The Writer's Strike

[Atticus Chaos 0]

Great article from the guardian

 

The movie-going public, it seems to me, expects a rich range of smart, entertaining pictures - things to move us, to make us laugh, to make us think. In short, works of imagination that bring us delight and consolation, and which keep us in touch with the real world. After all, isn't this the role of entertainment in a free society?

 

In which case, if you look at what we are sold, the public has good reason to be angry with the film-makers and their business. Our pictures are not good enough. So, it's beside the point, and close to obnoxious, for the different parties to appeal to us for a bigger slice of the pie.

 

Now let me raise a point that sits very awkwardly with the hopes for self-improvement within the Writers Guild. Writing - like all creative work - is its own reward. You cannot measure the returns on writing (or acting) by any other terms than those of the box office - but that's a very dangerous standard and one that writers, actors and artists regard as anathema. To take one example of proof of this, we know, in America now, that our best writers very seldom figure in the top 10 charts compiled by book-sellers. There is poetry, philosophy, fiction and non-fiction that is very testing - far harder to read than the thrillers and romances that move the most copies. We live with the fact that a Philip Roth earns less than, say, a Danielle Steel, because we recognise the different gravitational pulls of the marketplace and literary quality. And as a culture we do what we can to insist on the merits of the latter.

 

But that sense of quality is not the terrain best handled by unions - let alone the Writers Guild. By its own standards, the Guild has a fine history. It has established industry-wide minimum pay scales for scripts, synopses and story deals in movie and television. There are no maximums. A very few screenwriters earns over $1m a year. A few more make about $200,000 a year. Those lucky few are members in a Guild health plan that is extensive. They will qualify for a pension if they have writing income for long enough. I write this as a marginal beneficiary of the pension scheme and as someone who had two children born virtually free under the health plan. Just lately, like most members of the Guild, I have not earned enough from screenwriting, and so my qualification under the health plan has lapsed. Life is tough.

 

The Guild does very little except take its annual dues. In trying now to double writers' revenue from DVD and internet use, the Guild once again proves that it prefers an industry for the privileged. The strike, which began today, is being fought to preserve and enrich the lives of rather less than 2,000 members.

 

Over the decades of its existence, the Guild and the membership have elected to fight for more money. They have therefore determined not to fight for the one thing that screenwriters lack, the thing that might improve their long-term fortunes in remarkable ways, and which might improve the standard of American movies. That is copyright.

 

A screenwriter may have an idea. He may go to a studio with the whole story in mind. It is his. But when he does a deal with the studio he gets a great deal of money for consigning ownership and copyright to the studio or the company. What that means in fact is that, if the script founders along the way, that original writer, that author, can be fired. He will probably get credit, and he will keep his money. But he may have to suffer strangers hired in to doctor his script, involving radical changes in the story. Or he may see years of writing effort come to nothing with the project being shelved. The majority of scripts ever written are on shelves, unlikely ever to be made.

 

This is a disaster and at the heart of the diminishing quality of American pictures. The authors of books retain copyright. Their book may not sell very well, but the copyright is always theirs. And this means that their work cannot be trampled on against their will.

 

Thus the great dilemma of the Writers Guild is a very good working life for a few, and far too little dignity to share around. The strike is pitched on the idea of "fairness", but I think that's a myth. The American movie business has never been and has no intention of being fair. It screws those who work for it, and it screws the most successful by paying them so much. It's like the prison system at Alcatraz: give the worst offenders big meals, central heating, cosy beds and they won't break out.

 

I agree that this strike, even if they get everything they want will mostly benefit the rich writers anyway. If you're writing a successful show like lost or heroes, you'll get rewarded well anyway. Money from DVDs are only a bonus (even with the 4 cents deal, they still make a fortune I expect).

 

I sympathise with the WGA but I'd prefer it if they tried to improve things for the Guild writers who CAN'T currently make a good living, rather than those who can.

[Guest Pizza Hut's Game Face]

That's, like, every union, though. Nice piece from the grauniad. Thanks.

[bob_barron 0]

I have a feeling the writers are fucked in this strike. I'm on their side, but I think calling the strike so soon, and having the producers reject their latest offer (which removed the residual increase for DVDs) is a bad sign.

 

I'm so bitter about no SNL on my birthday

[Guest Pizza Hut's Game Face]

I know they're probably in the right here, but I feel dirty supporting white-collar strikes.

