(C) Daily Kos This story was originally published by Daily Kos and is unaltered. . . . . . . . . . . Writers and producers near agreement to end strike! YES!!! [1] ['This Content Is Not Subject To Review Daily Kos Staff Prior To Publication.'] Date: 2023-09-21 I emailed Empirical Evidence’s Dan Seco last week to see how he was faring during the WGA/SAG/AFRTA strike. A savvy and dedicated artist manager with CAA street cred, Seco told me he currently works at an entertainment law firm in LA. This would be his primary place of employment as writer and actor negotiations continued. I like Seco—a straightforward manager, he is a passionate defender of artists’ rights, and a good guy to boot. Saddened to hear the strike diverted his focus from the industry he loves, I was nonetheless glad Dan was still gainfully employed. WGA/SAG>AFTRA strike 2023 I didn’t ask, but I’m reasonably sure Dan felt it was a small price to pay to ensure creatives in the industry would be protected in an era of AI and runaway corporate greed. Dan Seco is a breath of fresh air, as I haven’t always encountered people with my best interest at heart in the industry. Put down and given the side-eye “No, no, but what do you do for a living?” This is what I was met with for years after I told anyone who inquired that I was a writer (with the exception of a visit to San Bernadino, California, where people appeared to think I held a real job.) Many do not realize that, far too often, I fought to get paid after services were rendered or failed to be compensated decently despite years in the business. As a 1099 contractor, there is a struggle to remain consistently employed; meanwhile, people assume if you work as a writer, you must live high on the hog or lie around in your PJs all day. Nope and nope. I owe a debt of gratitude to the Dan Secos of the world, men and women who validated my chosen profession and made me feel as if my pursuit was worthy of fair compensation and respect. Dan once told me, “Look, I know I am not curing cancer here; I just want to make sure people get a fair shake...” I hope the industry hasn’t lost him—so, so many have had to jump ship through no fault of their own. May they all be able to return confidently. Atlanta, New York, and LA writers/indies suffered Although WGA strike specifics have yet to be revealed, I suspect the agreed-upon terms will be groundbreaking, especially considering what the WGA was asking for. Even though the fight was needed, smaller companies and nonunion production houses suffered, despite WGA giving the green light for indies to continue unhindered. Example: By all indications, actor Jeff Ridgway, owner of Yardline Films and producer of my short “Dandelions,” might have closed up shop. Ridgway’s newly emerging Atlanta-based studio was already struggling to find funding for projects, so the strike likely hit particularly hard—last I checked, even the www.yardlinefilms.com site was down for the count. I hope these new developments change for him and wish Jeff Godspeed. Another good bud of mine, Mark Stasenko, a Netflix writer, held on for dear life as the industry lapsed into a holding pattern. We spoke briefly—I won’t go into details, but we both came away from the discussion hoping both sides could reach a gainful resolution quickly. With the wind back in our sails …There appears to be a light at the end of the tunnel for the film industry, and man, am I stoked! I am unsure where we might be, but a news release of this sort could mean we’ve made significant, lasting progress. As details emerge, we may find this critical new agreement life-changing and meaningful for all involved. Keep your fingers crossed, entertainment lovers, for all of us! [END] --- [1] Url: https://www.dailykos.com/stories/2023/9/21/2194564/-Writers-and-producers-near-agreement-to-end-strike-YES Published and (C) by Daily Kos Content appears here under this condition or license: Site content may be used for any purpose without permission unless otherwise specified. via Magical.Fish Gopher News Feeds: gopher://magical.fish/1/feeds/news/dailykos/