Since the writer's strike is over, a viewer wrote to Matt Roush asking if that means Moonlight will begin production again for this season, or if we will have to wait for next season for more episodes. He answered in his Ask Matt column today on the TV Guide website. Of course, this is just his opinion. All the tv gurus have said the same thing thus far.
Question :
I'm concerned that shows will be in such a hurry to get new episodes on the air after the strike finally ends that the result will not be as good as what we might have gotten if there had been no strike. What are the odds of this happening? I've heard that some shows had episodes written but weren't filmed because so much is rewritten during production, and that couldn't happen during the strike. So those shows should be OK. I've also read that some shows will not finish this season but will hold new episodes until fall. As much as I miss some of my favorites, I think I'd prefer this over hastily written and produced crap. Do you have any intelligence on this? What's your best guess? The shows I'm most interested in are Supernatural, Ugly Betty, Lost, Heroes and Moonlight. I also greatly miss my Monday-night laughs with the gang at How I Met Your Mother. Thank you for an informative and often thought-provoking column.— Cindy B.
Matt Roush :
Once the dust settles from the strike (let it be soon), each show will be judged on a case-by-case basis. The decision to wait to produce new episodes until next season for many series has more to do with economics than creativity, but some long-running shows are enough of a well-oiled machine that they can probably pick back up without too much effort — especially those that knew where their stories were going for the next part of the season. It's all a mess, but of the shows you name, it's most likely that Heroes, Moonlight and possibly Supernatural will make do with what they've already produced. Lost is in such an odd position, having already planned to do a short season, that I'll have to wait to see what they decide before commenting. Ugly Betty is so plot-driven at this point it would be nice for them to move the story a little bit further along, in the way that Desperate Housewives, Grey's Anatomy and Brothers & Sisters appear likely to do in April or May. And comedies are the most likely of all shows to resume production for at least a handful of episodes, so I'd be surprised if we don't get more How I Met Your Mother (along with the other CBS comedies) before season's end.
mailto:end.askmatt@tvguide.com
Showing posts with label WGA. Show all posts
Showing posts with label WGA. Show all posts
Monday, February 11, 2008
Sunday, February 10, 2008
Writer's Strike Update ~ It is all over, except for the voting!
Writer's Strike Update
After days of rumors and articles, it appears that the writer's strike is over! *cheer* Every news outlet is reporting it as a done deal. However, the Writer's Guild of America members still have to vote to accept the new contract. According to Deadline Hollywood Daily, the standing ovations seem to indicate the vote will be positive. Writers may be back at work by Wednesday :)
What does the end of the writer's strike mean for Moonlight? From everything I've heard, CBS is not planning to put our show back into production for the short time remaining in this season. BOO! Several sources ~ including the list I published earlier from TV Guide's Michael Ausiello ~ have said Moonlight will return with new episodes this Fall. While that is good news cuz we want a second season, I have been writing and calling CBS asking for the remaining episodes they ordered of Moonlight for this season! Our show is relatively inexpensive to produce.... and... it never hurts to ask, so I hope you are doing the same!
Deadline Hollywood Daily's info on the strike negotiations held Saturday, February 9th, 2008 ~
SATURDAY 9:00 PM: I've received word from inside the Shrine Auditorium meeting that the WGA West membership was obviously "very positive" about resolving the writers strike as soon as possible and accepting the deal negotiated by the guild leadership with the Hollywood moguls. Also, the WGA governing bodies wisely decided to ensure that guild members be able to vote within the next 48 hours before the strike can be called off by leaders -- even though the AMPTP made the deal contingent on the writers going back to work immediately. Under this new end game, Hollywood could now get back to work by Wednesday at the earliest (not Monday as previously arranged). This also means the Academy Awards, just 14 days away, won't be picketed. A writer who just left the confab told me: "There was cheering for everything and standing ovation after standing ovation for all the leadership. There is no question in my mind that because of the atmosphere in that room this strike will be called off. There is no gearing for a fight. It's over."
