I'm a showrunner, but I'm also a member of the DGA. However, I identify as a WGA writer. One of the most prevalent comments I get from my director friends is, "that mandatory staffing level thing -- that's crazy, you'll never get that." What is ironic about that comment, is that the DGA already has "mandatory staffing levels" built into their deal. When a DGA director arrives on set, there is a DGA 1st AD, a DGA 2nd AD, (sometimes a 3rd), a DGA UPM, a DGA Set PA, and often a DGA Production Manager and/or Line Producer. So every DGA director, on every DGA production has a "mandatory staffing level" because it is in the DGA minimum basic agreement. That is exactly what the WGA is asking for -- that a certain level of staff, trained to write/produce the show and know it's history, is built into our MBA deal. The streamers would like to get to a point where there is a showrunner/creator who sits alone in a room and hires some freelancers to write eight episodes for the WGA minimum. No weekly salaries, no extra pension and health costs. No training for writers on set or in post. That's the gig economy at work. So the WGA ask for mandatory staffing levels isn't "crazy" it is parity with our DGA colleagues.
I'm a showrunner, but I'm also a member of the DGA. However, I identify as a WGA writer. One of the most prevalent comments I get from my director friends is, "that mandatory staffing level thing -- that's crazy, you'll never get that." What is ironic about that comment, is that the DGA already has "mandatory staffing levels" built into their deal. When a DGA director arrives on set, there is a DGA 1st AD, a DGA 2nd AD, (sometimes a 3rd), a DGA UPM, a DGA Set PA, and often a DGA Production Manager and/or Line Producer. So every DGA director, on every DGA production has a "mandatory staffing level" because it is in the DGA minimum basic agreement. That is exactly what the WGA is asking for -- that a certain level of staff, trained to write/produce the show and know it's history, is built into our MBA deal. The streamers would like to get to a point where there is a showrunner/creator who sits alone in a room and hires some freelancers to write eight episodes for the WGA minimum. No weekly salaries, no extra pension and health costs. No training for writers on set or in post. That's the gig economy at work. So the WGA ask for mandatory staffing levels isn't "crazy" it is parity with our DGA colleagues.