Candidate for Council, Film/TV/Streaming Sector
Hi. I’m Andy Rheingold and I’m running for a Film/TV/Streaming council seat.
One of the things I love about the WGAE is how, under one giant roof, all kinds of writers are represented from television, feature film, soap opera, late night comedy to digital media, podcast, documentary and news. Though we all write for a living, in the professional and business arena we are not always the same. I feel I am well positioned to serve on the WGAE council because I have seen and experienced a uniquely wide range of our business. I’ve written television films, feature films (for majors and independents), sketch comedy, animation, episodic and serialized shows for broadcast/cable/streamers, international co-production series, commercials, videogames, talk shows, short web series, and even macro story arcs for wrestling (yes, it’s written). I’ve developed shows that hit the zeitgeist (SpongeBob SquarePants) and penned pilots no one has ever seen. I’ve signed overall deals, been on staff, sold freelance scripts, produced and run shows. As an active member of the WGAE for over two decades, I’ve served as a co-chair of the Animation Writers Caucus, walked the lines for two strikes and organized pickets, had a hand in negotiations with signatories, and judged scripts for the WGA Diversity Fellowship. I’m also a member of ASCAP, the Writer’s Guild of Canada, and the Société des Auteurs et Compositeurs Dramatiques.
Working in the global film and TV market has opened up my eyes. Our industry is not just 500 TV shows, but in reality, that number is closer to 10,000 if you include productions around the world. The WGA needs a big seat at the table which will mean working closer with our global brother and sister unions, especially with an upcoming MBA negotiation on the horizon. And even more importantly, we will need to forge solidarity with writers around the world to form an industry consensus around AI. As a writer for animation, I have seen up close how AI can devastate an industry without common sense guardrails about its use and misuse.
Equally important during this historic industry contraction, I feel it is imperative our guild continues the fight against free work, especially bake-offs, if-come deals, info mining open writing assignments, and “producer’s drafts.” This pervasive issue can be attacked in many ways, including more comprehensive protections in our next contract, coupled with an expansive outreach to both writers, producers, agents, and managers.
As the healthcare industry fractures under the current administration in the White House, now more than ever WGA needs to step in and bring in as many writers it can under its umbrella to make sure we all have healthcare. But equally important, we must also plan for the future and ensure the health fund is securely funded.
When it comes to expanding our membership, the WGAE has taken the lead in organizing New Media, podcasts, and news and entertainment websites. But we are only getting started, we need to keep pushing forward to bring in as many writers as we can into the fold and organize where the industry is going – YouTube, short form digital, and influencer content.
As co-chair of the Animation Writers Caucus I have been on the front lines of the successful Sesame Street and PBS campaigns helping animation writers get the union representation they deserve. After years of working behind the scenes on animation organization efforts, it’s incredible to see the groundbreaking work we have achieved for animation writers, and it’s important to me personally to continue this success. As a council member I will bring the same positive energy, momentum, and experience gained in these organizing successes to all sectors of the guild.
In Solidarity,
Andy Rheingold
Responses to Candidate Questions
1. What do you think is the most pressing issue facing the Guild and what steps will you take to address it?
We are in a negotiation year. The gains made with our current MBA must not only be preserved but expanded to meet the current moment. How we navigate a historic industry contraction while witnessing a rapid expansion of the media industry (YouTube, digital media, videogames, globally produced TV/films) is the biggest issue facing us.
What can we do?
Working in the global film and TV market has opened my eyes. Our industry is not just 500 TV shows and films but in reality, that number is closer to 10,000 if you include productions around the world. The WGA needs a bigger seat at the table which will mean working closer with our global brother and sister unions, especially with an upcoming MBA negotiation on the horizon.
We must address the erosion of our profession through free work (bake-offs, if-come deals, info mining open writing assignments, and “producer’s drafts”). In the next deal I will push for stronger contract protections, but we’ll also need outreach to producers, agents, and managers so that free work is recognized as unacceptable.
We must keep healthcare front and center, both protecting our health fund and expanding coverage by organizing new sectors of writers into the Guild (YouTube, influencer content, digital media, videogames).
2. WGAE is divided into three sectors: Film, Television, and Streaming; Broadcast, Cable, and Streaming News, and; Online Media. How will you work with and represent all Guild members, including those outside of your own work sector?
One of the things I love about WGAE is that we are a big tent union. Under our roof are feature writers, late-night, news writers, podcasters, soap opera writers, and journalists– each with their own challenges but all united. I’ve had an unusually broad career as a writer across film, television, streaming, sketch comedy, animation, commercials, videogames, talk shows, web series, even wrestling (yes, it’s written). So, I’ve seen how different corners of our industry operate. I want to bring my diverse perspective to council.
I’ve also been in the trenches organizing on behalf of animation writers as Co-Chair of the Animation Caucus where we have had groundbreaking success organizing PBS and Sesame Street animation writers. I know how much effort it takes to bring new communities of writers into the Guild. As a council member I will bring the same positive energy, momentum, and experience gained in these organizing successes to all three sectors of the guild.
3. What qualities or characteristics do you look for in a Guild leader?
For me, the best Guild leaders combine experience with empathy, persistence with patience. They understand the business at a granular level but never lose sight of the bigger picture — that we are all stronger when we stand together. A good leader should be transparent, communicative, and unafraid to take on tough fights, whether against powerful corporations or entrenched industry practices. At the same time, they should know how to listen because our membership is diverse, and no single experience represents us all. As a council member, I will listen closely to members’ needs and push for resources, protections, and expanded organizing.
4. What do you think WGAE’s role should be in the broader labor movement?
We represent workers in a sector that is highly visible, culturally influential, and constantly evolving. That gives the WGAE both a responsibility and an opportunity to fight not only for writers, but to set an example of what organized labor can achieve in the 21st century. We should continue to build alliances with other entertainment unions (SAG-AFTRA, IATSE, DGA, and especially international guilds), but also recognize that our struggles are connected to those of teachers, healthcare workers, Federal workers, etc. Issues like healthcare, AI, and corporate consolidation don’t stop at our industry’s borders. By showing up for other unions, we strengthen our own bargaining power and reinforce the idea that solidarity is the only path forward in an economy that increasingly tries to divide and weaken workers.
Endorsements
Bonnie Datt, Michael Gleason, Carin Greenberg, Don P Hooper, Amy Jackson, Susan Kim, Penelope Koechl, Kate Melville, Robert Mittenthal, Allan Neuwirth, Steven Rivo, William Scheft Jr
Endorse Andy Rheingold for Council, Film/TV/Streaming Sector
Note: WGAW members who wish to endorse a candidate may follow the process outlined in section G.1.B of the 2025 Election Policy.
