HEARTBLEED BUG UPDATE
We want to let you know that WGAE’s IT team patched the code potentially affected by the Heartbleed Bug. Many tech experts recommend you change your passwords, regardless. You can easily change your member login password by editing your profile here.
A look at the new Low Budget Agreement
Jeremy Pikser, Vice President of Writers Guild of America, East, has an informative new contribution to the WGAE Write On Blog about the new Low Budget Agreement, which makes it possible to hire a to writer to work on an independent, low budget film. You can read Jeremy's article here.
The Importance Social Media & Cloud Computing to Screenwriters
Writer Justin Samuels contributed an article to WGAE's Write On Blog about how new forms of technology, like social media and cloud computing, have made it easier for screenwriters to protect themselves, their work and find ways around traditional barriers in the industry. Read the full post here.
WGAE certified as collective bargaining representative of writer-producers at Sharp Entertainment
The Writers Guild of America, East, AFL-CIO (the "WGAE") announced that it has been certified by the National Labor Relations Board to be the collective bargaining representative of the Producers, Coordinating Producers, Associate Producers and Writers employed by Sharp Entertainment, LLC. Sharp is one of the most well regarded production companies in the nonfiction world, producing shows for cable television such as Doomsday Preppers, Property Wars, and Call of the Wildman. Region 2 of the National Labor Relations Board conducted a representation election by mail ballot and by in-person vote in January; ballots were counted on February 3. Click here to read the full press release.
Featured
Person Place Thing... Live
A Conversation with Screenwriter Walter Bernstein
Something interesting happens when you ask people not about themselves but about something they care about. Host Randy Cohen – for twelve years writer of The Ethicist column in the NY Times – talks to his guests about a person, a place, and a thing they find meaningful. This time, that guest is screenwriter Walter Bernstein, celebrated for The Magnificent Seven, The Train, The Front, Semi-Tough, Fail Safe and many more. Click HERE for more information.
"Drama & Deception in DC": Now available on iTunes
WGAE's "Drama & Deception in DC" panel, featuring Danny Strong, Joe Weisberg and Beau Willimon, is now available for download. Click here to visit the Guild on iTunes U.
2013 Council Election Results
The Writers Guild of America, East has announced the 2013 election results for its Council. Click here for more information, including a list of election winners.
Watching TV... Online
by Lowell Peterson
The tentative deal under which Sony will stream some of Viacom's cable channels online demonstrates that regulators -- for example, the Federal Communications Commission -- need to rethink their approach to cable television. Click here to read more.
News
Statement on Today's Senate Hearing on Proposed Comcast/NBCU-Time Warner Cable Merger
The Writers Guild of America, East issued the below statement following today's Senate Judiciary Committee on the proposed Comcast/NBCU-Time Warner Cable merger:
“Comcast/NBCU/TWC is positioning itself at the top rung of the new media eco-system. Forget the old world in which studios were independent of movie theaters (as required by anti-trust regulators many decades ago), where content producers were independent of cable TV companies, where television and Internet distribution were distinct businesses. Comcast/NBCU/TWC recognizes a new universe in which consumers will go to one place to watch what they want, when they want it – and Comcast/NBCU/TWC intends to be that place. It wants the market and pricing power to dominate (at least in a third of the U.S., including most of the major urban markets), and to reap the profits of that domination. This is not in the interest of cable and broadband customers, or of content-creators, or of the employees who face Comcast/NBCU in the workplace."
Interview: Joe Mefford on Final Draft 9, April 2 Training Session
On Wednesday, April 2, the Writers Guild of America, East will hold a training session for the recently released Final Draft 9 with Joe Mefford, Final Draft's Vice President of Ecommerce (RSVP HERE). At the training, Joe will be demonstrating the all-new Final Draft 9 for Mac and Windows along with the Final Draft Writer for iPad and the Final Draft Reader for iPhone.
The WGAE Write On Blog spoke with Final Draft's Vice Presidnet of Ecommerce, Joe Mefford, about Final Draft Version 9 and what members can expect to learn at our upcoming training session. Read the full interview here.
Tell Cesar Millan to be a "pack leader" and stick up for ITV producers!
The Writers Guild of America, East (WGAE) recently conducted a survey that indicated that ITV Studios, like many other reality and nonfiction production companies, has been generating these profits by extending the work week and not paying overtime to the freelance producers on these shows. Please click here to learn about our campaign to urge Cesar Milan to support the ITV writer-producers who work long hours with no overtime pay.
Highlights From Panel On Portraying Obamacare in TV & Film
Recently, Writers Guild of America, East (WGAE) collaborated with the Hollywood, Health & Society to present “The Affordable Care Act: Comedy, Drama & Reality,” a panel on portraying Obamacare in TV and film. The informational event gave writers the opportunity to hear from healthcare experts and ask questions. The event took place at the WGAE headquarters in New York. You can watch video highlights from the event here.
