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a writer's perspective
Something is wrong with my car radio. There’s a short in the wiring or something, so every time I go over any kind of bump, the radio turns off and reboots. Sometimes it works okay. Sometimes, the slightest movement shuts down the stereo. If I try to change the station, or turn up the volume, the radio turns off. If I make a lane change, the radio turns off. It’s really, really annoying. I can’t come up with a logical explanation, but I decide to blame the AMPTP anyway. I remove the faceplate, and drive to the picket line in complete silence.
Today was one of those days that went so fast. Before I knew it, I’d accidentally stayed forty minutes over my scheduled “shift” time. The crowd seems a little thinner than yesterday, but the small victories of the last few days have everyone feeling enthusiastic.
Whether or not the WGA’s side deals with smaller companies is a good thing is debatable, but it’s hard to see the cancellation of the Golden Globes as anything but a triumph for the scribes. Well, actually, one writer I talk to is slightly upset, because he has a crush on Diablo Cody, and he feels bad that she won’t get to experience the award ceremony. (Look out Nikki Finke – you’ve got competition as a crush object of the writers.)
A couple of nice college-age television fans bring us a box of muffins and walk with us for a couple of hours. They mention that they had completely forgotten about the strike until they heard the news about the Golden Globes. They were worried that other people might have forgotten about the strike as well. They pictured us on the picket line, cold, neglected, and muffin-less, and rushed out to remedy the situation. Thank you fans!
I remembered to dress warm today. The only problem is it’s gotta be twenty degrees warmer than it was yesterday. I’m walking the 9-12 beat, and by 10:30, I’m sweating my ass off. I take off a few layers and leave them by the sign-in table. One day I’ll get this right.
I can tell that some of the other strikers are still rusty from the holiday break, because I get hit in the head with picket signs at least a dozen times. Occasionally I can react in time, and use my sign as a defensive shield. I’m more comfortable than I was yesterday, but I bang my sign into the Walk/Don’t Walk signal a few times, and have to be reminded repeatedly not to stand to close to the curb. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve seen people almost nail cars speeding along Barham with their picket signs.
A lot of the writers I talk to say that they’ve made New Year’s resolutions to write more. Most people have been trying to write in the afternoons, but that they’re finding it hard to get motivated. I remember before the strike, there was a lot of talk about how there would be a glut of spec scripts flooding the market, but I think the truth is that there will be a surplus of half-finished scripts.
When the day ends, I get back in my car and turn on the radio. The news is saying something about the strike. I try to turn up the radio and it shuts off just long enough for me to miss the entire story. Then I realize that I’ve left my jacket and sweater back at the sign-in table. I can’t think of a logical explanation, but again, I blame the AMPTP anyway.
photo by Heath Biter for LAist
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Diablo comes into my work almost every day. She's ridiciulously beautiful and too cool.
I don't know what the deal is..but laist has been kind of yawn for me the past couple of weeks.
Who doesn't have a crush on Diablo Cody?
It was announced today that Warner Bros. could lay off approx. 1000 people after Friday due to the writers strike.
http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20080109/media_nm/warnerbros_dc
Now I am in full support of the strike, but how do the writers feel about something like that? The WGA will eventually win and take their jobs back, but due to the strike, these 1000 people may not have that luxury when it's all said and done.
Emoney, studios do massive layoffs all the time, this time they just have the PR luxury of blaming the WGA. It is part of working in entertainment. No one is safe except for senior management , who traditionally do nothing and fail upward. They always lay off the little guys who actually do the work. It's the nature of thebusiness. They just want movement in the stock price.
Not all WGA members have "jobs" to come back to either. There have been series cancellations of course, but the job of a writer(or actor) is generally freelance in nature. Luxury is not really the best word here. Frankly, crew and studio employees have more job stability and steady weekly pay....each job has it's positives and negatives, the grass is greener etc....But no one except the studio CEOs are walking away from this without $$ scars.
But this is just WB adjusting their budgets. It usually happens around the start of the year. You should check out the senior management that WB just announced raises for. The cash is there, just not for the people who do the actual work.