Quickly, lest you think we are a bunch of spoiled brats just looking
for a raise, the big issue, money from original content shown on the
Internet and other new media, is our way of replacing the money we are
losing over the disappearing residuals. Residuals are not a bonus.
They are the way writers live when they are between jobs. The standard
writers contact is up for renewal every 13 weeks. You can have a five-
year contract, but they can let you go every 13 weeks without paying
you any more as long as they give you a month's notice. That is the
deal we all enter into.
There are 12,000 writers in the guild. You need to make $30,000 a year
in guild earnings to keep your health insurance. Last year, 6000
didn't reach that figure. Half.
I have been lucky enough to have a job for 16 years. That simply does
not happen. So this is what we are fighting for. Believe me, we would
love to be in the office, writing fun facts, actives with Rupert,
illegally doctoring footage or downloading porn, but this is the
frontline fight for all the other union contracts that come after us.
The Late Night writers are the first ones affected by a strike, and
the ONLY ones who will never recoup the money we lose because we do 10
times as many new shows per year as any drama or sitcom. But we go out
in support of our fellow union members and pray this thing ends soon.
One more thing. To a man, all of the writers are deeply concerned
about the collateral damage if we stay out too long. We think of the
150 people who work at the Late Show whose fight this is not and
believe they will be taken care of. They are all embarassingly
supportive of us. No one any moreso than Dave. It is quite humbling.
Sorry to be so serious, but this is serious business. I wanted to
write you people because this site has loyally and relentlessly
followed the show since we came to CBS. I felt you were owed as much
of an explanation as anyone outside the negotation room can give.
Feel free to ask any questions and I will try to respond. Thanks.
Bill Scheft
> I am the union rep for the show, and felt compelled to bring you up to
> date on the writers strike. Day Four on the picket line. Our guys have
> been so much better represented out there than all the other NY shows.
> I am really proud of them.
>
> [...]
>
> Feel free to ask any questions and I will try to respond. Thanks.
> Bill Scheft
Thanks for taking the time to share your comments with us, Bill.
All the best to you & your colleagues, and we'll be here when the strike
ends!
Brady
Is this a generic term for all the post-prime time shows, or specific to
Conan O'Brien's show? ;-)
-- Lucy
>>[...]
Ditto to Brady's comment, and we're here during the strike as well.
Bill,
Use the internet as much as you can. I've been following the strike by reading
Nikki Finke's Deadline Hollywood Daily and blogs written by Mark Evanier and Ken
Levine. There's also unitedhollywood.com and the YouTube videos they're posting.
Without all that, we'd be forced to follow strike coverage that comes from the
media companies you're up against. The more you can use the internet to stay
directly in touch with the show's fans (and that goes for all shows who have
fans) the better.
The Late Show website has more reders than this group does. If you can get a
couple of paragraphs on Mike McIntee's Wahoo Gazette, you'll reach more fans
than here.
Strikes are miserable for everybody involved, but your kids need to go to
college more than CBS needs another corporate jet.
-Tom Wolper
Thanks for the information. It is pretty disturbing to realize that half
the guild didn't make enough to qualify for health insurance. I'd
qualify for health insurance easily, and my handwriting sucks.
Best of luck. Please know that you writers have my support.
> Feel free to ask any questions and I will try to respond. Thanks.
> Bill Scheft
Thanks for the update. I don't think there's a person here who
doesn't side with the writers (well, maybe one or two . . .) or think
you guys have gotten a raw deal from the producers, networks, and
studios.
I only wish there were some more tangible way to support the WGA than
to say we're with you -- it's not like turning off the TV is going to
affect anything.
Regardless, keep fighting the good fight,
Dave Sikula
Love Mike and all the work he does on the Gazette, but the Late Show
website is under the umbrella of CBS.com and I wouldn't want to get
Mike in trouble. Walter Kim and Jay Johnson run that site. Great guys.
Jay I know since NBC and Walter is married to Associate Producer Nancy
Agostino, who was the writers intern at NBC.
Generic. Should have lower-cased it. You a teacher, or cop?
Geez. The real inside facts, written specifically for us.
Pretty impressive, and well, decent of you. Thanks, Bill!
Please stay in touch with the goings-on. Obviously, we all want this to end
amicably and soon, so you can all go back to being funny. ;)
BTW, during this dark time, we've been roaming around for other Dave-related
finds on the 'net. Your radio interview on Bob & Tom, during the building
dedication at Ball State was quite telling.
