Strike, day eight
[Note: I was originally calling this "day six," but it's really the eighth day of the strike. It's the sixth day of picketing.]
I’ve had early call times for production, so showing up at Paramount at 6 a.m. was no particular hardship. It was dark and cold, but with two layers of fleece and my non-Thermos-brand coffee mug, I was ready.
The bigger challenge today was the location. My team was assigned to the Van Ness gate, which is very busy. Not only is it one of the main hubs for trucks, but it’s the entrance to a major parking garage. Unlike the main gate on Melrose, there’s no light, no cross-walk, and very little to prevent a car from smacking you head-on. Which nearly happened three times today.
So if there are any Paramount employees reading this, let me have a little honest moment with you.
- We really will let you in. We’re not trying to be dicks. We have to keep walking — that’s the law. We create gaps so your car can go through. Believe me, we’re not trying to hobble Paramount by making you 20 seconds later to your desk.
- By 8:47 a.m., when you’re arriving at work, we’ve been walking for almost three hours. So forgive us if we’re walking a little slow.
- We kind of only care about the trucks. Teamsters have been very supportive of the strike, so we often talk with them, and hand them flyers with updates. If we don’t give you a flyer, it’s because you’re not driving a big truck. But we love you, too.
- Those friendly, sympathetic waves? Keep ‘em coming. As far as we know, there’s no Big Brother camera where the studio overlords are watching for signs of employee collusion.
Because it’s a school holiday, it ended up becoming “bring your kid to the picket line” day. We sent parents with kids to other gates, however, because it was just too dangerous at ours.
Now that I’ve painted such a glorious picture of the fun of striking, let me invite you to join me tomorrow: same place, same time. I had three blog-readers walking with us today, none of whom were WGA. So my thanks to them, and the drivers who didn’t run over them.
Articles
November 12th, 2007 at 6:55 pm
Are you going to be there all week?
Since I’m not part of the Guild yet… I’m striking wherever the wind takes me. I was at Disney today. Fox last week.
Did you hear about the 3,000 BATTLESTAR fans for Universal on Friday? Yowza.
I applaud anyone who can get out of bed at that hour.
November 12th, 2007 at 6:56 pm
Late this afternoon as I made my way home from walking the picket line at CBS (Radford), what do I come across but none other than a Paramount movie being filmed just a short block or so from my house.
There were no pickets outside the set of Neverland, (that’s the name of the movie; Eddie Murphy is in it), but I did spot a couple of writers using their laptop to update their script (I know this because I asked the security guard who the two guys were at the laptop). They’ll be on location for the next couple of days, so lucky me gets to have it rubbed in my face for a few days more. It’s comforting knowing that while I’m on the picket line struggling to help get a better contract, two jokers will be sitting on their ass, getting paid, and not making any sort of sacrifice at all…
and then when I got home and checked my email, I chuckled over this: How’s this for irony: in my email today I received a “promo” from Sony Pictures for their film, Southland Tales, and it says, “The Future is the Internet.”
I guess Sony has figured out some way to make a few dollars off the internet after all.
November 12th, 2007 at 8:47 pm
Marc Andreessen had a really interesting blog posting about the future of the entertainment industry, as seen through the eyes of a Silicon Valley entrepreneur. He certainly thinks that this strike is going to turn out poorly for the studios!
http://blog.pmarca.com/2007/11/rebuilding-holl.html
November 12th, 2007 at 9:14 pm
NIRP,
A snapshot of two writers typing on location, even with a cell phone camera, would be priceless.
November 12th, 2007 at 9:31 pm
john, thanks for the hospitality. it was nice to actually meet and i enjoyed chatting. to everyone else, i highly recommend taking john up on his offer of counsel. but if nothing else, take a turn out on any picket line. it just feels good.
and with 6am start times, practically anyone can make it out for an hour before work. :)
November 12th, 2007 at 10:04 pm
I´d really like to come and join you, but I won´t get to the US in general (and LA in particular) anytime soon. You should know that many European writers and filmmakers absolutely support you folks, though. Countless message boards, blogs and news sites over here are discussing the subject, writing articles about why you are on strike – and why in the end it´s an important action for –every– creative professional and soon-to-be-professional out there.
So keep it up. My friend Kathy (who`s a journalist) and her boyfriend Mark (gaffer) are going to show up at one of the gates on Thursday or Friday, and they’ll bring along some cake and coffee. Know that your strike doesn´t go unnoticed. Know that you´re supported, and know that no matter what some might say —
what you do is right.
The best of luck to you all!
J.
November 12th, 2007 at 11:10 pm
{Now I’m really pissed} looks like the film you saw shooting “Nowhereland” with Eddie Murphy has two writers listed on imdb.com. John, you should talk to them. I think you know at least one of them.
November 13th, 2007 at 2:31 am
I was at Paramount Monday morning. I was at the Melrose gate for about two hours, then I was sent to the Van Ness gate to deliver some of those Teamster flyers John mentioned above.
I learned something Monday. Striking is hard.
I resolved to stay out there from 6:00am to 2:00pm. By 11:30am, I could hardly stand up. Then I had to walk a mile to my car.
November 13th, 2007 at 2:41 am
May I suggest that a few of those LED keychain lights might help visibility in the wee hours? Or, if you really want to be seen:
http://www.surefire.com/
Although I’m still partial to my “glue eight pennies to the reflective side of a DVD” idea.
M
P.S. “Pissed” – if you meant NowhereLand, I hope you reported this to the Guild. I’m pretty sure that’s a sig production, and therefore, unless the writers are hyphenates who are not currently contracted for writing and only doing A-H changes, they’re scabs.
November 13th, 2007 at 8:01 am
Acme coffee mug?
November 13th, 2007 at 9:05 am
Are the drivers being jerks or are striking writers nearly being hit due to the nature of the interesction itself?
November 13th, 2007 at 9:34 am
Re: Nowhereland
I don’t buy that. It’s directed by a WGA screenwriter. Do you really think he’d let that happen?
Then again, some writers have sold their souls for a shot at a big studio directing gig before.
November 13th, 2007 at 10:00 am
I just can’t help but think how powerful this strike would be with the Daily Show and the Colbert Report commenting on in it.
I do like all the updates though, please continue.
November 13th, 2007 at 12:31 pm
I can’t be a part of the strike, because I’m a college student living in Florida. But I’d like to thank you for striking, and encourage you to continue until the issue is resolved. Keep Going!
November 13th, 2007 at 1:13 pm
Although I hope you’re not still walking the picket line when I get back from France on the 26th, if you are I’ll come out with you.
Hell, I’ll be unemployed too by then.
November 13th, 2007 at 3:31 pm
Hey John, What do you about Kevin Smith who’s still doing production for his new move “Zack and Miri”. He doesn’t even mention the strike on his blog? Do you feel he’s crossing the picket line?
November 13th, 2007 at 5:24 pm
As a paramount employee and an aspiring writer myself, I 100% side with the writers. I too am conflicted as I cross the picket lines each day. I feel as though I am betraying those I feel so strongly for. I’m sorry that others on the lot have given you guys trouble. I sit in my building, the gate not 100 yards from me and hear the constant drums, horns and chants. While at times it is painstakingly difficult to focus and get through the day, I support you, even if I can’t physically be on the picket lines myself.