I agree 100% re: the correction b.s.

It’s the story, not the grammar that makes a great film.

& YEAH… Stop steppin’ on John’s dick.

As a director / producer, I am totally against the WGA thing. Even so, I’ve been reading John’s blog for years. He’s our host here, and he pays for this site. Step off, grammar police….step off.

From France, I have the impress that there is a gap between the claims of the WGA members, WGA non-members, SAG members and so on. Furthermore, it appears that there is a range of disagreement surrounding the way of being on strike.

In concrete terms, is it a restraint to conduct the negociations?

You gotta understand– we are out in the heat every week day, literally walking back and forth on a graded asphalt incline, for hours on end. Don’t walk. Walk. Don’t walk. Walk. Stupid light. Carrying a sign. Your legs hurt, you get all kinds of crazy chafing in places I don’t want to go into, sunburn, etc. You wonder if there’s any point to all the walking which feels non-constructive and uncreative and a total waste of time. And you’re there with a bunch of other creative people you’ve never met before (if you’re a feature writer) who know exactly the insanity of your life because they’ve been there too. We’re talking smart, funny people walking next to you every day. So look, we’re out there anyway- we’re just trying to make the most of it. Like, I heard today that the letterman guys in NY are yelling “What do we want? THE GIRLS IN OUR HIGH SCHOOL TO LIKE US! When do we want it! BACK THEN!” We’re just trying to break up the three-hours shifts. So that we can come back the next day.

We are all fully aware that this is so NOT a party– because of this strike we’re fucked, other people are fucked… It’s a shitty situation. But I head out almost every day alone to the line, and I almost always end up talking to someone amazing about writing, Hollywood history, philosophy, and miscellaneous bullshit. And yeah, I admit it- sometimes it’s kinda nice- even enjoyable. But cut us a little slack- I can promise you that except for this being so serious, we’d rather not be having this much fun.

A Writer

PS– one last thought. I sincerely invite you to join the party. We would love to have you picketing with us, so don’t look at it as the playful writers going it alone- an IATSE friend of mine met me at CBS and picketed for an hour or so with me the other day, and today I was getting a lot of thumbs up and words of support from IATSE members leaving the studio yesterday. Let your friends know you’re always welcome to walk up to one of us and introduce yourself!

Sincere regards! Don

I usually get the me, myself and I correct. I didn’t this time. I’m not losing sleep over it.

I think the battle of “between” and “among” was lost a century ago. And strictly speaking, it was a series of emails between two parties which organized the event.

Mouse (#11):

How to keep anyone from showing up to the picket lines: ban happiness.

Believe me, there were clear instructions from the start about making sure the picket lines weren’t a party. No music, no drinking, no idiotic street theatre. But when you’re spending three hours doing nothing but holding a sign, and you’re not getting paid, and you’re worried about your house, and your friends, and your kid’s tuition, and when the fuck this is all going to be over, you welcome any levity you can find. Drive-by schadenfreude is understandable, but it’s not a reason for writers to shelve their laughter.

I heard nothing about it in the UK, until the long break from Prison Break, and it took a while to get a decent answer online.

Good luck

Joe

I agree with what you said about “the right way to picket”. I think by and large the WGA may be a bit oblivious to how they are perceived not only by the average person in America, but also by a lot of average people working in the business.

I’m a Hollywood assistant and most of my friends are Hollywood assistants. It’s great to read about Leno and Conan, but the reality is, most of the non-creative workers who are getting let go are at best going to be safe through Christmas. I’m fortunate and probably won’t lose my job. One of my best friends loses his job next week. He’s been at the same show for three years, climbed the ladder considerably, and its going to be gone.

All of us are people who moved out here to “chase the dream”. And as people who will one day be in the WGA, we appreciate that you are now striking for what will become our contracts one day. But on the other hand, there’s a certain smarmyness to the whole strike that at worst is annoying and at best is angering.

Every day I drive to work, I drive past Sony and I see what looks like a big party out-front. Writers whose bare minimum for a feature script is twice what I make in a year are laughing, cheering, and reveling in their strike while I watch my friends lose their jobs.

Even if the WGA is righteous in its cause (and it is), they are still privileged. They get to make a living off of being a writer, something that tens of thousands (if not a million or so) people wish they could do, and something that nobody is entitled to. And they’re out there, laughing it up, while thousands of others can’t even get someone to take a look at their script, let alone see it come to fruition. They’re getting to make funny video sketches with A-list talent while others can’t even get a permit to shoot.

I know writers are creative, vibrant people, but I have to ask… why won’t the WGA picket lines take a more solemn tone? The impish playfulness of the picket lines really rubs salt in the wounds of those who haven’t gotten their break yet as well as those who are losing their jobs. And to the average American, I think it smacks of “spoiled Hollywood brats!” (their viewpoint, not mine!) I think the longer the strike goes on, the more harmful that playful image is going to be to the WGA in terms of public sympathy.

Is this something that picketing writers consider?

Not sure if this is the right place to ask this question — but I keep reading about the possible disruption of pilot season in the papers etc., due to the strike. Is this likely to push it all back several months? I am an aspiring TV writer trying to figure out how things are done.

Thanks. Beatrice