What the Writers' Strike Means to CSI: NY

PrettyEyes said:
Just found out that someone did try and cross the picket lines. The driver threatened to run over people who didn't move. Then he proceeded hit a writer for "Talkshow With Spike Feresten". Luckily the writers ok though, apart from an injured leg

I don't think running the writers down with your car is going to help.
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The local ABC affiliate KABC led with the strike as main story and covered the writer being struck by the car. An NCIS writer witnessed the incident; she said the driver remarked, "Get the f--- out of the way" and then hit the gas before the picketer could even take one step to move.

I just hope it doesn't get nasty. Well, nastier.
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OMG! That is so bad! I can't understand why ppl are getting from one day to another from arguing to stubborn nastiness! Seriously! What is the point of running sb over with a CAR?! I can't believe it. That reminds me of some episodes of the A-Team shows, where I ALWAYS though: C'mon! Nobody acts like that! and that was well knows for it's comedy factor on the storytelling. Now, ppl are going crazy and doing things like that.

The reprisals on ppl who strike are infamous, still I am amazed on how things can change on a one day basis from nice guys to mad jerks without common sense.

I sincerely hope this is just one single moments of craziness in this strike.
 
I think the fact that the writers were driven to strike was foolish. Seriously, can't the corporations do without having all of the profits from DVDs?! My goodness, they would make more money giving up some of the profits from DVD sales then they would with the writers striking. *wonders why they didn't think of that*

People are idiots.

*sigh* There goes Jon Stewart, CSI, House, Law and Order:SVU...pretty much my whole life. :( Not only am I going to lose all of my favorite TV shows, but now I've realized what a loser I am. *cries* This is the worst day ever!
 
While all three CSI shows feature a crime of the week, this season all three shows have a major story arc. Fortunately the episode with Sara leaving is already finished so CSI won't be too affected by the strike (though the season will be shorter). However I'm wondering if Mac's 333 stalker plot line will be resolved this season or if the killer from the Second Life episode will make her return in February. Also Miami has a running plotline involving Horatio's son that might also go unresolved this season.
 
I don't this season will leave us with unresolved story lines. As with other union strikes, once all the issues have been resolved and the strike has ended, it will be back to work. I don't think the writers will completely neglect what they've already done and start completely from scratch. They know that will make the shows suffer more from a prolonged strike hiatus, making ratings drop, DVD sales drop, etc. It really doesn't make much sense for them to drop storylines for the strike and completely neglect them once work resumes.
 
Variety.com has continuing 'coverage' of the strike, so if you're interested in reading a lot of articles and whatnot, you can check it out here. I read some interesting stuff over there a little while ago. For example--the WGA was going to back off on the demands for more money from DVD sales in an effort to get things moving on Sunday before the actual strike started, but since negotiations failed they've gone back to asking for increased DVD revenue.

Then there was this little gem about how long this could last: "Worries have risen that without reviving the WGA talks, the scribes' work stoppage could easily bleed into the middle of next year."

*headdesk* I don't really want to read about this for months and months...

The directors' and actors' contracts are running out next year, so there was a mention of negotiations for those contracts as well:

The DGA's expected to launch talks within the next few weeks while SAG's negotiations would probably start in the late winter or early spring. Both the DGA and SAG contracts expire June 30.
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In the meantime, CBS is planning for an in-season edition of Big Brother (which usually airs during the summer):

There's been buzz that the next edition of "Big Brother" might actually use celebrities, as opposed to ordinary people. A long strike might work in favor of such a plan, since some celebs normally busy working on sitcoms and dramas might have some time on their hands.
**
Possibility of an early "Big Brother" popped up on Tuesday's edition of the Eye's "Early Show." Anchor Hanna Storm joked that the show might be back sooner than the summer, prompting a roll of the eyes from Chen. Chen then expressed her hope that the strike is settled soon.
**
"Big Brother" would be a perfect strike weapon for CBS because it airs three times a week, filling three key hours of primetime.
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Faylinn said:

Then there was this little gem about how long this could last: "Worries have risen that without reviving the WGA talks, the scribes' work stoppage could easily bleed into the middle of next year."

*headdesk* I don't really want to read about this for months and months...

The directors' and actors' contracts are running out next year, so there was a mention of negotiations for those contracts as well:

The DGA's expected to launch talks within the next few weeks while SAG's negotiations would probably start in the late winter or early spring. Both the DGA and SAG contracts expire June 30.
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Oh my! That 's gonna be a tough 2008, if they really are going to jump on the bandwagon. I still hope this will resolve soon. I ain't got the strength to take in another (ignorance of) BB.

