Pencils down, my friend.

That said, at this point the script is locked, no more to be done, and they either shoot it as is, or stop things dead in their tracks (as happened to Heroes: Origins.)

It's a fucking awful position for you to be, because there's going to be the raging desire to tweak and polish and adjust when soemthing doesn't quite seem to fly. Right now, though, all you can do is stand on the line of things and only do what you need to do as a producer -- with the point that if you down tools on all fronts, then you're just going to be replaced.

(Which is one of the key issues when it comes to writers...this suit-perception that nobody is irreplaceable; it may be the one thing that provides any unity between the Guilds and the Unions, this understanding that anyone could be killed in favor of the cheaper schlub unless a bunch of heavy guys with knobkerries are there to suggest alternate avenues. Writers generally get shit on more than anyone...and animation writers get the mightiest loads of all on their heads.)

So...moral quandary standing sharkish before you, picking at its teeth with the shinbone of an animation writer. I'd suggest doing the functional stuff you have to do as a producer, while pretending that the script no longer exists for you. Now you have to trust to your collaborators -- providing you don't simply end up shutting down -- to take what they have and do it right, without infringing on the strike conditions.

Want me to go find you a big boittle of Tums EX and send it along?

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What would I do?

I think I would continue my duties as a Producer through to the completion of the project. I'd try and imagine that the script was the work of a third party, and I could therfore not tamper or alter it anymore than a producer could someone else's work. If that makes sense.

Not TV... but when I've directed for theatre and chopped chunks of a text during rehearsal to fit "my vision" I have never thought of it as a writing skill, more than a directing skill.. though your post does make me ponder it now. :/

I think a good case can be made for the editing proccess to be classed as a separate job from "writing". While one could argue that cuts involving dialogue could be attributed to a writer's mindset, the same cuts cut be made by a producer who was not a writer.

I don't think such is functionally writing, but if you feel that it could be morally so, then it could well be (you are after all, a writer, whereas I am not).

I don't envy the quandries you may encounter during the editing proccess, but I wish you the absolute best for a successful completion, with as little stress as possible.



The stuff in the "NOT to do" list about not altering stage directions is fascinating. So I guess such alterations are okay if made by the Director (so long as he is not also the writer) but not a Writer-Producer. Fascinating.

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Upon further ponderance, and after having read Shawn Ryan's statement on how he's striking from his showrunner duties, I think I can feel more clearly the whole "if it feels like writing, don't do it" problem that yourself and many others are faced with.

Good luck with it all, wherever the cards may fall.

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It's a conundrum I haven't a clue how to approach or answer.

Trust yourself - you'll make the right decision.

But DAMN what a sucky time for this to happen!!

:(

((hug))

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I can't really tell you what to do. This whole situation sucks and I wish it would all work it seld out and quickly. I guess doing your producer duties is technically not writing, but at the same time you all want to stand strong and be firm so you get what you deserve. Good luck with everything Javi. *hugs*

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If you don't do the editing, and other grey producing type things, what becomes of the pilot? Does it completely get scrapped, or does it just get held until the end of the strike? If you do some editing, but stop when it becomes "writing" are you still able to put out a quality product, that you would be proud of?

If I were Ted Mosby, I would make a list of pros and cons, but alas, I think the writer of Ted's pros and cons list is also on strike.

I know you're in a rough situation. Hopefully things will be resolved quickly, and everyone will be able to get to work again, making quality shows, and being compensated fairly for them... And we will see The Middleman on our television sets soon.

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Thanks for blogging about this, I was wondering how all of this was affecting you and the pilot. I don't know what you should do. I guess sit back and pray that this thing ends qickly and favorably...

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I don't envy you one bit.

Oh wait...of course I envy you bringing your 9-yr-old dream to fruition and getting to be a badass exec prod and showrunner. But I don't envy the quandry you are in at the moment. And I would NEVER even give you a whisper of "this is what I would do" - way too presumptious for this little girl ;)

But I know you and I know that you have ALWAYS looked at each factor, weighed them, compared them, and dissected them completely before you make a decision. I know you will do the same in this instance - and you will have my 100% support. THAT is something you will always get from me ;)

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I was thinking about this on the drive to work this morning, and was thinking at first, that you should sorta not do, is annoy people by calling them and asking them to decide. But, then, I realized, it depends on who you ask as to what their answer would be. (i.e. you ask the WGA, they'll say that it's writer-ly, ask the studio, they'll say it's producer-ly). So, now I'm thinking what you might do for stuff in the gray area, you "actively procrastinate" on. That is, your order of priorities is, do obvious producer stuff first, do gray-area mixy stuff last. The obvious writing stuff, well, it's a no-go.

It's not a good solution, (heck it might not even be a solution,) but, since you have a contract as a producer, and, as I see it, you need to honor that contract to the best of your ability and still support the strike. Don't really know if it's even possible to seperate out the tasks enough to prioritize them this way, or not. Possibly, this is less than useful.

At any rate, I'd like to say that I'm behind the strike, and sending you waves of support, in whatever you do. This can't possibly be easy. I'll be sending hope for a speedy resolution with fair contracts all 'round.

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I love your icon - can I use it as well?

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Sure! (I actually got it from C.A. Bridges who posted it for use by people on Whedonesque)

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Ahh thanks!

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When both the strike and pilot are over, you have to be able to look at yourself in the mirror.

That's the closest thing to advice that I can give. Support, on the other hand, I give freely.

I'll continue to hope that there will be a quick resolution to the strike.

