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51-546: In Plain Sight was originally scheduled to premiere on Thursday, April 24, 2008, but USA Network held the series back when the WGA strike delayed production of the summer series Burn Notice . It instead made its debut on Sunday, June 1, 2008. It was renewed on July 21, 2008, for a second season with a 16-episode run, which began April 19, 2009. Then, following creative differences with Executive Producer David Maples, USA Network made

102-520: A court order seeking that the agreement be honored and implemented. The guilds were on strike for 14 weeks and 2 days (100 days). In contrast, the previous strike in 1988 , the longest in the history of the Guild, lasted 21 weeks and 6 days (153 days) and cost the American entertainment industry an estimated $ 500 million. According to a National Public Radio (NPR) report filed on February 12, 2008,

153-487: A meeting for active members on Saturday, February 9, 2008, to discuss and gain feedback on a proposed contract. TV executives had described the deadline as February 15 for new material to be produced for the 2007–2008 television season. On February 9, 2008, WGA President Patric Verrone emailed the membership announcing that the WGA leadership and AMPTP had reached a tentative deal. The tentative contract proposals were provided to

204-407: A necessary part of a writer's income that is typically relied upon during periods of unemployment common in the writing industry. The WGA requested a doubling of the residual rate for DVD sales, which would result in a residual of 0.6% (up from 0.3%) per DVD sold. The AMPTP maintained that studios' DVD income was necessary to offset rising production and marketing costs. They further insisted that

255-548: A new percentage payment on the distributor's gross for digital distribution based on the deal that the WGA made during the strike. We are ready to meet at any time and remain committed to reaching a fair and reasonable deal that keeps the industry working, but the DVD issue is a roadblock to these negotiations. — AMPTP president Nick Counter Every issue that matters to writers, including Internet reuse, original writing for new media, DVDs, and jurisdiction, has been ignored. This

306-481: A new proposal to the WGA on November 29, 2007, reportedly worth an additional $ 130 million in compensation. The WGA responded that it did not understand how the $ 130 million figure had been calculated, but was pleased the AMPTP was proposing figures in that range. Both sides agreed to a four-day recess at the WGA's request. Talks were resumed on December 4. Following a renewed push on jurisdiction in reality programming by

357-410: A retooling of scriptwriting was designed to place greater emphasis on Mary's cases and less on her personal life, while retaining its character-driven storytelling. According to USA executive Jeff Wachtel, the shift in producers also reflects the network's desire that the show remain upbeat rather than overly dark. In Plain Sight was renewed for a third season of 16 episodes on August 2, 2009. Although

408-416: A stand now. ... This is such a big issue that if they see us roll over on this without making a stand - three years from now, they're gonna be back for something else. ... I might have been the most moderate one up here when we started, but I sat there in the room the first day and they read us those thirty-two pages of rollbacks . And what they wanted us to hear was that "if you don't give us what [we] want on

459-589: Is completely unacceptable. — WGA Negotiating Committee Every three years, the WGA negotiates a new basic contract with the AMPTP by which its members are employed. This contract is called the Minimum Basic Agreement (MBA). In 2007, negotiations over the MBA reached an impasse and the WGA membership voted to give its board authorization to call a strike, which it did on Friday, November 2, 2007;

510-631: Is that time when everybody has to see—this is one where we just gotta stand our ground. The WGA established the groundwork for Guild-covered writing in streaming, years before the technology changed the business. Once Netflix and Amazon began producing shows, they were obligated to hire Guild writers, because of the rules created in 2008. On back end, the WGA took the DGA's deal: For downloads, writers were granted 1.2% of distributor's gross receipts for rentals and 0.65%-0.7% of gross receipts. For ad supported streaming writers were granted 2% of gross receipts beyond

561-424: The iTunes Store and Amazon Video on Demand . In the second model, " streaming video", the consumer watches a program in real time as it is transmitted to their computer but is usually not saved. Current examples of this model include advertising-supported television programs streamed free to the audience, such as those available at nbc.com, abc.com, fox.com, cbs.com, thedailyshow.com, and hulu.com. In either case,

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612-500: The 1980s, were covered by the MBA, whereas more recently produced reality shows such as Survivor and America's Next Top Model are not. Many producers of reality programming argue that since these shows are mostly, if not entirely, unscripted, there is no writer. The WGA counters that the process of creating interesting scenarios, culling raw material, and shaping it into a narrative with conflict, character arc, and storyline constitutes writing and should fall under its contract. In

663-437: The AMPTP was intentionally delaying negotiations so that it could terminate unwanted production contracts via force majeure . According to Wall Street , the impact of accepting all of WGA's proposals was "largely negligible" and "financially small", suggesting that the studios were afraid that reaching a favorable settlement with the writers might "embolden directors and actors in their coming renegotiations." In mid-December,

