Hollywoke -- A thread for Tinseltown's Tailspin into Televangelism

[B-Man]

 

So he lied.

 

What a shock.

 

Video released by the Santa Fe Sheriff’s Office shows Alec Baldwin with his finger on the trigger during a rehearsal

 

https://twitchy.com/gregp-3534/2022/04/26/video-released-by-the-santa-fe-sheriffs-office-shows-alec-baldwin-with-his-finger-on-the-trigger-during-a-rehearsal/

 

 

 

[IDBillzFan]

Hey @Deranged Rhino, my wife and I were having a discussion last night I told her I would toss for your consideration.

 

She's a TV junkie, born with a TV in her bedroom. She'll pretty much watch anything, but particularly digs stuff like 911: Lonestar, Chicago Med, Chicago Fire, Station 19, FBI, etc. 

 

Lately their seems to be more of a nod to Christianity in these shows. For example, someone survives a massive accident, and there is talk of it being a miracle, or there being divine intervention, etc. A character on Lonestar has "Psalm 31" tattooed on his hand.

 

What we wonder is this: do you think this comes from writers who lobby to get their faith interjected into the shows, or from producers who realize from focus groups that most people prefer to see their faith represented? Or is it something else?

[Deranged Rhino]

13 minutes ago, IDBillzFan said:

Hey @Deranged Rhino, my wife and I were having a discussion last night I told her I would toss for your consideration.

 

She's a TV junkie, born with a TV in her bedroom. She'll pretty much watch anything, but particularly digs stuff like 911: Lonestar, Chicago Med, Chicago Fire, Station 19, FBI, etc. 

 

Lately their seems to be more of a nod to Christianity in these shows. For example, someone survives a massive accident, and there is talk of it being a miracle, or there being divine intervention, etc. A character on Lonestar has "Psalm 31" tattooed on his hand.

 

What we wonder is this: do you think this comes from writers who lobby to get their faith interjected into the shows, or from producers who realize from focus groups that most people prefer to see their faith represented? Or is it something else?

 

Good question - but I'm on the move at the moment. Back to answer in full in a bit  

[Fansince88]

5 hours ago, Deranged Rhino said:

 

Good question - but I'm on the move at the moment. Back to answer in full in a bit  

[B-Man]

 

[Deranged Rhino]

20 hours ago, IDBillzFan said:

Hey @Deranged Rhino, my wife and I were having a discussion last night I told her I would toss for your consideration.

 

She's a TV junkie, born with a TV in her bedroom. She'll pretty much watch anything, but particularly digs stuff like 911: Lonestar, Chicago Med, Chicago Fire, Station 19, FBI, etc. 

 

Lately their seems to be more of a nod to Christianity in these shows. For example, someone survives a massive accident, and there is talk of it being a miracle, or there being divine intervention, etc. A character on Lonestar has "Psalm 31" tattooed on his hand.

 

What we wonder is this: do you think this comes from writers who lobby to get their faith interjected into the shows, or from producers who realize from focus groups that most people prefer to see their faith represented? Or is it something else?

 

Apologies for the delay, it's been a crazy few weeks over here... The short answer is that it's a bit of the writers pushing more of their faith, and a bit of network TV trying to differentiate itself from the streaming platforms. The longer, more detailed answer below: 

There are a few reasons for this, especially over the past two years. First, there are indeed plenty of writers (producers and higher as well) who lean right, and who are Christian. Though, these writers tend to be in the older demographics of the writer pool - and that usually means they're high(er) ranking on a  show (Co-Executive Producer and above types).
Traditionally that has always given them more clout to get the storylines and themes they care most about into the show in some form. However, most of those older writers (at least the ones I've worked with) aren't wired to write that way, to push messaging, because they were trained/brought up in a business that was borderline allergic to that kind of activism-writing. They're more interested in the best story that lets them keep their job, because network TV is/was a tough place to get your foot in the door and a very easy place to get rousted from. 

