Write & wronged: Money's not the only reason TV writers have put down their pencils
December 16, 2007
BY DOUG ELFMAN Television Critic
Some TV studios that Thania St. John has worked for with other Hollywood writers have stationed her in rat- and roach-infested warehouses, in "tiny rooms where you could put your fist through the wall, or hear conversations in other rooms."
"That's the space they thought was fine," she says.
Such is the life of a Hollywood writer. Roach and rat stories are rare. But what's common is the overtone, the incredibly shrinking respect writers feel in L.A.
So, sure, they went on strike, fighting to finally get money from downloaded shows -- and real money from DVD sales, among other things.
But Chicago-born and -educated writers in the TV business say even with a victory for the union, megacorporations that own studios probably would continue to treat writers like second-class citizens.
"Every year, they say you can [write scripts] with one less person on your staff," says St. John, now a co-executive producer of Sci-Fi Channel's hit "Eureka." "We're not even allowed to order coffee anymore."
TV executives say, Do you need all those pens? Does everyone really need a computer?
"Uh, yes," she says. "These aren't luxuries. These are things we need to do our shows."
Beginning seven years ago, St. John says, her contract stipulated that the studio or its parent corporation was the legal "author of everything I write." If she didn't sign, she wouldn't get work.
"We all had to sign everything away," St. John says.
The mechanics of this "corporate toolism" is inefficient. St. John has been told before she could do with five writers instead of seven. She pointed out that at some point, this could lead to a production shutdown, because a script may not be ready to film.
The cost of a shutdown would cost more than hiring writers. But execs said a shutdown's expense came from a different budget, so cost overrun was acceptable. "We became a product," she says, "instead of an art form."
'They look at us as guns for hire'
The strike hurts young writers most. Lauren Gussis, who grew up in Deerfield and graduated from Northwestern, saved up money to survive it.
Gussis, 29, writes for Showtime's "Dexter." Because most Americans don't get the pay channel, quite a few viewers watch it on DVD or on iTunes, where the drama has been a hit. Has Gussis cashed any iTunes residuals?
"I haven't seen any of it," she says. "If I were living on residuals, period, that would totally take me out."
Most writers are not rich. Aside from veteran writers and a few megastars, like "Lost's" J.J. Abrams, the median income is $60,000, St. John says. In expensive L.A., that's on par with the salary for a rookie cop or a 10-year teacher.
Starting writers, laboring as assistants, have it worse, grossing $600 or $700 a week. They're going without money now, as they also walk the picket lines to fight the future.
"It usually takes people five years to break in," Gussis says. "Sometimes they don't get health benefits. They accumulate debt."
Gussis considers herself fortunate to write for one of the best shows on TV, and for one of the best channels. Still, "Dexter's" budget was cut by 11 percent for its second season, even though it was a smash among critics and got good viewing numbers.
"They look at us as guns for hire. For sure," Gussis says. "And they look at us as if we're lucky to be working in the business."
'I've never seen DVD money'
Veterans don't get what they deserve, either, says Deerfield High grad Eileen Heisler, executive producer of "How I Met Your Mother" and the upcoming "Lipstick Jungle."
"I've never seen DVD money. I produced 'Ellen' and I never saw a dime," Heisler says. "I was a writer on 'Roseanne' and I have not seen DVD money."
St. John says the unity among writers to change all this is worrying corporate execs.
"The scariest thing to them is [for writers] to share information about salaries, how shows are run," she says. This makes it harder for execs to divide and conquer, to "single us out and just make us feel our show's a mess or we'll get fired."
Says Heisler, "Everyone's feeling the opposite of what they want us to feel: demoralized. We're feeling energized."
delfman@suntimes.com
BY DOUG ELFMAN Television Critic
Some TV studios that Thania St. John has worked for with other Hollywood writers have stationed her in rat- and roach-infested warehouses, in "tiny rooms where you could put your fist through the wall, or hear conversations in other rooms."
"That's the space they thought was fine," she says.
Such is the life of a Hollywood writer. Roach and rat stories are rare. But what's common is the overtone, the incredibly shrinking respect writers feel in L.A.
So, sure, they went on strike, fighting to finally get money from downloaded shows -- and real money from DVD sales, among other things.
But Chicago-born and -educated writers in the TV business say even with a victory for the union, megacorporations that own studios probably would continue to treat writers like second-class citizens.
"Every year, they say you can [write scripts] with one less person on your staff," says St. John, now a co-executive producer of Sci-Fi Channel's hit "Eureka." "We're not even allowed to order coffee anymore."
TV executives say, Do you need all those pens? Does everyone really need a computer?
"Uh, yes," she says. "These aren't luxuries. These are things we need to do our shows."
Beginning seven years ago, St. John says, her contract stipulated that the studio or its parent corporation was the legal "author of everything I write." If she didn't sign, she wouldn't get work.
"We all had to sign everything away," St. John says.
The mechanics of this "corporate toolism" is inefficient. St. John has been told before she could do with five writers instead of seven. She pointed out that at some point, this could lead to a production shutdown, because a script may not be ready to film.
The cost of a shutdown would cost more than hiring writers. But execs said a shutdown's expense came from a different budget, so cost overrun was acceptable. "We became a product," she says, "instead of an art form."
'They look at us as guns for hire'
The strike hurts young writers most. Lauren Gussis, who grew up in Deerfield and graduated from Northwestern, saved up money to survive it.
Gussis, 29, writes for Showtime's "Dexter." Because most Americans don't get the pay channel, quite a few viewers watch it on DVD or on iTunes, where the drama has been a hit. Has Gussis cashed any iTunes residuals?
"I haven't seen any of it," she says. "If I were living on residuals, period, that would totally take me out."
Most writers are not rich. Aside from veteran writers and a few megastars, like "Lost's" J.J. Abrams, the median income is $60,000, St. John says. In expensive L.A., that's on par with the salary for a rookie cop or a 10-year teacher.
Starting writers, laboring as assistants, have it worse, grossing $600 or $700 a week. They're going without money now, as they also walk the picket lines to fight the future.
"It usually takes people five years to break in," Gussis says. "Sometimes they don't get health benefits. They accumulate debt."
Gussis considers herself fortunate to write for one of the best shows on TV, and for one of the best channels. Still, "Dexter's" budget was cut by 11 percent for its second season, even though it was a smash among critics and got good viewing numbers.
"They look at us as guns for hire. For sure," Gussis says. "And they look at us as if we're lucky to be working in the business."
'I've never seen DVD money'
Veterans don't get what they deserve, either, says Deerfield High grad Eileen Heisler, executive producer of "How I Met Your Mother" and the upcoming "Lipstick Jungle."
"I've never seen DVD money. I produced 'Ellen' and I never saw a dime," Heisler says. "I was a writer on 'Roseanne' and I have not seen DVD money."
St. John says the unity among writers to change all this is worrying corporate execs.
"The scariest thing to them is [for writers] to share information about salaries, how shows are run," she says. This makes it harder for execs to divide and conquer, to "single us out and just make us feel our show's a mess or we'll get fired."
Says Heisler, "Everyone's feeling the opposite of what they want us to feel: demoralized. We're feeling energized."
delfman@suntimes.com
Comments