We proposed a number of these terms… before the AMPTP cut off negotiations in order to hand a deal to the DGA. They will continue to not speak to us, offering them next to SAG. But we have needs in areas they don’t, and will secure a deal that works for us. This isn’t it.
Feb 1, 2021 • 4 tweets • 1 min read
Jamie Tarses Dies: Trailblazing TV Executive & Producer Was 56 deadline.com/2021/02/jamie-…
Jamie was a genuine badass. She broke through barriers in the executive ranks in much the same way as Sherry Lansing, paving the way for many other extraordinary women to follow.
Jan 31, 2021 • 6 tweets • 1 min read
The two most useful voices in a writers room are also the ones with the biggest drawbacks in the presence of an insecure showrunner.
The Narrator. The person who possesses a great talent for bringing together the ideas of the room and keeping the wheels on the tracks.
Downside: talks a lot and on the surface simply regurgitates the ideas of others.
Aug 10, 2020 • 4 tweets • 1 min read
Some have asked why I don't share advice as much as I once did re: writing and the industry. The reason is that last year I got called out publicly albeit accidentally by a friend who meant to send a DM to another friend but instead sent it as a mention with me tagged in it.
According to him, I think I'm "the voice of a generation of writers" instead of someone who just wants to help. By the way, a man would never be accused of this.
I was sent nearly a year ago, and I'm still wrecked over it.
Mar 22, 2019 • 10 tweets • 2 min read
WGA-ATA Negotiations Sidebar II: Electric Boogaloo
In case you were wondering why there’s such a strong pro-agency bias in the reporting on the WGA-ATA negotiations...
Mar 15, 2019 • 8 tweets • 2 min read
WGA-ATA negotiations sidebar. There seems to be a lot of confusion on the difference between packaging and packaging fees. The agencies seem to be purposely stoking the confusion in their communications with clients, so let’s clear this up.
(First, it’s important to note that the above has some killer alliteration in that last sentence and I’m very proud of it.)
Mar 13, 2019 • 30 tweets • 5 min read
WGA-ATA Saga, Part III: The Unbecoming
I've only ever been repped by UTA. I’ve been with them nearly 15 years. I have three agents on the TV side, one on the feature film side. They know me. They get me. We don’t hang out, but we’re friends. We respect one another and put up with each other’s eccentricities.
Mar 9, 2019 • 25 tweets • 4 min read
Ready for round two of the WGA-ATA saga? First, a quick history lesson.
In 1924, a music booking company formed in Chicago, IL. The Music Corporation of America (MCA) grew quickly and in 1962 merged with Decca Records. Decca at the time owned Coral Records and Brunswick Records, as well as an 89% controlling stake in… Universal Studios.
Mar 8, 2019 • 37 tweets • 6 min read
There's been a lot of press lately about the tension between the WGA (Writers Guild of America) and the ATA (Association of Talent Agents).
Most of it is as one-sided as you might expect given that writers aren't the ones who have ownership stakes, buy advertising, or tip off reporters in the trades.
It’s the responsibility of the showrunner to make sure your cast and crew feel safe at all times. The only way to achieve this is to open the lines of communication and keep them open throughout production.
Sep 2, 2018 • 14 tweets • 2 min read
So I’m spending my Saturday night like any other hot single ready to mingle... by clearing the shelves at Orchard Supply Hardware’s going-out-of-business sale.
I step up to the front of the line with my velcro straps, windshield wiper fluid, and two-pack air conditioning filters where I’m greeted by the cashier. A young man in his 20s named Timothy.
May 19, 2018 • 25 tweets • 4 min read
Congratulations! You’ve just been hired onto the writing staff of a television show. A new adventure awaits!
First things first, get your shit together. See your doctor, schedule a teeth cleaning, secure a dog walker, go grocery shopping, fill your fridge with ready-made meals. As of the first week in June, daytime doesn't exist anymore.
May 4, 2018 • 20 tweets • 3 min read
Staffing season. In the days when the broadcast networks were the only game in town, “going out for staffing” was the March through May scramble that all TV writers endured to find a gig on a series.
It still exists but it’s not much of a season anymore given that cable and streaming have overtaken broadcast both in terms of the number of shows and, some would argue, quality. This makes them a more desirable destination for many writers.
Apr 20, 2018 • 6 tweets • 1 min read
There is no such thing as a good showrunner who is a bad person.
Leaders inspire others to action. Treating people disrespectfully only inspires fear and mistrust.
If you think others are beneath you in any way — even when not explicitly verbalized — the impact is still felt in the social cues you don’t know you’re giving off. Trust me.
