On a day when thousands of union supporters marched down Hollywood Blvd, the message was simple and most eloquently stated by Sandra Oh: "Writers want to write!"
Patric Verrone's remarks were short and to the point. We all know that we're headed back to the table, we all know the contract issues both sides have to face. But today was about solidarity, and Verrone made it clear that writers want to resume our partnership with the companies so that we can all tackle the challenges and opportunities of New Media together.
As Strike Captains return from the rally with their stories and pictures, we'll update this post with new information. But our presence was strong. We had energetic and vocal partners with such unions as the SEIU and United Healthcare Workers. The Teamsters were out in force, leading the pack with their massive truck motoring down Hollywood Blvd alongside the thousands of protesters.
The next step is the new round of negotiations. Let's all hope that the spirit of partnership and solidarity we felt today carries through to November 26th and beyond.
11/20/2007
Rally Wrap-up: Writers Want to Write!
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31 comments:
Oh my god that was the best strike video EVER!
Guys, just a word from the UK. Huge amount of support for you from all the British writers I've been hearing from. Attending the Dublin Comic-Con this last weekend, the comics writers and professionals there were hugely supportive of the principles at stake and the importance of ALL sides coming to an agreement that hekps the industry as a whole face the future.
The mag I write for in the UK will be doing a piece - hopefully a balanced look at the issues at the heart of the strike. Quick question: if we provide credit etc, can we show graphics etc from this site to illustrate the initiative used on this side of the campaign?
Let's hope that Writers want to write and Producers want to produce, so that this strike can end quickly and everyone can back to work in the best industry in the world.
I think all of us -- Producers, Writers, Directors, Actors, Hair Stylists, Camera Assistants, Boom Operators, Dolly Grips, Locations Managers, PA's, etc -- generally feel so lucky to be working in jobs that we love.
This Strike is only two weeks old, but it has been a terrible time for working Hollywood.
Let's all do what we can to ensure that Christmas is far more merry than Thanksgiving.
Just came back from the strike. Love and solidarity was in the air, it was wonderful.
This Writers' Assistant supports his writing room.
What I've been seeing these past two weeks was emphasized even more so today -- an incredible and inspiring, immense sense of solidarity and strength. Not only is the WGA extremely strongly united, but the presence and support of every other union is just as strong.
For once I finally feel that there is hope in the middle class regaining its footing amidst the corporate greed which is eliminating it.
I hope we can keep this spirit of unity and militancy alive after talks resume and reject any deal that fails to meet our demands in the key areas of residuals and jurisdiction. And I still include DVDs in the call for increased residuals. If they haven't been put back on the table already, they'll need to be before I vote to ratify.
10,000 people assemble and shut down Hollywood Blvd., and yet there is no footage on the news, local or otherwise. The media should be ashamed.
I marched alongside my fellow film students. Thank you, WGA, for fighting to protect our future.
This is the first time I've been able to make it down to Hollywood to lend my support. The air was so incredible, it was a marvelous thing to be surrounded by SO MANY who were united under a common ideal. Rarely in life does a person experience something so pure.
There was a person in the crowd inviting fellow marchers to their house for Thanksgiving. This, in my opinion, truly encapsulated the ethos of community present. We are all in this together.
Wow. So this will make things a lot more interesting when the talks break down again.
That was a really great video.
But, wouldn't it have made more sense if one of them had been a woman?
This video brings joy to my heart...
I LOVE YOU GUYS!!!
Was that video supposed to be Pat Verone and Nick Counter?
To the film students and writers' assistants, and all the other unions who came down today -- we were all part of something great this afternoon. Yes, the spirit in the air is REAL. Blogs, photos, limited news coverage -- nothing can really capture what it's like to be down on the street with thousands of others, together for the same cause.
I was a film student, I was an assistant... and now I'm a writer in the WGA. So great that you guys are fighting for your future -- today. Yes, the times are tough right now. But this is about all of us being able to have a CAREER in this field.
May long, creative careers be ahead for all of us.
