Strike, day 79
This morning was a day of firsts on the picket line. For starters, it was my first day of rain picketing. A clear plastic garbage bag protects the sign, so beyond needing to occasionally wipe off my glasses, it wasn’t a big difference. It was warmer than most mornings, so I’ll gladly take some rain.
Today was the first time all the WGA pickets were consolidated at Paramount, so it was weird to see four times as many picketers at six in the morning. While we started out at our normal gates, pretty soon we gathered in big groups to walk around the entire lot.
Paramount is seven blocks wide and four blocks deep, but it backs up against the Hollywood Forever Cemetery, so there’s no way to circle it without including the cemetery, a few strip malls, and the WIC center. So for any confused observers (there were a few), the WGA is not anti-corpse, anti-doughnut, or anti-women-infants-and-children.
Google Maps shows one lap equalling 1.7 miles. I’m surprised; it doesn’t feel that long. As I noted on Day 1 of the strike, the sidewalks on the west side of Paramount are ridiculously unusable: 2 feet wide with a light pole in the middle.
So if you’re tempted to head out for one of the later picketing shifts today, by all means go. It’s a very nice change to be able to walk forward without interruption.
Teaching Thursdays
Some writers from WB Gate 2 are starting an off-the-cuff program called Teaching Thursdays. Priya Hamilton-Wilkes wrote in:
A few of us came up with an idea of “Teaching Thursdays,” where writers of various TV and feature genres would join us on Thursdays, making themselves available to discuss story, structure and everything in between to aspiring writers. Medical drama day will be Thursday, January 24th, from 9-12 at Gate 2 at Warner Bros.
It’s a great idea. One of the frustrating things about picketing is that so often, you feel like you’re not doing anything constructive. That’s why I’ve been happy to have so many readers come out to Paramount. I suspect the WB Gate 2 crew will get at least as much out of it as the aspiring writers who come out to learn.
The elephant in the room
At 6:09 this morning, I was interviewed by a KTLA news crew about my opinions on the DGA deal and what it meant for the informal WGA talks which are now beginning. (The reporter didn’t pick me specifically. The group I was walking with shoved me in front.)
So while I’ve refrained from weighing in officially on the blog for fear of undercutting the off-stage discussions, I can at least repeat what I told the reporter.
I’ve been “cautiously optimistic” too many times during the strike, so I officially refuse to link emotion and prediction. I won’t predict, period.
That said, everyone on every side recognizes why this would be a very good time to get the strike resolved. There are important issues which are unique to writers, ones that don’t really have any equivalent in the DGA deal, so those are going to take careful action to address.
While I won’t predict whether a deal will be reached soon, do I think a deal can be reached? Absolutely.
Tomorrow will be back to normal, with picketing at the Van Ness gate at Paramount starting at 5:45 a.m.
Articles
January 22nd, 2008 at 10:46 am
I thought it felt LONGER than 1.7 miles. And for the record, I am anti-doughnut.
January 22nd, 2008 at 10:46 am
“It’s a great idea. One of the frustrating things about picketing is that so often, you feel like you’re not doing anything constructive.”
Hey John, I’ve got a great idea for you and your WGA friends: you can visit our online screenplay workshop and give some time to our aspiring screenwriters! Sounds like it was already an idea on your mind.
In all seriousness, we met at the Paramount gate in December and you told me to get back to you in the new year about possibly doing something for our site, thewritersbuilding.org, so here I am, getting back to you! (actually I emailed you but I may have had the wrong email)
I also handed you a flyer that mentioned that we’re offering free membership to any WGA writers during the strike.
Please consider it and thanks for all your help.
To stay on topic: how will the Teaching Thursdays be conducted? While walking?
-Dan Calvisi
January 22nd, 2008 at 11:13 am
I know I’m annoying, but don’t forget to post about the daytime writers and anything you have on them. Apart from Josh Griffith, who was part of Malone’s writing team on One Life to Live with that famous R. Phillippe storyline, who went fi-core (assisting him on Y&R is Maria Arena Bell and Paula Cwickly), The New York Times is announcing that James Harmon Brown and Barbara Esensten, who are writing All My Children, also went fi-core… And Megan McTavish trashed them in that same article. Add to that list Garin Wolf for General Hospital.
January 22nd, 2008 at 11:18 am
P. S. You could diminish the font size for the comments once more - now they’re again bigger than the main text.
January 22nd, 2008 at 11:36 am
I almost (literally) shot Diet Coke out of my nose when I read your post and pictured the WGA picketing past the cemetery. Sometimes life is surprisingly funny.
January 22nd, 2008 at 11:58 am
John,
1.7 miles and 26 minutes (that is if my trusty Timex was correct).
I was in that group behind you, that is until we separated at the light after Hollywood Forever and the line reformed and we lost our place in it and fell to the very rear.
I like these large picketing group get-togethers. I’ve manage to hook-up with writers I normally wouldn’t know and out of that–in addition to exchanging ideas and forming a few potential writing partnerships–I think that I’ve made a few and lasting friendships.
Jake
January 22nd, 2008 at 4:41 pm
I love the idea of Teaching Tuesdays! But I think they should be earlier, so people like me can join in and then go to work. How about 6am?
January 22nd, 2008 at 6:12 pm
I know this is off-topic, but i just want to say how sad and shocked I am to see Heath Ledger was found dead. What a terrible loss for not just the movie industry, but for his friends and family. My thoughts are with them. John, did you ever work with him?
January 22nd, 2008 at 6:16 pm
I’ve worn glasses for about 18 months now and the one time it really annoys me is when it rains. For this alone I’m thinking about switching to contacts. Actually for that and skiing, where I can’t get the goggles over my glasses.
January 22nd, 2008 at 11:01 pm
I love the idea of Teaching Thursdays and I’m normally at Warner Brothers. I’d especially love to attend the one on medical drama. However, this Thursday, Jan 24th, a ‘Xena, Warrior Princess’ day is being organized at NBC Studios from 11-2… where the fans will be able to walk and talk with the actors and writers from the Xena show. Apparently the Xena fans have been supplying water and goodies to the striking writers at Disney since the beginning of the strike.
I didn’t work on Xena, but I did work on her big brother show, Hercules, so I’m sure I’m expected to be there. I invite anyone who’d like a change of pace to come to NBC Studios on Jan 24th and hobnob with our writers and actors.