Thursday, November 1, 2007 - 7:46 AM PDT
Hollywood preps for strike as talks break down between writers, producers

SXSW, super sized: Morgan Spurlock among panelists at '07 event [Austin]
The entertainment world braces for a potential writers strike as contract negotiations between the Writers Guild of America and the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers broke down on Wednesday, at the end of the WGA's current contract, which has now expired.

The leadership of the WGA is now authorized to call a strike at any time, leaving the entertainment industry in the lurch. The WGA represents some 12,000 writers. Talk shows and soap operas are expected to be the hardest hit if a strike is called, as many networks have enough scripts already to weather a shorter strike.

A key sticking point in the negotiations involves compensation for writers when their work is released on DVD.

The WGA has called a general membership meeting for Thursday night at the Los Angeles Convention Center.

The last writers strike was in 1988 and lasted 22 weeks.


I hope this finishes up quickly. I was writing something for my job which has be put on hold untill this is over.

jesus christ all they do is remake old shit anyway

the successful tv writers don't care, its the ones stuck making internet programming who want to get paid like its tv i believe

I hope this ends up benefitting the writers, who don't get enough credit or paycheck. For every shit script like Transformers or Die Hard, there's ten smaller movies that have wonderful scripts that never get recognized. I challenge anyone to write down their 10 favorite movies of all time and NOT find at least a few great scripts in their list. Without a great script, the chances of a movie being great are quite small.

someone told me it was for internet media credits and proper payment for online work. but i agree transformers was one of the shittiest scripts ever given money way worse than the leprecaun in space. i believe there are actually lots of great scripts, and you can't have a great movie with out one.

Sucks. Putting The Daily Show and Colbert Report on hiatus.

This doesn't bode well for Cavemen.

They had writers for that? I haven't watched, expecting it to be utter shit.

Does this mean that Spiderman 4, Fantastic Four 3, Pirates of the Caribbean 4 are all delayed?

Don't cry, little buddy. Hollywood still has plenty of shitty movies to sling your way.

Tune in for the Heroes season finale this Monday.


How can I tell which shows will be effected? It's not every show, right?

daily shows, late shows, ect will be immediately affected. a lot of shows already have enough scripts to last through the next couple months. though changes to those scripts during shooting won't be happening. if it lasts as long that it goes through the golden globes or the academy awards, there will be less jokes this year.

movie productions that are in progress will press on though the writer cannot make changes to the scripts.

and even worse( for me), it was looking like i was going to get a chance to write and direct something for my job, and that's on hold.

Hopefully this will last a while and it will make people want to join a rec league or take up running. I can't imagine being upset because "According to Jim" is being put on hold.

does this mean SNL will be better this week?

God help ABC if I don't get my weekly dose of Pushing Daisies or if FX delays the final season of the Shield.

December 3, actually. They're cutting it off for the season after 11 episodes since that makes the end of volume 2 anyway.

end this by christmas, please.

And you would be right.

I wonder if the Gov't is freaking out that since people can't watch new TV, they will stop being ignorant morons to the dealings of the governemnt. Yeah what was I thinking?!?!?