3rd & Fairfax: The WGAW Podcast Writers Guild of America West
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- TV & Film
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News and information about the WGAw, and interviews with screenwriters from the worlds of movies, television, and new media.
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- Brit Marling | AFM Local 47 President Stephanie O’Keefe
In this episode’s Union Town segment (01:03), WGAW member “Jazz” Peck talks with American Federation of Musicians Local 47 President Stephanie O’Keefe about representing musicians in the industry, the power of solidarity, and the magic that both musicians and writers create with their work. Then, WGAW member Aaron Fullerton talks with A Murder at the End of the World co-creator-showrunner-writer and co-star Brit Marling (23:26) about telling stories that blend real emotions with big ideas, the unique pitching process she has with her writing partner, and more.
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- Francesca Sloane | Many Crafts, One Fight Recap
In this episode’s Union Town segment (1:00), Writers Guild members turn out in force to show solidarity at the recent Many Crafts, One Fight rally to kick off crew unions IATSE, Teamsters, and Hollywood Basic Crafts’ negotiations with the AMPTP. Then, host Josephine Green Zhang talks with Mr. and Mrs. Smith co-creator and showrunner Francesca Sloane (9:45) about her new Amazon series, creative process, career, and more.
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- Albert Kim | Matt Pearce on Organizing in the Newsroom
This year has seen multiple newsroom strikes, massive lay-offs, and sudden closures. In this episode’s Union Town segment (1:01), WGAW Asian American Writers Committee Chair Kristina Woo talks with Media Guild West President and former Los Angeles Times writer Matt Pearce about how reporters are organizing the newsroom to push back against corporate greed and protect good jobs. Kristina then speaks with writer and former journalist Albert Kim, developer and showrunner of Avatar: The Last Airbender, about crafting his new hit Netflix series, how Asian representation matters, and more. (31:51)
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Gina Yashere | Second City Educators Discuss Tentative Deal
In this episode’s “Union Town” segment (1:05), host Andra Whipple speaks with Rebekah Walendzak Slepski & Bina Martin about how educators at the Second City Training Center in Chicago, members of the Association of International Comedy Educators, reached a tentative deal with the iconic comedy company after a marathon, 11-hour bargaining session, thwarting a planned strike and ending a two-year fight for their first contract. Then host Monique Sorgen talks with writer-actor-comedian Gina Yashere (25:18) about her Nigerian-British roots and her unique path from stand-up to co-creating and co-starring on CBS’ hit comedy series Bob Hearts Abishola.
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Cord Jefferson, and USC Adjunct Professors Fight for Unionization
In this episode’s new “Union Town” segment (1:18), WGAW member Jasmyne Peck speaks with educators Peter Gamble and Dara Resnik about how USC’s Adjunct Faculty Alliance is organizing with UAW (United Auto Workers) to improve their pay and working conditions. Next up, to coincide with Black History Month, Committee of Black Writers Co-Chair Hilliard Guess talks with Writers Guild Award & Emmy-winning and Academy Award-nominated writer Cord Jefferson (18:24) (Succession, Watchmen) about his acclaimed film American Fiction, the challenges of adaption, and creating Black-centered narratives.
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Ep. 365 - Sarah Polley
Host Moon Zappa speaks with filmmaker Sarah Polley about writing and directing her latest film Women Talking, adapted from Miriam Toews’ novel about women in an isolated religious community who grapple with reconciling their faith with brutal reality.
Customer Reviews
Good podcast
Provides good insight into the life of writers with great interviews. The only reason I can’t give it 5 stars is because Hilliard Guess is a horrible interviewer. He cusses for no reason (even if the guests are not cussing) so I can’t listen to the podcast in the car when my kids are there. And he can’t simply ask a question without throwing in some random remark.
I Want to LOVE This but…
I love and look forward to the content. This is an interesting, smart and informative podcast. But why is the sound quality so bad? You guys are in the heart of the entertainment business yet the audio often sounds like you’re recording in a tin can at the end of a long hallway. Please figure this out because right now these are often too painful to listen to.
Good access, poor preparation by hosts and production
I wish a podcast that has a group behind it like the WGA West would put a few bucks into production. Listening to tinny sound for an hour is fine for the folks starting out, but come on WGA! I also wish these hosts would prepare more, and talk less about themselves. Especially for the one host I’ve looked up one, and they (being vague not to call out anyone too intensely) don’t seem to have any significant screenwriting credits, so I’m not sure why they are a host? Anyway, it’s not too late to put a little money into this so a sound engineer can help, and a host can get a producer to prep them.