WGAW President Patric Verrone announced that there would be a vote by the membership over the next 48 hours on whether or not to lift the strike. I'm told Verrone said specifically that the decision to call off the strike, regardless of the WGA Negotiating Committee's or the WGAW Board's or WGAE Council's recommendation, was to be in the hands of the membership (which wasn't originally planned). Pending that outcome, the 10-day ballotting process for members to accept the tentative deal would begin. Since the moguls insisted that vote not delay the lifting of the strike, WGA leader Dave Young Young told the auditorium that the writers, and therefore all of Hollywood, could get back to work by Wednesday. That means Back 9 orders of some scripted TV series could be saved along with a no-frills pilot season with less scripted series ordered than ever before. (And expect the upfront presentations to advertisers to consist of a lot more pleading than preening.) Some of the force-majeured deals could be reinstated. (But it's important to remember that three times as many pacts would have been cancelled if the agents and lawyers hadn't lobbied the networks and studios.) Feature films that were halted could get going immediately.
About 25% of the attendees left the auditorium after Dave Young explained the deal points. But the meeting is still going on as members now ask questions about specific terms.
http://www.deadlinehollywooddaily.com/tick-tock-no-wga-deal-language-yet/
After days of rumors and articles, it appears that the writer's strike is over! *cheer* Every news outlet is reporting it as a done deal. However, the Writer's Guild of America members still have to vote to accept the new contract. According to Deadline Hollywood Daily, the standing ovations seem to indicate the vote will be positive. Writers may be back at work by Wednesday :)
What does the end of the writer's strike mean for Moonlight? From everything I've heard, CBS is not planning to put our show back into production for the short time remaining in this season. BOO! Several sources ~ including the list I published earlier from TV Guide's Michael Ausiello ~ have said Moonlight will return with new episodes this Fall. While that is good news cuz we want a second season, I have been writing and calling CBS asking for the remaining episodes they ordered of Moonlight for this season! Our show is relatively inexpensive to produce.... and... it never hurts to ask, so I hope you are doing the same!
Deadline Hollywood Daily's info on the strike negotiations held Saturday, February 9th, 2008 ~
SATURDAY 9:00 PM: I've received word from inside the Shrine Auditorium meeting that the WGA West membership was obviously "very positive" about resolving the writers strike as soon as possible and accepting the deal negotiated by the guild leadership with the Hollywood moguls. Also, the WGA governing bodies wisely decided to ensure that guild members be able to vote within the next 48 hours before the strike can be called off by leaders -- even though the AMPTP made the deal contingent on the writers going back to work immediately. Under this new end game, Hollywood could now get back to work by Wednesday at the earliest (not Monday as previously arranged). This also means the Academy Awards, just 14 days away, won't be picketed. A writer who just left the confab told me: "There was cheering for everything and standing ovation after standing ovation for all the leadership. There is no question in my mind that because of the atmosphere in that room this strike will be called off. There is no gearing for a fight. It's over."
WGAW President Patric Verrone announced that there would be a vote by the membership over the next 48 hours on whether or not to lift the strike. I'm told Verrone said specifically that the decision to call off the strike, regardless of the WGA Negotiating Committee's or the WGAW Board's or WGAE Council's recommendation, was to be in the hands of the membership (which wasn't originally planned). Pending that outcome, the 10-day ballotting process for members to accept the tentative deal would begin. Since the moguls insisted that vote not delay the lifting of the strike, WGA leader Dave Young Young told the auditorium that the writers, and therefore all of Hollywood, could get back to work by Wednesday. That means Back 9 orders of some scripted TV series could be saved along with a no-frills pilot season with less scripted series ordered than ever before. (And expect the upfront presentations to advertisers to consist of a lot more pleading than preening.) Some of the force-majeured deals could be reinstated. (But it's important to remember that three times as many pacts would have been cancelled if the agents and lawyers hadn't lobbied the networks and studios.) Feature films that were halted could get going immediately.
About 25% of the attendees left the auditorium after Dave Young explained the deal points. But the meeting is still going on as members now ask questions about specific terms.
http://www.deadlinehollywooddaily.com/tick-tock-no-wga-deal-language-yet/
Thursday, February 7, 2008
Michael Eisner declares that the writer's strike is over!
