Beyond that there's not a lot I can say because it's made very clear that the sessions are in camera & a "tweet free" zone.
I'm bending that here for just one reason. There's a little bit of a stately & sombre pall over the proceedings this year because it also marks the last meeting with Rebecca Schechter as WGC President.
Rebecca has served ably for the last several years, during a period of both growth & maturity for the Guild. Her measured, calm demeanor in the face of some truly stunning industry developments has made the Writers Guild of Canada a leading voice in the fight for culture.
One of the things that Rebecca and Maureen Parker, the Guild's Executive Director, have done over the years is go to meetings of international Writers groups. Would it surprise you to know that after the WGA, the WGC is the largest and strongest creative guild in that coalition? That's testimony to the work Parker and Schechter & those who preceded them have done all along.
The other thing that comes out of forum is a chance to see just how hard the staff of the Guild works. They're capable people, and many of them could perhaps earn more money working somewhere else -- but they continue to fight the good fight for writers in this country.
Tonight's the WGC Screenwriting Awards. During the (awesomely short!) awards, I'm reasonably sure Rebecca will be mentioned - but if you're attending, try to find a moment to thank her, and the incredible WGC Staff -- who all work to bring the awards together too.
I'm going to shift gears here for a second, and I hope the why will become self-evident. One of the big things I'm always asked by students & new writers is a version of "how do I break in?" and I give the answer that I've always given... the answer that was given me -- there's no one way, everyone has to find their way in, it helps to have luck but you make your own luck, etc. The truth is that tenacity & perseverance always play a major role. So it is that I was gladdened to open up my email this morning and get this from my agent:
In case you are unaware today is Chris Pozzebon’s last day here at Meridian as my assistant.
I can’t say enough about how grateful I have been to have Chris as my right-hand-man since 2008. Through thick and thin Chris has been the bedrock that kept Meridian on course day to day. Numerous times I have leaned on him more than the job called for and he delivered to Meridian and our clients more than he as required to. As an employer I try to make the office a good place to come to work every day and since his first day Chris has help set that tone with his insight, sense of humour and generosity. Week to week he has been a good friend to everyone who has come through the door be it intern, employee or client and I am sad to be losing his daily presence in our lives.
That said, that while we are losing Chris today as an assistant I am happy to announce that we are gaining him as a client. While working hard every day at Meridian Chris has been equally diligent in his free time having written a great new pilot and a How I Met Your Mother spec (in addition to directing a short and producing another!). While we are unsure exactly where Chris’s first gig will be, I can assure you it will not be too long a wait as he has demonstrated tremendous talent and work ethic while he is here and I don’t see him slowing down now that he has his days free.
See? You make your own luck & you find your way. So I gotta find Chris tonight and buy him a drink, and hopefully some time very soon the WGC will welcome a new member & that, my friends, is just how it goes.
Finally -- here's an obituary from the L.A. Times you all should read.
Dede Allen, the film editor whose seminal work on Robert Rossen's "The Hustler" in 1961 and especially on Arthur Penn's "Bonnie and Clyde" in 1967 brought a startling new approach to imagery, sound and pace in American movies, died Saturday. She was 86.
Allen, who was nominated for Academy Awards for "Dog Day Afternoon" (1975), "Reds" (1981) and "Wonder Boys" (2000), died at her Los Angeles home days after having a stroke, said her son, Tom Fleischman.
Allen was the first film editor -- male or female -- to receive sole credit on a movie for her work. The honor came with "Bonnie and Clyde," a film in which Allen raised the level of her craft to an art form that was as seriously discussed as cinematography or even directing.
It's generally assumed whenever the tiresome subject of the "posessory credit" comes up (ie: "A Film By,") that it's just an ego fight between big headed writers and wannabe auteur directory types. But this speaks to the heart of the issue from a craft point of view.
It takes a lot of people to make a film or a TV show. Editing is generally acknowledged as the third time you get to write a filmed work. The script is the first time, shooting it is the second -- and then editing. The collaborative nature of the business is what makes it so rewarding and exciting and frequently so heartbreaking. And it's when you read of the contributions of a woman like Dede Allen that you realize how hollow "A Film By" really is. We really should know Michael Bay's name more than hers?
In TV, part of the nice thing about the Showrunner position is that it's acknowledged as the person who runs things, but it's a labor or craft -- not a credited -- distinction. The Showrunner might be the Executive Producer, but they are rarely the only Executive Producer. Everybody knows that the Director runs the set, and runs the show. To take it beyond that is just ... unseemly.
And it doesn't take account of the Dede's out there.
So maybe if there's a theme in this ramble of a post, it's this: today, if you're at the awards tonight, if you're trying to figure out your way in, or whereever you are -- make today a day to celebrate the value of hard work from those who rarely get their due. The people who just quietly get it done and make us all better. We all stand on their shoulders. They may not all be giants -- but they certainly help us walk a little bit taller.
1 comment:
Fragmented only to those who can't make the connections, DMc. And beautifully expressed.
There's a saying among Thespians -- "There are no small parts, only small actors."
Everybody in this business makes a contribution that allows some of the rest to shine. And anytime you have a VIP room, a possessory credit or any other form of velvet rope, you make it clear that you don't understand the true worth of those whose community you share.
No writer in this country can ever repay (or fully reward in the first place) what Maureen and the WGC staff do for us hour after thankless hour.
Similar respect is due to Rebecca and every other elected writer Rep, committee member and forum contributor who volunteer their time and knowledge to the cause.
How can anybody not appreciate Dede Allen, a woman who saved, revived or launched the careers of so many whose talent she revealed through her own.
And Chris is the kind of new kid who makes us realize why we chose to do this in the first place and that we need to renew our commitment every day -- even if its just so guys with his obvious talent and drive don't take all the jobs.
None of us makes it all on our own. Thanks for the reminder.
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