714-460: The American labor unions Writers Guild of America, East (WGAE), and Writers Guild of America West (WGAW) went on strike . The Writers Guild of America (WGA) strike primarily sought increased residual rates for DVD sales and jurisdiction over and residuals from new media. It was targeted at the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers (AMPTP), a trade association representing

765-647: The DVD formula. New media was widely seen by most WGA writers as the central issue for the strike. Writer-director Craig Mazin ( Scary Movie 3 ) has dubbed new media "the One Issue" that matters. This sentiment was further articulated by a self-described "skeptic", writer Howard Gould, at a meeting of the full WGA membership the night before the strike date was announced. He said, to a standing ovation: Soon, when computers and your TV are connected, that's how we're all going to watch. Okay? Those residuals are going to go from what they are towards zero if we don't make

816-414: The Guild accepted a formula in which a writer would receive 0.3% of the first million of reported gross (and 0.36% after) of each tape sold as a residual . As manufacturing costs for video tapes dropped and the home video market widened, writers came to feel they had been shortchanged by this deal. DVDs debuted in 1996 and rapidly replaced the more-expensive VHS format, outselling VHS for the first time on

867-503: The WGA and AMPTP entered into informal negotiations. The negotiations between the AMPTP and the WGA are at an impasse because the WGA has continued to press a series of unreasonable demands that have nothing to do with new media and the real concerns of most working writers. — AMPTP statement: The State of the Strike: Day 47 Programs such as Real People and That's Incredible! , which were arguably "reality" shows of

918-422: The WGA announced plans to try to negotiate with individual production companies to end the impasse. The AMPTP and WGA agreed to resume informal talks in an effort to organize formal negotiations on January 19, 2008. This was accepted and both parties decided to go back to the negotiating table as of that date, however the president of the WGA had ordered a media black-out, with no WGA employees reporting any news to

969-459: The WGA requested contract language clarifying that reality programming does fall under its jurisdiction. They further proposed the adoption of a credit, "Story Producer" and "Supervising Story Producer" to be given to those writers performing story contributions to a reality show. As for animation, the WGA proposed clarifying its jurisdiction to cover all animation in TV and film that did not encroach on

1020-579: The WGA, 100% of animated feature film screenplays in 2005 were written by at least one WGA member. Some animated features, such as Beowulf , were written under the WGA contract. The only animated television programs affected by the strike were Fox 's The Simpsons , Family Guy , King of the Hill and American Dad! The WGA and the IATSE have an ongoing disagreement as to which union should represent animation writers. Regarding reality programming,

1071-414: The WGA, including a rally outside North American headquarters of non-signatory reality producer FremantleMedia , talks again broke off on December 7 when the AMPTP walked away from the table, issuing a press release that they would return only upon the WGA dropping several key proposals, among them the reality proposal. This move had been predicted by reporter Nikki Finke and others, many of whom suspected

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1122-591: The WGAW held a meeting at the Los Angeles Convention Center , which was attended by 3,000 WGAW members, and the negotiating committee formally recommended a strike, after which the WGAE and the WGAW officially announced that the strike would begin at 12:01 AM on November 5. In a last-ditch conciliation to try to avoid the strike, the WGA temporarily withdrew its DVD proposal on November 4, but

1173-471: The Writers Guild went on strike over the home video market, which was then small and primarily consisted of distribution via video tape. At that time, the entertainment companies argued home video was an "unproven" market, with an expensive delivery channel (manufacturing VHS and Betamax tapes, and to a smaller extent, LaserDisc ). Movies were selling in the range of between $ 40–$ 100 per tape, and

1224-403: The biggest differences between the AMPTP and the WGA have gotten the tentative and cautious approval of both sides", but cautions that the specific legal language has not yet been drafted. The next day, rumors continued to mount; Deadlinehollywooddaily.com reported that Peter Chernin had told fellow Super Bowl XLII attendees that "the strike is over." This is not over. Nor is it close. Until

1275-450: The broadcasting market as the primary means for distribution. As in the mid-1980s, the companies argued that new media represents an unproven and untested market and asked for additional time for study. However, feeling resentment from the 20-year-old home video deal and unwilling to make similar concessions in a so-called "new market" yet again, WGA members remained adamant that whatever deal they made for new media, it could not resemble

1326-476: The calculation of DVD residuals. Driven by the then-recent contract between Viacom and the creators of South Park , one of the critical issues for the negotiations was residuals for " new media ", or compensation for delivery channels such as Internet downloads, IPTV , streaming , smartphone programming, straight-to-Internet content, and other "on-demand" online distribution methods, along with video on demand on cable and satellite television. Prior to