 

The younger generation of writers (I'm somewhere right between these two demos) have come into the business with a VERY different mindset. They see TV shows and films as a platform for activism and preaching. They don't see their roles as being a cog in a larger corporate machine, because they tend to despise corporations and capitalism to begin with. They believe it's more important to be pushing the "proper" message (whatever that may be in the moment) than it is to deliver a compelling narrative or profits for their companies. This wasn't a big issue for writer's rooms until the creative executives (who always hover around the 25-35 age range before they get bumped up to bigger jobs) starting becoming contemporaries with these younger writers. Once more and more of the activist-millennial types became execs, the "no-preaching" shackles started to come off, and the younger writers started getting more clout by selling their own shows, getting promotions, and winning Emmys. That's painting with a broad brush, of course, there are plenty of younger writers who only care about creating good stories - but even they have to serve the woke master just to get their episodes approved. Something that NEVER happened in years past. Today we get notes about ADDING messaging in, whereas in the past the notes would be about stripping messaging OUT.  

 

I attribute this generational difference to the way we were taught to write. When I was coming up, the first rule of TV or Film writing was "show don't tell", followed closely by "don't preach". Not because the writers before me didn't have issues they cared about or wanted their shows to tackle, but because they knew the audiences didn't want to listen to a "Lesson of the Week" unless it was that kind of show. And, more importantly, the network execs and studio heads from those older generations all had the metrics and ratings to back that position up. It wasn't seen as good business to push ideologies without offering a compelling counter. Whereas the younger generation is now coming into the business to preach, something reinforced by seeing other writer-preachers selling shows, winning awards, and getting praised on social media. They want to be activists first and writers second. And the rise of streaming platforms, and their secretive algorithms and metric counters, make it easier to pretend that audiences are into that preaching.

 

When I'm pretty certain they are not - with some exceptions.

 

So, there is a generational divide reinforced by creative executives and network executives becoming more and more "millennial" in terms of the numbers. And I think some higher up writers of the older generations are absolutely pushing back and inserting more of their own messaging into shows as a response to this. I do think that's happening, but I think that's primarily happening on network shows, and at least part of that shift is because networks still use a public, verifiable rating system which allows them to see that there is a market for these stories now. And why wouldn't there be a market? Right now the woke stuff is being pushed SO hard everywhere, it's only natural that there'd be an appetite out there for something different. There always is. Always will be. 

 

The battle between traditional network platforms and streaming services is playing a role in this too. The shows you mentioned, the Chicago Meds, Lonestar et al, are still network programs. Meaning they rely on actual ratings that everyone can see and no one can deny. Compared to Netflix, or any of the apps, which guard those numbers with their lives. Even showrunners of Netflix shows don't really know how their programs are being received because the execs don't share the full data since it's proprietary. It wouldn't surprise me if Fox and CBS specifically (more than ABC, NBC) have seen their ratings rise when they put more of "traditional/Christian/conservative" themes into their shows. And it wouldn't shock me if the showrunners who are pushing back are using that data to get the network to go along with it. From the network perspective, they're dying. They need to find a way to compete with streamers - this might be one way they're trying to accomplish that. 

 

I know for certain that a lot of streaming execs push "preaching" (however you wish to define it) or "messaging" in their shows. That NEVER happened in all my years in network TV. When an issue episode ran on CBS, as an example, the network execs and their notes would all be aimed at not preaching because they didn't want to offend chunks of their viewers. The streaming experience as a writer and creator is very different in my experience. There, the network execs (who tend to be younger for the most part) are more interested in driving social media reactions and engagement with the show through those platforms, meaning they push to make it "woke" over "traditional". They WANT controversy, they want to be lightning rods for social media conversations. They don't want to be just a "water cooler show" that everyone has to talk about with their friends, they want to be recognized for their "bravery" in telling "important stories". And from a streaming exec's point of view, I get that. There is SO much content on streamers that even really great shows can get lost in the clutter. But a show that gets people talking won't get missed. 

 

Ultimately what I think is happening is a combination of networks trying to find a different spot in the marketplace to compete against the big streamers and the older generation of writers finally pushing back against the activism of the younger generation. 

