| Created 007.11.16; Updated 2007.11.16 |
This article originally appeared in Hollywood Today.
|
Writers Tell Producers Include Us...Later HOLLYWOOD, CA (Hollywood Today) 11/05/07 — "Does anyone have a bag of peanuts?" asks writer Howard A. Rodman, "because there's an elephant in the room." That elephant, of course, is the WGA writers strike that came on the same day that the WGA had a previously scheduled panel presentation at the American Film Market. Ironically, that panel is entitled "Keeping Writers Onboard: The Business Case". Panel moderator Rodman and five other writers, all WGA members, discussed how producers and directors could better utilize writers during production. After the panel, Rodman said he would be heading to a WGA picket line at Sunset-Gower Studios. More... |
Despite the talk of studios and networks stockpiling scripts, a lot of people aren't ready for this week's writers strike. For example, 'My Name Is Earl' has just two scripts ready to shoot. Rodman prefaced the discussion by apologizing to writer-director Miguel Arteta, one of the panelists, for not calling him back months sooner about his script. The chaotic nature of production makes looking ahead hard. Writers have been feeling the pinch of the looming strike for months, often getting half their quote due to market uncertainly. At the same time it's been a bonanza for actors, who've been getting double their quote as studios and networks frantically forged ahead. Even if you have a script on the shelf, rewrite is such a part of production today that there's the question of whether you can really shoot it.
Why should film producers and directors keep writers on the set? "I've had a dream-like scenario with both 'Red Eye' and 'Disturbia'," says 'Distubia' co-writer Carl Ellsworth. "I was involved from the start and on the set almost every day for each movie. Once cameras start rolling you have problems that need correction. I was the gatekeeper of the story although it's the director's ship to steer. Just before you go to shoot a scene there might be an idea going around that the studio isn't aware of. I would keep the lines of communication open to the studio so it can flow more efficiently."
"Directors will never shoot a scene they don't believe in", says 'Top Gun' co-writer Jack Epps, Jr. "The best creative relationships I've had is with directors. The confident director welcomes the writer on the set. The writer can be a sounding board for the director. A stronger movie is a stronger box office" Sometimes the writer can even help the director with actors. "Barbet Schroeder would call me at 4 in the morning", says 'Reversal of Fortune' writer Nick Kazan. "He had an actor who was being very difficult. He would ask me a question and tell the actor 'He says no'. The actor was astonished. But, he couldn't argue. Barbet used me as a resource that saved a lot of time on the set."
So what's the pay for writers on the set? "Usually none", says Kazan. "They pay expenses, sometimes per diem. You already got a bonus for going into production." All the writers on the panel say they don't get paid on the set.
The question was asked, what should writers do now, during the strike? Although writers can't be hired, they can still work on spec projects for themselves during strike. Writer-director Miguel Arteta says, "Make sure you write stories not like any other story." Kazan says, "Don't scab". Rodman says, "Please don't take our jobs because it's bad karma. We're doing this [the strike] to benefit writers that come after us."
The writers strike won't hurt the appetite for independent films, which may not even use union writers. AFM has been sold out for months. AFM managing director Jonathan Wolf says, "We have a full house".