STRIKING OUT

By Scott Macaulay in News
on Thursday, July 12th, 2007

Jamie Stuart emailed a question about the upcoming writer’s strike, wondering whether it will provide opportunities for independents looking for both work and to expand the boundaries of network programming.

He wrote:

Since the last TV strike (or was it threatened strike?) brought about reality TV, what’s the probability that the studios and networks will simply dive into the pool of cheap online talent to fill out their rosters?

I dunno… discuss.

Tags:

J. Ott

There’s a chance that the strike will go on long enough that they’ll start hiring non-union writers. But once the WGA is back in business, those ‘scabs’ will out of luck, and barred from ever working on a union show. Ever.

Plus, without the WGA’s protections, the job will be miserable — low pay, long hours, no benefits.

I have heard a lot of writers got into the WGA during the last strike by joining WGA members at picket lines and making friends. Showrunners have plenty of time to read spec scripts when they aren’t running shows.
Scott Macaulay

I think Jamie’s point was more that the reality television boom was fueled by the last strike so what new form might arise next? If I remember correctly, these shows were more producer-driven and didn’t initally use writers in the traditional manner. I think it was some time before the Guild began to argue that “writing” was being done on these shows.
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STRIKING OUT

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