2020: The Directors and Writers Thread

[Toups]

 

Janice Ferri Esser was credited for the episode with "cool your jets," (April 7 episode) and she's considered the best Y&R SW.  It goes to show you that sometimes the best can have their clunkers.  We also have to remember that the script goes to the script editor, and then the HW (and maybe EPs and network execs too), and then to the actor (who could've changed the lines), so sometimes it's possible that the person credited with the script did not write a particular line. 

 

 

[DRW50]

 

Thanks. I wonder how much the longtime writers even have their hearts in it with the sad state of the show. 

[RavenWhitney]

Maybe Casiello wasn't hired because they've rehired Susan Dansby after the perfectly awful Ambitions was rightly cancelled.

[LeClerc]

 

They won't rehire Dansby when they have Lynn Martin (unless they fire her). Can only have one black writer. 

[RavenWhitney]

Valentini's shadow co-headwriter is out at General Hospital but not ABC.  

https://michaelfairmantv.com/nathan-varni-shares-he-is-no-longer-abc-programming-exec-overseeing-general-hospital/2020/04/11/

[RavenWhitney]

A current veteran Y&R staff writer confirmed on Facebook that the entire writing team was furloughed on March 23 due to the pandemic and production halt.

[Chris B]

This is shocking to me. I wonder how widespread this is as shows continue to be unable to resume for so long. It amazes me networks keep picking up and announcing new shows and casting when they have no way of knowing when they can film. I also feel like by doing this, that means they must expect this to last longer than some fans are anticipating. 

[LondonScribe]

My goodness, that is rough.

 

Slightly ugly question, this, but given the nature of Furlough and the financial hit that just about everything will take, what are the chances that a few of the writers won’t have jobs to come back to? 

[BetterForgotten]

We can only hope Griffith and Morina don't return after this is over...

[lucaslesann23]

Maybe, I guess if they want to find a new HW now would be a good time since technically JG isn't employed rn.

[LondonScribe]

My mind initially went to any of the other writers under Griffith, but at this stage, I don’t trust a considered and wise choice would be made to cover the positions of Griffith/Morina, whether a ‘cost effective’ hire is made or promotions from within. 
 

Or how about ‘talent sharing’ under the Sony banner, ie Albert Alarr or Greg Meng from Days Of Our Lives (for example). 

 

*It’s probably not necessary for me to say so, but none of the above ‘flight of fantasy’ is steeped in any knowledge or fact. 

[lucaslesann23]

If they fire Griffith, I think we will just get a promotion from within, Probably one of the Associate HWs, James Harmon Brown, Sarah Bibel, Amanda Beall, 

[LondonScribe]

I make you right. James Harmon Brown has experience of Head Writing, even if it was roughly 20 years ago (and his writing partner is no longer with us). Sara Bibel is an interesting case. I don’t know if she has no interest or is not trusted but I never really get the impression she’s ever all that close to being a Head Writer, even if she has history with the show. Amanda Beall used to write scripts that were vastly at odds with Y&R as we knew, and seemingly at the start of Maria Arena Bell’s fascination with all that was ABC Daytime. 
 

Of course, we are in the unknown, and I was just putting some stuff out there. Most likely outcome is nothing will change as a result of the current situation, minus a few tweaks and adjustments to fix the timeline. 

[VanessaReardon]

Is anyone really surprised by this? These shows have such small profits that the owners are not going to pay folks to sit around doing nothing. I’m sure everyone under contract, writers, directors, actors have all been furloughed and/or their contracts terminated so that they don’t have to be paid. 

[RavenWhitney]

Y&R also has the largest number of FICORE writers on staff and the pending strike has been delayed with the contract extension through 30 June, I believe.  The ficore writers are Griffith, Harmon Brown and Conforti.  I've though all along they brought in Harmon Brown to help write the show if a long strike ensued.  He's also friends with Steven Kent.