It has been far too long since I’ve written about Writer’s Strike. Obviously there are more informative places for you to receive such news, but I like keeping my readers posted and I am asked about the status of the strike every day.

Did that sound defensive? I am fighting off a cold with every ounce of energy I have, so please excuse the snarky and/or boring nature of this entry. If there is a God, she’d know that I am already in the negative column for vacation days at work, so I would appreciate it is she could just postpone this little cold until the spring. Yes, I accrue a new set of sick days at the beginning of each year, but we those are precious commodities to a high maintenance girl like me. Anyway…

Most of you have probably heard by now that the Golden Globes have been canceled. They were to air on Sunday, but now the winners will be announced via press conference instead. Even though I’ve always enjoyed watching our favorite television and movie stars get sloshed on national television while pretending to be happy for their fellow nominees when they lose, I totally support the writers and respect the actors who refuse to cross picket lines.

Both David Letterman’s Worldwide Pants production company and Tom Cruise’s United Artists movie studio have made independent deals with the Writer’s Guild of America, allowing them to employ writers during the strike. Jay Leno, on the other hand, is receiving serious flack for writing monologues and airing new shows without the permission of the Guild, of which he is a member.

As always, the best sites for up-to-the-minute coverage of the strike are Deadline Hollywood Daily and United Hollywood.

As for the television world, we have to wait until May to see the last few episodes of Bones, and apparently it will move to Monday nights. Why (…I inquire to no one in particular)? And Jon Robin Baitz, the creator of Brothers & Sisters, has left the show due to creative differences with the network. That might prove to be very interesting once production on that series resumes.

Would you like to know how many new episodes of your shows have yet to air? Check out TVGuide.com’s Strike Chart.

Now if you’ll excuse me, I’m off in search of some preventative cold meds. Good evening.

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I should be at the movies right now, watching a preview of the one film I have been looking forward to all year (Juno). But it’s pouring rain outside. And I am not allowed to get sick before minor surgery next week. So I sit am sitting here instead, dry and pouting.

In other more relevant and exciting news, the cast is coming together for the new X-Files movie, which is scheduled for release in July of 2008. David Duchovny and Gillian Anderson will be joined by Amanda Peet, Billy Connolly and rapper/Pimp My Ride host Xzibit. Seriously. Ok, I’ll give him more credit. He was in Derailed, 8 Mile and Gridiron Gang, among others, so this won’t be his first big screen gig.

There is also a rumor that former Deadwood sheriff Timothy Olyphant has a role in the film, and judging from his recent appearances in Hitman and Live Free or Die Hard, I’d venture to guess that he won’t be playing good cop for the FBI.

Although the new X-Files movie was scheduled to begin filming next week, I wouldn’t be surprised to hear that the start date has been postponed due to the Writer’s Strike. The X-Files is in my Top 4 Favorite Television Shows of All Time (along with Six Feet Under, Lost and Deadwood), and I will be there on opening day for this next installment, just as I was when the first film came out in 1998. In the meantime, the unbelievably loaded 61-disc DVD box set of the entire series tops my wish list this Christmas. That was not a typo; there are 61 DVDs of episodes and extras from all 9 seasons, all for less than $250 on Amazon! However…

Dear Santa,

I am conflicted. As much as I would love to find this lovely box of sci-fi under my tree in a few weeks, the 45 brilliant men and women who wrote all 202 episodes of The X-Files will only receive a combined $8.08 in residuals per box set sold. As you know, right now those very people are on strike to receive an additional $.04 per DVD sold. And I support them every step of the way. So as much as I really, really, really want to add this phenomenal set to my collection, I will wait until the strike terms have been resolved and the scribes receive their just due. I guess you can put it on the shelf for me until next year. Thanks, daddy xmas.

Your patient friend,

- Jo

p.s. I’m actually Jewish, but I celebrate your holiday and love bacon. So there’s that.

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A few years ago, Kevin Collins was a writer on the Showtime series Soul Food.
He started out as the assistant to the Executive Producer and
transitioned to Writer’s Assistant, which led to a freelance job (and subsequent membership in the WGA) and then to a position as a Staff Writer.

Right now, there is nothing that Kevin would like more than to grab a picket sign and join the ranks of his fellow screenwriters in Los Angeles. But he is physically drained.

And there is nothing that Kevin would like to do more than network with the other writers on strike. But he is mentally exhausted.

Because right now, Kevin is battling a rare form of thyroid cancer. He just completed week 5 of radiation therapy, and has 2 more weeks to endure.

His pencil is down, but his medical bills are on the rise.

Even
though Kevin is undergoing treatment as we speak, he very kindly took the time to
answer a few questions to provide his perspective about the
current writer’s strike.

—

Jo: What are the benefits of being a member of the Writer’s Guild of America?

Kevin:
Being a writer is much like being an independent contractor. The Guild
is out there negotiating to make sure you are handled in a professional
manner. This ranges from pay to health and retirement benefits. The
Guild is also responsible for tremendous programming of seminars and
events for writers who want to grow creatively and professionally.

Jo: Do you receive residuals from the many episodes of shows that you’ve written?

Kevin: Yes, residuals are great, in particular for most writers who work on and off.

Jo: Is your medical insurance being covered by the WGA?

Kevin:
The WGA covers medical insurance for writers who are working. When I
was employed as a writer, I was covered, and my coverage spanned for a little more
than a year after my last job.

Jo: What is your overall opinion about this strike?

Kevin: I see our strike as the canary in the mineshaft that is the entertainment business. The ‘industry’ is and has been rapidly changing, but the business models are not keeping up. There is a great need for reform throughout and writers are simply trying to push that along.