 

 

[Ann]

Disney 

 

Geoff Morrell Out as Disney Communications Chief After Less Than Four Months
 

</snip>
 

Morrell, ousted after less than four months on the job, joined Disney in January from a post as the executive vice president of communications and advocacy at oil and gas company BP. But the transition was bumpy, coinciding with a bruising period in which Disney CEO Bob Chapek was faulted for his stumbling response to Florida’s “Don’t Say Gay” laws. Disney said Morell is “leaving the company to pursue other opportunities.”
 

His role will be split in half. Kristina Schake will lead The Walt Disney Company’s communications efforts, serving as our executive vice president of global communications reporting directly to Chapek. Schake joined Disney in April, and was previously deputy communications director for Hillary Clinton’s 2016 presidential campaign. She also served in the Obama and Biden administrations.
 

</snip>

[Deranged Rhino]

https://variety.com/2022/digital/news/netflix-lawsuit-shareholders-subscriber-miss-1235258330/
 

https://variety.com/2022/biz/news/netflix-stock-drop-hollywood-layoffs-1235257661/

 

Excerpts: 

 

" Netflix’s swoon is being greeted with some schadenfreude, particularly among executives at legacy studios who had grown tired of hearing about how algorithms had made the traditional greenlight process, built on gut instincts, obsolete. However, the reality is that the fundamental problems bedeviling the streaming service, namely a maturing business and increased competition, spell trouble for nearly every other Hollywood player. Disney, Comcast, Paramount Global and Warners have all moved aggressively into the streaming space to stave off cord-cutting declines and demonstrate their ability to evolve.
 

Now Wall Street has serious questions about Hollywood’s long-term financial viability.“We think the industry is facing a point of no return in which the economics of the old models look increasingly frail while the potential of the brave new world now appears overly hyped,” wrote Robert Fishman, an analyst with MoffettNathanson, on May 2.

[Crap Throwing Clavin]

2 minutes ago, Deranged Rhino said:

https://variety.com/2022/digital/news/netflix-lawsuit-shareholders-subscriber-miss-1235258330/
 

https://variety.com/2022/biz/news/netflix-stock-drop-hollywood-layoffs-1235257661/

 

Excerpts: 

 

" Netflix’s swoon is being greeted with some schadenfreude, particularly among executives at legacy studios who had grown tired of hearing about how algorithms had made the traditional greenlight process, built on gut instincts, obsolete. However, the reality is that the fundamental problems bedeviling the streaming service, namely a maturing business and increased competition, spell trouble for nearly every other Hollywood player. Disney, Comcast, Paramount Global and Warners have all moved aggressively into the streaming space to stave off cord-cutting declines and demonstrate their ability to evolve.
 

Now Wall Street has serious questions about Hollywood’s long-term financial viability.“We think the industry is facing a point of no return in which the economics of the old models look increasingly frail while the potential of the brave new world now appears overly hyped,” wrote Robert Fishman, an analyst with MoffettNathanson, on May 2.

 

Now?  Hollywood's long-term financial viability has been in question ever since the quarter-billion dollar tent-pole movies elbowed out mid-range budget movies and threw the theater distribution system completely out of whack fiscally. 

 

And Hollywood knows distribution is &#%$ed.  Look at how marketing seems to have fallen apart since COVID.  

[Deranged Rhino]

2 minutes ago, Crap Throwing Monkey said:

 

Now?  Hollywood's long-term financial viability has been in question ever since the quarter-billion dollar tent-pole movies elbowed out mid-range budget movies and threw the theater distribution system completely out of whack fiscally. 

 

And Hollywood knows distribution is &#%$ed.  Look at how marketing seems to have fallen apart since COVID.  

 

Yuuuup. 

 

In a bit I'll be able to share some of the horror stories going around Netflix right now. Dozens of shows just got axed, some of them happened while the writers were signing new contracts for future seasons.  Happened to a buddy just yesterday while he was doing an interview to announce his show getting picked up - the reporter broke the news that it had been canceled and he'd been fired. Turns out his exec didn't inform him because the exec was fired Monday and no one told any of the staff working on the show.

 

It's a bloodbath right now. 

[Crap Throwing Clavin]

55 minutes ago, Deranged Rhino said:

 

Yuuuup. 

