:16 am
Wow, very powerful. Solidarity is patriotic!!
November 8th, 2007 at 10:35 am
Is it sad that I was checking to see who didn’t sign? Charlie Kaufman, Zach Helm…
November 8th, 2007 at 10:46 am
Aaron Sorkin didn’t sign…
November 8th, 2007 at 10:49 am
The ad is GREAT! I too was disappointed about Zach Helm.
November 8th, 2007 at 10:53 am
(Psst, you misspelled the Coen brothers’ names.)
November 8th, 2007 at 11:13 am
The WGAs decision to strike is also to blame for costing jobs, like mine. I almost got in a car accident in front of the studio today because the strikers wouldn’t move off the street in time.
I was here when they tried to force that ad on my showrunner. Thankfully, he refused to sign.
November 8th, 2007 at 11:31 am
Fantastic ad!! Thanks for the link, John.
I think they left my name off the list, though.
Yeah, that’s it…they just accidentally left off my name. Just a mistake.
Right?
Seriously, many thanks for the sacrifice you pros are making. Believe me, it really means a lot to us future Guild members!
November 8th, 2007 at 1:05 pm
John, not that you’re one to put the studios’ trust in you on the line by answering to such speculation, but I’m presuming that you’re rewriting Ripley’s… for Tim Burton, and this Sam Mendes project is, possibly, hopefully, a musical. Yay? Nay? Or maybe it’s a second successive musical for Tim? Who knows(apart from you)?
Sorry to intrude; it’s just that I’ve got this hunch telling me you’re about to unleash a film-musical on our asses. Don’t ask me why. Though I hope I’m right.
November 8th, 2007 at 2:44 pm
Great ad. And you’re right, if you look hard enough there are some names missing. But I’m sure they’re just folks the WGA couldn’t get hold of in time. I noticed Dan Petrie Jr’s name isn’t there, but since he’s (a) a former WGA president and (b) a hell of a guy – I’m guessing he was one of those the WGA couldn’t reach in time.
I should point out I formed the (b) opinion when Dan opened the “A Shot Of Inspiration” panel at this year’s Austin Film Festival by producing a bottle of liquor and proceeding to pour shots for the entire audience.
November 8th, 2007 at 3:14 pm
Awww, Kasdan family unity! I’m so impressed with everyone standing together, and like many other fans of TV and film I hope there’s a quick and fair resolution (however unrealistic that hope might be). I admit to wondering about the fate of Harry Potter 7 last night (I assume 6 already has a script locked) and feeling fairly shallow. But economically and morally the strike is important, and I’m happy and proud to see so many artists I respect standing up for the people whose names we don’t know.
November 8th, 2007 at 3:22 pm
Brilliant!
(And I cannot wait to see the reaction when WB announces Harry Potter is pushed back. Oh, that will be popcorn-worthy.)
November 8th, 2007 at 3:32 pm
Well to Dominic at #9 above I’ve seen Daniel Petrie Jr walking the picket lines in LA (it’s on a video at United Hollywood’s blog or in their YouTube account wgaamerica)
And we fans want you writers to know that we’ve got your backs. Obviously it’s a little easier for us to support TV writers with regular offices but if you let us know how to reach you, then you too can take advantage of our support
Here are some sites you should check out WGASupporters LiveJournal Community (it’s a multi-authored blog representing many fandoms) http://community.livejournal.com/wgasupporters/
Fans For The WGA (which covers 27 different TV show fandoms at this writing) http://fansforwga.ipbfree.com/
Fans4Writers (started by Joss Whedon’s fans but soon to be populated by other fandoms) http://fans4writers.org/
You’re welcome to stop in at any or all of them, comment or ask us for help.
November 8th, 2007 at 5:00 pm
I thought John August was writing “Shazam!”?
November 8th, 2007 at 5:05 pm
WOW, my bad. Wrong blog, I thought I was on Ken Levine’s. It’s been a long day. >_<
November 8th, 2007 at 6:10 pm
where’s my boy Favreau at?!
November 8th, 2007 at 6:24 pm
Bryan – yeah, the more you look the more names you notice not there. Brian Helgeland, David Mamet, Tony Gilroy etc. But it’s still a heck of an impressive list. And I’m sure those not on it would like to be. Tough to get hold of 12,000 people at short notice I suppose.
November 8th, 2007 at 9:32 pm
How is it that studios are contracting writers this week? Even if they initiated the contracts two weeks ago, I thought they couldn’t sign during a strike?
November 9th, 2007 at 10:07 am
There are a lot of showrunners’ names NOT on that list…wonder what THEIR shows are doing? I respect the writers who stand strong; and loathe the scabbers out there.
November 9th, 2007 at 3:52 pm
A television writer checking in here. In the ’88 strike there was no such solidarity and public defiance coming from the A-list. And there was a general sense that all unfinished scripts were being written and would be turned in the minute the strike was over. Management has seriously underestimated our resolve and our commitment to the welfare of writers not yet born. It’s like Lord of the Rings: Sauron was defeated because in all of his vast and intricate calculations the one thought that never came to him was that any of his opponents might be thinking of somebody’s welfare besides their own. The Mind of Power is incapable of conceiving of such a thing, and that’s why we will win: they just don’t get it.
November 9th, 2007 at 6:27 pm
where is Carrie Fisher?
November 9th, 2007 at 11:47 pm
Well, being a writer myself, I like more money for writers, however, something struck me as funny in this post:
“If I were a theater chain, I’d be worried. If I were Wal-Mart, I’d demand answers. If I were a shareholder, I’d demand blood.”
In reference to the shareholders: on the one hand, you’d stand to lose money in the short term, which is bad-ish, but on the other hand, a strike isn’t something you NECESSARILY want to end quickly (by giving in to the demands of the strikers) because if you spend the time to negotiate a lower share for writers than they’re requesting, you retain more money for the company, and thus pass more money back to the shareholders, which is good for them.
So that little bit SOUNDS good, but it’s actually not that well thought out.
Sorry to spoil the party.
November 10th, 2007 at 1:44 pm
nice John… the banners work well too btw.
the first time i read i actually clicked by accident. one of the few ads i’ve read all the way though. (consider that a compliment from this former adguy)–> most clicks do not get read.
those brads look kinda’ familiar…
cheers & best
November 11th, 2007 at 6:22 pm
At the rally they gave a stat (I’m paraphrasing, the you’ll get the idea) that even if the studios gave into the HIGHEST demands of the WGA, and then MATCHED that offer for SAG and then MATCHED it again with the DGA — the highest demand, no negotiating…if they did all this…
The amount of EXTRA cash they’d have to pay is less than HALF what the CEO’s of the main studios make each year!!!!!!!
That is astounding fact that illustrates the sickening greed of the studios.
November 27th, 2007 at 7:55 pm
Lalalalaman:
About shareholders: they watch television and go to movies… so if I were one of them, I think I’d be demanding answers about why I’m not getting my TV and movies….