News on the Strike that could Cripple Hollywood

Friday 9th November

Five days into the first writers strike in 20 years, the 3,500 protesters who turned out this morning for a massive rally outside 20th Century Fox studios said they were just getting started.

We're shutting down production and kicking corporate ass," declared WGA West President Patric Verrone at the top of the 90-minute rally at Fox Plaza which closed down Avenue of the Stars between Pico and Santa Monica boulevards.

Pressure may be mounting to get writers and the major studios back to the bargaining table -- leaders of the industry's top five talent agencies met with strike leaders at the Writers Guild of America's office and there are growing calls for Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger to intervene -- but many strikers today insisted that they had nothing to lose and everything to gain by staying out as long as it takes.

Steven E. de Souza, who wrote "Die Hard," stood in front of the building on Avenue of the Stars where that blockbuster was shot and where Bruce Willis' famous jumping scene unfolded. "This strike is far more organized; there is more solid support from unions and the public," he said, adding that he wanted to send a message to the governor, who coincidentally starred in another movie de Souza wrote, 1985's "Commando."

Pretending that he was knocking on the governor's trailer, he said: "Fifteen minutes, Mr. Schwarzenegger. We need you on the set."

The impasse between the Writers Guild of America and the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers centers on DVD residuals and payment for Internet content. Many writers feel that if they don't forge an equitable deal now, it will be too late.

Despite the inflamed emotions, everything was under control, according to the Los Angeles Police Department, which provided the crowd estimate.
"It was a very cooperative crowd, they even cleaned up after themselves," said LAPD Det. Paul Bishop.

Meanwhile if you're looking for star power, the cast of "Grey's Anatomy" is solidly behind the strike. Sandra Oh explained that how the studios' refusal to pay residuals on content distributed on the Internet affects writers, and actors, and their support systems, down to "the people who feed us" while marchers chant "How greedy can they get, they won't even share the Net." And Ellen Pompeo was begging viewers to not "download shows from the Internet because the people who created them don't get paid."

In other Strike news, the Writers Guild of America, East issued a statement warning Ellen DeGeneres she is not welcome in NY and attacking her lack of support.

“Ellen DeGeneres went back on the air this week after honoring only one day of the writers strike. In anticipation of her plans to tape shows in New York City on Nov. 19 and 20, the Writers Guild of America, East, is extremely disappointed to see that Ellen has chosen not to stand with writers during the strike. Ellen's peers who host comedy/variety shows have chosen to support the writers and help them get a fair contract. Ellen has not. On her first show back, Ellen said she loves and supports her writers, but her actions prove otherwise.”

"Ellen has also been performing comedy on her show. Even if Ellen is writing those segments herself, since those segments would normally be written by the writers on strike, she's performing "struck work." Ellen is violating the strike rules that were clearly explained to all of the comedy/variety shows.

"We certainly intend to let Ellen know our dissatisfaction in person if she decides to proceed with the shows she has scheduled in New York on Nov. 19 and 20. We will also make our voices heard the preceding week if she tries to pre-tape comedy segments on location.

"We find it sad that Ellen spent an entire week crying and fighting for a dog that she gave away, yet she couldn't even stand by writers for more than one day -- writers who have helped make her extremely successful.

"The writers did not cause this strike....We ask Ellen to cease doing shows immediately. She should stand by all writers and help us bring this strike to a quick conclusion. We owe that to the thousands of people who are caught in the middle.


*Sources; Writers Guild of America West – Press Room, Writers Guild of America East – Press Room, La Times