2005: The Directors and Writers Thread

[Britney]

Susan Strickler hasn't directed an episode of GL for over a month. Is she gone? A poster on SOC said a while ago that two GL directors refused pay cuts and left, but Strickler is the only one thus far that could fit the bill.

[Dan]

I think the other was Jo Anne Sedwick. I heard something about her being fired although I didn't hear what her last day would be. Strickler is probably the only other "vet" director that GL has right now.

[Britney]

I read that article too (and I think it may have originally come from MD), but thought it was fake because it said she would be leaving in July. It's the end of October, and she's still airing...

[AgnesEckhart]

As predicted, Michelle Patrick is back at AMC.

Unfortunately she's in the worst spot for her: breakdown writer. This woman writes awesome dialogue and I think would be an amazing headwriter for AMC. I posted a link to an article about her a few months ago and how she really fought for black characters on AMC but eventually had to give up because it was going nowhere.

It's really sad, AMC has the best team of writers minus you-know-who, who drags them all down with her,

Info on Patrick:

Patrick became the first black writer in daytime TV, working on shows like All My Children and General Hospital.

She pushed to introduce black characters who were nonstereotypical, including Vivienne, a black character on All My Children who was Radcliffe-educated. But the character eventually disappeared from the show. She wasn’t even important enough to kill off, Patrick noted. “I have given up,” Patrick said. “There was a period of time I felt a feverish intensity to tell the stories I knew. Where I came from and the people I came from and the complexity of them. I really banged my head against a brick wall until somebody said you are really getting a reputation. I was the black scourge of daytime TV.”

Quote from her: "You don’t make it up. If you have to make up the words, it’s not working. It’s hearing the voice of someone."

Someone needs to clue McTavish into that.

[RavenWhitney]

Y&R Writers.

I was watching the Y&R credits on the 11/1 show. they went by fast, but it looked as though Trent Jones has NOT rejoined the show. I also only saw Morina as the consultant. Ithought she was added as a breakdown writer?

Can someone list the current YR writers.

THanks

[Toups]

I'm guessing Trent Jones doesn't have a contract since he's not listed daily as a breakdown writer or maybe he's a script writer......I not too sure.

Always listed:

Kay Alden

John F. Smith

Janice Ferri

Jim Houghton

Natalie Minardi Slater

Not always listed:

Joshua S. McCaffrey

Marc Hertz

Eric Friedwald

Sandra Weintraub

Sara A. Bibel

Michael Montgomery

Sally Sussman Morina

Trent Jones

Great pick up by AMC! I wonder who brought her over, JHC or MM. Does this mean a BDW will be leaving or will Amanda Beall only now write scripts. We'll find out soon.

[Britney]

MP worked under McTavish on AMC before in the 90s. She then went to GH where JHC worked as a producer. So both ladies know her work.

I can't believe how perfect AMC's BDW team is, and they have to have McT as a headwriter.

[Britney]

Agnes, do you still have that full Michelle article you could post? Tx.

[ClassicsSoapFan]

There was a new breakdown writer added to ATWT's credits today: Anna Theresa Cascio.

I believe she has written for OLTL and AMC. I think this may be her first CBS soap. Her name was listed after Hogan's

[Britney]

Wow! That's a big development!

ATC has worked with Passanante, Whitesell, Laiman before (all on OLTL), and Lisa Connor (on AMC).

I can't believe, though, that ATWT hired another breakdown writer. Six, again?

[AgnesEckhart]

Here's the site. I posted most of the relevant stuff but there's a bit more on how she got started in soaps if you're interested. You can just tell from this she's a unique voice and perspective in daytime. Scroll down to the second half, the first half is about her cousin.

http://www.detnews.com/specialreports/1999...st/1229best.htm

[Britney]

Thanks!

[Toups]

I know eh, ANOTHER BDW? Maybe soemone's leaving. I guess the rumour that ATC was going to GL was false or maybe they just got the wrong P&G soap.

[Toups]

Someone posted this at SZ

I'm guessing it was Michelle Patrick. I wonder what story direction made her quit.

[Britney]

I looked up Michelle at WGAEast and her agency is the Sarnoff company, probably is her.

Wonder what GAP did to piss her off. Same thing happened with Stephen Demorest. He and Guza disagreed and he jumped ship.

Both Victor Miller and McTavish worked with Michelle at GH so her re-joining AMC is a logical jump.