[bob_barron 0]

I'm usually anti-strikes and union, but the WGA are totally in the right here. They are just going about it the wrong way

[Craig Th 0]

How should they go about it?

[bob_barron 0]

They should've negotiated more before immediately spazzing out and going on strike so quickly. Especially since they brought in a federal mediator.

 

And removing the DVD issue just into your strike makes you look weak. I think the producers will eventually win, and this will go on for a while

[JHawk 0]

Because God knows we all want more shitty reality programming.

[Craig Th 0]

They should've negotiated more before immediately spazzing out and going on strike so quickly. Especially since they brought in a federal mediator.

 

And removing the DVD issue just into your strike makes you look weak. I think the producers will eventually win, and this will go on for a while

Talks have been going on for a long time now.

 

And that's why they do strikes; to get shit.

[v.2 0]

If they waited and let most of the shows roll out more episodes, they would lose a ton of leverage.

[Prophet of Mike Zagurski 0]

The longer it goes, the more the networks will suffer. The Internet can entertain me.

[milliondollarchamp 0]

Deadline Hollywood Daily had a roundup of insider information on the eleventh hour negotiations. Here's what a WGA statement claims the AMPTP was saying:

 

"Early today, the WGA completely withdrew its DVD proposal, which the Companies said was a stumbling block. Yet, the Companies still insisted on the following:

 

"--> No jurisdiction for most of new media writing.

 

"--> No economic proposal for the part of new media writing where they do propose to give coverage.

 

"--> Internet downloads at the DVD rate.

 

"--> No residual for streaming video of theatrical product.

 

"--> A 'promotional' proposal that allows them to reuse even complete movies or TV shows on any platform with no residual. This proposal alone destroys residuals.

 

"--> A 'window' of free reuse on the Internet that makes a mockery of any residual.

[Downhome 0]

James Gunn commented on it on his MySpace blog:

 

I'm on strike!

 

As a member of the Writers Guild of America, I have been on strike since 12 am last night.

 

The only reason for the strike – and don't believe anything to the contrary – is that the studios have refused to pay writers (and screen actors, and directors) residuals on new media. When you download a movie from Amazon or a TV show on iTunes, the people who created that content, who devised it, wrote it, acted in it, and directed it, get exactly 0% of the profits. And the studios want it to stay that way.

 

The WGA was asking for an increase in the residuals made on DVD sales (unlike new media, creators make a small percentage off of DVD and VHS sales, pay-per-view showings, TV sales, etc). For months now the studios have said that this was the reason the contract couldn't be closed. However, at the 11th hour – last night – the WGA took that off the table. It came down to new media and only new media. And the studios refused to budge.

 

This strike is absolutely not a matter of the rich getting richer. We're not striking because of guys like me who have made numerous feature films, or guys like Greg Daniels who have created popular TV shows. This is for middle-class writers – your regular TV staff writers and people who may have done one or two small feature films. Residuals are a way they can make perhaps a few thousand dollars a year between gigs. This is a way they can put food on the table and pay the rent during downtime – and downtime is something almost all writers (and actors and directors) have.

 

And the writers guild are striking not only for themselves – they're striking for the actors and directors as well. Most likely, whatever deal we agree to is the same deal the actors and directors will get when their contracts are up later this year.

 

None of the TV shows or movies you watch would exist without us, the people who created them, who poured our hearts and souls into the making of them. And yet, again, the studios think that only they should be making the money off of them. And new media is exceptionally important – in just a few years that may be the way most of us experience most of our entertainment.

 

I've gotten a lot of messages from MySpace folks worried about me or my various projects. The truth is, as long as the strike ends in the next thirty to forty years, I should be personally fine. And, to be quite honest, I'm excited about the break. I'm working on some smaller, non-studio, non-guild related projects with my brothers Brian and Sean, and with the LOLLILOVE crew of Pete Alton and Stevie Blackehart. This is stuff that really fires me up.

 

As for my big projects, PETS is definitely on hold, as I'm in the middle of writing the script, and can't turn anything in until the strike is over. THE BELCOO EXPERIMENT is a different story – the script is completely finished, my deal with the producers is done, and I could direct it if we all chose to do that. But would I want to commit to a movie that I wouldn't have the freedom to rewrite even if I wanted to?

