Strike, days ten and eleven
I missed my daily report due to pure physical exhaustion. I was in bed by 8:15 last night. And the report really begins with Day Nine-point-five, in which I eat dinner.
We have a weekly babysitter on Tuesday nights, which allows my much-better-half and me to eat dinner without constant requests from a polite but cheese-obsessed toddler. Since I’ve been on the early shift this week my schedule’s been off, and I was hungry at 5:30. Which is when Osteria Mozza happens to open its doors. The confluence of these two events explains why I happened to be at a restaurant that has a month-solid reservation list, eating at the counter when I noticed Peter Roth at a nearby table.
Peter Roth is president of Warner Bros. Television, the studio which makes many of the biggest television shows: ER, Pushing Daisies, Without A Trace, even Josh’s new Terminator series. Every few years, I have a meeting with him, in which I’m encouraged to do television. I respectfully pass. But I’ve had nothing but good experiences with him.
When you see someone you kind-of-know at a restaurant, it’s always a process to figure out whether or not to say hi. In your head, you play through the possible conversation, and if the likelihood of Happy Outcomes exceeds a certain threshold, you do it.
But the strike makes that decision process much more complicated. What do I have to talk about with Peter Roth other than the strike? Here’s the conversation I imagined myself having:
- ME
- Hey Peter. John August.
- PETER ROTH
- John. John August! How are you? This strike, huh? Crazy. I can’t wait for this to be over.
- ME
- Then tell your side to come back to the table with an internet residual plan that isn’t horseshit, and you could be shooting pilots by February. Because I’ve been on the picket line for seven days, and every writer wants to come back to work. But not a single one of them would take that shitty deal. Because everyone knows what’s at stake, and everyone knows the CEO’s are talking out of two sides of their mouths.
I didn’t envision myself being able to communicate this last part effectively, so I stayed put and ate my pasta.1 I felt it was crossing the line to intrude upon his dinner to have a non-productive conversation in front of his three guests. I was unlikely to get a hug.
The whole Peter Roth non-conversation got me thinking a lot about lines: the lines we draw, the lines we walk, the lines we repeat even though we’re not sure of the motivation.2
Day 10
This morning’s trip to the picket line started at 4:30 a.m., an hour that’s equally bleak no matter which way you approach it. On day nine, a crew started picketing early at 5 a.m. in order to reach more Teamsters, so I volunteered to do it today.
Unfortunately, my zeal was misplaced, because it turned out that the 5 a.m. call time was a one-time experiment, a detail which didn’t trickle through to my inbox or the few other picketers who showed up early. We got to unload the studio van and help set up, so it wasn’t all for naught. I also learned details about the “Neutral Gates,” which are deemed picket-free. Only certain vendors are allowed to use them. I don’t pretend to really understand it, but I’m happy to find new layers of subtlety in a process that mostly involves holding a sign while walking.
I’ve taken to introducing myself by my full name, because I’ve realized that several people I’ve been walking next to have written great movies that I want to discuss with them. For instance, “Michael” is actually Michael Tolkin, whose film The Player almost convinced me I wasn’t cut out for the film industry, while “Barbara” is in fact Barbara Turner, writer of Georgia. I was also joined by a blog reader, whose name got lost in the fog of under-caffeination. Sorry.
Two guys walking with us today didn’t need many introductions: Damon Lindelof and J.J. Abrams.
I first met Damon on the Paramount lot, years ago when he and a friend were both assistants at a small production company. We ate many lunches at Koo Koo Roo — yes, the infamous one — talking about our hopes and ambitions for writing careers. We both did well. He and J.J. Abrams created Lost, which Damon’s run with Carlton Cuse to great success.3
Damon is producing the new Star Trek movie, which J.J. is directing. Which is shooting on the Paramount lot. Which we are currently picketing.
This combination of facts led me to email Damon yesterday, which led to a phone call, which led to us walking in circles at the Van Ness gate along with J.J., talking about the strike, its absurdities and impossible choices. Star Trek is the biggest movie shooting at Paramount. It’s directed and produced by WGA members, who are following the spirit and letter of the Guild’s rules. They’re walking the line while being forced to cross it.
“Forced” isn’t quite right, because there’s an alternative: J.J., Damon, and the other WGA producers could refuse to cross the picket line. They’d get fired, sued, and replaced by a less-conflicted director and producing team — all probably within a week’s time. What’s tougher to figure out is whether it would make a damn bit of difference.
Believe me, there are writers who would encourage (nay, demand) that they walk away, much the way the television showrunners walked away from their series. There’s the belief that the best way to end the strike is through big gestures — and that would be a very big gesture. (Basically, anything short of lighting oneself on fire is a betrayal of the cause.)
