Members MarkH Posted July 4, 2008 Members Share Posted July 4, 2008 Okay, but let's be FAIR. If this show loses 7 writers, part of the reason is that they will lose PAIRS. They have lots of PAIRS. These PAIRS share a writing salary. So, the truth is that we have four breakdown writers and 8 script writing teams/individuals. We keep talking about "bloat" here, but we're not adjusting for the "pairs" factor. Now it gets easy to do the math. If we winnow it down to 5 script writing teams/individuals, dropping three script writing teams/individuals, we have already lost six. Add one more, and we reach 7. Now, go over that list and find the LML hires. My prediction for departures: Darin Goldberg & Shelley Meals Cherie Bennet & Jeff Gottesfeld Christian McLaughlin & Valerie Ahern James Stanley (I would have said Hamner, but he still seems to be in favor, acting as spokesperson for the show) If I am write, then, this is the post-bloodletting group. Most of these people are NEWER additions. Now I start to get impressed because (a) it looks like there has been a gradual infusion and training of the new talent, GETTING THEM READY for the job; ( the old talent (LML era) has had a lot of fair warning and notice to reposition themselves and justify continued employment. All told, this seems like an ethical, planful, orderly transition. Okay, so what is the resulting team, and then let's do the REAL math! Head Writer Maria Arena Bell Co-Head Writer Hogan Sheffer Associate Head Writers Beth Milstein (script editor) Scott Hamner Natalie Minardi Slater Breakdown Writers Marla Kanelos Paula Cwikly Lisa Seidman Script Writers Eric Freiwald & Linda Schreiber Sandra Weintraub Thom Racina Marc Parent Amanda L. Beall We've got three breakdown writers and five script writers/teams. That is NOT unreasonable. So where is the bloat? It seems to be in the AHW and HW category. I don't see Y&R giving up the Arena/Bell-Sheffer team soon. They're going to try to blend Bell with not-Bell (and more power to them). Since Toups said only 7...I'm going to assume we'll lose one or two of the AHW in the future. At that point...I think we have a reasonable team size for a show that still has a bit of a budget. ETA: I forgot Jay Gibson. I keep thinking some of these VERY new (to Y&R) folks like Gibson, Parent, even Racina and Beall might be on "tryout") Also, let me say I AM GOING TO MISS Darin Goldberg & Shelley Meals, Cherie Bennet & Jeff Gottesfeld, Christian McLaughlin & Valerie Ahern. They brought me infinitely better dialogue--humor!!--and better pacing. They were not responsible for the bad story structure and the dropped threads and the ignoring of history...that blame falls higher up. I do fear there may be a baby-out-with-bathwater phenomenon in play. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Sylph Posted July 4, 2008 Members Share Posted July 4, 2008 Even if you're right, MarkH, that team sucks. I mean - Hamner?! Beall?! Kanelos?! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members soaplvr02 Posted July 4, 2008 Members Share Posted July 4, 2008 toups didn't say all 7 were on one show did anyone confirm beal was going to write scripts? pretty sure breakdowns might be in her future... she was an assoc head writer on AMC. bugler's last script aired yesterday. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Sylph Posted July 4, 2008 Members Share Posted July 4, 2008 soaplvr02, do you know about any other changes on GH team? No one confirmed that Beall would write scripts. I'm glad Bugler is gone! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Soapsuds Posted July 4, 2008 Members Share Posted July 4, 2008 ATWT is down to 8 writers. It should have been 7. I dont know why they hired Gordon Rayfield. Where is Rain1 with the news of the 7 fired writers. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Administrator Toups Posted July 4, 2008 Author Administrator Share Posted July 4, 2008 It'll be soon. I wouldn't have teased now for an August reveal. LOL I just wanted to see some predictions and guesses. About Lisa Seidman, I first heard she was doing breakdowns, now I recently heard she was writing scripts. I think Y&R sets up two-way contracts for some of their writers where if writers leave, other writers can be re-positioned. I wouldn't be surprised if Amanda Beall has that type of contract since she has experience doing both scripts and breakdowns. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Jonathan Posted July 4, 2008 Members Share Posted July 4, 2008 Toups is waiting for November sweeps to reveal the identities of the Lucky 7. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Khan Posted July 4, 2008 Members Share Posted July 4, 2008 That long, lol? Gee, Toups, you really are a JER aficionado! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members MarkH Posted July 4, 2008 Members Share Posted July 4, 2008 Toups, can you AT LEAST do a "getting warmer" and "getting cooler" kinda thing? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Sylph Posted July 4, 2008 Members Share Posted July 4, 2008 Markie Mark, we've made of you an TDAWT addict! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Y&RWorldTurner Posted July 4, 2008 Members Share Posted July 4, 2008 Why is Y&R hiring all these script writers? They need better breakdown writers! I guess that's on its way, since I imagine some of those breakdown writers are on their way out. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Sylph Posted July 4, 2008 Members Share Posted July 4, 2008 In this particular order? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Sylph Posted July 4, 2008 Members Share Posted July 4, 2008 I would fire them all, except maybe Paula, I don't know about her. And I would hire, as I said here, Michael Minnis, Rex M. Best, Sara A. Bibel and Jerry Birn, who is old, but hey... Maybe John F. Smith instead? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members MarkH Posted July 4, 2008 Members Share Posted July 4, 2008 I think in THIS order: Cherie Bennet & Jeff Gottesfeld, Christian McLaughlin & Valerie Ahern Darin Goldberg & Shelley Meals, Your list makes sense to me. I definitely think SOME of them belong at Y&R, at least as story consultants and script consultants. But ALL? Where does your innovation come from? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Y&RWorldTurner Posted July 4, 2008 Members Share Posted July 4, 2008 Paula is the only one I'd keep too. She does family scenes and other charater interactions really well. If not these people, how about people who actually have decent track records, instead of the under-whelming writers Maria tends to hire. Also, one has to wonder, where the hell did she pick Jay Gibson and Marc Parent from? Are they her friends that she decided she could give a job to? Yeah, we saw how well that worked with Latham. Seriously, a lot of those former Y&R writers that B&B has need to come back to Y&R. No way does B&B need all of them and it's pretty obvious their influence isn't being felt there. That show will always go through cycles where its good, and others where its bad. Bradley Bell is just not a good storyteller. Some of those people would be a much better asset to Y&R in the long run. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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