Hey guys I got some more photos from the RALLY/MARCH today along with a few words.
okay. i'm just a propmaker from IATSE 488(studio mechanics of the pacific NW)who happened to be in the area and i went down and marched w/y'all today in HWD. now i could swear that when i glanced at this webite this morning before racing out the door from here in the high desert, there was an online petition on this site. where'd it go? i want to get our local, along with NW stagehand locals involved with signing. many members in our local are dual card holders in 44, 80, 728 just to mention a few and many of us are LA native born (i'm from dogtown). need your help so we can help. anyone? solidarity brothers and sisters!!!!!!!! raylo488@yahoo.com
was it this petition?:
http://www.petitiononline.com/WGA/petition.html
Great turnout. I have some more pictures from today's rally.
I too, foolishly, expected the rally to make the evening news.
wonderful video!
Anonymous Propmaker: Your eye probably skipped right over it, since its placed where banner ads usually go and we've pretty much all trained ourselves not to look at them! But right underneath the "UNITED HOLLYWOOD - WE'RE ALL ON THE SAME PAGE" are the words "Support the writers, sign the petition" in a big red handwriting font.
That's a link to the petition.
The media is doing the right thing by ignoring this. It's shameful that nurses, for example, were marching today in the rally. Nurses are important and necessary and WORK HARD and should be taken care of by their employers, while no one really needs writers. I hear from sources at the Alliance that studios at the upcoming talks will stand 100% firm about their stance on residuals. It's up to the WGA if they want to go back to work.
I feel stupid responding to anonymous AMPTP shills, but just this once...
It's not as though society has to choose between supporting nurses and supporting writers. Both can, and should, be able to make decent middle-class livings, and to repel unnecessary management roll-backs. It's not like the AMPTP is trying to roll back the writers' residual checks so that they can donate that money to nurses. They just want to pad their own already-bulging multi-billion dollar profits.
Second, if, as you say, the AMPTP is planning to come to the table next Monday and offer a deal that continues to stiff the writers with an unfair deal that freezes the writers out of any meaningful crumbs from the future billions the AMPTP will be making on new media streaming of content we wrote, then the strike will continue.
I will strike to my final breath before accepting an unfair deal.
Finally, anonymous, who are you, and who do you work for? My name is Patrick Meighan, and I write for Family Guy, which is a Fox Animation show.
How come the studio shills never have the courage to post with their own names and employers?
Patrick Meighan
Culver City, CA
"...while no one really needs writers."
Yes, keep telling yourself that.
You may as well have said: "This industry will self-destruct in 5 months."
That's the equivalent...
You think you or anyone else can tell a solid story all by yourselves? I'd like some of what you're smoking...
...in that case, get ready to hear TONS of "um" in dialog, and if you thought movies were too predictable before just wait until you have people that think every story has to follow a particular formula are trying to do the storytelling...
Alright I'm totally writing like I failed 3rd grade today, but you know what I'm saying...
That's alright Captain Obvious. I know fractions can be really hard. And those pottery ashtrays you have to make in art class - those things are a B*TCH!
Seriously
I was waiting for someone to trot out that ol' chestnut of writers not being as worthwhile or needed as teachers and nurses. As if studio heads and their shills are needed. Writers add something to the world; conversely, we can all get by without studio flacks and the like very well, as they contribute nothing to society.
I wish I could have been there! I spent last week, picketing Monday-Friday with WGA writers. I came out from Denver, CO to show my support. With days spent picketing at NBC, Burbank and at Disney Studios, it was a long, hard, but great week of spending time with WGA writers who are hard working, dedicated, talented, and funny. I wish everyone the best and hope the strike gets resolved soon!
anonymous propmaker here. thanx mr. grenier. found the problem. a virus in my notebook was blocking the pop-up. i'm also contacting the UFCW and requesting their membership support. i encouraged our membership to voice a potential boycott of NW grocery chains affiliated w/von's,ralph's, alb's a few months back. i expect they'll recip. as you may have noticed the media thinks turkey preparation is more important than yesterday's march, so we have to be the media. -brother raylo
I just want to reiterate that that video is a blessing.
My fellow writers, this is a great community, and this unfortunate incident has--through tragedy--allowed us to beautifully demonstrate how deliciously creative we can be.
Kudos!
personally I think the writers should start writing the stories on blogs, I'm sure there are factors why you can't at this time, but really viewers tune in to hear the story not to see the actor/resses so much. If that were the case the actors should stand in front of the camera with an empty script, would the viewers tune in then? Personally I'd rather read a storyline or listen on the radio then watch spoiled actors whining they want a trillion dollars and episode or they walk. Do they really think it's them that everyone really tunes into watch? I know I dont
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