In praise of... screenwriters

  • The Guardian,
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Hollywood is facing a threat of blockbusting proportions - it could soon run out of words. The Writers Guild of America went on strike yesterday and groups of marching strikers clad in black T-shirts with the word "writer" on the back downed pencils and stalked the television and film studios. The terrible consequences if the strike lasts can be imagined. Jon Stewart's Daily Show will lose its satirical bite, which might help Republican re-election chances. Survivors of the plane crash on the tropical island in Lost may get more flashbacks than flashforwards. Housewives may get even more desperate. Jack Bauer's 24-hour struggle against terror and mayhem will have to go part time. And Hollywood movie studios will have an excuse to remake even more old films than they do already. The prospect of talkshow hosts having to talk, rather than read one-liners off the Autocue, has sent television channels into panic. Hollywood's writers are striking for a bigger slice of DVD profits and revenue from the distribution of films on the internet. Some guild members earn $5m a year, but at any one time about half of the west coast membership can be out of a job. It may be difficult to keep unity, but it is fair enough that writers seek a fairer cut of profits. The reaction of the public has been mixed. Some bemoaned the threat to their TV shows. Others have reached for their books. One officer looking at the placards said: "They're writers. Couldn't they come up with anything better than 'on strike'?"

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