1377-641: The companies still insisted on a lack of residual for new media, and the talks subsequently broke down, with both sides accusing the other of walking out. Thus, on November 5, nearly 3,000 WGAW members, plus additional SAG and Teamsters members, picketed or refused to cross the picket lines at 14 targeted studios in Los Angeles, and many more Writers Guild of America, East picketers marched in locations in New York including Rockefeller Center . The picket lines continued, along with various rallies, throughout

1428-419: The current DVD formula (0.3%) be applied to residuals in other digital media—an area which was also contested by the Writers Guild. The WGA provisionally removed the increased DVD residual request from the table, in an effort to avert a strike and on the understanding of certain concessions by the AMPTP, the night before the strike began. However, after the strike began, WGAW President Patric Verrone wrote that

1479-419: The decision to use the season's 15th episode, the first part of a planned two-part season-ender, as the show's season finale. Series creator David Maples and co-producer Paul Stupin subsequently stepped down as executive producers at the end of season two, although they remained as consulting producers, and were replaced by John McNamara. Todd Williams and Lesley Ann Warren's roles were changed to guest stars, and

1530-457: The important thing, we're gonna come after you for all those other things." But what I heard was, if we give them that thing, they'll still come after us for those other things. And in three years, it'll be "we want to revamp the whole residual system," and in another three years, it'll be "y'know what, we don't really want to fund the health fund the way we've been." And then it will be pension. And then it'll be credit determination. And there just

1581-581: The initial 17 days. The WGA's membership of approximately 12,000 writers (more than 7,000 in WGAW and more than 4,000 in WGAE) primarily work on live-action , script-driven movies and television programs. Exactly if and how the WGA's Minimum Basic Agreement (MBA) should apply to other TV and film categories such as reality television and animation had been inconsistent over the years and were an area of much dispute. The WGA had been pushing for jurisdiction of reality and animation, but dropped these issues as

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1632-588: The interests of 397 American film and television producers. The most influential of these were eleven corporations: CBS ( Les Moonves ), MGM ( Harry E. Sloan ), NBCUniversal ( Jeff Zucker ), The Weinstein Company ( Harvey and Bob Weinstein ), Lionsgate ( Jon Feltheimer ), News Corporation ( Peter Chernin ), Paramount Pictures ( Brad Grey ), Liberty Media / Starz ( Chris McGurk ), Sony Pictures ( Michael Lynton ), The Walt Disney Company ( Bob Iger ), and Warner Bros. ( Barry Meyer ). Negotiators for

1683-506: The jurisdiction of another union, the International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees Local 839, also known as The Animation Guild . IATSE's jurisdiction stemmed from Walt Disney 's tradition of creating an animated feature via storyboards written and drawn by storyboard artists . In the years up until the strike, most studios began hiring screenwriters to write script pages which are then storyboarded. According to

1734-403: The jurisdiction of another union. WGA president Patric Verrone announced that the reality and animation jurisdiction proposals were formally removed from the table. The final negotiations between the WGA and AMPTP before the WGA's contracts expired on October 31, 2007, began on October 25, but the talks broke down due to the issues surrounding new-media royalties. After the contracts expired,

1785-414: The media. WGA President Patric Verrone did, however, report on January 22 that the animation and reality jurisdiction proposals had been dropped. On January 25, it was announced that the WGA had made an interim agreement with Lionsgate and Marvel Studios . However, the AMPTP has commented on these types of agreements as "meaningless", although talks between them and WGA continued and many critics believed

1836-405: The membership exhibited "significant disappointment and even anger" when they learned of the proposed removal of the request; and Verrone also wrote that, since the removal of the increased DVD residual request was contingent on concessions by the AMPTP which did not happen, the writers would and should continue to "fight to get our fair share of the residuals of the future." There was no change to

1887-400: The moment it is over, it can never be close. Because if we see the finish line we will flag and they are absolutely counting on us to do that. In the room, reason. On the streets, on the net, I say reason is for the 'moderates'. Remember what they've done. Remember what they're trying to take from us. FIGHT. FIGHT. FIGHT. — Joss Whedon On February 5, 2008, the WGA leadership scheduled

1938-718: The previous summer's debut of Burn Notice by 32% and the network premiere of Law & Order: Criminal Intent by 40%. On March 31, 2009, Universal Studios Home Entertainment released season one of In Plain Sight on DVD in Region 1. Season two was released on DVD on March 9, 2010. ^1 The wide release for the season 4 DVD occurred on June 5, 2012. An early promotional release at Target stores occurred on March 13, 2012. Start TV started airing reruns on October 14, 2019. 2007%E2%80%9308 Writers Guild of America strike From November 5, 2007, to February 12, 2008, all 12,000 film and television screenwriters of

