| Created 2007.11.16; Updated 2007.11.16 |
This article originally appeared in Hollywood Today.
|
Writer-Producer Strikes Self - Humor HOLLYWOOD, CA (Hollywood Today) 11/04/07 — In a move not unexpected in Hollywood, writer-producers walked out today, unable to come to terms with themselves on a contract. "All sides realize we've reached an impasse", says Razzie-eligible writer-producer Chuck Scriber. "We can't continue like this, and I can't say when or if we can return." Talks hit the wall in the wake of the guild's much publicized "Pencils Down Means Pencils Down" campaign that instructed writer-producers to stop all writing of any kind. More... |
"Writer-producers have categorically refused to write down their demands or to consider signing any contract that might be put in front of them", says a frustrated writer-producer who issued a statement blaming himself.
Skip Chaser, president of the Alliance of Writer-Producers & Producer-Writers, says members believe they can make a deal with themselves by moving on issues other than writing or producing. "Movement is possible on other issues, but not when confronted with our continuing efforts to strike a deal", says Chaser. "The magnitude of that proposal alone is blocking us from making any further progress with ourselves."
Monday was the soonest anyone expected a walk-out. But after a massive union rally Thursday night, the strike was secretly moved up to Sunday. The timing of the strike caught the studios and networks completely off-guard, with only a handful of executives and a skeleton crew present. Writer-producers accused themselves of getting the idea from repeatedly watching Michael Bay's 'Pearl Harbor'. However, there's confusion on the picket lines with writer-producers having trouble deciding where they stand. Tensions are increasing by the hour. There have been threats and even violence with some writer-producers hitting themselves.
There's new hope as a federal mediator has been called in to bring writer-producers back to the table. Reportedly, an offer to share a percentage of revenue of free downloads on the Internet is being used as leverage to restart negotiations. Division over compensation for new media, such as Internet downloads of television and movies, has been a chief obstacle in talks. Writer-producers declined to provide details, but a reliable source says a "surprisingly large percentage" of nothing is on the table.
Initially, the writer-producers lacked support from their union brothers and sisters. However, a union crucial to television and film production made an announcement today it won't cross writer-producer picket lines. "If you are going on strike, you really need the support of your fellow unions," says Bob Bucket, secretary-treasurer of Local 399 of the Janitors union. "The Janitors represents a formidable constituency that seriously impacts production." Studio and network executives, caught unprepared for this type of stoppage, are diverting "honey wagons" from local film productions and Port-a-Potties from area construction sites in a frantic effort to fill the gap. Even reality shows are being impacted admits an executive.
Executives are fighting back, vowing to let interns write the shows. "They're young, they're hip, and they're already used to working for free", says a studio executive wearing a red bandana over his face. Most writer-producers dismiss such threats as bravado, that executives would be loathe to effect the quality of scripts. Still, there's lingering concern among writer-producers that interns could introduce an expectation of wit and intelligence in scripts that would be hard to eliminate after the strike. Nobody wants that to happen.