The hullaballoo over writers in Hollywood is not yet over, despite the fact that the issue has been going on for quite some time now. With the recent big movie releases and other issues that have come up, the issues that the SAG have laid on the table have seemed to take the back row. At the end of last week, though, we heard some news regarding this once again.

After a long 4 months of total deadlock, the film studios and the SAG have finally broken their silence and met together for the first time. The BBC has this report:

The two sides came together under the guidance of a mediator, but it is not known what was discussed. At least one Hollywood has figure said the deadlock could last until next year and may result in strike action.

SAG wants actors to get more money from DVD sales, plus a greater say in the endorsement of products on-air. The four major Hollywood Studios quit talks with the Screen Actors Guild (SAG) in June.

So what is going to happen now? We really do not know as not much was disclosed as to what happened during the meeting. Perhaps the film studios will give way. Perhaps the SAG will settle for a lesser amount. There are a lot of perhaps and ifs here but one thing we do know – if this issue is not resolved soon, we might be facing something similar to the strike that the writers had last year. And we all know that will be damaging to a lot of concerned parties.

Having recently seen Speed Racer I now feel the need to write about two of my favorite writers/ producers/ directors. The Wachowski brothers, Andy and Larry, has a pretty good list of films both as writers and producers. Although they only have relatively few films between them (15 as writers, 9 as producers, and 8 as directors) you’ll be surprised at the number of awards they have earned, although I’d say that if you saw any of their films you shouldn’t be surprised at all. In fact so far they’ve already been nominated 9 times for various awards and won 6 out of the 5 nominations.

Films and video games done by the Wachowski Brothers include:

Speed Racer (2008) – writers, producers, and directors
V for Vendetta (2005) – writers, producers
The Matrix: Path of Neo (2005 – video game) – writers, directors
The Matrix Online (2005 – video game) – writers, directors
The Matrix Revolutions (2003) – writers, executive producers, and directors
Enter the Matrix (2003 – video game) – writers, directors
The Matrix Reloaded (2003) – writers, executive producers, and directors
The Animatrix (2003) – segment writers; producers
The Matrix (1999) – writers, producers, and directors
Bound (1996) – writers, executive producers, and directors
Assassins (1995) – writers

They are also producers of a film currently filming – Ninja Assassin.

The mark of the Wachowski brothers are one-of-a-kind surreal films that somehow feel familiar and believable. From machines taking over the world to race car drivers winning a fixed race the recurring theme is changing the world despite impossible odds. Hmmm. Sounds corny? Somehow the Wachowski brothers put it together to make it far from corny. Cool beans its another Wachowski film in the making!

If it weren’t for Jon Stewart, the Academy Awards would’ve come and gone with little said over about the Hollywood writers strike. “Welcome to the makeup sex,” joked the host, referring to the end of hostilities and (hopefully) the beginning of better TV.

“Of course, there’s some collateral damage left over from the strike — emotionally, economically, perhaps worst of all the cancellation of the legendary Vanity Fair Oscar party,” he said. “They said they did it out of, quote, respect for the writers. You know a way they could show respect for the writers? Maybe, one day, invite some of them to the Vanity Fair Oscar party. I promise — they won’t mingle.”

Unfortunately, there were very few actors who actually gave the writers what they really wanted: acknowledgment. One notably exception was Diablo Cody who accepted her trophy for original screenplay by saying, “This is for the writers, and I want to thank all the writers.”

The writer’s strike hit the Hollywood economy hard. Experts say that the 3-month shutdown had led to $2.5 billion in lost business. Aside from the wages, awards shows like the Golden Globes were cancelled (that event alone cost $60 million n cancelled ads and promos).

It’s official. The writer’s strike is over!

“The strike has been extraordinarily difficult for all of us, but the hardest hit of all have been the many thousands of businesses, workers and families that are economically dependent on our industry. We hope now to focus our collective efforts on what this industry does best — writers, directors, actors, production crews, and entertainment companies working together to deliver great content to our worldwide audiences,” said union honchos in a joint statement.

The Grammys delivered on its promise of throwing a true Hollywood party, complete with red carpets, gowns, and vizarre acceptance speeches. In the list of winners you’ll find an amazing sweep from brilliant — yet very troubled — singer Amy Winehouse. She performed a song and sent her thanks via satellite, having been denied entry into the US because of her drug history.

The Grammys — which honors the best in the music industry — is the only major event to have gotten approval of the Writers Guild of America.

Insiders say that there are signs that the Hollywood strike is over.

The Writers Guild of America has a tentative agreement with the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers, but will still vote on the new terms (which will take place over the next 48 hours).

Seems like the Hollywood writer’s strike is going on and on and on and on… so is it going to end any time soon, and are there any negotations? Get it straight from the writers themselves at the Union’s blog.

We’d quote them but then they might complain copyright infringement and picket US.

Get into the brilliant (and some would say, twisted) mind of one of the greatest directors and writers that Hollywood has ever known, Woody Allen. The book
Conversations with Woody Allen: His FIlms, the Movies, and Moviemaking by Eric Lax is as entertaining as its subject, and is dotted with quotes that are, well, so Woody Allen.

Allen explains many of the nuances of his films, his decision to make a “mockumentary” (long before the phrase was coined, and the project became trendy) and how he handles the cut-throat competition and general cattiness of Hollywood.

Excellent buy.

Want to get into the Hollywood industry? or just interested in knowing what it’s like behind the scenes — the drama, the intrigue, the million-dollar deals?

Then look at this
list of books about the real Hollywood and how to survive in it.

The list includes advice for those who want entertainment careers to social and historical commentaries.