Writer's Strike Update ~ Michael Eisner, Disney's former CEO, made a live appearance on CNBC's show, Fast Money, this afternoon. During the chat, he declared that the writer's strike is over! Do we dare believe him?!?!? For several days, we have been hearing and reading rumors that the WGA and AMPTP were close to an agreement. Here is what Eisner had to say today........
Deal Has Been Reached to End Writers' Strike: Eisner
A deal has been struck between the major media companies and the Writers Guild of America to end the writers' strike, former Walt Disney chief executive Michael Eisner revealed on CNBC.
"It's over," Eisner said. "They made the deal, they shook hands on the deal. It's going on Saturday to the writers in general."
Eisner, speaking live on CNBC's "Fast Money," seemed to hesitate initially about whether it was possible that the writers could still reject the agreement, but finally suggested the deal's acceptance was inevitable.
"A deal has been made, and they'll be back to work very soon," Eisner said, adding, "I know a deal's been made. I know it's over."
Eisner did not elaborate on terms of the agreement. He said he expects most of the media companies affected by the strike to have "small" write-downs as a result of the deal. Eisner said the deal was struck last Friday.
As a result of studio cutbacks, however, many of the writers who went on strike are unlikely to return to the same big-money contracts they'd had as individuals with the studios, Eisner said.
http://www.cnbc.com/id/23057002
Deal Has Been Reached to End Writers' Strike: Eisner
A deal has been struck between the major media companies and the Writers Guild of America to end the writers' strike, former Walt Disney chief executive Michael Eisner revealed on CNBC.
"It's over," Eisner said. "They made the deal, they shook hands on the deal. It's going on Saturday to the writers in general."
Eisner, speaking live on CNBC's "Fast Money," seemed to hesitate initially about whether it was possible that the writers could still reject the agreement, but finally suggested the deal's acceptance was inevitable.
"A deal has been made, and they'll be back to work very soon," Eisner said, adding, "I know a deal's been made. I know it's over."
Eisner did not elaborate on terms of the agreement. He said he expects most of the media companies affected by the strike to have "small" write-downs as a result of the deal. Eisner said the deal was struck last Friday.
As a result of studio cutbacks, however, many of the writers who went on strike are unlikely to return to the same big-money contracts they'd had as individuals with the studios, Eisner said.
http://www.cnbc.com/id/23057002
Sunday, February 3, 2008
E! Online's Watch with Kristin comments on the writer's strike
Writer's Strike Update ~ E! Online's Watch with Kristin column has published the following comments about the possibility of a resolution to the WGA's strike!
It seems this week's rumors that the writers' strike is coming to an end may indeed be true. We are hearing from several sources that the WGA and the AMPTP are "very close" to a deal, which could be announced as early as later today.
According to reliable insiders who asked not to be named, the writers and producers were in talks for nine hours yesterday and made a "staggering amount of progress," as all of the major sticking points have been settled.
"We are 99.9 percent of the way there," one source inside the negotiations said. "As of late yesterday, just a few small issues remained."
The stickiest issue of all, compensation for new-media projects, has been agreed upon by both sides, according to sources. Said one: "There is most certainly light at the end of the tunnel, and we are rapidly approaching it."
Stay tuned, and keep those fingers crossed. An announcement could come any minute.
http://tinyurl.com/yuhzva
It seems this week's rumors that the writers' strike is coming to an end may indeed be true. We are hearing from several sources that the WGA and the AMPTP are "very close" to a deal, which could be announced as early as later today.
According to reliable insiders who asked not to be named, the writers and producers were in talks for nine hours yesterday and made a "staggering amount of progress," as all of the major sticking points have been settled.
"We are 99.9 percent of the way there," one source inside the negotiations said. "As of late yesterday, just a few small issues remained."
The stickiest issue of all, compensation for new-media projects, has been agreed upon by both sides, according to sources. Said one: "There is most certainly light at the end of the tunnel, and we are rapidly approaching it."