So when it got around the picket lines that Star Trek would be coming to the lot on Wednesday, I could foresee a situation that got awkward or worse. If you’ve been reading my daily updates, you’ll know that I’m the guy who is always concerned about avoiding stupid car accidents. This felt like a stupid car accident waiting to happen, so I suggested that Damon and J.J. spend some time walking, talking, and engaging with the picket line.
What I couldn’t have anticipated is that it would be so, well, engaging.
There are a few basic things that should get cleared up first.
Neither J.J. nor Damon are writers on the movie. But they are writers, and WGA members. During a WGA strike, you’re not allowed to write on movies or television shows, period. So they can’t change a word of the script, nor can anyone else. The script they had at 11:59 p.m. November 5th is the script they have to shoot.
To a screenwriter, that might seem kind of awesome. For once, the director can’t change things. But when its your own movie, it’s maddening. J.J. was describing a scene he was shooting the day before. Midway through it, he got a great idea for a new line. Which he couldn’t write. Couldn’t shoot. Couldn’t be in his movie.
Damon described it like having one of your superpowers taken away.
You can absolutely make a movie without changing the script. Big Fish and Charlie were shot just like they were written. But to not even have the option of changing something is a bizarre restriction, like making a Dogme 95 film with a $100 million budget. As feature writers, we’re constantly asking to be included in production, on the call sheet, on the set. Suddenly, we’re completely removing ourselves from the process.
Damon’s been outspoken in his support for the strike, with an editorial in the New York Times and many hours logged on the picket lines at ABC/Disney. He’s one of the showrunners who not only put down his pen, but took off his producer’s hat. So I wasn’t surprised that he had a lot of insights and opinions about the strike, the industry and the endgame, all of which I’ll let him decide whether he wants to share.
I didn’t know J.J. at all, except as a geeky fan. He has a terrific reputation from those who’ve worked with him. In meeting him, I found he was smart, friendly and conflicted about what he should do.
I have the luxury of being fairly “clean” in terms of the strike — my producing deal at Fox is for a spec that I’m not writing until the mess is over. Yet J.J., Damon and I have the same basic encumbrances: contracts that put us in partnerships with the corporations we’re fighting. I suggested J.J. use his neglected superpower to write about the situation. As a high-profile player, his ink can underline the costly choices the studios are making by not coming back to the bargaining table.
Also, he can embed subliminal messages in studio dailies. (I just thought of that now.)
Day 11
For a change of scenery, I joined John Gatins’ crew at Universal, where I got to catch up with old acquaintances like Scott Frank, Aline Brosh McKenna, Deb Kaplan, Harry Elfont and Breckin Meyer. Justine Bateman brought tacos. Compared with Paramount’s Van Ness gate, it was like a weekend in the country.
We were at the gate next to the massive NBC Universal tower, which provided glorious shade until 12:34 p.m. It’s a very wide intersection with a short timer on the crosswalk — you can only make it across once, and barely. I described it as being two islands you occasionally swim between. That left a lot of time for chatting. Some of my fellow conversationalists included two Jeopardy! writers, two location managers (go Teamsters!) and an editor working on the lot.
I’ll be back tomorrow at Paramount, 6 a.m. to 10 a.m. Readers are always welcome. I’ll also be doing a Saturday shift at WGA Headquarters. Check the wga.org website for info about helping out there.
- Which was delicious. I also taught chef-owner Nancy Silverton how to say “lonely” in Spanish. In context, I suggested “desconsolado de estar solo” (it was referring jokingly to a man who was missing his co-worker). “Sentirse solo” would probably be the simpler choice. The emotional distinction between “lonely” and “alone” doesn’t really match up in Spanish, or many other languages. My hunch is that our two words came out of the one of the later influxes into English, like how we ended up with both “regal” and “royal” (the latter, a French version of the Latin “rÄ“gÄ?lis”). End of digression. ↩
- Yes, that does sound like a voice-over from Desperate Housewives. ↩
- Carlton Cuse is on the WGA Negotiating Committee. No, Damon didn’t offer up any insider information about either that or what was up with the flash-forward at the end of last season. ↩
Articles
November 15th, 2007 at 7:26 pm
May I also suggest “solitario” as an acceptable translation for “lonely”? Where did you learn Spanish?
November 15th, 2007 at 7:51 pm
John,
I’ve never been on strike or marched in a picket line. However, reading your posts and how you run into all of these people you know and how everybody is there for a common goal kinda reminds me of camping out for concert tickets in my youth. Don’t know why I made this connection in my brain as I was reading your post. I did it several times in my late teens and early 20’s….when they used to let you do that. A ticket master location would conveniently be located inside of a Sears store at the mall. We would line up outside of the Sears. The line would wrap 1/2 way around the exterior building. We would chat on…meeting the people next to us throughout the night..sharing some bit of news about the performer we were going to see. We would share bits of food with them and enjoy their company. Funny how about an hour before the Ticketmaster opened, the mood quickly changed from one of friendliness to every man for themselves….minds focussed on the goal of getting the best tickets. Only, we didn’t have Mallory from Family Ties bringing us Tacos. What a treat!! How cool is that!?! That is where one of the big differences come in.
