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.
An Interview with WGAE Member David Guggenheim (SAFE HOUSE, MEDALLION)
David Guggenheim broke into the business in February 2010 by selling the spec script Safe House which was produced and has grossed $208M worldwide. Since that time, Guggenheim has sold two more spec scripts: “Black Box” to Universal and “Narco Sub” to 20th Century Fox, as well as the pitch “Puzzle Palace”. With several other projects in development and having made the Black List twice (2010, 2012), it’s safe to say Guggenheim is one of the hottest action-thriller screenwriters in Hollywood today.
Here are links to the six installments of the entire interview:
So… That Happened
By W. Kamau Bell.
So… that happened.
That is one of my favorite lines in the history of film. It is from David Mamet’s brilliant State and Main. It comes out of the mouth of Alec Baldwin’s character right after he totals his car and the underage girl he was — and shouldn’t have been —with runs from the scene of the crimes. Alec casually looks to the person who witnessed the whole thing and says, matter of factly, “So… that happened.”
I always took that to mean, “I don’t know what the fuck that was exactly, but it happened. And now we all just have to deal with it and move on.”
Yup, Totally Biased has been canceled.
So… that happened.
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
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.
WGAE/WGAW-AMPTP Contract Negotiations Update
Today the Writers Guilds of America, West and East concluded two weeks of bargaining with the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers (AMPTP) toward a new Minimum Basic Agreement. The parties have agreed to a temporary recess for scheduling reasons. Negotiations will resume on March 4th. Neither the Guilds nor the AMPTP will be commenting further at this time.
Statement on Comcast/NBCUniversal's takeover of Time Warner Cable
The Writers Guild of America, East (WGAE) opposes the takeover of Time Warner Cable by Comcast/NBCUniversal. Read our full statement here.
