Category: Press Release

Hey, we didn’t write this – not all of it anyway

Binge Watching Is The New Normal For TV Streamers

binge-watching-tvby Team TVWriter™ Press Service

So sayeth Netflix. And Deadline. And…for what it’s worth, TVWriter™. Here’s the skinny:

Harris Interactive conducted a poll of nearly 1,500 TV streamers (online U.S. adults who stream TV shows at least once a week) on behalf of Netflix and found that 61% among that group binge regularly — and feel good about it. 73% defined binge watching as watching between 2-6 episodes of the same TV show in one sitting. And nearly three quarters of TV streamers say they have positive feelings towards binge streaming TV.

“Our viewing data shows that the majority of streamers would actually prefer to have a whole season of a show available to watch at their own pace,” said Ted Sarandos, Chief Content Officer of Netflix. 76% of TV streamers say watching multiple episodes of a great TV show is a welcome escape from their busy lives. 79% said watching several episodes of their favorite shows at once actually makes the shows more enjoyable. And three-quarters (76%) also say streaming TV shows on their own schedule is their preferred way to watch them. read article

Thomas S. Cook set to receive WGA West’s Big Humanitarian Award

by Team TVWriter™ New Service

Tom CookThe Writers Guild of America, West has named the late OscarTM and Emmy-nominated and Writers Guild Award-winning writer Thomas S. Cook as its 2014 Morgan Cox Award honoree in recognition of his Guild service. The WGAW’s honorary award will be presented posthumously to Cook at the 2014 Writers Guild Awards West Coast ceremony to be held on Saturday, February 1, 2014, in Los Angeles at the JW Marriott L.A. LIVE.

“Tom was a beloved member of this Guild, renowned both for the remarkable work he produced and for his unending commitment to give something of himself back. His service touched on every corner of our mission and lasted over three wonderful decades. Even in his final days, as a Trustee of our Health and Pension Fund, he never forgot the needs of his fellow writers, and we, in turn, will never forget him,” said WGAW President Christopher Keyser.

Born in Cleveland, Ohio, on August 25, 1947, Cook passed away on January 5, 2013 at his home in Hollywood after a battle with cancer at age 65. He is survived by his wife, Monique de Varennes, his children, Kate and Chris; his mother, Betty; and his brothers, Jim and Bill. read article

It’s Writers Guild of America TV Award Nomination Time

Writers! You too can win awards! Just like the Olsen Twins! Whaddaya mean, "Who're the Olsen Twins?"
Writers! You too can win awards! Just like the Olsen Twins! Whaddaya mean, “Who’re the Olsen Twins?”

…And here, from the combined wonderfulness of the Writers Guild of America, West and the Writers Guild of America, East are the TV shows and episodes the pros think are the best of that wonderful year 2013. (So of course these are officially labeled nominees for the 2014 WGA Awards. Go figure.

DRAMA SERIES

Breaking Bad, Written by Sam Catlin, Vince Gilligan, Peter Gould, Gennifer Hutchison, George Mastras, Thomas Schnauz, Moira Walley-Beckett; AMC read article

TV is Still Where the Money Is

by Team TVWriter™ Press Service

…In spite of the Evil Intruder known as the Interwebs.

Sony Pix Logo

Even Sony, known in showbiz for its consistent state of head-up-its-assery, has finally seen the light. read article

The Black List is Rating Spec TV Pilot Scripts Now

PIC_1_150dpi.fullsizeby Team TVWriter™ Press Service

The Black List is this in, hip, and trendy web site that’s become kind of a big deal by choosing the best spec screenplays every year, after which movie companies that wouldn’t have read them before not only read the choices but actually make deals for them. Some of the deals even involve $$$.

And $$$, as we all know, are very nice, erm, things.

Not satisfied with aiding and abetting the careers of countless new screenwriters, the site has turned its attention to television and recently announced that “writers from around the world will be able to uphold their original pilot scripts (and, optionally, their series bibles) to the script database, request evaluations by professional script readers, and make their scripts available to the Black List’s growing membership….” read article