Stay tuned, and keep those fingers crossed. An announcement could come any minute.
http://tinyurl.com/yuhzva
Wednesday, January 16, 2008
CBS boss Les Moonves may begin talks with WGA again
Mike Farrell has written an article for Multichannel News that gives us Moonlight fans a glimmer of hope. CBS President & CEO, Les Moonves, is making noises about beginning talks with the WGA again. *fingers crossed*
We have already been contacting Mr Moonves in support of Moonlight. Now, let him know how we feel about the network working things out with the writers. As Love Lasts Forever (episode #1x11) proved again, we have excellent storytellers in our show's writing room ~ Trevor Munson, Ron Koslow, Jill Blotevogel, Josh Pate, Chip Johannessen, Gabrielle Stanton, Harry Werksman, et al. We don't want scab writers who do not understand Mick, Beth, Coraline and Josef to take over, do we? NO! Call and write to let Les Moonves know we want Moonlight to be safe in the hands of our scribes. The writers simply want their fair portion of the considerable profits made from their creative work. Keep your message gracious and to the point. I can count on you :)
Phone Number ~ ( 212 ) 975-4545
Email : lmoonves@cbs.com
CBS head honcho Les Moonves hinted at an industry conference Thursday that the television giant is trying to restart negotiations with the striking Writers Guild of America, but offered no details as to what that those efforts entail.
Moonves, speaking at the Citigroup Entertainment, Media & Telecommunications conference in Phoenix, stressed that the writers strike is not having an adverse impact on the network so far.
“We sincerely hope that the talks begin shortly and that there is a resolution,” Moonves said. “I can tell you there are some steps that are being taken to push that ahead, and we hope that reasonable people prevail and that we can make a go of it in the near future.”
But later in the conference Moonves said that he is “guardedly optimistic that it [the strike] will be over in the next few months.”
In the meantime, Moonves said that the strike is not having an adverse effect on CBS’ bottom line.
“We can finish this television season just fine,” Moonves said. “The television season ends at the end of May, obviously revenue will be down somewhat because ratings will be down. We have some live football games left, the NCAA [March Madness] basketball tournament is coming up, we have reality programming that is available, we have some original programming. The CBS schedule repeats better than anybody else’s schedule, because our procedural dramas – the CSI’s of the world – repeat extremely well. Our revenue will be down somewhat, but the cost of producing original programming will be down more.”
Monday, January 7, 2008
Writer's Strike News ~ WGA & United Artists Working on Agreement
Writer's Strike update..... Since the negotiations between the WGA and AMPTP have broken down, it appears that the writer's new strategy is to make separate deals with production companies. As you know, the first of such agreements just recently occurred with David Letterman's WorldWide Pants. According to The New York Post, they are currently in talks with United Artists. See the brief article below. Moonlight fans are more than ready to make a deal! :)
UNITED ARTISTS CLOSE TO DEAL WITH WRITERS GUILD
By HOLLY M. SANDERS and ZACHERY KOUWE
Tom Cruises' United Artists is close to a deal with the Writers Guild of America that would allow striking scribes to get back to work on projects commissioned by the studio, sources told The Post.
The tentative deal is said to mirror a similar pact David Letterman's Worldwide Pants production company recently signed with the union, clearing the way for writers to work on talk-show host's "Late Show."
If a deal is reached, United Artists, a division of MGM, would become the first notable movie company to come to terms with the writers.
http://tinyurl.com/2d6fs3
UNITED ARTISTS CLOSE TO DEAL WITH WRITERS GUILD
By HOLLY M. SANDERS and ZACHERY KOUWE
Tom Cruises' United Artists is close to a deal with the Writers Guild of America that would allow striking scribes to get back to work on projects commissioned by the studio, sources told The Post.
The tentative deal is said to mirror a similar pact David Letterman's Worldwide Pants production company recently signed with the union, clearing the way for writers to work on talk-show host's "Late Show."
