Thread by @jennifermuro

I’m going to lay out some strike truth here because it’s important to understand the gravity of what’s happening. I’m not pointing to any specific show I’ve been on. Except for my experience in live action under WGA, in general, it’s always been a version of the following:🧵

Imagine if you will, being at WGA ep, co-ep, or producer level, with no residuals under any circumstances, no per episode fee, and no script fee. Only a weekly salary equal to or lower than WGA staff writer level minimum.

Also, often no amount of weeks guaranteed, and no real salary bump in season 2, because they often combine season 1 and 2 into what they call “one cycle” and say it’s all season 1.

Also, it’s a mini room, sometimes only week-long multiple sporadic mini rooms. Then giving out freelance to writers who only get an episode fee for, no exaggeration, 3 times less than the WGA minimum.

And if you are head writer/running the room (aka TAG story editor) of course it’s your job to rewrite, fix, oversee all of the writing for the entire season. Sometimes writing 12 hours a day yourself. All for the low low price of WGA staff writer weekly minimum. AND NOTHING ELSE.

Studios have three choices when it comes to writing for an animated series: WGA, non-union or TAG. Unless your runner is super powerful, or your show is adult primetime (and no guarantee even then), studios have always picked, and will always pick the cheaper 3rd option.

On a personal note, I still can’t afford to buy out my modest two bedroom house after my divorce 5 YEARS AGO. And it’s because of TAG rates. If shows I’ve worked on over the years were WGA, I would’ve been able to buy out my house 10 times over. BACK IN THE DAY, that is.

Because now, for all intents and purposes, AMPTP is trying to turn WGA into TAG. I’ve been fighting this fight for 20 years, even when the mention of asking for change was a ridiculous notion, and alone in speaking up. So believe me when I say, I know what that future looks like.

Animation is a medium, not a genre. Yet these writers are stuck in TAG. We are a tiny % of IATSE. TAG leadership works their ass off trying to change things. But when we fight, we’re usually alone due to the circumstances. Because of that, only microscopic progress has been made.

I can’t see a way for TAG writers to ever get out of being subjugated to the writing basement. But —speaking now directly to WGA writers— it doesn’t have to be that way for you guys. WGA is a large, strong group. You have power we lack. So I say this to you: whatever it takes…

Don’t let it happen. Keep fighting tooth and nail. Keep kicking and screaming. Grab every SAG, DGA, and TAG member you can find. WE HAVE YOUR BACK. Maybe our time will come, maybe it won’t. For now, animation writers can live vicariously through you.

Make us proud. #WGAstrong