Saturday, November 10, 2007

Hollywood, the Writers Guild strike, and me

I've been reading bits and pieces on comic book/TV/animation writer Mark Evanier's blog for months now about the possibility of a strike, and now that it's happened I think I understand the issues fairly well. If you're not certain what it's all about, take three minutes to watch Why We Fight, a video overview of the current situation and how we got here.

It's very encouraging to see that the Screen Actors Guild is supporting the WGA so strongly. They, and the Directors Guild of America, will be negotiating next year as their current contracts come to an end, and it's likely that they will be looking for the same agreements.

My plan of support is based on some things I've read here and there on the 'net. I will watch the new episodes of my favorite shows, but once they run out and go into rerun mode, I'm done. I'll also send letters to the local affiliates and the corporate offices to explain why. That's really the only way to show support: hit the studios in the pocketbook and let them know that you are. It's the same as when you write to support a cancelled show or if you see something you object to on TV. I have stacks of DVDs, books, and other responsibilities to keep me occupied while this gets hashed out.

A great place for more news and information about this topic from the inside is United Hollywood, and check out Fans4Writers for the fan perspective.

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

What should the out-of-work grips and stage hands do with their time?