Game of Thrones writer George R. R. Martin is one of the most accomplished novelists today, with several best-selling books under his belt. The veteran author is already associated with a bunch of new shows, including Game of Thrones prequel House of The Dragon. Like most writers, Martin too had a humble beginning, and knows the ins and outs of being a writer in the film/TV industry. He is actively supporting the Writer’s Guild strike that has halted the production of shows and films all over America.
Why is it so difficult for a junior writer to succeed in the film/TV industry?
Martin explained in his blog, Not A Blog: “The junior writers? They’re not there. Once they delivered their scripts and did a revision of two, they were paid, sent home, their salary ended. They are off looking for another gig. If the series gets another season, maybe they will be brought back. Maybe they won’t. Maybe they can’t, since they are off in another mini-room for another show. If they do get brought back, they may get a promotion… but that’s not guaranteed.”
“I know writers who have been Staff Writer on half a dozen different series, and others who have been “Writer’s Room Assistant” (which is the new entry level gig, since no one buys freelance scripts any more) three or four times, never getting off the bottom rung of the ladder so matter how talented they are. And when a junior writer does finally get a better title, even one that will put a P-word on their IMDB credits, they still won’t have any producing experience.”
Junior writers are limited to “visitors” on sets
Martin continued, “In many cases they won’t be asked to set even when the episodes they wrote are being filmed. (They may be ALLOWED on set, if the showrunner and execs are cool with that, but only as a visitor, with no authority, no role. And no pay, of course. They may even be told they are not allowed to speak to the actors).”
Martin hopes that this is one battle that the WGA wins on behalf of all the budding writers all over America.
Effects of the Writer’s Strike
Under the rules of the strike, the members of WGA have stopped their work on all projects that fall under the union’s jurisdiction. The production of a number of films and TV shows might be affected in the coming days and might even come to a halt following the strike.
