LOS ANGELES - Four major studios have canceled dozens of writers' contracts in a possible concession that the current television season cannot be saved, the Los Angeles Times reported Tuesday.

The move means the 2-month old writers strike may also endanger next season's new shows, the Times said.

January is usually the beginning of pilot season, when networks order new scripted shows. But the strike leaves networks without a pool of comedy and drama scripts from which to choose.

20th Century Fox Television, CBS Paramount Network Television, NBC Universal and Warner Bros. Television told the Times they have terminated development and production agreements.

Studios typically pay $500,000 to $2 million a year per writer for them and their staffs to develop new show concepts.

"I didn't see it coming," Barbara Hall, a writer and producer whose credits include former CBS series "Joan of Arcadia" and "Judging Amy," told the Times, which said ABC executives gave her the news Friday. "I am not entirely sure what their strategy is, all I know was that I was a casualty of it."

The newspaper said more than 65 deals with writers have been eliminated since Friday.



Ok so like what? You ain't rich enough you bitches!? I'll write a damn script myself for $100,000! damn greedy bastards! least they can do for that kind of pay cheque is come up a TV show that will keep my attention beyond the damn intro!

The Actors and Directors and Producers get way more than that PLUS residuals.

The fact that all money from content sold over the internet going directly to the Executive Studio is a big ass deal. The studios think that they can get around this because this "New technology" isn't covered in their contracts.

Yes, they may make a lot...and 500,000 is a lot (I really am skeptical of that figure as many shows are lower budget than that) but everything you hear come out of anyones mouth including...the news, soap operas, late night tv, daytime tv and of course scripted shows is all written. ALL of it. And without them, there is no greatness like, LOST or Ugly Betty or Desperate Housewives or Daily SHow or Heroes or a miriad of other shows across network and cable television.

I kinda wish this would happen in the movie making biz. We need some new, fresh, original ideas and I think shaking up the movie biz would help in motivating people. No more remakes or sequels.

MIGUELGOMEZ said:

If the stike continues, it will extend to the movies as well.

superspaceboy said:

I'm pretty skeptical, too. Maybe for a Seinfeld or a Friends, but I seriously doubt the writers for The Suite Life of Zak & Cody get $500,000 each!

And look at how much it's affected TV. They couldn't even do a damn awards show without professional writers!

I think the writers need to be acknowledged, crappy as most shows are.

I'm w/ the writers - there's no content without them (on scripted shows) so give them their cut already. It's bullshit, I hope it rocks the entire industry...

CalhounSq said:

CalhounSq said:

Word.

The TV industry, as is, is less and less dependent on writers as more shows lean toward reality crap. Not that the crap can't be entertaining but a well-scripted show will get my viewership any day of the week. I was pretty bummed to realize that Young & The Restless was using scabs writers for a month or more now. Not that it's at all noticeable.

MIGUELGOMEZ said:

Don't worry. I'm writing a script this year. It will be THE blockbuster of 2010.

And, my brother actually wrote a book called "Hollywood Must Be Destroyed!" in which his intrepid hero (who looked, sounded and acted an awful lot like me...well, OK - him) actually had to destroy Hollywood to save it from the horrible liberals that have ruined America.

Yes, my brother and I are not on the same page politically. Hell, not even in the same book. But it's all good.

Also, I sat next to a costume designer on a flight back from LA last month, and she told me the whole problem was that the writers' lawyer was stupid.

So now you know.

RodeoSchro said:

oh so that explains it.

Milty said:

Well, she said a little more. She also said the writers' lawyer was out of his element. The guy had no experience negotiating rights deals. He was a labor lawyer or something, but not a contract negotiator.

She said all the peripheral people like her were really suffering. She wasn't on strike per se, but she could not get any work because there was nothing being produced.

She said it was starting to trickle down to catering companies, dry cleaners, etc. This was a month ago, so I'm sure it's even worse now.

According to this article...

http://www.latimes.com/cl...-counselor

...staff writers get $60-$80 thousand a year to start

the $500,000-2 mil is for development deals for, say, the head writer from Seinfeld to come up with a new show. Not your everyday writer.
[Edited 1/15/08 13:55pm]

NDRU said:

still tho, that ain't like poverty and shit. but i see their point about "new technology". i'd bitch about that too.

Let's write a show about a group of people on some famous but faded star's website. Most have never met but they get involved in each other's lives.

Is that too far fetched?

littlemissG said:

sounds like a forum i frequent....i just cant put my finger on which one tho

Milty said:

no, definitely not poverty. even the lowest paid writer in hollywood (that isn't a bartender) makes much more than me

But it's not as bad as a baseball strike!
[Edited 1/16/08 10:21am]

CalhounSq said: