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a writer's perspective
I imagined that I would begin Week 4 of the strike full of energy, completely rested and rejuvenated after nearly a week of Thanksgiving festivities. The reality was quite the opposite. I am tired!
The WGA has officially shortened our shifts to 3 hour blocks, Monday through Thursday. Fridays are being reserved for rallies, meetings, or heavy drinking. I signed up to do the 5am to 8am shift this morning, but when I got home at 2 last night, I realized what a horrible, horrible idea that was.
I ended up working the 8-11 shift instead. At first, it felt like the first day back at school after a holiday break. Everyone talked about what they did on their vacation, how sick they are of Pumpkin Pie, and how they wish they had spent more time relaxing.
People driving by seem like they have a holiday hangover as well. Everyone looks tired. There are still a lot of honks and waves, but not a lot of smiles.
A construction crew has begun doing roadwork where our sign-in sheet usually is. They are loud, and whatever they are doing smells really awful. I notice that several of them have pro-union stickers on their hardhats.
At one point, a grip that I used to work with walks out of the studio. I am excited to see him and say hello. He seems uncomfortable, a little tentative to shake my hand with his friends watching. I ask how he’s doing, and he gestures to the other strikers and says, “well, you know”, then walks off. I guess he’s in the 4% that doesn’t support the strike.
I hit the sign-in table to grab a coffee and maybe a doughnut. There are shopping bags full of uncooked pasta and cans of beans, and I remember, that we are having a food drive all week. Other than the bags of donated food, our table is conspicuously empty. One cooler of water and some cups, a half a bagel. I think back to that first week when we had boxes of doughnuts stacked six feet high.
The big story today, of course, is the fact that negotiations between the WGA and the AMPTP have officially resumed. Both sides have agreed to a media blackout, so we shouldn’t expect to hear anything officially. (Hey, they agreed on something!)
The consensus mood amongst the writers is “Cautious Optimism” - a phrase I heard several times today. I fully believe that the agents who have been working behind the scenes to get everybody back to the table have also been working to bang out an agreement that will end the strike. Maybe I’m delusional, but I expect to hear (relatively) good news very soon.
And if not, I’m just gonna have to remember to sign up for the afternoon shift if I’m gonna stay out ‘til 2am.
photo by Heath Biter for LAist
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You think only 4% don't support the strike? Where'd you get your info?
I imagine the grip wasn't too happy to see you because he's out of a job due to the strike. My friends who work on crews aren't too happy about it either. I'm guessing the average working writer is making quite a bit more than the average working crew member and the crews are the ones suffering most from your strike.
HC: I got my info here: http://www.latimes.com/business/la-fi-strikepoll14nov14,0,4940619.story
The only official poll that's been conducted says that 63% support the writers, 33% are undecided (don't know enough about the situation), and 4% support the producers.
The writers I know feel horrible that people are losing their jobs, but to put the blame squarely on the shoulder of the writers, and none on the producers is misplaced anger.
Believe me, I am sympathetic to where the grip is coming from. Having worked with him for five plus years, I would have liked to believe that we had a personal relationship that transcended the politics of the day.
I'm fully rooting for you guys to get your fair share of the pie and to go back to writing for TV. But primetime's gain will be LAist's loss. I've really been enjoying your insider's perspective posts and will be a little sad to see you go back to your regular writing activities.
Ah. I just read the survey. It doesn't say 4% don't support the strike. It says that 4% support the studios. The question wasn't whether or not you support the strike, it was which side you support. Subtle distinction, but an important one. I personally oppose the strike, but I would have answered that question as "unsure" (as 33% did) since I don't support the studios or the writers. It's possible to oppose the strike and not support the studios.
I've supported the writers from the start and will continue to do so, but I'm supporting them in spite of things like Campanile offering a prix fixe Writers' "Soup Kitchen" for $18 and $280,000 spent on pencils just to make a point and moronic YouTube videos.
The behavior of some of the writers during the strike and some of the businesses that support them is really off-base. I support the notion that the writers deserve a share of new media revenues, but the arguments that "most writers aren't well off" at the same time that La Cachette is offering free valet is simply disingenuous.
Just make the argument that you deserve a share of new media. That's it. Plain and simple. You do. Don't play the "WE SO POOR COMPARED TO THE EVIL MEGAMILLIONAIRE PRODUCERS!!" card.
'Cause you folks are looking pretty rich to the rest of us lumpenproletariat down here outside of your precious little entertainment cabal.