 

However, although the strike for me is, in some ways, a good thing, I recognize how shitty it is for the rest of the industry, and the city of Los Angeles in general, so I want it to end quickly. I can't help but think of all the crew people who are going to lose jobs because of this, or the Burbank waiters and waitresses whose tips are going to dry up as the work around them does – not to mention the strippers across the LA area whose g-strings rely on writers and actors being flush with cash. Let's end this fucking strike for the strippers, okay?

 

Not to mention you guys, the audience. You're going to start to feel it right away with the late-night talk shows that are going to disappear or get real crappy real quick. And, if it lasts for a bit, you're going to lose out on the second half of the seasons of your favorite TV shows (already, WGA member Steve Carell didn't show up to set, so this season of THE OFFICE could be kaput after the next few already-shot episodes.) The studios will also rush movies into production with unfinished scripts which means, in a little less than a year from now, you're going to see the shittiest movies of all time.

 

So for their stinginess, their greed, and their overall bullshit, the studios can go fuck themselves. And not in a nice way either.

 

I fully support the strike, no matter how much I hate the entire thing, and the results of it (shows that I love going off air, etc...), in theory.

[bob_barron 0]

Strike sends late-night shows to reruns By GARY GENTILE, AP Business Writer

26 minutes ago

 

 

 

LOS ANGELES - Late night comedy shows were the first casualties of the first strike by Hollywood writers against TV networks and movie studios in nearly two decades.

 

"The Late Show With David Letterman" and "The Tonight Show with Jay Leno," went into reruns after writers on both coasts headed for the picket line.

 

The walkout became inevitable late Sunday after last-minute negotiations between the Writers Guild of America and the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers failed to produce a deal on such key issues as how much writers are paid when their shows are available on the Internet.

 

No new negotiations were scheduled, although the writers guild negotiating committee did plan a meeting of its members.

 

Nick Counter, chief negotiator for the producers union, said he expected a long standoff.

 

"We're hunkered down for a long one," he said. "From our standpoint, we made every good faith effort to negotiate a deal, and they went on strike. At some point, conversations will take place. But not now."

 

In Los Angeles, writers planned to picket 14 studio locations in four-hour shifts from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. each day until a new deal is reached.

 

Writers said the next move was up to the studios.

 

"My hope is that it won't be too long," said John Bowman, chief negotiator for the writers. "We have more reason to get together than not."

 

Bowman said behind-the-scenes communication was occurring between the two sides with the hope of arranging more meetings.

 

Along with the shows hosted by Letterman and Leno, networks said other late-night shows bound for reruns included "The Daily Show," "Colbert Report," "Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson," "Late Night with Conan O'Brien," "Jimmy Kimmel Live!" and "Last Call with Carson Daly."

 

"Dancing With the Stars," one of the country's highest-rated prime-time shows, aired as planned on Monday night, with its hosts left to ad-lib.

 

The strike will not immediately impact production of movies or prime-time TV programs. Most studios have stockpiled dozens of movie scripts, and TV shows have enough scripts or completed shows in hand to last until early next year.

 

However, some producers were torn about trying to shoot those finished scripts.

 

Tim Kring, a producer and writer of the NBC hit "Heroes," said he had to revise the ending of the show's 11th episode on the chance that it might be the last one to air this season.

 

"Fortunately we were able to hustle back," Kring said from a picket line in an effort to shut down the show. "The audience won't be left in a lurch."

 

While scripted shows suffer from the strike, reality shows could flourish because they don't use union writers, despite an aggressive attempt by the writers guild to organize the staffers on the programs.

 

Viewers could also check out more entertainment on the Internet, ranging from user-generated fare on YouTube to professionally produced shows such as "Quarterlife."

 

Writers have not gone on strike since 1988, when the walkout lasted 22 weeks and cost the industry more than $500 million.

 

The dispute has broad implications for the way Hollywood does business, since whatever deal is struck by writers will likely be used as a template for talks with actors and directors, whose contracts expire next June.

 

Talks began in July and continued after the writers contract expired last Wednesday.

 

[bob_barron 0]

If they waited and let most of the shows roll out more episodes, they would lose a ton of leverage.

 

Most shows are already halfway done, most movies are fine for the long haul. They don't have too much leverage, and won't for a while. And this strike is going to cost them a lot of money.

 

Talks have been going on for a long time now.