Thanks for the peeks behind the scenes. Keep 'em coming.
Pat Fleet
Bill, thanks much for the update. My hope is you guys can show the
producers you really mean business and they will actually pay writers
for the work they do. God willing TV viewers will revolt if too many
game shows and reality programs flood the airwaves.
And I have similar concerns as TomW....the WGA really needs to get its
story out there better. I spent the better part of dinner tonight
explaining why the strike isn't about the rich vs the super rich. *I*
know the writers aren't a bunch of whining babies, but the majority of
the viewing public doesn't get it. And everything I'm reading in the
trades is terribly slanted towards the AMPTP.
You guys going to talk a lot about the strike at the Paley Center
tomorrow or will you focus on the process of writing for the show?
Whatever, hopefully will catch you there.
Good luck and keep up the good fight. Hopefully this won't drag on into
the new year.
Traci
Was she the one Dave took shopping for a new coat? Or the one who
needed a roommate?
Donz?
-- Lucy, missing the remotes with Dave in 'em.
This should help:
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2007/11/07/striking-writers-actors-_n_71622.html
The "Office" writers prepare exclusive material for the NBC "Office"
site. NBC claims it's for promotional purposes only, yet it sells
advertising on that page. Meanwhile, the writers get zero residuals
for their work on that site.
I suspect nothing will happen until the nets begin to feel the pinch
after all of their current episodes air. Then, hopefully, the AMPTP
will start to get serious. Go get 'em, Bill.
January 21, 1994: Remote: Finding Nancy a Roommate.
May 27, 1994: Remote: Dave Takes Nancy to Find an Apartment
January 13, 1995: Remote: Dave Buys Nancy a Winter Coat
Bill
Bill
As previously stated by other aflers, thanks a lot. We do enjoy your
words.
By-the-way, Lucy teaches english at a law enforcement academy.
--
Alan
~WWWWW~
What a Wonderful Web We Weave
now that sucks. $30,000 is not a lot of money, especially if one has a
family and a mortgage, and all any good American aspires to. What we do know
is that TV networks DO have a lot of money...
<dsi...@yahoo.com> wrote in message
news:1194579568.8...@e9g2000prf.googlegroups.com...
> On Nov 8, 5:30 pm, tw...@yahoo.com wrote:
>
>> Feel free to ask any questions and I will try to respond. Thanks.
>> Bill Scheft
>
> Thanks for the update. I don't think there's a person here who
> doesn't side with the writers (well, maybe one or two . . .) or think
> you guys have gotten a raw deal from the producers, networks, and
> studios.
>
> I only wish there were some more tangible way to support the WGA than
> to say we're with you -- it's not like turning off the TV is going to
> affect anything.
Actually, turning off the TV is the only thing you really CAN do. I don't
currently watch any of the late night reuns, and, as soon as the primetime
shows are shut down, or go to reruns, I'll turn those off too. Of course, I
don';t have a Neilsen box or anything...
IMO, the majority of the viewing public doesn't get much...
What, you don't want to know his birthdate?
Typo--- Nancy AGOSTINI. And yes, she got the new coat.
Zero compensation.
That's what we're fighting for.
So -- what's Jeanne Moss really like?
In your case ( and the rest of the Late Show writing staff), who
exactly are you on strike against? Worldwide Pants? CBS? Both? I
suppose I don't have a clear enough understanding of the roles played
by the networks and by the production companies. Are union
compensation packages dictated by the networks or do they vary
significantly from one production company to another? For example...
I'd imagine that Worldwide Pants, since it's owned by Dave, would be
fairly sympathetic to the concessions being asked for by the writer's
union. Others may be more or less so. I guess the issue I'm not
fully grasping is who specifically makes up your opposition.
Anyway, thanks for making the effort to keep people informed. Best of
luck to you and everyone else who is likely to be affected by the
strike in getting back to work as soon as possible.
Mike Mac has Bill's post here copied in todays Wahoo. Nice goin Mike!
Gary
I've got some questions for you: Do you know when, or if Dave is going
to come back and start doing new shows during the strike? Also, would
you support Dave doing new shows without the writing staff? Does Dave
have to come in to work these days? (I know he's probably celebrating
Harry's 4th birthday this week).
Thanks a lot and thanks for the great writing for the show that you have
provided for many years. I certainly hope that this strike is settled
soon and in your favor.
All the best,
Mike M
Bill
So that's what happened to StillShots...
>So that's what happened to StillShots...
