Guess I'll be able to remove the modifier "potential" when discussing the WGA strike pretty soon. I attended last night's gathering at the L.A. Convention Center, and all signs point toward a walk-out, possibly as early as Monday 11/5. We'll know by mid-afternoon today (11/2)...
Walk-out means walk-out. Shows will stop being written, production will stop soon after, and picket lines will be established.
I've been in the WGA for 17 years, having joined just after the long 1988 strike, so I've seen calls for strikes before, but I have to say, this feels different. There is a real solidarity out there, mostly because we all know how much this negotiation will impact our future. We really need to have some realistic payment structure for internet, webisodes and etc., because that's where the market is going. And our backs are up because we got burned back in '85/'88 by taking a lowball "we need time to study this!" number on home video. (Incidentally, that's no slam on the folks who agreed to that deal back in '85/'88, they paid quite a price to get what they did.)
Now that a strike looks inevitable, my new hope is that it is over quickly and we can all get back to work, not necessarily with big happy smiles, but with a new deal in place that addresses the future of this business...
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