Do you ever find yourself watching TV and thinking "I could write that"? Or dreaming up new scenarios and dialogue for your favorite characters? Are you a knowledgeable fan of zombie dramas? If so, then Frank Darabont may have an opening for you.
It's been reported that Darabont, executive producer of AMC's hot new show, 'The Walking Dead,' has fired -- or "let go" to put it more politely -- the entire writing staff. What's more, he's apparently considering not replacing them for Season 2, instead assigning scripts to freelancers.
Is he completely crazy, or what? Only this week our own Jason Hughes called 'The Walking Dead' "the best show on television" and said he could see it getting an Emmy nomination for writing. So what's up?
While writer turnover between seasons is not unusual, even for a hit show, mass culling on this scale is distinctly unusual. However, according to the episode breakdown, the Season 1 staff writers may not have been earning their keep. Out of the total six episodes, Darabont wrote two -- the pilot and follow-up -- and either co-wrote or re-wrote the other four. And of those four, one was written by exec producer Robert Kirkman and the other by 'HawthoRNe' alum, writer/producer Glen Mazzara.
The system of using freelance TV scriptwriters is commonplace in the UK, where the Writer's Guild of Great Britain is not as ubiquitous or powerful as its US counterpart, The Writer's Guild of America. And the freelance model has recently been imported to the US via Starz's new stateside version of a British show. 'Doctor Who' spin-off 'Torchwood,' is apparently circumventing Writer's Guild rules because the BBC is the series producer.
However, 'The Walking Dead' execs may have a fight on their hands with the Writer's Guild if they try to forgo a writing staff. Plus, with the Season 2 order standing at 13 episodes, it seems like a logistical nightmare to produce a successful series without one, so it seems likely that a staff--freelancer combo will be used instead.
With Season 2 not premiering until October 2011 there's plenty of time for prospective writers to get to know their zombies and polish those resumes!
'The Walking Dead' airs Sundays, 10PM ET on AMC.
It's been reported that Darabont, executive producer of AMC's hot new show, 'The Walking Dead,' has fired -- or "let go" to put it more politely -- the entire writing staff. What's more, he's apparently considering not replacing them for Season 2, instead assigning scripts to freelancers.
Is he completely crazy, or what? Only this week our own Jason Hughes called 'The Walking Dead' "the best show on television" and said he could see it getting an Emmy nomination for writing. So what's up?
While writer turnover between seasons is not unusual, even for a hit show, mass culling on this scale is distinctly unusual. However, according to the episode breakdown, the Season 1 staff writers may not have been earning their keep. Out of the total six episodes, Darabont wrote two -- the pilot and follow-up -- and either co-wrote or re-wrote the other four. And of those four, one was written by exec producer Robert Kirkman and the other by 'HawthoRNe' alum, writer/producer Glen Mazzara.
The system of using freelance TV scriptwriters is commonplace in the UK, where the Writer's Guild of Great Britain is not as ubiquitous or powerful as its US counterpart, The Writer's Guild of America. And the freelance model has recently been imported to the US via Starz's new stateside version of a British show. 'Doctor Who' spin-off 'Torchwood,' is apparently circumventing Writer's Guild rules because the BBC is the series producer.
However, 'The Walking Dead' execs may have a fight on their hands with the Writer's Guild if they try to forgo a writing staff. Plus, with the Season 2 order standing at 13 episodes, it seems like a logistical nightmare to produce a successful series without one, so it seems likely that a staff--freelancer combo will be used instead.
With Season 2 not premiering until October 2011 there's plenty of time for prospective writers to get to know their zombies and polish those resumes!
'The Walking Dead' airs Sundays, 10PM ET on AMC.
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