Jo: Do you see the potential for a quick resolution?

Kevin: For the potential to be there, all involved parties must have some common ground. So far, that doesn’t seem apparent.

Jo: How do you feel about the digital distribution of TV and film?

Kevin: In recent years, we have seen Netflix grow into a great business model, mostly due to the convenience. It’s no longer necessary to go out and wait in line at a store. The future of that business is on the demand/downloading ability. What would be easier than coming home and having it already on your TV?

Jo: How has the writer’s strike affected your career?

Kevin: It has affected
every aspect of my life, not just my career. Certainly, getting treated
(surgery to remove the thyroid and 22 lymph nodes, followed by radiation) has required an almost complete interruption of
everything I was doing. At the same time, this kind of event is
inspirational, in that it makes you reflect on all aspects of your
life. I am sure there will be evidence of this in my future projects. But you can’t work during the strike. Even if you have the greatest idea, you just have to sit on it.

Jo: So you are honoring the Pencils Down Means Pencils Down credo that Writer’s Guild members are encouraging/enforcing?

Kevin: Absolutely. It is strange that the strike is coinciding with my radiation treatment, because it truly has been a reflective period for me to “think.”

Jo: What were you working on before the writer’s strike began?

Kevin: I was working on several scripted TV show concepts and a screenplay.

Jo: After the strike is resolved, what will be your first move?

Kevin: To go out and begin pitching my ideas.

—

I only met Kevin once, several years ago through a very good mutual friend. I find his positive outlook and spirit, in the face of illness, mounting bills and an industry on strike, to be quite inspiring. And I wish him great health and recovery.

So keep your eye out for the name Kevin Collins on future small and big screen endeavors, because he is one of the many thousands who are responsible for the entertainment that we take for granted, and he deserves our support. While you’re at it, add some Soul Food to your Netflix queue, my friends.

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It has been reported that the Writer’s Guild of America (WGA) will be meeting with the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers (AMPTP) tomorrow in an attempt to discuss and negotiate the terms of the writer’s strike. Ideally, this could lead to a quick resolution. But from what I’ve read, that won’t be easy or likely.

I will keep you posted, but of course your best bet for updates are United Hollywood and Deadline Hollywood Daily.

In the meantime, here are the fantastic ‘Speechless’ videos that the WGA created to illustrate how actors are at a loss without their writers. All are now posted on this site, but here are the first few. I think you’ll recognize most of the talent that volunteered to star in the series…

Kate Beckinsale, David Schwimmer

Andre Benjamin

Richard Benjamin, Paula Prentiss

Jeff Garlin

Holly Hunter

Harvey Keitel

Laura Linney

Eva Longoria, Nicolette Sheridan

Sean Penn

Cast of Ugly Betty

I hope you all had a nice long weekend and holiday. Stay tuned and bookmark for more strike updates, movie reviews and contests in the coming weeks!

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If you love television, you support the Writers Guild of America. If you own, rent or go to movies, you support the thousands of writers on strike on both coasts.

Here are some great posts from just a few of the people on the picket lines:

Damon Lindelof, co-creator & head writer (Lost)
NY Times

Michael Schur (a.k.a. Dwight’s cousin Mose), TV writer/producer (The Office)
UnitedHollywood

Pamela Ribbon, TV writer (Mind of Mencia, Samantha Who?) and WGA Strike Captain
Pamie

Josh Friedman, screenwriter (War of the Worlds) & TV writer/producer (Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles)
I Find Your Lack of Faith Disturbing

Stephen Falk
Plaintive Wail

Obviously there are hundreds of blogs out there with strike perspectives. So which are you reading?

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I am not a letter writer, per se. And to be honest, I’m what you might label a lazy armchair activist. I am also the girl that will walk the long route to the far door when I see solicitors with clipboards outside of my Safeway. Anyway…

If you’re reading this blog, chances are that you are a fan of specific television shows and movies. Well, those 12,000 men and women on strike have made every single TV series and film you’ve ever seen possible. Here is a petition that supports the Writers Guild of America; sign it now because we are all on their side (regardless of the fact that some of you might be annoyed/disappointed by how the strike is affecting your favorite shows). It was created earlier today and already contains almost 5,000 digital signatures.

For my part, here are additional steps I am going to take in support of the writers, who have in many ways made me into the pop culture sponge that I am today:

• TV online & on iTunes: Every week I was watching 30 Rock, Desperate Housewives, Life, Men in Trees, My Name is Earl and Ugly Betty online. No more. Not until the writers of these shows (and all others from shows that are available free online or via iTunes) receive compensation for this medium (right now they earn absolutely nothing).

• TV on DVD: I own several box sets of television shows on DVD. The writers receive only $.04 per set or DVD sold, and they are asking for a mere $.04 more. So until this is resolved, I shall rent entire seasons of shows rather than purchase them. [Admittedly, not buying Season 3 of Lost is going to be VERY challenging for me; it comes out the night before I'm having surgery and I was planning to watch all of it during recovery. But I'll suck it up and make do, because to me, the writers on this show deserve their just due more than anyone else in the industry right now. Hi, I'm biased.]

This isn’t going away quickly, and neither am I. My coverage of the strike will continue until it ends (although judging from the crickets in the comments section, my readers are either already over it or, sadly, not interested).

To me, it’s simple. Without those writers, I wouldn’t be one. Without those writers, this blog wouldn’t exist. They have been the most influential people I’ve never met.

So go on, channel your inner Norma Rae. Sign the petition, bookmark and read United Hollywood (the WGA writers’ blog), and leave comments of support for them. You know you want to.

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