I now officially despise Marina Alburger. She's one of LML's lackeys...off with her head! How dare she be so smug and superior about her 'talent' and 'education' and how that makes her a 'good' writer. What a subjective cow!

Oh and how awful about B&E going Fi Core. If I was Susan Lucci or Agnes Nixon I would be quite concerned, that son of a bitch Brian Frons seems intent on getting AMC canceled.

I know a few writers... WORKING writers... who have gone back to working various non-writing jobs since the strike started... INCLUDING retail. And I'm sure they would disagree with what she said. They're not all like Ms. Alburger.

LOL! What's so wrong with being a cocktail waitress or working at Nordstrom's? That's kind of a smug thing to say IMO. I remember being a time where I had to do a private party and I got these people drunk of their asses being a cocktail server and I was all about the cash! And I made the $$$$!

http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/hr/conten...fb08ac7b0b34e19

Black Monday at TV Studios

The force majeure ax swung wide Monday as four TV studios -- CBS Paramount Network TV, Universal Media Studios, 20th Century Fox Television and Warner Bros. TV -- tore up dozens of overall deals.

All four issued similarly worded statements blaming the writers strike for the terminations, which are expected to save the studios tens of millions of dollars. But none came close to the nearly 30 overall deals axed at ABC Studios on Friday. CBS Par and 20th TV each dropped half that number. UMS and WBTV stayed in the single digits, with WBTV's termination tally said to be less than five deals. Like ABC Studios, CBS Par, UMS, 20th TV and WBTV mostly went after writers, producers and directors with no active projects.

CBS Par's force majeure list includes some high-profile writing and nonwriting producers: Hugh Jackman, whose Seed Prods. inked a multiyear deal at the studio in August; "The Chronicles of Narnia" producer Mark Johnson; veteran writer-producer Rene Echevarria, who co-created CBS Par's USA Network series "The 4400" (he will continue his services as exec producer on the studio's NBC drama "Medium"); the Emmy-winning "Sopranos" writing duo of Mitchell Burgess and Robin Green; Barry Schindel ("Numbers"); and John McNamara ("Fastlane").

Scribes Jennifer Levin ("Without a Trace"), Liz Astrof ("The King of Queens") and the team of Aron Abrams and Greg Thompson ("Everybody Hates Chris") also received termination letters from CBS Par.

"Production companies in the entertainment industry continue to feel the impact of the ongoing writers strike," CBS Par TV said. "As a result of this change in development and production activity, we have made a difficult decision to discontinue overall deals with a number of writers and producers whose talents we greatly value and respect."

In a clear sign about the future of Fox's "K-Ville" and NBC's "Journeyman" -- two low-rated 20th TV-produced freshman series whose ultimate fate has remained in limbo because of the strike -- the studio terminated the overall deals of "K-Ville" creator/exec producer Jonathan Lisco and co-exec producer Lawrence Kaplow as well as that of "Journeyman" creator/exec producer Kevin Falls.

Also axed at 20th TV were director-producer Greg Yaitanes ("Drive"); writer-producers Chris Black ("Standoff"), Paul Redford ("The Unit"), Barbie Adler ("My Name Is Earl"), Kristin Newman ("How I Met Your Mother"); and the writing duos of Gretchen Berg and Aaron Harberts ("Women's Murder Club") and Matt Silverstein and Dave Jeser ("Drawn Together").

"Because of the adverse effects of the ongoing WGA strike on our business, we have been forced to terminate overall deals with a number of talented writers and producers," 20th TV said. "We regret these circumstances and wish these creative individuals the best."

Among the writers with force majeure letters from UMS were Moses Port and David Guarascio, creators/exec producers of CW's freshman comedy "Aliens in America," which is now produced by CBS Par and WBTV after UMS dropped out after the pilot. Alex Herschlag ("Will & Grace") and Cheryl Holliday ("Still Standing") also were dropped from the studio's roster of overall deals.

"The duration of the WGA strike has significantly affected our ongoing business," UMS said. "Regretfully, due to these changed business circumstances, we've had to end some writer-producer deals."

