Has anyone read the newspaper articles about the 28 screenwriters (WGA members) who filed a class-action lawsuit against TV companies, studios and talent agencies alleging age discrimination? Seems like 40 is the magic number after which writing for a younger audience becomes impossible. The first article appeared around october 24th. I saw another today.
The suit is mainly by TV sitcom and drama writers. But alleges that age discrimination is widespread in the movie industry, not just TV.
Should we even argue whether age discirmination goes on or should we assume that it does and go on to the next question: Do you really have to be under 40 to write for an audience under 40?
Why would 40 be the cut off? Why not 30? I mean, if the biggest audience is males between 18-24 (please someone correct me this stat is wrong), why would anyone over 30 (does anyone remember when "anyone over 30" was suspect?) really know the mind of an 18-24 year old?
40 seems awfully young to be drowned in the writer dead pool by industry "bigs". One article I read described a female writer who lied about her age, said she was ten years younger than she was in order to get a writing job. She excelled, even got awards fer her writing, until her age was found out, then she was fired. Yes, she was over 40.
Why can't a script live or die on its own merits? What happens at 40 that causes instant inability to understand and write for youth markets?
greg
The suit is mainly by TV sitcom and drama writers. But alleges that age discrimination is widespread in the movie industry, not just TV.
Should we even argue whether age discirmination goes on or should we assume that it does and go on to the next question: Do you really have to be under 40 to write for an audience under 40?
Why would 40 be the cut off? Why not 30? I mean, if the biggest audience is males between 18-24 (please someone correct me this stat is wrong), why would anyone over 30 (does anyone remember when "anyone over 30" was suspect?) really know the mind of an 18-24 year old?
40 seems awfully young to be drowned in the writer dead pool by industry "bigs". One article I read described a female writer who lied about her age, said she was ten years younger than she was in order to get a writing job. She excelled, even got awards fer her writing, until her age was found out, then she was fired. Yes, she was over 40.
Why can't a script live or die on its own merits? What happens at 40 that causes instant inability to understand and write for youth markets?
greg
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