The stuff as the WGA strike comes to an end is almost as irritatingly dumb as the stuff through much of the strike itself.
First, beware the micro-obsessives. This strike effectively ended the day the DGA got a better deal on many points than WGA was asking for and some reasonable numbers on other areas that WGA had been fighting hard over. I'm not saying DGA deserves to steal WGA thunder. But had the same deal been put on the WGA table directly, there strike would have ended that week or had AMPTP made this offer in October, there would not have been a strike.
Anyone who wasn't paranoid or selling an agenda knew this back on January 16.
Second, the idea that there will be a freeze on writers because of this strike is also nuts. Citing 1988 is particularly stupid, as the massive deals that are now the norm for TV showrunners started in the shadow of that strike. In fact, DreamWorks would likely have never needed a Paramount bail-out had they not lost hundreds of millions in television showrunner deals in the early-mid 90s, when there was no way to avoid not only big back ends, but massive housekeeping deals... tens of millions in cash... really.
The positive story that no one seems to be up to writing yet is that the same DVD phenomenon that has broken down the notion of seasons is likely to lead to a lot of original mainstream programming leaking past May sweeps and into June and even July. If the talent deals don't get in the way, don't be surprised to see more than a few hit primetime shows up and shooting by the end of February/early March, airing by the end of March, and going 4 or 6 or 8 shows into June or July, which has not been done much.
There is no question that "pilot season" will be a frickin' mess. But with established shows able to earn so much for each episode that heads to DVD, there is no reason to shorten things unless forced. Also, there is still some chance of at least a brief SAG work stoppage, so the urge to fill the coffers as much as possible with new product will be there.
This could also be the first major impact on the film side, as tv talent that slots in a summer movie might be unavailable.
Finally, my eyes are rolling at the signing of more "independent" companies to deals that will be void before the month ends and the notion that picketing is needed this next week.
Come on. It's over. If this strike taught us anything, it's that the only real value in picketing these days is to keep the union members active and not brooding in their homes. None of the 'we''ll show them" stuff made the tiniest dent in this labor action. In the end, the power of WGA is to not write... that is what hurts studios. And public opinion means diddly. Even the SAG Awards were gaudily uninterested in the strike, unless you were looking for those few precious moments when the hat was tipped.
With due respect, no one ever wanted to shut down the union... AMPTP was no more evil or insane than normal... studios will, sadly, end up in the black ink for this 110 day (or so) strike... and things went the way they did because it made sense, even if it was unfair - and even if the deal still kinda sucks for writers in all the ways the last deals have.
Time for everyone to start cooling down, getting some perspective, and figuring out whether SAG can muster the energy to push for more than the other got (in principle). And hopefully, we will notice that the micro-analysis of every noise and foot shuffling around the negotiating table did nothing to move things forward, even if it gave many the opportunity to rabble rouse, flex heroic, and stew in the juice of endless paranoia.
Now... let's figure out a way to make arbitration better!
Read the complete post at http://www.mcnblogs.com/thehotblog/archives/2008/02/the_end_of_the.html