And there was more regret in the statement from WBTV.

"As an unfortunate but direct consequence of the strike, we have been forced to release some of the valued members of our roster from their development deals," the studio said.

ABC Studios on Friday became the first TV studio to invoke the so-called force majeure provision that allows them to terminate overall deals four to six weeks into a strike.

Among the talent let go at ABC Studios are veterans Nina Wass and Gene Stein, "Brothers & Sisters" creator Jon Robin Baitz and "Borat" director Larry Charles.

Well, Jon Robin Baitz should be glad to be rid of his contract.

Secondly, I can't stand this superior smug attitude. She is INCREDIBLY LUCKY to get a job on a television writing staff to begin with and NOT be working at Nordstroms or serving cocktails. For one single episode she's written, that's like half a year's salary for the average American alone. Most of us in the real world who do dream of being writers know that getting these jobs is a rare, rare, very rare opportunity and like it or not HAVE to work at Nordstroms, Hooters or a freaking coffeehouse to pay the bills like any other person.

You may be at odds with her candor, but that doesn't mean every episode she writes brings in half of the average annual salary. Maybe she did work jobs like those before moving to bigger things. Who here knows her entire life story? Is she supposed to LIKE taking a huge step backward in life? Probably not. If that makes her an overachiever, so be it. I'm reminded of Martha Byrne, who said that she didn't formulate a backup plan in case acting didn't work out, because she didn't plan to fail. Nobody here plans to work at Nordstrom's, I assume. Giving voice to that opinion shouldn't make you the devil. Are we out of compassion for the writers who don't want studio greed to detour their careers during this strike?

You may be at odds with her candor, but that doesn't mean every episode she writes brings in half of the average annual salary. Maybe she did work jobs like those before moving to bigger things. Who here knows her entire life story? Is she supposed to LIKE taking a huge step backward in life? Probably not. If that makes her an overachiever, so be it. I'm reminded of Martha Byrne, who said that she didn't formulate a backup plan in case acting didn't work out, because she didn't plan to fail. Nobody here plans to work at Nordstrom's, I assume. Giving voice to that opinion shouldn't make you the devil. Are we out of compassion for the writers who don't want studio greed to detour their careers during this strike?

Let me just start off with, I have always supported the writers in their decision to strike, and will continue to do so....

However....I think the biggest problem with her comment is the blatant disregard for the production assistants, janitors, interns, lighting guys, etc. who will have to be a cocktail waiters/waitress' and/or work at Nordstrom's because of this strike. The people who don't make nothing near what some of the writers make, who lost their jobs because of the strike.

We aren't out of compassion, we have compassion for the writers, but also have compassion for those who have now become unemployed because of the strike.

Let me just start off with, I have always supported the writers in their decision to strike, and will continue to do so....

However....I think the biggest problem with her comment is the blatant disregard for the production assistants, janitors, interns, lighting guys, etc. who will have to be a cocktail waiters/waitress' and/or work at Nordstrom's because of this strike. The people who don't make nothing near what some of the writers make, who lost their jobs because of the strike.

We aren't out of compassion, we have compassion for the writers, but also have compassion for those who have now become unemployed because of the strike.

Thank you.

http://hollywoodinsider.ew.com/2008/01/could-splinter.html

Could splinter group of writers end the strike?

Jan 16, 2008, 04:55 PM | by Lynette Rice

Categories: TV Biz

A splinter group of 30-plus writer/producers and second-tier showrunners hoping to influence how and when the ongoing writers' strike ends met with some members of the Writers Guild of America's negotiating committee earlier this week, according to one knowledgeable source. The group was trying to convince the committee to seriously consider whatever deal the Directors Guild of America gets from the Alliance of Motion Pictures & Television Producers before shooting it down. If writers adopt most of the proposals agreed upon between the DGA and conglomerates (a deal between the two sides could be announced any day now), it would effectively end the protracted dispute. However, WGA West president Patric Verrone could also opt to reject the DGA's deal and encourage the WGA membership to continue fighting. The writer/producers in the splinter group are trying to avoid the latter scenario, says the source, and are even threatening to demonstrate their frustration with the guild by going "financial core," a status that allows them remain in the union and continue working, while forfeiting their right to vote and participate in union activities. A handful of scribes have already gone fi-core since the strike began Nov. 5, though they largely work on daytime dramas.

