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| Drama in L.A,.: Members of the writers' union left the Shrine Auditorium Feb. 9 after hearing details of a labor deal with
Hollywood studios. Hector Mata/Reuters |
As writers' strike nears end, Hollywood assesses the damage
A tentative deal between screenwriters and studios comes in time to save some shows. Others will not survive.
from the February 11, 2008 edition
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"It is an agreement that protects a future in which the Internet becomes the primary means of both content creation and delivery," said WGA West president Patric Verrone and WGA East president Michael Winship in a released statement. "It creates formulas for revenue-based residuals in new media, provides access to deals and financial data to help us evaluate and enforce those formulas, and establishes the principle that, 'When they get paid, we get paid.' "
On the other hand, the contract has a bitter pill for some, particularly those who remember the 1988 WGA strike that lasted five months, says writer Andy Nordvall, a writer's assistant on CW Television's "The Game," interviewed by phone upon his return from Sunday's union meeting.
"In 1988, the guild backed down on its demands for higher DVD residuals, which cost writers billions," he says. "This current contract doesn't fight for higher DVD residuals, and it doesn't give us the right to automatically get what other unions negotiate. But you have to pick your battles."
Nonetheless, strike-weary writers are embracing the opportunity to get back to work, probably by Wednesday and perhaps sooner. Governing boards of both the WGA West and WGA East were to set to vote after press time Sunday on ratifying the three-year deal with the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers. They were also expected to initiate a special 48-hour vote among members about whether to call off the strike, according to industry publication Variety.
Writers feel pressure to deliver
Some writers, interviewed as they left the union meeting Sunday, acknowledged that a return to work might mean more pressure to come up with great material.
"I am sure we will go home to some phone calls that ask, 'Hey, when's that new content coming in?' " says Jeffrey Lieber, co-creator for ABC's "Lost." "But this definitely seems like a victory. This deal would have been unimaginable three months ago."
Chauncey Raglin-Washington, who worked on the FX channel's "Lucky" and a UPN show called "Half & Half," says the pressure is not for any old content but for really good writing. "There is extra pressure to come up with good stuff because the producers and studios will be thinking, 'Let's see if this was worth the compromise,' " he says.
Dave Polsky, staff writer for "Frank TV," is not sure when he will be asked to return to work, but he is relieved it's almost over and lauds WGA leadership for doing "a great job."
"Before the strike happened, writers were losing the ability to secure their future," he says. "It felt like it was slipping away. Now, we've turned a corner."
One key question still nags at feature film writers: Will they face another work stoppage in June when the Screen Actors Guild renegotiates its contract?
• Alison Tully contributed to this report.
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