Cowell Braces to Write His Own Sarcastic Zingers
Popular trade paper and spice o’ life Daily Variety reports on an increasingly bleak outlook for the future - it appears that the studios are planning for a writer’s strike.
Though the writers wouldn’t throw down their tools and walk until November, talk in the street is studios are already ordering up more episodes and stockpiling - getting as man scripts completed as possible in advance. Also they are booking studio space, trying to film episodes and movies before the dreaded possibility of not having rewrites available happens. Says Variety:
The nets continue to play their cards close to the vest — “You never want to imply to advertisers that there’s going to be a strike,” said another exec — but look for some telltale signs that the networks are moving to cover their bases:
–They’ll be ordering fewer drama and comedy pilots and more reality.
–There won’t be the usual late-spring hiatus in production.
–Continuing shows will get renewed earlier, with more backup scripts ordered so production can continue past Halloween if the writers walk out.
–Shows on the bubble between renewal and cancellation will become more likely candidates for renewal because they represent a smaller gamble than betting on a new show.
–Talkshows, news and gameshows will be more likely to migrate to primetime.
–Producers will take a long, hard look at shooting non-union and outside the U.S.
This is how they can report on things that haven’t happened yet - they provide escape clauses. Although about half those things have been happening for two years already.
Don’t discount the possibility that the presence of this article in a leading trade is simply a negotiating tactic to bring writers to the table early, the way the producers wanted in the first place. I bet this contract is settled without a strike. But if I’m wrong, it will be a very entertaining year, 2007. Not the actual entertainment, of course, that will suck. But the entertainment news will be tremendous.