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« WGA Post-Strike Watch: News About Returning Shows
Outside the WGA West Meeting: Writers React
TV Guide was stationed outside the Shrine Auditorium as writers and writer-producers filtered out of Saturday night's formal presentation of the tentative deal hammered out with the AMPTP. Here is a look at some of the reactions to what transpired inside. With reporting by Julie Haire
David Salzman (Writer, Mad TV)
Can you comment on what went on in there?
We made gains. [The WGA negotiators] did the best they could under the circumstances, and hopefully we'll be back to work later this week.
What was the mood like?
Positive and supportive, I would say.
Paul Lieberstein (Writer/"Toby," The Office)
What is your take on the evening?
It was 3,000 bored, thrilled writers.
Why bored?
Because they went over every point of the deal that was in front of us. Everyone was ecstatic that we're going back to work, and proud of our leadership... and bored that they were going over every point [in the deal].
Do you have any idea how soon The Office could go back into production?
It'd probably take two or three weeks to get back up.
Do you think the deal will be ratified?
I think it'll definitely be ratified. We're running into the middle of February, a deadline for getting more shows out for the rest of the season. I think if we let that go by... it'd be six more months [until production resumes].
And that would be harsh. Office fans need you to come back.
It'll be fun to go back and sit in the [writers'] room again making jokes.
David Weddle (Writer-producer, Battlestar Galactica)
How close are you guys to a resolution?
Well, the mood would seem to me that we're very close. It was a pretty ebullient mood in there. We didn't get everything we wanted we got a lot of significant concessions so now they go through.... I guess there's a 48-hour [voting] period [to lift the strike order].
Do you think the vote is likely positive?
If I would judge from the mood in the hall, I would say yes.
Were there any certain sticking points?
We didn't get all we wanted in every category and there are some disappointments, but I think in general we got much more than the companies ever said they would ever give us, so there's a sense that we achieved a lot, particularly for the future establishing a precedent that we have a piece of new media going forward.
Matt Selman (Executive producer, The Simpsons)
Can you give us your thoughts on what happened?
People have painted this union as rich people trying to get richer, and if you look at the reality of it, successful people gave up a huge amount of money that they will never see again in order to help writers that they don't even know who maybe haven't even been born yet make a good, regular, middle-class income. So it was really successful people sacrificing for the future of the craft. And that is my quote.
Do you feel like the concessions were worth it to make a deal?
I don't have any good opinions about that. I just want to go back to my mansion. Oh f--k! Don't print that. Don't print the mansion part.
How soon will you be back to work? Could it be a matter of weeks?
I don't know; it's not my decision. But in theory I could be back at work very soon.
Russ Friend (Writer, House)
What was the mood like in there?
I was surprised at how positive it was.
Did you think more people would be resentful and angry?
I really did, yeah. Our expectations were raised by a Variety article about how we were going to get two percent of the distributor's gross, but then it turned out to be already calculated so it's really a cap and feels more like a flat fee. I thought people were going to freak out about that.
How soon do you think you could be back at work?
I think we could go back to work by next week if there's this vote.
How long would it take to see the show on the air?
We would need time to ramp up, write the episodes, get the episodes ready to go and then shoot them.... A typical episode takes about nine days, so basically almost two weeks. And then you have to post[-produce] it, which takes another few weeks....
People are saying maybe five to eight weeks.
Yeah, I'd say somewhere in that range.
Sarah Fain (Executive producer, Women's Murder Club)
What was the mood in there?
It was pretty good. We have tremendous leadership, and I think as a community we have a lot of respect for Patric Verrone, Dave Young, John Bowman, and the negotiation committee and the board.
And do you think there will be a resolution?
I wouldn't want to say definitively. But I think it's possible.
Do you have a plan for your show?
Well, because the strike isn't over, none of those conversations have really happened yet. I think that's something we'll be figuring out in the next several days.
Chip Dornell (Writer, 1 vs 100)
What was the mood like in there?
It seemed actually quite jubilant and supportive of the guild leadership applause bursted out from the very beginning, from the introductions and even in the question and answer period. Everyone seemed very laudatory towards all the people on the dais. There are some issues that are a concern to everyone, but...
What are those issues?