If a deal is reached, United Artists, a division of MGM, would become the first notable movie company to come to terms with the writers.
http://tinyurl.com/2d6fs3
Wednesday, January 2, 2008
Writer's Strike Update ~ David Letterman's show returns tonight
Writer's Strike Update ~ David Letterman's production company, WorldWide Pants, has reached a separate deal with the Writer's Guild. That means the Late Show with David Letterman and the Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson are returning with new shows. It is gonna be great after all these weeks of reruns. Stars can appear on both programs without crossing the picket line. Letterman's guests tonight will be Robin Williams and Lupe Fiasco.
Craig has had Alex O'Loughlin on his show previously. The interview took place right before Moonlight's premiere. I will post a video of it above. Unfortunately, the sound is out of synch but still enjoyable.
The other talk shows.... The Tonight Show with Jay Leno (NBC), Late Night with Conan O'Brien (NBC), Jimmy Kimmel Live (ABC) and The Daily Show with Jon Stewart (Comedy Central) are expected to return without their writers. Uh oh! The WGA plans to picket outside their studios. Any stars that appear on these programs will have to cross the picket line. :(
Last Call with Carson Daly (NBC) began airing and crossed the writer's line a few weeks ago.... which did not make the WGA happy at all.
Thus far, the strike has cost the entertainment industry an estimated $151 million dollars!
We need to continue contacting the late night talk shows to encourage them to book Alex, Sophia, Jason, Shannyn and Brian! The CBS guys (David & Craig) should want to feature Moonlight's actors because they share a network. Let's write to the other talkers too so they can be ready to book our stars once the strike is settled.
David Letterman : cbsmailbag@aol.com
Craig Ferguson : http://www.cbs.com/latenight/latelate/email/
Jay Leno : http://www.nbc.com/The_Tonight_Show_with_Jay_Leno/about/contact.shtml#feedback
Conan O'Brien : http://www.myspace.com/conanshow
Carson Daly : www.myspace.com/carson_daly
Saturday, December 8, 2007
Writer's Strike Update ~ The AMPTP has broken off negotiations with WGA
Not good news about the progress of talks to end the Writer's Strike......
LOS ANGELES - WGA Negotiating Committee Chair John F. Bowman, on behalf of the Writers Guild of America, West (WGAW) and the Writers Guild of America, East (WGAE), has issued the following message regarding Contract 2007 negotiations:
Today, after three days of discussions, the AMPTP came back to us with a proposal that included a total rejection of our proposal on Internet streaming of December 3.
They are holding to their offer of a $250 fixed residual for unlimited one year streaming after a six-week window of free use. They still insist on the DVD rate for Internet downloads.
They refuse to cover original material made for new media.
This offer was accompanied by an ultimatum: the AMPTP demands we give up several of our proposals, including Fair Market Value (our protection against vertical integration and self-dealing), animation, reality, and, most crucially, any proposal that uses distributor’s gross as a basis for residuals. This would require us to concede most of our Internet proposal as a precondition for continued bargaining. The AMPTP insists we let them do to the Internet what they did to home video.
We received a similar ultimatum through back channels prior to the discussions of November 4. At that time, we were assured that if we took DVD’s off the table, we would get a fair offer on new media issues. That offer never materialized.
We reject the idea of an ultimatum. Although a number of items we have on the table are negotiable, we cannot be forced to bargain with ourselves. The AMPTP has many proposals on the table that are unacceptable to writers, but we have never delivered ultimatums.
As we prepared our counter-offer, at 6:05 p.m., Nick Counter came and said to us, in the mediator’s presence: “We are leaving. When you write us a letter saying you will take all these items off the table, we will reschedule negotiations with you.” Within minutes, the AMPTP had posted a lengthy statement announcing the breakdown of negotiations.
We remain ready and willing to negotiate, no matter how intransigent our bargaining partners are, because the stakes are simply too high. We were prepared to counter their proposal tonight, and when any of them are ready to return to the table, we’re here, ready to make a fair deal.
