Friday, February 08, 2008

No, the strike is not over yet.

Saturday night is the big Writers Guild members meeting to hear and discuss the latest proposal. Despite what you hear, the strike isn't over until at least after that meeting. And depending on the reaction to the proposal, we may be back to step one. I'm cautiously optimistic but until I hear what the deal is I can't really predict how the membership will react. I do know this: a giant room full of writers...with microphones for us to speak? The meeting will last for days.

Meanwhile, the LA TIMES is doing an article on what writers did during the strike. I was one of those asked and this was my response:

The great American novel that I started four strikes ago is almost done. I figure one more strike, two at the most and I'll be ready to send it to my editor (who I hope is still alive, I haven't heard from him since 1985). So I've got a target date of 2014 but I'm close. Really close. I can feel it.
Let's see if they print it.

I'll be at the big meeting. Will let you know how it goes.

Thanks to Deadline Hollywood Daily for the photo.

9 comments :

Anonymous said...

Wasn't Frank Pierson president of the WGA? Why not have him get y'all started,
"Attica, Attica!"
The go-to guy when there's a failure to communicate.

Richard Cooper said...

Oh, I hope the writers can get a good deal tomorrow, but I'm worried that there hasn't been enough thinking time to fix the scripts for the Bionic Woman.

Dwacon said...

To quote Harvey Birdman, "Sigh..."

Steve Peterson said...

They could really speed up the commentary if they put in wireless and had giant monitors on the walls that constantly refreshed blogs, message boards, and Nikki Finke.

Anonymous said...

I hope the writers get a good deal, Ken, but I still think you might get more concessions if you dragged your feet for the next two weeks leading up to the Oscars.

Rob said...

Non strike related, but I would appreciate it if all of you funny people out there could e-mail my wife some 40th birthday greetings at karens40thbirthday@gmail.com.

Thanks! I'm trying to get as many people wishing her happy birthday as possible.

The Curmudgeon said...

"I do know this: a giant room full of writers...with microphones for us to speak? The meeting will last for days.

Substitute "lawyers" for "writers" and you've described the meetings of the Illinois State Bar Association.

Is this why every lawyer thinks he (or she) is a writer?

Anonymous said...

Frank Pierson also co-wrote "Cool Man Luke." Which has the AFI #11 movie quote of all time. "What we've got here is failure to communicate." Of course with this strike, what we've got here is failure to negotiate.

Anonymous said...

It's Cool Hand Luke. But yeah.