Sunset Boulevard: Writers Strike continues...

The WGA has filed suit today against the AMPTP for failing to negotiate in good faith. First, I didn't know that was even legal. Also, isn't that the purpose of the strike? If shutting down the entire town doesn't work, what makes them think a long drawn out legal process will?

Next week will be Week 6 of he WGA strike, an important landmark because it marks the beginning of force majeure, the clause in production deals which allows studios to end contracts prematurely. Some TV deals have already been suspended. Companies without "pre-strike"movies in production or pre-production are nervous coming into what's sure to be a less than cheery holiday season.

In the meantime, Golden Globe announcements came out yesterday, and the big question is: will there even be a ceremony worth having? If the strike continues through awards season, writers and even actors and directors who support the writers (SAG and DGA contracts expire in the summer and they are negotiating many of the same issues) won't be

in attendance. In addition to the empty house, the teleprompter may be empty too, as there will be no writers working to write the show.

There has been talk of the strike affecting the entire TV industry in ways thought impossible just six weeks earlier. If the strike continues much longer, it will disrupt the entire TV schedule. Usually, the new year marks the beginning of pilot season where little by little pilot ideas get developed, polished, and whittled down to the best of the best which will make it to your TV in the fall. But without writers, and with a possible actors strike looming in the summer, there would be no way to even begin this process, let alone carry it through to fall premieres. So there's talk of the networks moving to a cable TV schedule where shows are developed and shot year round. It might not be too bad of an idea...

I know I asked this question a few weeks ago, so I'm interested to see the difference now. How is the strike affecting you?

____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Alex M., Movie Correspondent

Alex's column, Sunset Boulevard, published to Gather Essentials: Movies, is a discussion of some of the movie industry's biggest stories.

Alex is a film school grad working at a production company in Hollywood.

She's been passionate about movies since she knew what they were and

always has an opinion (for better or worse).

You can find all of Alex's Sunset Boulevard columns at gather.com/SunsetBoulevard

Keep up with Alex's other postings and Gather activity by joining her Gather network -- just click here and select the orange "Connect" button on the left-hand side of the page

You'll find Alex and other Movie Correspondents, plus celebrity content and plenty of other movie buffs at Movies.gather.com