No there was a steroids scandal involving my lovely assistants Brandi
and Tiffany so I had to shut the place down. Don Shula says I should
have an asterisk.
Bill
Good to see you last night, Traci. Hope you thought it was something.
We were all worried this would turn into a strike press conference,
but mercifully, no.
> Good to see you last night, Traci. Hope you thought it was something.
> We were all worried this would turn into a strike press conference,
> but mercifully, no.
Trip report, please, Pie Girl. :)
> On Nov 8, 11:22 pm, Traci <hoosiergir...@yahoo.com> wrote:
> > says...
> > You guys going to talk a lot about the strike at the Paley Center
> > tomorrow or will you focus on the process of writing for the show?
> > Whatever, hopefully will catch you there.
> >
> > Good luck and keep up the good fight. Hopefully this won't drag on into
> > the new year.
> >
> > Traci- Hide quoted text -
> >
> > - Show quoted text -
>
> Good to see you last night, Traci. Hope you thought it was something.
> We were all worried this would turn into a strike press conference,
> but mercifully, no.
>
>
Absolutely thought it was something. Will share a more detailed synopsis
here later today, but overall I thought the panel was fantastic. You
guys could have stuck around for another two hours and no one would have
budged.
Nice job of ignoring my raised hand too. Felt just like being in the LS
audience. ;p
Traci
This is a great question. We are striking against the AMPTP. When your
union goes out, you go out. The Late Show is a union shop. As it
relates to Worldwide Pants, this is particularly vexing for everyone.
WWP is separate, small independent company, not a network. This is not
their fight. They have been incredibly sympathetic and would like
nothing more than for us to come back, at the concessions we seek.
They would love to make a separate deal with the Guild. But because
this fight is so giant, that type of deal is not available.
The same situation would exist for a small independent film company
that distributes independently. You may have no use or need for the
big boys, but if your screenwriter has a Guild contract, it's
taillights.
Sad. And sooooooo unnecessary.
First of all, please feel free to say hello. If I look like I'm in a
hurry, I probably am. But you can always stop me by saying, "Say hi to
Adrianne." That's my wife. That will stop me.
As far as a Dave update, I, uh, haven't been in, so I don't know
anything. As far as Dave coming back without writers, I have no idea
when or if it will happen, but let me say two things. 1) I love the
people on the staff, some of whom I have known for 16 years. I do not
want to see anyone suffer for a fight that is not theirs. When the
other writers and I are on the picket line, we don't talk about our
situation, we talk about theirs. Many of them have come down to the
picket line to support us, and it is as heartening as it is
heartbreaking. 2) (And I've said this before, in print and on TV) I
pray it doesn't come to this, but Dave Letterman on the air, doing a
show without writers, pissed off he has to do a show without writers,
would be the most compelling advocate/ally for the Guild I can think
of. Because you know he's going to address it. And address it cogently
and passionately.
yeah
Thanks for answering Bill. It's too bad it has to be that way... it
sounds like the way the system is set up hurts more people than it
helps. Again, good luck to you and everyone else involved.
Sean
(the Page)
Hang in there, it'll be up before 5pm!
Traci
Not directly, but it is their relationship with SeeBS that pays the bills,
right?
First of all, let me say thank you for giving us an update of what's
going on during the strike. I don't want to sound like a suck-up, but
I also appreciate the fact that you've come to this forum to speak
directly with the fans. Most of us are aware of what's at stake, but
some of us haven't heard what the writers as individuals have to say.
The only question I can think of possibly asking you has to do with
entering comedy writing as a profession, but I'm not sure if this is
an appropriate time and place to ask something like that. I'm a
communications major/writing and composition minor at Illinois State
University, and this is something I've always been curious about.
Once again, thank you for clearing up some questions I had. You have
my full and undivided support.
Sticking it to "the man," Stuart Allard
A few days ago, on the "Opie and Anthony" radio, Opie mentioned about
how he walked into the strike over by the Time-Life Building by
accident. He saw the Lettermen writers marching, so decided to chat
with them for a while. He also mentioned how celeberties are trying
to steal the spotlight with reporters by showing up for a few minutes,
staging an interview, then taking off. A CNN reporter tried to get an
interview with Opie, but he shouted back at them saying, "I don't do
interviews with CNN!" This was due to a few years ago, with the way
CNN treated himself and Anthony on a story.
oh waaaaahhhhhh!! was CNN mean to those freakin' SLEAZEballs?!?!
oh waaaaaaahhhhhh! Nope.
