UnsilentMajorty

This is something ALL movie fans, casual or hardcore, should be made aware of.

There is the possibility of another WGA (Writers Guild of America; the union that represents professional screenwriters for feature films, TV shows as well as Radio and other media) looming on the horizon come this May.

May 2nd, is the end of the WGA Contract (called the MBA; Minimum Basic Agreement) that is signed every few years that sets forth basic "rules" that studios and writers agree to do business by.

The problem, this time, is the WGA and AMPTP (Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers; the negotiating body that represents studios) have NOT agreed on a new contract for the coming year(s).

Thus, there is a possibility that there could in fact be another WGA strike like there was in 1988 if any of you were around and consciously aware of (like I was) that lasted a VERY long time.

What a WGA strike means is exactly what you all think:

All of your TV programs would go into reruns for the Fall when new shows and new episodes of returning favorites are supposed to premiere because they haven't been written.

Movies wouldn't be effected that much in that movies are always being released which means the deals that got them made in the first place have long since been over (sometimes years have passed).

Where this WILL effect films is once ALL the back log of films (summer blockbusters; Fall Oscar Contenders) have been released and there ISN'T any real, signficant fall releases just like TV.

This also might effect films going into production NOW for next year -- Like Joss Whendon's theatrical version of "Firefly".

In fact, coincidently, 20th Century Fox -- Who is producing Joss' movie and whom Joss pretty much has to thank for his bread and butter all these years (with Buffy) -- Has urged writing deals be firmed up (locked in) by April 27th of this Spring (before the May 2nd deadline).

Fox is doing this in their (the studio's) best interest because a writer's strike means that technically, if you are a screenwriter and want to support and honor your union... You WON'T write a thing during the strike... BUT they think that if you have a deal before the strike goes into effect that you are obligated to honor your contract (to the studio) which means writing and turning in drafts as specified in the the deal. Pretty tricky, huh?

But again, most writers just QUIT. Literally. They work on their own personal projects during the strike, but officially, they aren't supposed to hand in drafts, or do ANYTHING for a studio when a strike is going on.

So, hopefully, I've not bored everybody to death, and actually given you a little insight on what may be in store and how this ultimately may effect you whether you know it or not [img]smilies/wink.gif[/img]