1989-539: The previously planned 16th episode of season two was set to be the opening episode of season three, the episode was shelved and replaced by a new opening episode, written by new showrunner, John McNamara . The season was later reduced to 13 episodes when McNamara took a leave of absence for medical reasons. In a statement released exclusively to the Futon Critic, the producer of Universal Cable Productions said, "John Romano assumed executive producer responsibilities for

2040-432: The program may be viewed directly on a computer or on a traditional television via media distribution devices ( e.g. TiVo ). The convenience of both these technologies lowers the barriers to entry into the digital distribution marketplace making it more accessible to mainstream consumers. It was widely expected by industry observers that new media would eventually supplant both DVD in the home video market and television in

2091-523: The remaining episodes. Given the unexpected change, we decided to end the season at a natural spot—with the surprising cliffhanger of episode 13 ." After the conclusion of season three, USA Network ordered two more seasons of In Plain Sight The fourth season premiered on May 1, 2011, in its original time slot. The fifth and final season began on March 16, 2012, and consisted of eight episodes. The series finale aired on May 4, 2012. Jeff Beal composed

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2142-462: The strike began the following Monday, November 5, 2007. Among the many proposals from both sides regarding the new contract, there were several key issues of contention including DVD residuals, union jurisdiction over animation and reality program writers, and compensation for " new media " (content written for or distributed through emerging digital technology such as the Internet ). In 1985,

2193-588: The strike cost the economy of Los Angeles an estimated $ 1.5 billion. A report from the UCLA Anderson School of Management put the loss at $ 380 million, while economist Jack Kyser put the loss at $ 2.1 billion. The Milken Institute estimated the losses at $ 2.1 billion ($ 20 million per day) and 38,000 jobs. The big win for the Writers Guild was jurisdiction over new media, which was precedent-setting. Streamers would have to hire WGA writers on shows over certain budgets. Other than that, they received

2244-478: The strike could be over within two weeks. On February 2, 2008, despite a media blackout agreed to by both parties during unofficial negotiations, multiple media reports suggested there had been significant progress involving breakthroughs on key issues in the talks. Further reporting suggested that by the end of the business week starting February 4, 2008, a contract proposal might be announced. Pro-WGA blog UnitedHollywood.com confirmed that "creative solutions to

2295-623: The strike period in both cities. Following four days of targeted picketing, a large rally was held outside the Twentieth Century Fox Studios in Los Angeles on Friday, November 9, drawing an estimated 4,000 WGAW members and supporters, including a sizeable number of SAG members. Speakers included WGA West president Patric Verrone , Family Guy / American Dad! creator Seth MacFarlane , civil rights activist Jesse Jackson , and producer Norman Lear . The rally

2346-472: The strike, the WGA had no arrangement with producers regarding the use of content online, and two models of internet distribution were negotiated. The first is "electronic sell-through" (also known as "internet sales" or "digital sell-through"). In electronic sell-through, the consumer purchases a copy of the program and downloads it to a local storage device for subsequent viewing at their convenience. Examples include movies and television shows purchased through

2397-425: The striking writers reached a tentative agreement on February 8, 2008, and the boards of both guilds unanimously approved the deal on February 10, 2008. Striking writers voted on February 12, 2008, on whether to lift the restraining order, with 92.5% voting to end the strike. On February 26, the WGA announced that the contract had been ratified with a 93.6% approval among WGA members. The Writers Guild later requested

2448-411: The summer of 2006, the WGAW attempted to organize employees of America's Next Top Model . The employees voted to join the WGA, but then they were fired and production continued without them. Animated films and TV programs have also been an area of heavy contention. The majority of animated film and television writing is not covered by the WGA's MBA. Most animated feature films have been written under

2499-405: The theme song for the series. W. G. Snuffy Walden composed the music for the first season, followed by Tree Adams for the second season. Evan Frankfort, Liz Phair, and Marc Dauer composed the music for the remainder of the series. The pilot episode of In Plain Sight attracted 5.25 million viewers, making it USA Network's highest-rated series premiere since Psych in 2006. It also outperformed

2550-412: The week of June 15, 2003. The previous VHS residual formula continued to apply to DVDs. Prior to the strike, the home video market had become the major source of revenue for the movie studios. In April 2004, The New York Times reported the companies made $ 4.8 billion in home video sales versus $ 1.78 billion at the box office between January and March. WGA members argued that a writer's residuals are

2601-457: Was opened with a two-song performance by Zack de la Rocha and Tom Morello (as The Nightwatchman ) of Rage Against the Machine . On November 16, 2007, both the WGA and the AMPTP made the following announcement: "Leaders from the WGA and the AMPTP have mutually agreed to resume formal negotiations on November 26. No other details or press statements will be issued." The AMPTP then submitted

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