Bob/OMF

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self preservation of a dream vs. honor and dues to what brought your dream to the cusp of realization.

there really is no easy answer. i truly want to see writers get the appreciation they deserve, but i really want to see the middleman come to fruition for you. you have to come to a decision you can live with.

i don't see any quick resolution to this situation. from the outside it's like looking at a 12 sided chessboard caught in a stalemate. if you stick with the wga as a producer and others in similar situations don't then you fall behind, while if every hyphenate does indeed stick then it might just be enough cohesive force to bind things up enough to force a resolution. on the other hand there are factors like reality tv which can be exploited and force upon an audience already brain numbed enough to not want to think anymore.

i just don't know.

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Javi -

It amazes me the integrity that so many writers are showing today, and the sacrifice.

I just read Shawn Ryan's letter (also here http://www.deadlinehollywooddaily.com/showrunner-explains-why-hes-on-strike/)
and I can't even begin to imagine giving up that creative control, particularly with something that's been a lifelong dream...I am awed by the resolve shown.

Anyway. I don't have any idea what I'd do.

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To scratch a time or two on the surface of a dream only to be yanked away from it by uncontrollable and unfortunate circumstances doesn't smell fair at all...

However, a rose is a rose. If it feels like writing, then it is writing. An interesting and complicated guy that I knew from another life once said, "Live together, die alone"...hear from this silly quote what you might, I think that it's applicable in his circle of friends and in circles everywhere and everywhen...

Too bad that you didn't have a twin...

Junie

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if this was a feature and the writer wasn't present, would the producer do the job? If yes, then its producing; if no, then it is writing.

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That you even have to question. That you even have an internal struggle. Well... you're a better man than some of your more outspoken hyphenate brethren.

I hope to see you on the line. I understand if you can't.

Good luck, and I'm glad I don't have Javi's Choice.

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the script is locked.


Think of it this way: the writer is gone. on vacation. wrote the script and left. So, don't change anything. You love it. The network loves it. Everyone involved loves it. Feel free to do anything you want to do as a producer because this- this is YOUR baby. You shouldn't feel guilty, you're not actually writing anything else until the strike is resolved. And with your resume, that's enough of a blow to those assholes who won't give you guys what you deserve.

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Caught between a rock and a hard place.

I have no idea what I would do. I won't want to be in a place where I had to make that decision. I do, however, have enough respect for you to think that you will make the right one(s).

I'm totally behind the writers, I think that this is a monumentally important issue.

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Holy crap man, that sucks.

Follow your dreams, but stick to your morals-- it will only make your dreams stronger.

Clay
A producer/writer not "lucky" enough to be union affiliated

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A few days ago, I'd pondered on my blog if you would have to, basically, strike against yourself, considering your multiple roles on this project. It's not cool that, after reaching this point, you're put in this position.

From reading the list of items you're not allowed to do, it starts to feel like the exec producer role starts to drift, as you put it, a bit *morally* toward writing. You're molding the story beyond the words to make it fit and make an appealing, intriguing tale even more so.

That said, you need to make this pilot as killer a show as possible to ensure that, once the strike is over and the network would be in a position to buy into a series, you - as a writer - have this gig firmly in hand. This is your baby, and, speaking frankly, if I were you, I would do the producing that needs to be done to get this pilot accomplished. How many times do opportunities come like this, where you are overseeing a show that is uniquely yours come to life?

For what it's worth, that's my take. Then again, I'm a bit of a fascist when it comes to my own creativity and protecting it. And, a bit selfishly, I want to see The Middleman come to life and be a success beyond the pilot.

On another point, when and if regular joes start to grouse about missing new episodes of shows (or start to, god forbid, miss Jay Leno telling "America's so stupid/fat/whatever" jokes), they should be reminded of what you wrote here: "...How annoying it was to see shows i wrote become the first ever top downloads on itunes and know that i was never going to see any compensation for it..." James and I were talking about this last night, and he figured that if people had a little reality check about what this means - brazen theft from the writer's pocket - they might get it.

Good luck with handling this dilemma. I don't envy you this part of the experience, Javi.

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QuandAry. Jeez. This is why I'll never be a member of the Writers Guild. ;)

Sometimes, I'm amazed they let me edit stuff here...

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Not an easy choice at all, but I'd echo Shawn Ryan's thoughts on the subject.

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strike, brother, that's what I would do. What they're doing is Goddamn criminal. Good luck, I'd say the majority of Americans are behind you guys. Or they should be.

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My best friend works for CBS. Seems it's kinda quiet there but several of her co-workers are being laid off until the strike is over. Which is sad. Hard to live in LA with no money coming in.

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But, just in case... Harlan Ellison would like to be paid:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mj5IV23g-fE

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Hey Javi, it's been awhile since I've dropped you a message. Congratulations on your ongoing success with The Middleman. I'm really excited to see everything take shape.

Concerning the WGA strike, one of my immediate thoughts was to you and your situation. What would I do? Crawl into the fetal position and hope the badness all goes away soon.

I wouldn't suggest you going that route, but that's what I would do.

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I think you might have to strike.

Of course, this comes over a week after you posted, but after reading lots of articles from all around the web, it appears that anything you do even remotely creative could be construed as writing. And then there is that whole 'solidarity thing', which has to tug at your heart, just as much as the 'getting the long held dream off the ground' thing does.

But looking at that list of things you, as a producer, can't do while shooting makes me worry that you won't be able to tweak anything that you might deem needful of tweaking. It seems you can make your dream come true, but if you are kept from making it perfect, won't that be like not making it at all? Of course, if you don't even try, does that mean the project dies?


Eeek, major conundrum.

Big Mandangos

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Wow, I am so late to this party, but since the strike is going on, and it's getting really weird out there, stay strong. It sounds like something's going to give, soon.

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