The positive spin on this strike is that it seems like you have some excellent opportunities to network and make connections. Make the most of it and know that we are backing you guys…as best we can…even those of us trapped in the Midwest.
Alice Cooper Fan Chaska, MN
November 15th, 2007 at 7:54 pm
Lonely = Solitario (feeling lonely, ser solitario) Alone = Solo (be alone, estar solo)
Keep fighting for all the writers in the world!! Thank you!!!!!
November 15th, 2007 at 9:15 pm
I can’t wait ’till Monday when I can be back out on the line.
November 15th, 2007 at 10:09 pm
Wow! You make a mind-numbing exercise actually seem interesting and fun. You are a damn good writer, John.
You seem so level-headed, which is exactly what a strike needs. I get so fed up with strikers who seem to lose their sense of decency towards others. They just make everyone look so bad.
November 15th, 2007 at 11:28 pm
I’m so glad someone on artfulwriter.com mentioned this blog! Thank you John for posting about your experience in a thoughtful and entertaining way! I’m a PA(kinda) at Fox off lot, who is losing his job. my boss has been so wonderful in all this, I was suppose to be let go right away and she got me a two week notice and then told me today that I could finish out the month - bless her! I was so clueless to the issues that I went looking for answers; I have been reading incessantly about this for the past two weeks to the point of obsession. I’ve learned much and got into a few comment squabbles early on, one being Writers Vs. BTL. The lesson I learned from that one was the comment section of blogs are filled with hyperbole and absolutes. I came to my senses and realize that most writers/people don’t live in that extreme of black or white, they understand the grays of the world. From that point I made a resolution to not get sucked into the hate and to try and find the humor of the situation I’m stuck in. Reading your blog has given me a guildline of the humor and eloquence one can acheive. I’ve got a long way to go, but I tell ya, goddamn it - I’m going to learn something from all this.
November 16th, 2007 at 12:02 am
though it may sound just like a line of voiceover from Desperate Housewives, i’m pretty sure it actually was a line of voiceover from Grey’s Anatomy. the episode with the nurses’ strike… seriously.
November 16th, 2007 at 12:53 am
Thanks for this post. I’ve been watching the strike from the outside, like most non-industry people, and it’s nice to see a non-polarized opinion, yet one that is still resolute about your ideals. I have mixed about the strike, on one hand, I agree completely with the need for internet residuals. As a recent college graduate, I can vouch for the massive market the internet is opening for the entertainment industry! But, on the other hand, I moved to LA to try and break into Hollywood in early October, when the strike — at least on the outside — looked like a long shot. My dilemma isn’t nearly as immediate as yours, Mr. Abrams’s, nor Mr. Lindelof’s, but on some level I can relate.
Anyway, again, I just wanted to thank you for posting today’s article. I truly hope for a quick and beneficial conclusion.
November 16th, 2007 at 1:31 am
Well said. Sometimes I wish I could be a fly on the wall and listen to the strikers’ conversation :lol:
November 16th, 2007 at 1:35 am
Whoa. Isn´t this great sentence like straight the last scene from a Desperate Housewives episode?
MARY ALICE (V.O.) The non-conversation got Susan thinking a lot about lines: the lines we draw…the lines we walk…and the lines we repeat even though we´re not sure why.
FADE OUT
;)
November 16th, 2007 at 4:37 am
Hey John, I’m writing to you from far away Mumbai, India, just to show my support. I’m a screenwriter who’s just starting out and am appalled by the lack of writer’s rights in my industry. Our Writers Union consists of a ramshackle office in a forgotten building somewhere and has neither the power nor the desire to protect writers. So it’s heartening to see how you guys are sticking together and making it count. You will not believe the kind of conditions writers work under here - residuals are unheard of, most writers get paid only a small percentage of their fee, and that too months and agonizing months later, simply because there is no Guild to back them and make the producers quake in their boots. When starting out in television most writers get paid only slightly more than the light boys on set! So here’s to the WGA and to writers all over the world. Hope you get what is rightfully yours…Wish I had the means to join you at the picket lines, but my thoughts are with you.
November 16th, 2007 at 5:45 am
The actual phrasing from a DH episode would be something like…
MARY ALICE (V.O.) Lines. They surround us. Define us. There are the lines we draw…
…the lines we walk…
…the lines we repeat, though we’ve forgotten exactly why.
And then there are the lines we cross, and can never cross back.
FADE TO BLACK.