 

But they just brought in federal mediator to really try to get the ball rolling, and the WGA immediately goes on strike. It makes them look bad, and it shows a lack of faith in the negotiations.

 

And that's why they do strikes; to get shit.

 

I have a feeling it's not going to work. The writers dropped the DVD demand, and the producers told them to fuck off, so it sounds like the producers aren't going to budge for a while.

 

They'll probably end up bending a little on the new media stuff, but the WGA will end up getting a pittance I think.

[bob_barron 0]

If they waited and let most of the shows roll out more episodes, they would lose a ton of leverage.

 

Most shows are already halfway done, most movies are fine for the long haul. They don't have too much leverage, and won't for a while. And this strike is going to cost them a lot of money.

 

Talks have been going on for a long time now.

 

But they just brought in federal mediator to really try to get the ball rolling, and the WGA immediately goes on strike. It makes them look bad, and it shows a lack of faith in the negotiations.

 

And that's why they do strikes; to get shit.

 

I have a feeling it's not going to work. The writers dropped the DVD demand, and the producers told them to fuck off, so it sounds like the producers aren't going to budge for a while.

 

They'll probably end up bending a little on the new media stuff, but the WGA will end up getting a pittance I think.

[Exslade ZX 0]

Strike sends late-night shows to reruns By GARY GENTILE, AP Business Writer

26 minutes ago

 

 

 

LOS ANGELES - Late night comedy shows were the first casualties of the first strike by Hollywood writers against TV networks and movie studios in nearly two decades.

 

"The Late Show With David Letterman" and "The Tonight Show with Jay Leno," went into reruns after writers on both coasts headed for the picket line.

 

The walkout became inevitable late Sunday after last-minute negotiations between the Writers Guild of America and the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers failed to produce a deal on such key issues as how much writers are paid when their shows are available on the Internet.

 

No new negotiations were scheduled, although the writers guild negotiating committee did plan a meeting of its members.

 

Nick Counter, chief negotiator for the producers union, said he expected a long standoff.

 

"We're hunkered down for a long one," he said. "From our standpoint, we made every good faith effort to negotiate a deal, and they went on strike. At some point, conversations will take place. But not now."

 

In Los Angeles, writers planned to picket 14 studio locations in four-hour shifts from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. each day until a new deal is reached.

 

Writers said the next move was up to the studios.

 

"My hope is that it won't be too long," said John Bowman, chief negotiator for the writers. "We have more reason to get together than not."

 

Bowman said behind-the-scenes communication was occurring between the two sides with the hope of arranging more meetings.

 

Along with the shows hosted by Letterman and Leno, networks said other late-night shows bound for reruns included "The Daily Show," "Colbert Report," "Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson," "Late Night with Conan O'Brien," "Jimmy Kimmel Live!" and "Last Call with Carson Daly."

 

"Dancing With the Stars," one of the country's highest-rated prime-time shows, aired as planned on Monday night, with its hosts left to ad-lib.

 

The strike will not immediately impact production of movies or prime-time TV programs. Most studios have stockpiled dozens of movie scripts, and TV shows have enough scripts or completed shows in hand to last until early next year.

 

However, some producers were torn about trying to shoot those finished scripts.

 

Tim Kring, a producer and writer of the NBC hit "Heroes," said he had to revise the ending of the show's 11th episode on the chance that it might be the last one to air this season.

"Fortunately we were able to hustle back," Kring said from a picket line in an effort to shut down the show. "The audience won't be left in a lurch."

 

While scripted shows suffer from the strike, reality shows could flourish because they don't use union writers, despite an aggressive attempt by the writers guild to organize the staffers on the programs.

 

Viewers could also check out more entertainment on the Internet, ranging from user-generated fare on YouTube to professionally produced shows such as "Quarterlife."

 

Writers have not gone on strike since 1988, when the walkout lasted 22 weeks and cost the industry more than $500 million.

 

The dispute has broad implications for the way Hollywood does business, since whatever deal is struck by writers will likely be used as a template for talks with actors and directors, whose contracts expire next June.

 

Talks began in July and continued after the writers contract expired last Wednesday.

NOOOOOOOO!

 

That sucks.

 

[bob_barron 0]

From the hollywoodreporter.com:

Fox best prepared to weather strike storm

By Nellie Andreeva

 

Nov 1, 2007

 

Now that the hide-and-seek strike game has gotten to the "ready or not, here I come" stage, the broadcast networks are facing the imminent work stoppage by writers in different shapes and different degrees of preparedness.

