No happy ending in sight (Hollywood strike?)

[Omaha Steve]

http://www.latimes.com/entertainment/news/business/la-fi-guild6oct06,0,1381227.story?coll=la-home-center

By Richard Verrier, Los Angeles Times Staff Writer
October 6, 2007
Halloween is looking scarier than ever for Hollywood.

Studio executives and representatives of the Writers Guild of America abruptly ended talks Friday amid growing pessimism that they would be able to reach an agreement before the union's contract expires at month's end.

Although the two sides have agreed to meet again Tuesday, the lack of tangible progress in on-and-off-negotiations since July has deepened fears that writers will go on strike as early as this fall.

"There's no question there's a lot of anxiety, not just among writers but also among network and film executives," said Los Angeles entertainment attorney Daniel H. Black, partner at Greenberg Traurig. "Do you greenlight a movie? How long is the shooting going to be? Do we have to lay off employees? There are a lot of moving pieces here."

A strike could cause upheaval in the entertainment industry that drives much of Los Angeles' economy. Writers last struck in 1988 for 22 weeks and cost the industry an estimated $500 million.

With much at stake and a contract deadline looming, many in Hollywood had hoped that talks would begin in earnest this week. Instead, meetings on Thursday and Friday only yielded more acrimony, with studio executives accusing their guild counterparts of refusing to engage in serious discussions.


FULL story at link.

[Cha]

1. Good Luck to the writers..without Great

writing there is no movie or book.

[Snarkturian Clone]

2. The last time they went on strike

Star Trek 5 was made. In case you didn't know, to star trek fans, star trek 5 is like 10,000 hiroshimas.