I read the statement above. Pardon my ignorance but what's "story breaking"? It's the second step (for the most part) in developing a story where you take the story you're working on and break it down scene by scene to give it structure. As referenced above in a blurb behind spoiler bars, a couple of "House" guest stars joined the picket lines in support of the writers yesterday. I don't really think it's a spoiler since allegience to the writers that you've most recently worked with doesn't necessarily mean that you've now got a regular gig on the show, but I figured I'd be cautious just the same and not reference the actor. It's like Christmas!! Click on the link for your surprise! {g} http://i18.photobucket.com/albums/b141/amysusanne/1strike.jpg

Was on the picket line again today. We were chanting "4 more cents!" that's right, we want 8 cents total out of the like $20 the studios make in pure PROFIT on each DVD sold. that's right 8 FREAKING CENTS!

Don't know if you saw this at the same link: UPDATE: From a Fox studio lot worker bee claiming to be on the side of the writers: "I don't mean to rain on the WGA's parade but I work in the building closest to the Pico gate, building 89. It's where the House production offices are. I was there from 9am to 6pm and didn't hear a thing from inside the building. And when I walked outside for a break, I heard some horns honking from time to time but nothing too over the top."

It seems that that was a case of covering two other gates more heavily than the Pico gate, no? Reports seem to indicate that there were more picketers on that side of the lot today than yesterday. Was on the picket line again today. We were chanting "4 more cents!" that's right, we want 8 cents total out of the like $20 the studios make in pure PROFIT on each DVD sold. that's right 8 FREAKING CENTS! How is it going from your perspective? I'm ashamed to admit (because it's a terribly naive outlook to have) that I have a very romantic view of union strikes. At least in the beginning when everyone is united and there's a commaraderie there. I've just never actually worked a job that was protected in any way at all, much less by a union, so even though I have a very good grasp of it, it's still foreign to me as far as the actual experience goes. Actually, I've only seen two picket lines in my life: when the grocery workers were on strike and when the commercial actors were on strike and both of those were in your city, not mine. We don't have strikes here. We have an assload of protests (we'll protest at the drop of a hat over even the tiniest thing), but strikes are few and far between.

are we to conclude that since there wasn't agreement on the online residuals that now EVERYTHING is back on the table again? Yes, what I read (sorry, don't remember where, probably Deadline Hollywood) was that since AMPTP didn't budge on the Internet residuals and walked out anyway (and since plenty of the writers were angry about their leadership wavering on the DVD residuals), everything is back on the table again.

But seriously, his head writer said the support meant a lot because he's known Jay twenty years and "we're family." Ages ago TV Guide did a story on "the nicest people in Hollywood" and Jay Leno was voted the nicest. They said that when the son of one of his employees ran away to another city he paid for her plane ticket so she could bring him home. amysusanne, I admit that during my strike once we actually WERE on strike we had fun. But then we knew it would be a short one (we were essential workers, not as important as police or firefighters but the same idea). We were out for a week. If we were facing the possibility of being out for months, well that wouldn't have been fun after the adrenaline of the first few days had worn off. donkeykong, I can't speak for anyone else but I'm on your side and hope you get back to work quickly with all of your demands met!

BTW, I was pleased to hear that the cast of the Office called it a day and didn't report to work. Then again, at least a couple of them are writers anyway. There was actually an interesting article in the paper where they said the networks expect Novak et. al to show up to work anyway since they're actors, and would 'protect' them against any backlash the WGA might have in store. Which I find silly, because I think Steve Carell has been picketing anyway, and you can't do much without him. I think the only ones who showed up to work earlier this week were John K and Jenna, and they only wrapped up an episode that they'd been working on. I don't think anyone showed up since. : :P

It seems to me that AMPTP is cutting off it's nose to spite it's face.* I do understand that they're the ones that take the financial risk for the shows that don't survive long enough for anyone to want to download them or buy a DVD. And yes, the other unions are going to want them to match whatever they give the writers. But you factor those things in and you offer something fair. Then everyone wins. Instead, they're so busy insisting that the union is being greedy that, by the time a settlement comes, they will have lost far more money than a fair offer on day one would have cost and a large chunk of the audience will have found other ways to entertain themselves. *I know that all that is necessary for evil to flourish is for good me to spout cliches. And I do apologize.

