A Striking Writer Recalls What It Was Like To Create A Netflix Show With No Full-Time Room: “I Needed People I Trusted To Take A 90% Pay Cut”
21.07.2023 - 20:31
/ deadline.com
Editors note: As part of Deadline’s ongoing coverage of the WGA and SAG-AFTRA strikes, we have been giving voice to below-the-line workers who have been impacted by the work stoppage. Here, we decided to change gears by asking a writer to recall first-hand what it was like to create a low-budget series for Netflix that had no full-time writers room. Fearful that it may impact their ability to find jobs in the future, they asked that their name not be used.
I have been on a lot of shows over the years. I would call myself more of a blue-collar writer in that I pretty consistently worked as a number two, number three or number four on all types of shows, some for network, some for cable. This was the first opportunity to [launch] something that I created. It was my first show for a streamer. The pluses were control and freedom. But I was definitely worried about budgets and staffing issues. I just figured it would work itself out. It wasn’t a ton of episodes. I was so excited to actually have something get produced that I just figured, ‘oh, it’ll work itself out.’ I don’t want to speak for every other writer, but you know, it’s such a dream to get a show on anywhere. Like, if I have to do everything, I’ll do everything. If I have to call friends, I’ll call friends.
If I’m being completely honest, it wasn’t that it was a bad quote, but I also knew that there was no lottery ticket at the end. But there also was no room to have … I mean, maybe I could have hired one writer full-time, you know? And I didn’t just want to have a staff writer. I needed to have most of my writing friends and then a couple of new writers, and that just was not possible. I needed to make sure there were people who I trusted that were doing me a
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