This isn't a good sign at all.
Yesterday, four of the major studios - CBS Paramount, 20th Century Fox Television, NBC Universal, and Warner Brothers Television - canceled the contracts of dozens of writers and put an end to over 65 development deals, which basically means that there are no new scripts to choose from to start filming pilots for next fall's schedule. This will save the production companies millions, since they won't have to keep paying the writers for the deals.
And that's not the end of it. One studio exec says that if the strike lasts into February, there will be another round of contract terminations. I think this all means that in September of 2008, we're all going to be watching American Gladiators: The Apprentice, infomercials, and whatever DVDs we have piled up on our coffee tables.
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)
1-15-2008 @ 2:40PM
david said...
So how bad does this get til we start getting "The Replacements"... no i am not talking about fox doing a Keanu Reeves movie week... i am talking about trying to get people in here who are completely seperated from all this guild and strike nonsense.
I mean the south park guys came out of no where and still arent members of any of the guilds. Always Sunny came from a pilot supposedly filmed on a $75 budget using handicams. I am sure anyone who would be bold enough to do this would have problems with the industry later, being blackballed and what not. But lets face it, this is as good a chance as many people will ever have to get noticed.
In situations like this all you need to do is get that first foot in the door. Once you are in the party if you are a popular enough guy/can shake enough hands they can never kick you out
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1-15-2008 @ 3:38PM
Vito said...
Well, it depends whether the SAG or DGA is sympathetic to the WGA. As it stands right now, they are. The SAG could do a lot of damage in their own right as the public faces that the people actually see, but the producers NEED the DGA on board desperately, because they are one of the constants. You can't do ANY show, reality or otherwise, without a director.
Ideally, all three will make a stand together and get a decent deal worked out for everyone, since if writers start splitting off and a union gets broken, they'll all eventually fall down. And how many directors actually want to be directing without writers or actors? That's the question.
But anyone who moves past that strike line by choice is risking a whole lot. You said it yourself, new talent comes around all the time.
1-15-2008 @ 5:17PM
sitruc said...
http://www.tvsquad.com/2007/11/19/the-how-to-on-getting-your-show-on-tv/
So the stuff in that post still applies?
1-15-2008 @ 2:47PM
Cody said...
I might just have to actually go outside and socialize more if this happens.
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1-15-2008 @ 2:51PM
TX2Step said...
Well... I finally getting comfortable watching script shows again and now this. Guess I'll abandon the TV again.
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1-15-2008 @ 3:01PM
Christopher said...
This is sad news indeed.
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1-15-2008 @ 3:06PM
Christian H. said...
Sure this is sad news. But tell you what: I finally had time to watch the shows I taped but never watched. Currently I'm watching all 13 episodes of "Journeyman", I'm planning on catching up with "Brothers & Sisters". When all this is over (in 2 years) I will finally be up to date ;)
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1-15-2008 @ 3:14PM
Mike S said...
How about having CBS air concurrent British TV? Maybe Channel 4?
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1-15-2008 @ 3:17PM
Shawn said...
Oh and Christian H. had to bring up that great show they were threatening to cancel. Journeyman! What a great show that was.
But lets face it we want the WGA to get there money they deserve and all but this has drug out WAY too long. I almost agree with the replacements. I for one have found enough to do around the house and with sports and all to not miss TV yet but soon it will get old! That and I want Heroes and Journeyman back!!!! Can I say it enought Journeyman Journeyman Journeyman Journeyman Journeyman!
But yes lets think up a new strategy and go from there and see what happens to get rid of this reality crap.
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1-15-2008 @ 3:27PM
segsig said...
It's extremely pathetic that the studios will do well showing this crud that people are watching! nbc is doing better than they did all this fall.
I'm prepared, my netflix queu is full with shows I missed; Arrested Development, Weeds, Slings & Arrows.
Since the public seems to gorge themselves on this replacement crap, it won't affect the studios until the movie scripts run dry.
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1-15-2008 @ 3:28PM
Scott said...
The other interpretation of this move, which I've read online, is that the talks with the Director's Guild are going well, and the networks now anticipate an end to the WGA strike coming out of that. They see this as their "last chance" to get rid of any development deals they didn't want anymore, before the writers return to work. That would suggest the strike may be ending shortly. I have no industry-inside knowledge to know if this is true, but I'm going to be optimistic for a couple days before getting despondent.
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1-15-2008 @ 3:42PM
Scott said...
I just checked back to the source where I read this. It was a NY Times blog, but in re-reading, it turns out that this theory was put forth by writers themselves, members of the WGA, and some people who were among those canned by the networks. So it seems doubtful. Here's the link:
http://tvdecoder.blogs.nytimes.com/2008/01/15/studios-start-dumping-contract-writers/
1-15-2008 @ 3:40PM
blindguy said...
Shame on everyone who is suggesting that we support non-union writers.
The big studios make millions and millions and are willing to pay actors whatever they want. But someone who actually creates the content wants to get paid and that's a no-no.
Do we think that the WGA is really asking for a lot? A few cents for a DVD sale. I'm not sure, but do the actors and directors get a cut of dvd sales?
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1-15-2008 @ 5:26PM
Ricky said...
This whole strike has very little to do with money. It all has to do with the WGA leadership wanting more power. Most writers were actually content with the DVD residual structure, and reports say that most were angry when the strike leadership pulled the current proposal off the table. As for "new media," people make it sound like the AMPTP was unwilling to pay the writers any residuals for new media, however the truth is that the AMPTP has since the beginning offered to extend the same residual structure to internet sales. As for streaming, the sides cant agree to a structure, because for one there is no way to measure revenue (except in the few cases where ads run during a streaming broadcast). The major consention is that the WGA leadership desperately want to force reality "writers" and animation writers to join the union, thus giving the WGA more power than the studios, since those 3 make up the majority of tv programming.
1-15-2008 @ 6:14PM
Paul said...
blindguy is right -- we all want our shows back, but screwing the writers is not the way to do it.
And Ricky is quite wrong in his facts.
"As for streaming, the sides cant agree to a structure, because for one there is no way to measure revenue (except in the few cases where ads run during a streaming broadcast)."
I have never, NOT ONCE, viewed a streaming video on a network website (including subscription channels like HBO) without also viewing an ad. Plus, there are also static ads placed on the pages where these videos reside. It is very, very easy to measure the revenue created by these displays, but more importantly, in 5 years most TV money will be made via the internet, and for the writers to cave on this point would mean eventually giving up most residuals altogether.
1-15-2008 @ 4:12PM
Ashley Boyd said...
Is it not saying though that pilots and such aren't being invested in. But if the strike ends soonish couldn't current shows return?
Or am I being dumb and missing something?
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1-15-2008 @ 3:57PM
LC said...
Television is entertainment for me. It is the livelihood of the writers. It isn't much of a sacrifice for me to ride this out and support the writers by avoiding network television.
There are plenty of books for me to read and a bunch of XBOX 360 games to be played in the meantime.
I think the studios are cutting off their nose despite their face.
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1-15-2008 @ 4:02PM
Edward Wilson said...
Looks like we'll never see the Scrubs finale. :(
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1-15-2008 @ 4:10PM
stewartwallace said...
I wonder if the handle on Jerry Stiller's picket sign is a repurposed Festivus pole...
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1-15-2008 @ 4:15PM
chadwick said...
All well. That's what the gym and sports are for guys. Guess what? Books still exist! I know it's shocking for some of you but its true. Perhaps if your really motivated you can pick up a instrument and start learning how to play music. That's right. Create your own entertainment. Wow!
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