Thanks for the update Fay ! Appreciated! :)
 
The middle of next year??? *headdesk* What am I going to do without my favourite shows? Add me to the list of people who just realized they don't have a life... ;)
 
The most interesting thing about this strike is the thought that the TV viewers will just continue to watch the same channels no matter what is on. If CSI:NY isn't on, I'm not just going to sit and stare at the screen going "I guess I'll have to settle for this".

Even in the 1988 strike, when there was a great deal less alternatives to network "television", primetime television never returned to it's prior viewership levels. With the decline in network viewing that we have already seen this year, this strike may have a very interesting and long lasting effect on network television.

And if the big sticking point is DVDs and Internet royalties, I think pushing the viewing audience into turning to those two media for the entertainment that will obviously not be available on the networks during the strike, is a bad idea for the studios.
 
This whole thing is making me definitely want to order my Dr. Who DVDs (and Torchwood when it's released), as well as those two movies I've got on my Amazon wish list. And then I'm thinking about other shows I might want to check out on DVD, plus I have a bunch of Heroes episodes to catch up on and, like Partly says, I might venture to other channels*--even if it's reruns, it'll be new to me, so if I'm looking for something to watch...

If this goes on for too long, they're really shooting themselves in the foot. I'll miss my shows, but I won't waste away without them--I'll find something else to do with my time--and while I'm sure I'll still love NY, other shows I watch my not be as lucky in maintaining my interest in the long run.

* Or away from television altogether
 
KTLA.com features some video coverage of the strike.

Yesterday Julia Louis-Dreyfus spoke passionately and succinctly about the issues. To paraphrase, she said if a show is downloaded, and an advertisement for company X (I can't remember the company) is shown --- then who gets the money from the advertising? She said it was not the writers, actors or directors.

Today Sally Field was interviewed on the picket line and spoke with as much passion and support of the issues.

If you follow the link click on "Must See."
 
Ceindreadh said:
The thing is though, given the crappy amounts the writers get per DVD, should we be buying DVD's at all?
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That is somewhat of a good point, but they we all may go into really bad withdrawal!!! ;)

I am hoping networks may look at foreign areas and pick up shows instead of it being all reality programing (which I DESPISE). Hopefully we can see "Little Mosque on the Prairie" or "Little Britain" or "The Smoking Room" on American tv. That would be awesome and would prevent me from having to resort to nefarious means.

What does everyone think about showrunners and their roll in the strike? Especially with Pam Veasey and CSI:NY? I imagine it is a really a catch-22 situation for them.
 
Why is it that other shows like alot of the comedies for instance have shut down production who do have at least 2 or 3 more scripts already written - I know alot of it is that some actors/producers/crew, etc.. are supporting the WGA by not crossing the picket lines or joining in but I have also read that just because there are scripts already written and they have everyone else they need showing up for work to make episodes that when they go to actually film, they have rewrites all the time throughout the whole week of filming those episodes, so my question is how does that affect the CSI shows or even the rest that are still in production finishing what they have left? its been said that have scripts up to 12, 13 whatever the case my be for each show but have they all been filmed? how can they go ahead with production but not have the writers for rewrites for the scripts that have already been writen, like I mentioned in the beginning some shows have haulted production just for this reason?
Sorry for the run on sentence,and i hope its makes sense, its 3:30am, its way past my bedtime!
 
Ceindreadh said:
The thing is though, given the crappy amounts the writers get per DVD, should we be buying DVD's at all?
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Would the DVDs on the shelves be covered under the expired contract? If so, I don't think it'd matter when they were purchased, because the writers/actors/directors/producers would still receive the percentage agreed on in the '88 contract.
 
Calleygirl said:
Why is it that other shows like alot of the comedies for instance have shut down production who do have at least 2 or 3 more scripts already written...my question is how does that affect the CSI shows or even the rest that are still in production finishing what they have left?
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From what I have been able to figure out is that a lot of the half hour sitcoms have a lot of re-writes even after the script is in the can and they are filming that episode. A lot of it is ad-libbed as well. Thus, the writers are needed on set throughout the filming of the episodes to handle last second re-writes as they come up. Versus hour long dramas that stick closer to the script as is.

It might also have something to do with the sitcoms having more showrunners/writers/stars combined which goes back to the catch-22 situation of what the "hybrids" do when they have 2 or 3 contracts they have signed saying competing things.

I could be totally wrong on all of this, so don't take it as gospel truth!
 
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