Point of trivia: At a charity auction a few months ago, one of the items was the chance to have Mary Alice (Brenda Strong) record a message on your voicemail. I stayed in the bidding for awhile.
November 16th, 2007 at 6:36 am
Me siento sola == I feel lonely Soy solitario = I’m a loner Quiero estar sola = I want to be alone (a la Garbo)
I think the lack of distinction between the two is made up by the fact that Spanish can tolerate a lot more emotional inflection than English. In English, saying “I’m sooo alone” sounds melodramatic, whereas in Spanish that phrasing and intonation wouldn’t necessarily sound as fake. I don’t know if that makes any sense but it certainly accounts for the fact that some translations of Spanish songs sound overwrought in English, whereas in Spanish, they just sound like the perfect way to describe intense feelings. (depending on the song, of course.) Maybe this also explains why Spanish-speakers tend to be more expressive in their body language. (I’ll be quiet now.)
November 16th, 2007 at 9:13 am
Hey John,
I had a weird thought recently. I don’t know if anyone else has suggested this - or even if it’s a good idea - but here it is:
Remember that day everyone protested the war and refused to buy gas? It’s debatable if it worked, because you can only delay gas purchases.
HOWEVER, what if the same thing was done at the cineplexes? What if it was asked that everyone who supported writers NOT go to the movie theaters for one weekend. This would definitely impact the studios and make them take note.
Good idea? Or am I missing some consideration?
November 16th, 2007 at 9:24 am
I think it’s a good idea. I wouldn’t want some of the revival or indie movie houses to feel the crunch, though. Places like Film Forum and the Angelika here in NYC are some of the few arty showcases left.
November 16th, 2007 at 10:29 am
John,
I find the fact that you were at Universal to be absolutely hilarious. I was driving by the tower on my way into Hollywood and saw the groups of picketers waiting to get the walk signal. My first thought as I threw out a honk and thumbs up was “Wow, that must be pretty trying on the picketer’s patience throughout the day” — my second thought was “Wow, that one guy looks a lot like John August. I know that John has been picketing Paramount, though. How weird.” Turns out your recognizability is matched only by your unpredictability. Who knows where you’ll turn up next? Keep fighting the good fight. Everybody in this town (with a soul) supports the WGA.
-Nick
November 16th, 2007 at 3:08 pm
John,
I propose one small adjustment to the beginning of your Mary Alice V.O.:
MARY ALICE (V.O.) Yes. Lines surround us. They define us. There are the lines we draw…
That “yes” makes all the difference to me. In fact, my family and I used to get a small kick out of hearing Mary Alice begin each week’s final monologue with her classic “Yes…” (Then there was the one particularly entertaining episode where she kicked off her monologue with a “No…” — I can only imagine the hell that broke loose in the writers room that week.)
-Brian
November 17th, 2007 at 2:02 am
John–
I appreciate your blog and bringing this down to the understandable level of a foot soldier instead of the war between the super powers as covered by things like Entertainment Weekly and Access Hollywood.
I’m just a guy in Kansas City, who watches the end product. But what I really want to say is:
Thanks for writing stuff for us. And now, thanks for NOT writing for us until all you talented folks get a reasonable deal for the wonderful stuff you produce as art instead of handing it over like a piece of a garment in a sweat shop. It makes a difference in all our lives in all our jobs in everything every one does for you guys to take a stand.
I hope this thing get resolved quickly, and you all are allowed to get back to work.
Take care,
Pat
November 17th, 2007 at 4:50 am
The Germans make a distinction between the condition of being solitary and the condition of being lonely with allein (predictably, alone) and einsam (lonely, although i like to think of it as oneish.) Wonder if we borrowed it from them?
November 21st, 2007 at 8:08 am
Too bad the studios don’t just FIRE all of you and hire someone that can do more than rehash old ideas and remake old films/series/comics. It is long past time for you all to go get REAL jobs. Losers.
November 26th, 2007 at 5:31 pm
I think the whole thing is a shame. Surely, there are better ways to solve problems like this, in fact it just seems to be rather childish to me. I love to write and would almost sell my right arm to have the job these people have. It just makes my heart sink when I see how so many people who have been so blessed, seem to appreciate it so little.
November 28th, 2007 at 9:59 pm
You know, strikes do tend to get the best results. There are multiple examples throughout history of success stories, however… I want Star Trek :) Do what you need to do to get what you want, but know that we all look forward to the end result!
December 7th, 2007 at 5:47 pm
Soledad
December 7th, 2007 at 5:48 pm
Solitude, eh? A place. A thing. Something needed for writing some times.
January 7th, 2008 at 3:34 pm
I just think this strike is non-sense.. A lot of good shows are be delayed because of it. Especially my favorite 24.. This strike needs too end asap so we all can get back to our daily lives.