One high-powered agent who represents many writers whose deals were dropped by the major studios this last week predicts "a civil war" if the WGA does not act swiftly after the DGA reaches an agreement. A WGA spokesman issued this response today: "The WGA will closely consider any deal the DGA reaches with the conglomerates."

The splinter group isn't alone in its hope that the WGA patiently consider whatever deal the DGA achieves from its talks with the AMPTP. Craig Mazan (Scary Movie 3) of Theartfulwriter.com, a popular site for striking writers, posted this recently on his website: "The first thing we all have to do is take a good long look at whatever the DGA deal is. And now when I say “we” I mean WE. You, me, Patric Verrone... everyone. If a deal comes out this week, and we have people sending signed letters to our union demanding that we accept it... and if we have union leaders firing RPGs off in the press about how it’s a cave and a sellout... then we might as well just stop pretending we’re in the business of collectively bargaining for employees, strap on some lycra tights and convert ourselves into an Extreme Fighting league."

Things are heating up!!

I really hope the DGA are able to make a deal, and then maybe the WGA can find a deal to end this strike!

I'm reasonably sure it's probably a typo based on last week's NYT article on B&E going fi-core, but...from yesterday's FOX 411:

Some writers have gone back to work anyway. At low-rated ABC soap "All My Children," I am told all the writers went "fi-core" and took a package that allowed them to return to business. This is frowned upon, and the soap scribes are unpopular. (CBS’ "Guiding Light," on the other hand, is on strike. Scabs are writing scripts.)

I'm checking some sources, because I can't imagine that the whole team has now gone fi-core...

I'm pretty sure FOX news is wrong.

Kate Hall's mother, Courtney Simon, is a strike captain and in the LA Times article from early Jan, Michelle Patrick was totallly against going Fi-Core.

Way to exaggerate, Fox. (Like anyone should be surprised)

The WHOLE team has NOT gone fi-core.

Why don't I have a problem seeing at least Beall being dumb enough to do that?

Maybe it's just me.

It's sooooooo strange seeing AMC being called low-rated. I know it's true but still strange.

Hey all: you're astute industry experts. I posted this over on usenet, but I think maybe one of you can help me clarify my thinking here.

Okay, I get how in a writer's strike they would replace the writers with scabs. Or "FiCore".

We've heard rumors that (a) LML has been fired, and ( Josh Griffith has taken over HW duties (that seems supported by the credits), and © Sony's Steve Kent has moved in to be de-facto EP. Also a piece of evidence to consider is that a BELL (Bill Bell Jr.'s wife) is also writing the show during the scab regime.

So what's fishy?

Scab writer regimes write caretaker scripts. They write filler, propel story along, and so forth. There are not major changes during a scab regime.

In the meantime, look at what's happening at Y&R. The scene writing has changed...longer, more dialog, etc. That could just be scabs stretching things out.

But other things are happening that don't seem at all consistent with a "caretaker" regime: The return to older production values (music, lingering candle shots, all that stuff) goes beyond "caretaker". Introducing new storylines (did you catch Katherine's 'stumble' the other day?) is not consistent with "caretaker". Introducing new characters from Y&R's historical bank of characters (April Stevens, the legacy 'next generation' character mentioned in a casting spoiler I posted earlier).

We are NOT in a caretaker regime. We are definitely, definitely, definitely in a "change things" and "rebuild things" regime.

Doesn't this make it virtually certain LML is gone?

And, bigger question...who's REALLY running the show now?

I don't believe it's Josh Griffith. Is it really Steve Kent? Why would he be so respectful of the "old ways"? Or is it someone like Brad Bell, Kay Alden or Jack Smith, quietly pulling the strings without credit, biding time for the strike to end a major announcement to come?

I really wanna know foks. Anyone have any clues?