Tag: online TV writing workshop

What TV Writers Need to Know About the WGA Strike Talks

The L.A. Times, which actually knows about these things because, you know, company town, gives us the info we all need:

Golden Age of TV is not so golden for writers: Why the Writers Guild of America is moving closer to a strike
by David Ng

A decade ago, Hollywood writers brought the entertainment industry to a standstill when they walked off the job for three months in a dispute over pay for movies and TV shows distributed online. The strike halted dozens of TV and movie productions and sent shock waves through the Los Angeles economy.

Now, the Hollywood community is feeling a sense of déjà vu as the possibility of another strike looms large. After the collapse of talks with the major studios, the Writers Guild of America is seeking a strike authorization vote from members. While the union has until May 1 to reach an agreement, tensions are as high as they’ve been in years, say people close to the negotiations not authorized to comment. read article

‘Trial And Error’ is Trying My Patience

The hero’s cute. But are we really supposed to believe that the guy who killed Dexter’s wife is funny?

by Quetzalcoatl

Viewers suffering withdrawal from Third Rock From the Sun were given hope when NBC announced it would debut Trial and Error, a new sitcom whose opening episodes would feature veteran actor, John Lithgow, playing defendant Larry Henderson.

Broadcasting a show about an elderly man and starring the 71-year old Lithgow proves some willingness on NBC’s part to welcome comedic talent at any age.  Impressed with Lithgow’s versatility, education and 5 Emmys, I had high hopes for the sitcom.

Yet initial descriptions of the show caused some doubt.  Described by the network as “an outrageous fish- out- of- water comedy,” it depicts a young lawyer named Josh, from New York, who travels to a small town to defend John Lithgow’s character against a murder charge.  Hmmm, a highly educated man from New York traveling to a small town to do some good.  So far, it sounds like Northern Exposure. read article

Larry Brody’s Poetry: ‘Kid Hollywood Had A Mighty Fine Deal’

Who sez only H’wood wimmins can have great closets?

by Larry Brody

NOTE FROM LB

Time now for a few words about Kid Hollywood. Words I never thought I would want anyone to hear or read. So here we go with another true story about life in the Big Bad City. Maybe I should subtitle this “A Cautionary Tale But With Redemption.” Happy endings, gang! Give us a big hand!

Oh, yeah. This one’s kind of long. Not Faery Queen long, but still…. read article

TVWriter™ Don’t-Miss Posts of the Week – April 3, 2017

Time for TVWriter™’s  Monday look at our 5 most popular blog posts of the week ending yesterday. They are, in order:

Looking for TV Pilot Scripts? read article

Cartoons: TV Still has at Least One Show for Pluggers

LB found this. He says that it’s one of the things that convinced him to, um, stop watching NCIS. To which this TVWriter™ minion can only shake her head sadly and reply, “But, Boss, I thought you were the King of Thinking For Yourself and Following Your Different Drummer!”

Talk about disillusionment!