John F. Bowman
Chairman, WGA Negotiating Committee
Contract 2007
www.wga.org
Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers
www.amptp.org
LOS ANGELES - WGA Negotiating Committee Chair John F. Bowman, on behalf of the Writers Guild of America, West (WGAW) and the Writers Guild of America, East (WGAE), has issued the following message regarding Contract 2007 negotiations:
Today, after three days of discussions, the AMPTP came back to us with a proposal that included a total rejection of our proposal on Internet streaming of December 3.
They are holding to their offer of a $250 fixed residual for unlimited one year streaming after a six-week window of free use. They still insist on the DVD rate for Internet downloads.
They refuse to cover original material made for new media.
This offer was accompanied by an ultimatum: the AMPTP demands we give up several of our proposals, including Fair Market Value (our protection against vertical integration and self-dealing), animation, reality, and, most crucially, any proposal that uses distributor’s gross as a basis for residuals. This would require us to concede most of our Internet proposal as a precondition for continued bargaining. The AMPTP insists we let them do to the Internet what they did to home video.
We received a similar ultimatum through back channels prior to the discussions of November 4. At that time, we were assured that if we took DVD’s off the table, we would get a fair offer on new media issues. That offer never materialized.
We reject the idea of an ultimatum. Although a number of items we have on the table are negotiable, we cannot be forced to bargain with ourselves. The AMPTP has many proposals on the table that are unacceptable to writers, but we have never delivered ultimatums.
As we prepared our counter-offer, at 6:05 p.m., Nick Counter came and said to us, in the mediator’s presence: “We are leaving. When you write us a letter saying you will take all these items off the table, we will reschedule negotiations with you.” Within minutes, the AMPTP had posted a lengthy statement announcing the breakdown of negotiations.
We remain ready and willing to negotiate, no matter how intransigent our bargaining partners are, because the stakes are simply too high. We were prepared to counter their proposal tonight, and when any of them are ready to return to the table, we’re here, ready to make a fair deal.
John F. Bowman
Chairman, WGA Negotiating Committee
Contract 2007
www.wga.org
Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers
www.amptp.org
Tuesday, November 27, 2007
Writer's Strike News Update
Hi all..... As you know, the WGA and AMPTP resumed their talks to try resolving the writer's strike. They agreed not to speak to the media about the negotiations. However, rumors usually leak out. Nikki Finke's blog, Deadline Hollywood Daily, provided the following great info ~
...a very reliable source tells me that there appears to be a deal seemingly in place between both sides.
"It's already done, basically," the insider describes. That's because of the weeks worth of groundwork by the Hollywood agents working the writers guild leadership on one side, and the studio and network moguls on the other. I was told not to expect an agreement this week. But my source thought it was possible that the strike could be settled before Christmas.
Look, I don't want to raise false hope here. But this source has been very accurate in the past. The negotiations starting today will have a news blackout, so don't expect any significant leaks. But consider the real possibility there's been a breakthrough. Still, I must caution that this is Hollywood -- where defeat is snatched from the jaws of victory nearly every time.
Moonlight fans have been hoping for a quick end to the strike because that can help the chances of our show being picked up for a full season (& beyond) by CBS. *fingers crossed*
...a very reliable source tells me that there appears to be a deal seemingly in place between both sides.
"It's already done, basically," the insider describes. That's because of the weeks worth of groundwork by the Hollywood agents working the writers guild leadership on one side, and the studio and network moguls on the other. I was told not to expect an agreement this week. But my source thought it was possible that the strike could be settled before Christmas.
Look, I don't want to raise false hope here. But this source has been very accurate in the past. The negotiations starting today will have a news blackout, so don't expect any significant leaks. But consider the real possibility there's been a breakthrough. Still, I must caution that this is Hollywood -- where defeat is snatched from the jaws of victory nearly every time.
Moonlight fans have been hoping for a quick end to the strike because that can help the chances of our show being picked up for a full season (& beyond) by CBS. *fingers crossed*
Friday, November 16, 2007
Breaking news on the writer's strike!
Writer's strike news ~ The WGA has agreed to go back into negotiations with the AMPTP, networks and studios on November 26th! Again.... trying not to get our hopes up BUT.... sending super positive thoughts that they will work together and end this strike. This could be good for our little show!
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