 

In a bit I'll be able to share some of the horror stories going around Netflix right now. Dozens of shows just got axed, some of them happened while the writers were signing new contracts for future seasons.  Happened to a buddy just yesterday while he was doing an interview to announce his show getting picked up - the reporter broke the news that it had been canceled and he'd been fired. Turns out his exec didn't inform him because the exec was fired Monday and no one told any of the staff working on the show.

 

It's a bloodbath right now. 

 

You know what would have saved his job?

 

A helicopter chase!

[Taro T]

23 minutes ago, Crap Throwing Monkey said:

 

You know what would have saved his job?

 

A helicopter chase!

 

Is the answer a Starsky & Hutch reboot starring the cast from Cuties?

 

WITH a helicopter chase!

[IDBillzFan]

23 minutes ago, Crap Throwing Monkey said:

 

You know what would have saved his job?

 

A helicopter chase!

 

Or Michael Bay and a shitload of C4.

[Crap Throwing Clavin]

2 minutes ago, IDBillzFan said:

 

Or Michael Bay and a shitload of C4.

 

Didn't save Ambulance.

[IDBillzFan]

1 minute ago, Crap Throwing Monkey said:

 

Didn't save Ambulance.

 

A movie described on IMDB as "Two robbers steal an ambulance after their heist goes awry" isn't going to be saved by anyone. I'd rather see another Scream movie.

[Crap Throwing Clavin]

1 minute ago, IDBillzFan said:

 

A movie described on IMDB as "Two robbers steal an ambulance after their heist goes awry" isn't going to be saved by anyone. I'd rather see another Scream movie.

 

Except Steve Buscemi.  Whether sitting in the back of a crash-landing plane singing "He's got the whole world in his hands," or owing 100 grand to a fat-ass loan shark which he spent on a stripper named Molly Mounds, he's saved more than one Michael Bay movie.  

[Ann]

3 minutes ago, Crap Throwing Monkey said:

 

Except Steve Buscemi.  Whether sitting in the back of a crash-landing plane singing "He's got the whole world in his hands," or owing 100 grand to a fat-ass loan shark which he spent on a stripper named Molly Mounds, he's saved more than one Michael Bay movie.  

He was definitely the best parts of Con Air and Armageddon which I did not know were Michael Bay movies.  🤷‍♂️

[devnull]

2 hours ago, Ann said:

He was definitely the best parts of Con Air

Jon Malkovich and Steve Buscemi were the only enjoyable nuggets in that steaming pile of Cusack 

[B-Man]

 

 

Writers Guild urges Hollywood NOT to shoot
films and TV shows in states that ban abortion

by Gina Martinez

 

Original Article

 

 

[B-Man]

"On April 14 of this year, I was fired by Netflix for what they determined to be unacceptable behavior on set...."

 

"I was playing the leading role of Roderick Usher in Edgar Allan Poe’s classic The Fall of the House of Usher, modernized as an eight-episode series for Netflix. It is a glorious role, and I had come to regard it as, most likely, my last hurrah...  On March 25 of this year, I was performing a love scene with the actress playing my young wife. Both of us were fully clothed. I was sitting on a couch, she was standing in front of me. The director called 'cut.' 'He touched my leg,' said the actress. 'That was not in the blocking.' She then turned and walked off the set, followed by the director and the intimacy coordinator.... [Someone from Human Resources contacted him a week later and said] 'Before the love scene began on March 25... our intimacy coordinator suggested where you both should put your hands. It has been brought to our attention that you said, "This is absurd!"' 'Yes,' I said, 'I did. And I still think so.' It was a love scene on camera. Legislating the placement of hands, to my mind, is ludicrous. It undermines instinct and spontaneity. Toward the end of our conversation, she suggested that I not contact the young lady, the intimacy coordinator, or anyone else in the company. 'We don’t want to risk retaliation... Intention is not our concern. Netflix deals only with impact.'"

Writes Frank Langella in "Fired By Netflix, Frank Langella Refutes Allegations Of 'Unacceptable Behavior'" (Deadline). Langella is 84 years old.