The WGAe, who holds a simultaneous event in NY, knew nothing about it.
Frankly, I don't think the WGA should hold an awards ceremony in the middle of a strike, especially when they're shutting down other, broader awards.
But the fact that East and West can't get on the same page about it is one of the few humorous episodes to emerge from this debacle. They wonder why they're losing the war on the PR front...
5 comments:
Not only that, but now according to Perez Finke George Clooney wants to mediate a 48 hour meeting along with Tom Hanks and Spielberg, and the writers commenting over there are attacking the idea and crying that it would be too pro AMPTP! They seem to be able to make a side fight out of EVERYTHING right now. I hope that George can pull off a meeting because it could just work. On the other hand it would be a huge loss and PR nightmare to whatever side declines to participate.
Oh and by the way, Nikki is "moderating" is getting even worse over on her site. Only pro WGA stuff seems to be allowed while she stirs the pot.
She just put up a list of craven actions taken by the AMPTP (again, part of her agenda of bashing the moguls). Her exact quote: "What a list of petty, mean spirited and just spiteful behavior the Hollywood CEOs are compiling for themselves. Really, they're never going to be able to explain this stuff when the strike eventually ends and they're held accountable by everyone else." First of all, this assumes that the AMPTP is the only one doing childish things. Second, her list includes some childish stuff, and some quite understandable stuff, from the other side's point of view.
It's not hard to understand why the moguls don't want to pay for makeup/hair/wardrobe/transport for actors to go to an event to talk badly of them. It's not hard to understand other moguls trying to explain to Harvey Weinstein that he could wait for the DGA deal to come through and accomplish the same thing rather than trying to leapfrog just to get an extra couple of months of script revisions. It's not hard to understand NBC not wanting to put stars of NBC shows onto Letterman's CBS show. And it's not hard to understand Jeff Zucker wanting to know who was on the air on Letterman's show calling him names. It's not hard to understand Zucker not wanting to be deprived of any access to the Globes, a show that his company has already spent millions to air. Then Finke tries the old "paid AMPTP shill/troll" rumor and follows it up with something about an unnamed "AMPTP consultant" trying to spread a story about a WGA exec and kiddie porn. Give me a break.
While Finke is compiling this list of innuendos, half-truths, misstatements and cheap shots, she conveniently forgets all the childish actions taken by the WGA:
-The ridiculous chair incident during the negotiations, which even Finke covered at the time, in which the WGA refused to provide chairs for AMPTP negotiators and turned the situation into a territory-marking match for David Young, who Finke celebrated for not "backing down" to Nick Counter's request for chairs. As a result, the AMPTP asked to no longer have any meetings at the WGA. I wonder why.
-The multiple threats and vitriolic statements made by WGA execs and sources throughout the months leading up to the strike. This included Patric Verrone saying that if Nick Counter thought a strike was the worst thing that could happen, he should think again. And it included David Young backing out on his agreement to early negotiations when he thought he could get a better deal through crisis talks at the last minute. And even Nikki Finke quoted WGA sources proudly threatening a "devastating strike" if the AMPTP didn't obey all their demands.
-David Young's unfortunate comments to the LA Times after the strike began, to the tune that "I just sit back and look at the havok I've wrecked", and the comment that he felt like a "rock star" at the early strike rallies.
-The multiple public statements and comments by WGA members referring to AMPTP members as "monsters" or as vicious beings without hearts or souls. (And this while Nikki Finke openly and unironically questioned if the AMPTP understood that they would have to work with the WGA people again when this strike ended...)
-The deliberate disruption of Carson Daly's program by WGA members bent on making him uncomfortable.
-The pointless action of going to the LA Department of Public Works to try to block filming permits for 4 film productions.
-The deliberate favoritism of granting contracts to some companies (WWP, UA) but denying them to others who agree to the same terms (Dick Clark). This action, again, opens the WGA to potential legal action both in civil and federal court.
-The attacks on Jay Leno, Conan, Kimmel and the others for going back on the air and trying to make their shows work while trying to observe the strike rules. (Rules that were specifically created to make such an effort impossible, of course)
-The repeated attacks by WGA members on below the line crew members who post on websites trying to voice their own point of view. This includes the vicious attacks on the BTL members who attended the "Strike a Deal" rally last month as dupes, trolls, or worse. All for daring to have their own opinion, and worse, for daring to express it.
So, if it's fair to ask if the AMPTP will be taken to task for their actions during the strike, can we also ask if the WGA members will also be held accountable?
As a side note, I wouldn't put any stock in Nikki Finke's rumors of George Clooney flying to the rescue here. Even if that gets confirmed somewhere, it sounds more like someone's wishful thinking. It's another example of people getting their hopes raised and then crushed. I seriously doubt that any such mediation will occur, and I also doubt that Iger, Chernin or the others are really that impressed by George Clooney or Harvey Weinstein that they're going to just run back to the negotiation table before the WGA concedes the points they were told to drop a month ago.
The only forward motion likely to come any time soon is the beginning of the DGA negotiations, which are very close to happening now. Once they begin, a pattern will finally be set for all of us to go back to work. It will take time, but we'll get there. It won't be tomorrow - there's no magic bullet for that, but it will happen. I only hope that the WGA is prepared for the compromise they will be forced to make, and the inner turmoil and industry-wide recriminations they will face afterwards.
The DGA and the AMPTP just announced that formal negotiations will begin tomorrow (Saturday). The expected news blackout is now in effect until the contract is completed.
The official word from the DGA site:
LOS ANGELES - The Directors Guild of America and the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers agreed today to enter into formal contract negotiations. Negotiations are scheduled to begin tomorrow, Saturday, January 12, 2008, and will be held at AMPTP headquarters in Encino, California.
The DGA and the AMPTP have agreed that neither organization will comment to the press regarding negotiations until negotiations have concluded.
Right on DGA! Now if I can just control my urge to check on the DH gossip rag site while the DGA works.....
TranspoBill
Post a Comment