 

With only 15 hours of primetime to program, Fox has a built-in advantage in case of a prolonged strike. Add to that the January return of "American Idol," which can go on as many as three nights a week, and Fox looks as strike-proof as one can be.

 

Fox already runs a schedule with six hours of unscripted programming, and five of them -- "Kitchen Nightmares," the Thursday combo of "Are You Smarter Than a 5th Grader?" and "Don't Forget the Lyrics" and Saturday's "Cops" and "AMW: America Strikes Back" -- are expected to continue beyond January, when most fall scripted series will run out of fresh episodes.

 

Additionally, Fox's staggered fall rollout left it with six fresh scripted series for midseason. Then there is the network's reality chief, Mike Darnell, who consistently has delivered reliable performers on the fly.

 

But while Fox is in the best position of all broadcast networks in face of a writers strike, it also faces the biggest predicament with the real-time drama "24." By week's end, the show will have completed about a third of its 24-episode order. If a strike starts as soon as next week and lasts several months, there will be no chance to finish the order, meaning that Fox has the option to either start Jack Bauer's new 24-hour day and cut it off somewhere in the middle or hold the series altogether. As of now, Fox is planning to premiere "24" on Jan. 13. "24" has an added importance to the network this year, as it's being used to launch Fox's high-profile new series "Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles."

 

 

n Coming in a close second behind Fox is ABC, which has its own multinight reality hit, "Dancing With the Stars," coming back, "Extreme Makeover: Home Edition" going strong as well as an extremely deep bench of shows for midseason.

 

ABC raised some eyebrows in March when it gave early renewals to 14 series. That was followed by the pickup of more than a dozen more shows in May. The stockpiling might come in handy in the second half of the season in case of a long strike when ABC could offer up to seven original scripted series, the most of any network.

 

But ABC also has the most at stake in case of a long strike. The network has launched the strongest slate of new series this fall with three -- top new drama "Private Practice," top new comedy "Samantha Who?" and best-reviewed new series "Pushing Daisies" -- already picked up for a full season. A disruption in the run of those series just as they are gaining momentum could be damaging -- look at what happened to CBS' promising newcomer "Jericho" last year after it was taken off the air for months.

 

n NBC and CBS are more vulnerable than their counterparts, though they have made contingency plans, too, including ramping up unscripted development in the past several months with such series as CBS' "Password" and NBC's "American Gladiators."

 

What works in CBS' favor is that the bread and butter of its schedule -- procedural dramas -- repeat well, as do some of its Monday comedies. On the flip side, the network had to summon in veteran reality series "The Amazing Race" earlier than planned to replace canceled new drama "Viva Laughlin," leaving it with a shorter midseason bench.

 

But the network might have another card up its sleeve with the summer reality series "Big Brother." It can get production up and running quickly, so the reality show potentially could return in midseason, airing three nights a week.

 

At NBC, while "Deal or No Deal" is not the juggernaut it once was, it still could be stripped on several nights. A talked-about "Celebrity Apprentice" also is a strong replacement.

 

n The CW already had planned for a reality-heavy second part of the season, which would help, along with the return of one of its signature dramas, "One Tree Hill."

 

With the writers strike looming, the networks have played it safe this fall, keeping their inventory up by canceling only one new scripted series, "Viva Laughlin."

 

Nevertheless, "no one is strike-proof," one top network executive said.

 

"One of the fears is that if the writers walk out, it will accelerate the narrowing of broadcast television, and (the strike) will turn around to bite them in the back."

 

Links referenced within this article

 

Find this article at:

http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/hr/conten...play/television

[Youth N Asia 0]

The idea of more reality shows and prime time game shows is almost enough for me to chuck my tv out the window

[Guest Vitamin X]

They should've negotiated more before immediately spazzing out and going on strike so quickly. Especially since they brought in a federal mediator.

They're actors and writers. I'd figure they should have a flair for the dramatic.

[Atticus Chaos 0]

It's been suggested the studios actually wanted a strike to happen- in a bid to break the union. The fact that the WGA withdrew the dvd increase demand, but they still refused to talk makes me think it's true.

 

I remember reading about one studio head (can't remember who) who even said he'd be grateful not to have to deal with all the fuss of pilot season next year.

