What has our Writers Guild done for us lately?
Glad you asked because the Guild has a wonderful answer in Writers Connect, a short newsletter members get every week. (See? Another good reason to bust your butt to qualify and join.)
Opening Day
How showrunners and writers set the tone for an inclusive room.
“What can a Showrunner say on Day One of the room to help create a healthy and safe atmosphere, and help everyone feel comfortable raising their concerns?”
This question was posed during a panel discussion in October that addressed how best to have an open dialogue about social justice issues in writers’ rooms, and the pervasive underrepresentation of BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, and People of Color) writers on staffs that can make such discussions fraught with tension. Read more >>
Middle Eastern Writers Committee Presents: RAMY – A Conversation with Ramy Youssef
Members (and one guest each) are invited to join this exciting event.
The recently-formed Middle Eastern Writers Committee (MEWC) will hold its first event on Wednesday, December 16, at 7 p.m. Committee co-chairs Paiman Kalayeh and Cameron Fay will moderate a virtual discussion about bringing Middle Eastern experiences into mainstream characters and storylines, featuring guest panelist and Ramy creator Ramy Youssef. Read more >>
Tinker Tailor Soldier Writer
Did you miss the Guild’s recent Spies Like Us virtual panel? Watch the video online.
Presented by the WGAW’s Genre Committee, this panel explores how intelligence and spycraft stories reflect the eras postwar, Cold War, 9/11, and beyond. What do our shows and films say about the times we live in? How have they evolved, and might further change, in a post-COVID-19, post-privacy, post-truth world? Additional topics include: How do real-life spies and spycraft inspire our stories? When is authenticity sacrificed for entertainment? What do writers and producers fail to get right about the intelligence community? Panelists include screenwriter-director Paul Greengrass (Jason Bourne), WGAW Board of Directors member Meredith Stiehm (Homeland), author-former CIA officer Valerie Plame (Fair Game), BBC correspondent-author Gordon Corera (Russians Among Us), and producer Stephen Cornwell (The Little Drummer Girl). Moderated by Jesse Peyronel (Dig).