The 17-day window that the companies have the right to reuse material over the Internet without having to pay any residuals. That's reuse of your work for free, which Guild writers aren't used to. That's a bit of a sore point, but it was obviously something that had to be conceded. Obviously the negotiation committee agreed that this would be something that they would have to give up in order to get everything else. But there were no rollbacks of any pay, of any residuals, which is what the companies wanted to do originally, so everyone leaves making the same if not more money. And the Internet is new right now, so what we're giving up in the 17-day window won't really affect us right now; there's going to be another negotiation in three years and hopefully then we'll have something ironed out that protects us better.
Jed Seidel (Greek)
How was the mood in there?
I think people are really relieved, and there's some elation just that it's over.
Does it seem like the deal will probably be ratified?
I think it's going to be ratified definitely, yeah.
Do you sense that there are any sticking points?
I think everyone is a little dissatisfied with some small points. But I think they did a really good job negotiating.
If this goes through, how soon will your show go back?
I don't think that's been established yet. I know there's a 48-hour period that we all have to vote, and after that I'm not sure. But I would say it's probably next week.
Peter Murietta (Writer, Disney Channel's Wizards of Waverly Place)
What was the mood in there? Are things moving toward a positive conclusion?
I think so. It was a really great presentation and people were excited to hear about it. I think the deal is kind of groundbreaking in the way people are going to be dealing with residuals. There will be a lot of gains that we wouldn't have gotten if we hadn't gone on strike.
A couple people said you didn't get everything you wanted....
Hey, you know what? Negotiations are like that. Anybody that's a writer that's been in the Guild, been in this business, knows you never get everything you want in negotiations. That's the way it is. We got a lot of what we wanted and we should feel good about that.
Patrick Meighan (Writer, Family Guy)
Do you think a deal's going to go down?
Oh yeah, a deal's going to go down.
Did you feel like the things you had to concede on are OK in the long run to get back to work?
I feel like this is half a contract that we're going to have to fight to defend and solidify in 2011, and I'm nervous about that fight already. But I have faith in this leadership and I think that they have the juice to successfully lead that fight, so it should work out.
More WGA strike coverage:
Tentative Deal Struck: Writers to Vote, Could Start Work by Wednesday
WGA Prez Gives Tentative Deal Thumbs-up, But Will Members Agree?
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Feb 10, 2008 11:37 AM
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Well this certainly sounds promising. I guess we can start programming our recorders again soon!
I never thought I'd be the one saying this, but I have found plenty of more enjoyable things to do than watch TV, so I'm not so sure I'm ready to rush back in front of the screen at the same rate I used to. I'm not saying that out of any malice or animosity or anger at one side versus this other. It's just a fact of my life right now. I got along fine without quite as much TV. I wonder how many others share this view.
So, the one tangible thing I take out of what I've read here is this: I guess we can see episodic TV downloads disappear from websites after 17 days. Is that it? (I'm still not watching anything online, so I'm a neophyte on this front.)
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Feb 10, 2008 11:49 AM
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Any word from the writers of FNL? I have my fingers and toes crossed.
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Feb 10, 2008 11:56 AM
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Wait, 1 vs. 100 has writers?
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Feb 10, 2008 12:28 PM
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LOL, Zinger! It must. If Bob Saget were left to improvise, they'd probably have to move the show to HBO! 
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Feb 10, 2008 12:32 PM
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Wait, 1 vs. 100 has writers?
I know, I know.... I almosted edited that writer out, for fear of revealing the man behind the curtain. - MWM
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Feb 10, 2008 12:39 PM
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That's some pretty impressive reporting. Thanks!
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Feb 10, 2008 2:33 PM
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Please 'scuse my temporary stupidity, but will the writers going back to work be the "official" sign declaring the strike is over, or is there something else that happens to declare it's over?
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Feb 10, 2008 5:55 PM
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Good article, thanks.
"I guess we can see episodic TV downloads disappear from websites after 17 days. Is that it?"
In some cases, maybe. But it doesn't cost studios much to leave it up for the next year - they're paying writers, but they don't have to make much in ad revenue to make that back. Only the shows that are huge flops will probably get pulled after 17 days.
The bigger question is how many shows will be up after a year, at which point the writers get a percentage of gross. We'll have to see, probably will depend on the studio and the show.
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Feb 11, 2008 9:25 AM
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