STATUS: Mail arrived! Hooray. Huge stack too. And there were royalty statements and checks. I told you so.
What’s playing on the iPod right now? FIND THE RIVER by R.E.M.
Most normal people might be grumpy because of the dearth of interesting programming on the telly right now. I’m annoyed because it’s keeping one of my projects in film limbo because the script needs reworking. Since the screenwriters are on strike, no revisions allowed.
I got a call today from my film co-agent just to update me that there is no update. Good to know and I’m glad she called, just to stay in touch. (It tells me she’s still employed; there are lots of rumors about mass firings that may be imminent in Hollywood).
But I’m sure I’m not alone in thinking, “who do I need to bribe to get the parties back to the negotiating table?”
Starbucks anyone? I’m buying.
Tags: WGA Strike
Last I heard they are doing “under the table” talks at the moment. I’m ready for it to be over too. I have friends wrapped up in it.
Yep. It’s time to end this thing! And the fact that my agent is out there with my film rights right now has NOTHING to do with my opinion. 🙂
Good to hear about the “under the table” negotiations.
“Under the table” implies something nefarious! LOL They’re doing informal preliminary talks like the AMPTP did with the DGA a short time ago. There’s a media blackout, so no one has any idea how it’s going. But I have high hopes…
In the meantime, the WGA has been signing deal after deal with independent companies, so that route is always a possibility, too. Lionsgate was the most recent.
The writers have been at the table the whole time, it’s the studios that have been playing hardball. The studios basically wanted to wait until they made a deal with the DGA, so they could hold it over the writers’ heads. Now that’s done, and the studios have started negotiating again.
I figure they’re doing their damnedest to get this resolved before the Oscars, so they don’t have another fiasco like the Golden Globes. So hopefully this is over within a month.
R.E.M., now that is a great band. Love their songs. Find the River isn’t one of their best, but it’s still good enough to get a #4
Hey Kristin!
Just wanted to let you know I’m linking your blog to mine (not sure if that will really help you traffic wise, not that you would need it anyway!) and just wanted to make sure you were cool with that!
Have been enjoying this blog for a while now!
all best!
I do hope the strike is over soon. A lot of below-the-line crew members have lost their jobs, non-wealthy writers (the majority) are worried about paying rent, overtime has been cut for assistants at many of the agencies. Warner Bros is cutting 1000 jobs and many writers lost their studio deals.
My job has pretty much come to a grinding halt. Agents cannot even send me their clients’ work as a writing sample.
I don’t think the writers are asking for too much.
Kristin said: I got a call today from my film co-agent just to update me that there is no update. Good to know and I’m glad she called…
Oh, golly. I thought that writers were the only ones like that. I get weird when I don’t hear from my agent, and I love it when she checks in, just to check in, even if she has no news.
All agents out there: Call (or better yet, e-mail) your writers. Say, “Hi. Just checking in. No news. Later.” It will take one minute and make their day. Promise.
I hear you, Kristen. I’m waiting out this strike with visions of bribery myself.
Tish
Adrienne,
It’s fine to link to this blog.
Kristin
They are talking. Everyone is ‘optimistically hopeful’.
Even my friends completely outside the movie industry or writing game can see that the studios are completely in the wrong. The contracts pay a minuscule amount to the writer (and the director, cast etc who no doubt will be the next to strike) for download rights. In five years time, downloads will be dominant. It’s vitally important for us writers to support this strike as its our livelihoods at stake as well – it’s annoying but it seems to me a small price to pay.
By the way, UK screenwriters already have all the rights the US writers are striking for and far more generous standard contracts, but they are striking in the cause of solidarity.
Thanks for your great work,
I was wondering, I know this is a rant blog, do you ever get to rant about screenplays and film scripts. I would really love to know your take on a good film vs a bad one.
Maybe, even writing something about pre, during and post WGA strike and how TV or films quality was effected.
Thanks for the great material