I posted this in the media thread, but I probably should have put it here. Sorry. "David Shore, and two newbies were on the picket line today. Fox 11 LA interviewed them. DS said they've filmed 10 episodes but will shut down production in the next two weeks, as soon as the post production work is finished." edited because after reading through the thread, it seems it's a spoiler to say who was on the picket line? I don't know. I can't find spoiler bars. But I'm stupid.

The bit with David Shore et. al. is on the Fox 11 news streaming at the moment on myfoxla.com. You might have to wait for it to come around to the top of the hour again. I'm not sure how their stream works when the show isn't live...

edited because after reading through the thread, it seems it's a spoiler to say who was on the picket line? I don't know. I can't find spoiler bars. But I'm stupid. No, not stupid... it took me awhile, too. It's a white font instead of spoiler bars. I just read an article that said things are getting worse instead of better. Looks like they're expecting the strike to last months and months. :(

The bit with David Shore et. al. is on the Fox 11 news streaming at the moment on myfoxla.com. You might have to wait for it to come around to the top of the hour again. I'm not sure how their stream works when the show isn't live... It's now up as "latest strike video". No clue if it's going to be archived or if it'll just keep getting overridden by whatever new story they do. It's probably best to grab it before they get too far into the morning show. I have no sound on the computer I'm currently sitting at, so I have no clue what they said...which means that my comments will be 100% shallow: Anne Dudek was looking very pretty yesterday. Sorry, that's all I could get from a clip with no sound. {g} But you factor those things in and you offer something fair. Then everyone wins. Instead, they're so busy insisting that the union is being greedy that, by the time a settlement comes, they will have lost far more money than a fair offer on day one would have cost and a large chunk of the audience will have found other ways to entertain themselves. SNL's Weekend Update addressed the whole hypocritical "writers make an assload of money" thing this weekend with good results. It's embedded in this Defamer entry: http://defamer.com/hollywood/short-ends/ass-cancer-wishes-319281.php Ages ago TV Guide did a story on "the nicest people in Hollywood" and Jay Leno was voted the nicest. They said that when the son of one of his employees ran away to another city he paid for her plane ticket so she could bring him home. This is why I have a very soft spot for Leno in spite of never being that crazy about his show. I once saw him pull his car over to stop and talk to a couple of people who wanted to meet him. The idea of wanting to meet someone so badly that you would try to get them to stop their car is completely foreign to me, but the idea that that guy would actually stop and be nothing but nice and gracious and accomodating is just beyond anything I've ever seen. He seems like he is a genuinely good hearted guy. It's hard to hate that. amysusanne, I admit that during my strike once we actually WERE on strike we had fun. But then we knew it would be a short one (we were essential workers, not as important as police or firefighters but the same idea). We were out for a week. If we were facing the possibility of being out for months, well that wouldn't have been fun after the adrenaline of the first few days had worn off. Oh, I'm sure that it will wear everyone out as it goes on and, unfortunately, it looks like it *will* go on. But, that whole "unity" thing. It seems very empowering to me. Good to hear that I'm not completely insane for finding that aspect of it a little romantic. {g} donkeykong, I can't speak for anyone else but I'm on your side and hope you get back to work quickly with all of your demands met! Absolutely. I'm 100% behind the writers on every one of their demands. I understand the reluctance to *meet* those demands, but it's absurd how "the other side" is playing this out publicly. As they complain about the whiny, petulant writers they sound 10X more whiny and petulant than anything I've seen come from the WGA. If both sides were wrong, this would be all kinds of entertaining, but as it is it's just kind of sad.