Would it hurt anyone to crank up View Mail again ? Sure, the taped
responses are expensive but Fun Facts only goes so far. WWP seems
under budget pressure from SeeBS, like the time they saved money by
leaving lanes open on 53rd St. instead of a full shut down for a
bit..JG
Please, no. Not unless Dave participates fully in the taped responses,
which seems unlikely at this point. Viewer Mail died a gruesome death
because it just sucked after Dave stopped doing pre-tapes. It was an act
of mercy to finally pull the plug.
I for one enjoy the Fun Facts and Will It Float? for my Friday
entertainment. I'm also *loving* the little skits and small pre-tapes
Dave has been doing lately, which I'd love to see expanded.
--
HPR
Thats a good question. Does WPI/Dave pay for the stunts( cleanup, road
closings) or does CBS give you guys a production budget?
Bill
Bill, its very impressive and good of you to come here and address us.
I hope you and your fellow writers get what you deserve. Thanks.
Gary
Very quick response, and all you need to know. First, pick what kind
of comedy writing you want to do.
If you want to write for a sitcom, write a spec script for an existing
popular show and use it as a writing sample to get an agent. If you
want to write for a strip show (5 days a week), like LS, write a
submission for that specific show, and send it to agents hoping one
will think it's good enough to submit on your behalf. (Some shows take
submissions without agents, but you'd have to check which ones.) If
you want to write movies, write a movie.
The key point is you cannot get a job submitting material not germaine
to that job. You can't hand in a bunch of cartoons to a studio and
think they'll hire you to write scripts.
Truth be told, with the internet, the access is easier to get stuff up
and get noticed....and harder because so many are doing it.
Hope this helps.
Thank you. I'm sorry that I didn't mention this in my last post, but
I used to read your columns in ESPN Mag and SI back in the day, and it
was a pleasure to hear your advice.
Thanks again, Stu
Just a clarification question: Every 13 weeks you get reviewed? By
whom? Is it Dave and Rob or is it someone at CBS or is it someone
else? Is this a formality type of thing or a serious review? Do the
writers who are "fired" lose their benefits at that point?
(The only time I had heard about this previously was when Conan first
started and his show kept getting 13 week renewals.)
Best of luck to you and the WGA!!!
As reported on The Huffington Post:
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/robbie-baitz/damning-evidence-in-their_b_72411.html
Same video on YouTube:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8a37uqd5vTw
Hmmmm... these CEO's don't look too undecided about the possibility's
of digital media to me...
Gary
Your "option" comes up every 13 weeks. A month before the cycle is up,
whoever handles that in accounting (I think it's a woman named Pat
O'Keefe) sends the notice up to the executive producers that, for
instance, "Scheft's option comes up the 24th." The executive producer
lets the head writers know and they usually wave it though. If it's
someone on the bubble, they either bring the writer in and say, "We're
going to pick up one more cycle - 13 weeks" or they let the writer go.
By WGA guidelines, you need to let the writer know by the end of the
ninth week. If you don't, his cycle is automatically renewed. But in
answer to your question, the decision to let someone go is never made
by just one person.
I've seen guys let go after nine weeks, I've seen guys not get picked
up after 10 years. And everything in between.
In terms of benefits, if you are making WGA minimum for late night and
only last one cycle, you will still fall short of the $30,000 in Guild
earnings you need to keep your medical coverage for a year. You
probably keep coverage for six months. Ideally, you get another Guild
job or go Cobra.
Hope that explains it.
Oh, like Cobra's affordable. :-p
-- Lucy, been there, done that, don't wanna do it again.
>I've seen guys let go after nine weeks, I've seen guys not get picked
up after 10 years. And everything in between.<
Bill, Ive read that writers have left the Show because they were
stressed( 12 hour days, rejected ideas...so on). Everyone must know
going in what they are facing. Is there really a high turnover rate? The
13 week thing cant help.
Bill
His original message translated into Spanish...derived after learning
that the www.lateshowwritersonstrike.com is being translated by mojolingo...
Esta carta fue anunciada originalmente en el tarde newsgroup de exposición y
el tarde sitio web de exposición.
Soy el representante de la unión para la exposición, y sentía obligó para
traerle arriba fechar en la huelga de escritores. Nuestros tipos han sido
tantos mejores representados en la línea de piquete que todas las otras
exposiciones de NY. Estoy realmente orgulloso de ellos.
