“American Crime Story” writer/producer Scott Alexander remembers the WGA strikes of 1988 and 2007 and told TheWrap that this time there’s “a sense of righteousness” as writers and actors hold out for issues like higher residuals from streaming.
“There’s a positive attitude this time and a sense of righteousness. And a sense that there’s something bigger happening here in society that wasn’t there in the previous strikes,”Alexander told TheWrap on Monday while picketing at CBS Television City in Los Angeles.
“There’s a sense of just completely not being able to back down on this one. And it’s very clear-cut. In ’88, it wasn’t really clear what we were striking for… This time, everyone knows what they’re fighting for. They’re fighting [to end] s—ty practices and streaming, and mini-rooms, and short orders and non-existent residuals,” he added.
Alexander, who also penned features “The People vs. Larry Flynt,” “1408,” and “Big Eyes” with writing partner Larry Karaszewski, said, “What’s at stake is the future of this being a viable career.”
Alexander joined the WGA in 1986, when residuals were much higher for writers. “If you got on a TV show or if you sold one feature script a year, you made a living. And now these young members, they get on a big hit TV show. and then after 10 weeks, they’re sent to the door. And then they’ve got to spend six months auditioning for their next job. And then when the residual check shows up, it’s for $98. And they can’t live on that,” he said.
“The rank-and-file members are really hurting,” he continued. “The young members, I feel so bad for members who are 28 years old, starting out their careers, and I don’t know how they’re gonna make a living. It’s really sad.”
Alexander also called for the return of the “two draft” system, which guaranteed studio cooperation through a draft and a rewrite. “It it’s a whole process and you’re all working together. And then they give you the notes and they pay you to do another draft. And now they just want to do one step,” he said.
“A lot of these younger writers are basically on a Zoom relationship, they do a couple of Zoom pitches, and then they deliver a PDF and then they never hear from anyone again. And I’d say the movies actually aren’t as good because everyone’s not working together anymore,” Alexander said. “If we could go back to the days of two drafts where everybody two steps, that would be a big improvement.”
For all of TheWrap’s WGA strike coverage, click here.
