Warren Ellis on the WGA Strike

Some interesting info on the possible WGA strike coming up (From Warren Ellis' Bad Signal 10.11.07):

BANTOWN

bad signal
ME

Something interesting to me turned
up in Variety this morning. The
Writers Guild of America West, the
union for film and tv writers, has
released its strike rules. They're
in the process of negotiating their
working conditions for the next few
years with the studios. Usually,
what happens is that the WGA relies
on the Screen Actors Guild or the
Directors Guild to make headway,
and then the SAG and/or DGA sells
them out. This time around, WGA
are playing what the Yanqui call
"hardball."

The strike rules declare that writers
may not write animation or "new
media" content. This is interesting
because WGA has no jurisdiction over
animation or new media. Further,
they state that any non-union
person found writing animation or
new media during the course of a
strike will be barred from ever
joining the Guild.

For me, this is a little like a guild of
chefs not only banning me from
cooking at home, but also barring
me from ever entering a restaurant
should I be found out.

Therefore, if the WGA struck
tomorrow, and the notes on the
last CASTLEVANIA polish came next
week, in no time at all I will have gone
from the guy who delivered food to
striking firemen to a scab. Funny
old world.

I understand the WGA's need to go
in hard, and there are serious issues
to be tackled. But criminalising me
for going about my business, that
the WGA has no say over...hell, I've
written two animated films
(MINDBRIDGE, unproduced, and
CASTLEVANIA, pre-production) and a
cable tv pilot and I don't even
qualify for membership in WGA.

Bad enough some git associated
with the SF Writers of America called
me and my friends scabs for
releasing work for free on the net.
Now I'm being called out as a scab
by a union who doesn't even cover
the work that I do.

Charming.

-- W
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