WRITING ON STRIKE
As much as I enjoyed seeing The Daily Show and The Colbert Report last night, I find myself having incredibly mixed feelings about the shows coming back during the current Writers strike.
First, both shows were solid, and I think that's actually the problem. I know with time we'll see how not having writers weakens the shows, but so far we don't see that (nor do we with the Tonight Show or Conan to any great degree). Demonstrating that a show can go on without writers only weakens the writers' case, and except for Letterman, who does have a WGA agreement, I really do wish the others wold have remained off the air in solidarity.
Second, both The Daily Show and The Colbert Report were actually too well produced. That required people sitting down, working out details, setting up punchlines (ie. Colbert's "The Word" segment) etc. I'm sorry, but that degree of production requires writing, whether words are typed, processed or just discussed in a group meeting. That "The Word" graphic came up with no word to be shown, that Stephen kept trying to magically create the word to no avail, had to be thought of, developed and decided upon. In effect it had to be written, even if words were not put on paper.
Writing isn't the end result of a process, where there are tangible words; it's the process itself. It's the evolving of ideas into an end result. I don't write just when I sit at my iMac. I'm writing when I think about what I want to do. I set up my idea. I develop that idea. I structure the idea so it has the strongest impact I can make. I sometimes do this while watching TV or walking through a mall, or walking my dog, not only when I sit hunched over my keyboard.
Now, there's no doubt a lot of both The Daily Show and The Colbert Report was ad-libbed, but, as I say, the shows themselves were too well structured, too well set up, too well everything just to have been decided on the spot. Graphics had to be created which meant thought had to go into what to show and how best to show it. To me that is writing. To just not have a punny caption under a photo does not mean writing wasn't done. In fact, on the Daily Show someone had to think of putting the "add punny caption here" idea and then someone had to write it down (physically or not) in order for the graphics department to put it on screen.
Though all the shows so far have had strong anti-management jokes throughout, it is still writing when no writing is supposed to take place. Further, the very existence of these shows on the air means the companies will be making money. They don't care if Jon Stewart makes anti-management jokes. Frankly, they know the audience, generally young, loves hearing that sort of thing. Stewart and company can make anti-Viacom jokes from here to doomsday and as long as Viacom makes money off it, they're happy and have less reason to negotiate with the Guild.
Do I as a viewer want to hear both Stewart and Colbert make the jokes we need to hear during the ongoing primary season? Absolutely. We need to deflate the politicians as well as the news people who report on them. But, as a writer and WGA member, do I think the very existence of these shows hurts the writers cause and delays any possible settlement, and do I want The Daily Show and the Colbert Report, two of my absolute favorite shows, to go away until the end of the strike? I'm afraid the answer is yes. I do. We need solidarity. We need to shut down Hollywood until an agreement is made. We need to show the companies that they will make NO money until they share that money. Anything less hurts us.
Labels: WGA strike
posted by Marv @ 10:59 AM
2 Comments
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2 Comments:
Hello Marv,
I just read your current blog. I agree with what you're saying, however, I have to say shutting down Hollywood is not necessarily the right answer either.
I think of all those out of work production people, stagehands, caterers, lighting people that are out of work.
Those people may not make as much money as writers do and yet they too have families to support too.
The late night hosts supported their writers for two months...but there came a time when they had to think of the rest of their staff too...which probably outnumber their writers.
You're right to say that the individual deals that have been brokered will probably slow down overall negotiations. The DGA talks could also slow down the negations too. Writer solidarity would have been better all around and yet at the same time, someone needs to take the big step and talk...and I don't see that from either side right now.
I've read some of the demands of the writers and while I support them in getting paid for the work they do that's distributed through "new media", there are other things I don't support on the writers side.
For example, once a deal is made, I don't believe the writers should go back on strike if another union goes on strike, and yet the WGA was demanding a so-called "sympathy strike." You make a deal and a deal is a deal.
You don't go back on strike because someone else is having issues. You can show support other ways, by not showing up to certain functions, but you don't see the actors going on strike to support the writers. They're showing their support by not showing up at awards shows and going on the picket lines...which is the right way to go.
I also don't think that reality programming should follow the same guidelines as scripted programming, but that's just me.
You probably would know more about the ins and outs of reality programming versus scripted programming than I do.
In closing, I have to say it would be interesting to see if the CBS News writers go on strike. They voted to do so, but have yet done it. I think if those writers did go on strike, maybe it would help convince studios of the importance of these talented people.
Again, I do support the writers, they do wonderful things, I've read great things from you. It all really does start with the writer. They should get paid for their work when it's distributed on other media and they should get paid fairly. I'm just thinking and looking at the bigger picture of out of work people, innocent people who are impacted by this strike. I don't see either side doing this at this point.
This could be history in the making as it could change the broadcast television season landscape!
I'd love to see the WGA reach out to the production people out of work and offer some type of support. That would be a great way to let everyone know the writers are being totally reasonable and that the studios are the ones that won't budge!
Best regards,
Scott Rubens
Broadcast Director
mailto:srubens@wusa9.com
http://www.wusa9.com/news/columnist/blogs/directorschair.aspx
Hi Marv --
Enjoyed your blog about this subject, and it parallels many of my own thoughts on the shows in question.
One point I'd disagree with, though, is that I thought that the writerless shows were _not_ as good.
Stewart and Colbert (with the T pronounced now) were funny, but not nearly as funny as usual -- and the shows seemed strained. Obviously, the addition of more guest time is largely to cover up the lack of actual, written material.
Hopefully, I'm not the only one who noticed the drop in quality. Where usually these shows are sharp and tight, now they're meandering and flabby. Still funny, but not as funny.
And perhaps not funny enough to maintain audience -- which would be good for the strikers. (Let's hope.)
I was interested, though, in Stewart's comments about his show being willing to reach the same accord as Letterman -- and being turned down by the Guild.
The Guild might want to re-think that strategy. Winning one battle at a time can actually win a war.
Best Wishes,
Steve Sullivan
Author & Publisher
www.stephendsullivan.com
www.walkaboutpublishing.com
http://stephendsullivan.blogspot.com/
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