2020: The Directors and Writers Thread

[janea4old]

 

Was Brent Boyd a friend of Griffith or an "FOJ" [friend of Jill (JFP)] ?

The friends of Jill were all purged (except for Jason Thompson who is a good actor and is there on merit).

Edited August 30, 2020 by janea4old

[BetterForgotten]

Owen Renfroe, who JFP brought with her from GH, is still there as a Director (and loved by the cast and crew from what I’ve heard).

 

Boyd worked with JFP and Griffith at Hollywood Heights and stayed on when Griffith was booted the last time until 2017. Looks like Griffith just rehired him, so seems he’s a friend of both of them.

[lucaslesann23]

So question about Story Consultants, Griffith doesn't have to listen to any of Susan Dansbys stuff? or am i wrong.
and what have story consultants pitched that have been worthwhile? I belive Sally Sussman was story Consultant with Cassies Death rght?

Edited August 30, 2020 by Dylan

[Vee]

Jason Thompson is a great actor, but he's too old for Billy and wrong for the part.

[lucaslesann23]

Who would you pick if you could?

[Vee]

I have absolutely no idea.

This show is a debacle, and when they're cancelled IMO that's it. Do not assume these networks are dying to port increasingly unprofitable shows they're embarrassed by to new streaming outlets. That can and should happen for existing soap brands which are willing to completely revolutionize, but it has never been something the remaining soap networks are terribly interested in. It would be a very bad mistake to assume that if CBS cancels Y&R it or GH or DAYS will just jump to All Access or Hulu or Peacock or wherever. There is absolutely zero indication that the networks give a [!@#$%^&*] to do that. I understand some people are just happy to watch these shows no matter how bad they get, but the reality is they are dying and unless there is a massive foundational change that is unlikely to happen they will not jump to the streaming market.

Edited August 30, 2020 by Vee

[BetterForgotten]

It really depends on what the dynamics at play are. Lynn Marie Latham was hired as a consultant initially, but as we saw, it was just a ploy so Sony/CBS could give her total control of the show - which of course was a disaster in the end. 

 

It’s been speculated for a long time that Sony/CBS do not have faith in Griffith and the falling ratings isn’t going to help with that. I think they want him out, but they just don’t know who to replace him with and they’ve pretty much gone through the list of recycled hacks who still want to work in daytime. I don’t imagine he’ll still be there in a year. I think Sony/CBS want some new ideas and are likely going to force Griffith to listen to her ideas and interpret them as best as he can - which, I doubt he’ll be able to do correctly.

 

Mal had consultants too, but he was trying to fuse some of his U.K. soap training with the U.S. format - and having “storyliners” on the U.K. format is normal and expected. 
 

Bottom line though - if Sony/CBS want him to listen to Dansby’s ideas, he’ll have to. I doubt hiring her as a consultant was his idea.

Edited August 30, 2020 by BetterForgotten

[lucaslesann23]

I agree, i dont think any writer wants to have a co HW or a consultant. That seems like a punishment more than anything.

[Chris B]

I feel like the streaming platforms would be doing more with their soap properties if there was hope for them living on in that format. We know all the soaps do good numbers streaming, but notice nobody has done a spin off, there are no classic episodes. I feel like once they’re gone from network they’re gone. 

[Soap-princess]

Word!

 

Anyone who looks closer to late 30s and not over 45 pushing 50. Im still surprised they haven’t pushed him out yet for BM...not that I actually want him back, but he makes better sense casting wise than JT. 

[LondonScribe]

I do agree with this point in particular, and that they have exhausted all the known/‘established’ Head Writers, and we all know their aversion to newer writers or writers from outside the genre. 
 

The last option they haven’t gone ahead with (though I think I recall someone here saying that was an option they looked at) is Bradley Bell. I know he’s not highly regarded in these parts and that the consensus is that the apple indeed fell far from the tree in this case.

[Taoboi]

He did what now?

 

 

[lucaslesann23]

When muhney got fired he said he had to hide from him because he would always be pitching adam stories to the writers.

[Taoboi]

Hahahahaa

 

[Legacy]

Hahaha it sucks that they seen muhney as a dark cloud they needed to get rid of, that's what happens most times when actors go on set thinking they can have more control then what is said in there description.