Joss Whedon, Friends & Fans on the Picket Line
We talk to the Buffy/Angel creator, Summer Glau and Eliza Dushku about the strike.
by Eric Goldman
December 10, 2007 - This past Friday was "Mutant Enemy Day" on the picket lines during the ongoing Writers Guild strike, named in honor of Joss Whedon's production company. Whedon, the creator of Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Angel and Firefly, was joined by writers from all of those aforementioned shows -- including Tim Minear, Marti Noxon, Jane Espenson, David Fury, Doug Petrie, Ben Edlund, Brett Matthews, Drew Goddard and more -- not to mention a large collection of fans (some of whom had flown from around the world to show support) and many notable actors from Whedon's work, including Nathan Fillion, Nicholas Brendon, Summer Glau, Eliza Dushku, J. August Richards, Juliet Landau, Alan Tudyk, Morena Baccarin, J. August Richards and more. According to fan reports, Buffy herself, Sarah Michelle Gellar, began the day by bringing 1000 donuts to those in attendance.
The group, all-told about 400 people, walked the picket line in front of the 20th Century Fox Lot, the studio who have produced all of Whedon's TV series. Summer Glau told me her presence there that day began with an email from Whedon, which she said "Was a very funny email, like it always is. He writes great emails… he's an amazing writer! Even his emails are brilliant." Glau added "I didn't know quite what to picture. I just knew that he was going to be here. So I was surprised the huge, huge crowd that showed up today."
Glau said that stopping production on her new series Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles has "been heartbreaking. No one wants to stop working. We love what we do. This is just a necessary step for us. We'll support the writers as long as they are striking." Glau noted she had been glad to see fans showing such understanding about the strike, saying "I think everyone's been really positive and hopeful and it's wonderful to see how many people showed up to support us."
Eliza Dushku also told me she was glad to see so many fans joining the writers and actors on the picket line, remarking "I think it's impressive and it's strong and it's really showing what these people are made of. Their support is deep that they'll walk the walk. We all will." Duskhu said that for her the strike was about the writers "Being taken care of properly in the fairest way, so we'll stand here and support that as long as it takes."
As for TV fans upset about the strike and their shows not being on the air, Dushku said she hoped they would understand that "You don't have shows without writers and writers can't live without their respect and the compensation and their rights. So we gotta join together and remember that if it were actors we would hope that there would be a show of support and hopefully everyone will understand."
I also spoke to Whedon himself, to get his thoughts on the strike, the studios, the fans, and even a few comments about Dollhouse, the new series Whedon will be writing for Eliza Dushku whenever the strike ends. It should be noted that this interview was conducted a few hours before word came down that negotiations between the writers (the WGA) and the studios (the AMPTP) had completely collapsed once more.
IGN TV: You know you have a lot of loyal fans, but I assume it feels particularly good to see them out in support of something like this.
Joss Whedon: It doesn't hurt!
IGN TV: After perhaps some initial confusion over what the strike was about, do you feel like the fans understand the crux of the issues going on now?
Whedon: The fans from day one have understood what this is about. There's never been any "Where's our shows? Why are you guys doing this?" They understand that we're reacting to an impossible situation. They also understand that making a show or a film is collaboration between the artists and the fans. They come out and support not just with us but with each other and the whole concept of an artistic community.
IGN TV: We've obviously heard a lot of back and forth the past week or so as negotiations resumed - "things are going good"; things are going bad." What's the overall vibe you're getting?
Whedon: Things are going bad. I kind of thought it was going to be bad. I had this conspiracy theory that the studios were just going back to the table as a show of good faith but then they offer us nothing and then say "Look, they didn't even try", as they break off talks with us and send everybody into the holidays in fear for their jobs and their homes and their livelihoods. And that's exactly what they're turning out to do.
IGN TV: What do you think it will take to get things to change and to come to an agreement?
Whedon: We have to break them. These are multi-billionaires who could give a rat's ass about any of the issues they're actually talking about except for one – If they can break this union, then they can break them all. If they can do that, then they can control everything. They already, thanks to the [repeal of] Fin-syn laws and all of the sort of vertical integration, control almost everything. They're very close. They have basically one last thing to figure out how to own and rule in and we're it. And it's simply not going to happen. The only way we can break them is just by stopping. By being out here instead of in there. And we'll do it. We'll do it for a year. We'll do it forever. We'll do it until somebody else steps up and says "Hey, we'll run a business a different way." We'll work for those people instead. What you're going to find in Hollywood is maybe a lot fewer millionaires, but a lot more working people with steady jobs, because these guys can not crush us. It will not happen.
IGN TV: If you did encounter someone saying "I just want my shows back!", what would you say to them?
Whedon: No fan is saying that. The people who sit in front of the TV because they can't figure out what else to do might be saying that. Fans are not saying that. Fans are getting on the internet and showing support and coming to this rally and organizing in a way that I wish I could ever. Fans are the people who really, absolutely get it. And so not one of them has ever said to me "I'm upset that I'm not going to get to see your shows because of the strike." They say "Get what you need. Do what you have to. Make it right. And then we'll get the show."
IGN TV: Your new show was announced about a week before this strike started. I assume you'd be working on it right now if things were different?
Whedon: Yes, actually we'd be close to filming the first episode. But that's not gonna happen. Nor am I secretly working on it, as many people talk about. First of all, there's too much strike work to be done. And second of all, it doesn't feel right. So I'm very happy to pick it up once the strike is resolved, whenever that is, but in the meantime I don't go near it.
IGN TV: When this is all over, what can you say about Dollhouse and what it will deliver?
Whedon: What can I say about the show? Well, first of all, have you seen Eliza?! It's basically going to deliver as many different genres and as many different identities and as many different rhythms and feelings with Eliza. And that was the idea of it, was a show that would keep both of us on our toes and that would really challenge us, both in terms of storytelling and in terms of the morality of the show. It's very dark and very weird. Eliza is a good, smart, liberal, dedicated person, who wants to make a show of substance. When we had lunch and I came up with this idea, she got it instantly. She got the humanity of it. She's perfect for it. It's really about showing America how much Eliza can do that she hasn't had a chance to do yet.
IGN TV: In terms of tone, will it be similar to any of your previous work?
Whedon: Not really. It's different. It's new ground, which is the only ground I should be watching, except for this ground in front of Fox, which for me right now is pretty old.