Rápidamente , por temor a que usted piense que somos un ramo de mocosos
estropeados buscando apenas un aumento, el asunto grande, el dinero de
original contento mostrado en el Internet y otros nuevos medios, es nuestra
manera de reemplazar el dinero que perdemos sobre los derechos residuales
que desaparecen. Los derechos residuales no son una prima. Ellos son los
escritores de la manera viven cuando ellos están entre trabajos. Los
escritores uniformes contactan está arriba para renovación cada 13 semanas.
Usted puede tener un cinco- el contrato de año, pero ellos pueden permitir
que usted vaya cada 13 semanas sin pagarle más tan largo como ellos le da un
mes¬a #39;s. Eso es el trato que todos entramos en. Hay 12.000 escritores en
el gremio. Usted necesita hacer $30.000 un año en ganancias de gremio para
mantener su seguro de enfermedad. El año pasado, 6000 didn&el alcance #39;t
que figura. Mitad.
He sido suficiente afortunado para tener un trabajo durante 16 años. Eso
simplemente no sucede. Así que esto es lo que luchamos para. Créame,
nosotros adoraríamos estar en la oficina, escribiendo los hechos divertidos,
activo con Rupert, ilegalmente longitud en pies de doctoring o pornografía
de carga, pero esto son la pelea de la primera línea para todos los otros
contratos de la unión que vienen nos después. El tarde escritores de noche
son los primeques afectados por una huelga, y por los únicos unos que nunca
se recuperarán el dinero nosotros perdemos porque hacemos 10 veces como
muchas nuevas exposiciones por año como cualquier drama o comedia de
situación. Pero salimos a favor de nuestros miembros prójimos de unión y
oramos estes fines de la cosa pronto.
Otra cosa. A un hombre, todos los escritores son concernidos profundamente
acerca del daño colateral si nosotros nos quedamos afuera demasiado largo.
Pensamos en las 150 personas que trabajan en la Tarde Exposición cuyo lucha
esto no es y cree que ellos serán cuidados de. Ellos son todo de manera
vergonzosa sostenedor de nosotros. Nadie más tan que Dave. Humilla bastante.
Arrepentido ser tan grave , pero esto es el negocio grave. Quise escribirle
personas porque este sitio tienen lealmente siguió sin descanso la
exposición desde que vinimos a BCS. Yo le sentía fue debido tanta de una
explicación como cualquiera fuera del espacio de negociación puede dar.
Siéntase libre preguntar cualquier pregunta y yo trataré de responder.
Gracias.
Facture Scheft
See...it is funnier is Spanish!
--
Alan
~WWWWW~
What a Wonderful Web We Weave
Where's "mamarracho!" ?
-- Lucy
It's listed with the appetizers.
Bite me.
;-)
--
Alan (Dark too long)
It's listed with the appetizers.
Bite me.
;-)
--
Alan (Dark too long)
We have had a couple of guys who have left because of the grind, but
rarely do they leave without another job. The exception, of course,
was myself, who left twice to finish novels, then came back when I
realized I wasn't going to be one of the six people in the world who
makes a living writing novels.
In terms of turnover, I have been there during periods of high
turnover, when they could never seem to fill one or two spots for any
length of time (including the job of head writer) and periods, like
now, of great stability, where the core group of guys has been
together 4 years. The Stangels, by the way, are closing in on the
longest tenured head writers in the history of either show. Steve
O'Donnell had the gig from 1985-1992 and the boys took over sometime
in 2000.
Steve first became head writer in mid-October 1983. He went on a five-
month sabbatical from September '84 to Jan '85, and then resumed his
head-writer position. (During his sabbatical, Gerard took over the
head-writer duties.)
Steve relinquished his head-writer status the first week of July '92.
So his reign as head writer, not counting his sabbatical, was (about)
8 years, 3 months.
I think the Stangels became co-head writers in April 2000. So they're
around 8 months shy of matching Steve's numbers.
> Steve relinquished his head-writer status the first week of July '92.
> So his reign as head writer, not counting his sabbatical, was (about)
> 8 years, 3 months.
> I think the Stangels became co-head writers in April 2000. So they're
> around 8 months shy of matching Steve's numbers.
Does the SuperSecretDataBase include strike time as time served?
If not, this would change Steve's included time due to the '88 strike so
the Stengels are only 4 months short.
--
Alan
Good point, but then we'd also have to subtract the present strike
time from the Stangels' numbers.
Indeed, so the Stangels are in a holding pattern with 4 months and a bit
more.