Today, I attended a gathering at screenwriter John Brancato’s home of "Writers United," a slate of candidates running for the Board of the Writers Guild of America. Their most eloquent and impassioned speaker was vp candidate David Weiss, who outlined the "platform" that sets them apart from the other slate (I’m sure they have a nifty name, too, but I’ve forgotten it ). Basically, Writers United wants the Guild to focus more of its resources on organizing (bringing new writers into the fold), corporate/industry analysis (research on the companies to give us a better negotiating strategy), and stronger alliances with other industry unions and guilds.
Before the formal presentations began, I talked casually with some of the other attendees, all of whom shared my feeling that the WGA has, basically, been embarrassing itself and its members with its actions the last few years (President Victora Riskin resigning in scandal, her successor Charles Holland resigning in scandal, very public infighting between the WGAw and the WGAe, etc.).
Unlike previous WGA elections, I have no idea who to vote for, so I am going to these events with my eyes and ears wide open. Next, I’ll attend an event hosted by the opposing slate to see what they have to say and how they differ from the Writers United slate. That said, I tend not to follow slates. I prefer to vote for individuals I believe in with bold ideas and views/priorities/concerns similar to my own.
Bring new writers in eh? They’d have to get producers to buy screenplays from someone they don’t already know to make that happen. I won’t hold my breath for that one.
How about bringing in novelists? I don’t know what the WGA minimum is for a screenplay–$60,000?–but if they could enforce a minimum for novels at $5,000, they’d do the publishing industry a world of good.
Hi, Can anyone tell me what the WGA minimum is for a TV script?
Thanks
That depends… is it a primetime hour-long drama or half-hour sitcom? Is it a TV movie, reality program, documentary, or animated children’s show? Is it for a broadcast network, basis cable or subscription television? You need to be more specific.