[LivingLegendGaryColeman 0]

So I've seen that all the late night talk shows and stuff that doesn't already have scripts lying around are done. What does this mean for SNL? Because I've been looking forward to The Rock and Jonah Hill shows the next two weeks. Are they not going to happen now? I'd guess at least some of the people are in the Writer's Guild. Anyone know? This is really disappointing seeing they did three episodes, then two weeks of re-runs. I was looking forward to this string of hosts...

 

EDIT: Just went back and saw King Kamala Classic's post on the last page... disappointing.

[Prophet of Mike Zagurski 0]

So I've seen that all the late night talk shows and stuff that doesn't already have scripts lying around are done. What does this mean for SNL? Because I've been looking forward to The Rock and Jonah Hill shows the next two weeks. Are they not going to happen now? I'd guess at least some of the people are in the Writer's Guild. Anyone know? This is really disappointing seeing they did three episodes, then two weeks of re-runs. I was looking forward to this string of hosts...

 

EDIT: Just went back and saw King Kamala Classic's post on the last page... disappointing.

 

SNL will be shown as repeats for the near future.

[bob_barron 0]

Yea, which is the worst part of the strike.

 

Some of the rumoured hosts after November sounded really awesome too, I can't say who though.

 

The studios can weather a long strike, it's the writers who will eventually have to cave

[Hank Kingsley 0]

 

The Office writers on the strike. Awesome & hilarious.

[Guest Pizza Hut's Game Face]

The picketing and the "2,4,6,8" chanting is all just staged for the purpose of humor in this video, right? They're not actually doing that, are they?

[Edwin MacPhisto 0]

Thank god the show is funnier than that.

[Guest Pizza Hut's Game Face]

If your job doesn't run the risk of a severed limb, fuck your union.

[Jericholic82 0]

crap I miss late night taalk shows.

 

I want kimmel and conan back on come one here

 

and letterman usually gets funnoer during the holidays (always wait for the pizza on the top of the tree and shooting the meatball on top)

[bob_barron 0]

Jenna Fischer on the strike:

 

Understanding the Strike

 

 

By now you may have heard that The Office has shut down production. This is true. They cleaned out my trailer and just delivered me 3 boxes of my stuff. It is pretty surreal. We cannot produce new episodes of The Office until the Writer's Guild strike is over.

 

 

 

You might be confused about the issues of the strike and I'm hoping that this blog can make it a bit clearer. (I should probably tell you that I support my head writer/producer Greg Daniels and the writing staff of The Office in their decision to strike.)

 

 

 

The big issue in this negotiation involves the internet. If you go to NBC.com right now, you can watch an episode The Office for free. The network runs advertisements while you're watching it, which gives them an extra source of revenue. The actors, writers, producers and director, the people who created the content you are watching, are not compensated in any way for this.

 

 

 

 

The Writer's Guild has taken the position that the writers should receive residuals if the show re-airs on the internet just like they receive residuals if it re-airs on television since in both cases the studios are making money. The issue is a huge deal, because the internet is clearly where the future of entertainment lies.

 

 

 

Right now, a number of successful shows (like Lost for one) have stopped showing repeat episodes on TV at all, and have replaced them with ad-supported streaming video on their websites. If you're a Lost writer, or actor, or director, or a teamster that's no residuals at all for that show, and that's a big pay cut. We all count on the extra income that residuals provide as it can help us through a slump in our career when we aren't working as regularly. It is our safety net. In 10 years I may need those residual checks to cover my electric bill. You never know. Hollywood is a fickle town. If in 10 years, everything is rerun on the internet, the current union contracts say the studios don't have to pay us a dime. And, I'll be sitting in the dark.

 

 

 

 

I hope that helped to explain things a little. For more…

 

 

 

 

Here is a video of our awesome writers on the picket line. They are funny even on strike:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

And you can also read James Gunn's blog on the subject which I thought was really great:

 

 

 

 

http://blog.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseacti...E03CBFA22555321

 

 

 

 

Oh...there are only 2 unaired original episodes of The Office left. And, I'm sad to say the one we were getting ready to shoot was going to be the funniest of the year. I'm sure of it. They've been pitching this particular story idea for over 2 years…it involves Pam and Jim being in Michael's home but that's all I'll say. I hope we get to shoot it soon. Let's all stay strong and hope that the strike can end soon.