love the pics!

Buffysmglover | December 09, 09:30 CET

Yes, you'd never know that we were told not to ask the actors to pose for pictures. But lots did anyway.

Lioness | December 09, 09:51 CET

It's a fine line between "Fun day for us to get lots of pictures" and "Show support to the writers".

But I agree about Camden Toy. He happily spent so much time talking to me at the picnic that I felt guilty about monopolising him and when I asked if I could take his picture he suggested getting someone else to take a snap of the two of us. How is it that Joss not only finds the most talented people but they also happen to be the nicest?

But even with the best intentions I gave in a couple of times and pestered a couple of people.

zz9 | December 09, 10:10 CET

I think (or this is my general impression anyway) there was a general understanding that the photo thing was vaguely inevitable, and the real issue was autograph hunting and clumping up in stationary groups around the notables, and on those counts there really wasn't an issue.

The One True b!X | December 09, 10:17 CET

Yes, you'd never know that we were told not to ask the actors to pose for pictures.

Never would have known. ;)

Buffysmglover | December 09, 10:20 CET

I am saddened that this seems to be all one giant oh my gosh report. Rather than a report of we were there to support the writers AND oh my gosh.

I agree with bix though - pictures weren't really an issue. Many of the actors were excited about taking photos. Amy took a photo with my friend and then asked if I wanted one too. The only exception was Nathan who seemed to be a bit cranky when I heard him with fans. Mostly the actors and writers were glad to talk with the fans and (as Joss told Lexigeek) they felt comfortable and VERY grateful.

I got to interview quite a few notables about the strike and all of them gushed about the fans being there. And I mean GUSHed. So yeah - this review is a bit sad to me, because we were there to support the writers and that really should be what it was all about BUT I also think that's what everyone did.

BrownCoat_Tabz | December 09, 10:48 CET

Well I think it is impressive that this entire family was out there, and I'm sure their children learned something about the importance of unions even though they were more interested in meeting their heroes. Getting the family together, carrying picket signs, IS supporting the writers.

I know that Jane Espenson had said that a little networking, within reason, was fine while picketing so I doubt if anyone was shocked that fans would want to save photos of this brilliant and exciting event!

This strike might drag on for many months, and I hope that Joss and others will feel free to call upon the fans to come down to the picket lines and add their energy and belief in the righteousness of this cause. I would certainly like to have the opportunity to go sometime.

embers | December 09, 11:24 CET

Okay, I didn't read thought it all because I had to post about what stopped me in the end of the second paragraph...

In the words of the Japanese General, "we have awakened the sleeping dragon." In the words of Angel, from Season 7, series finale, "I kind of want to slay the Dragon."

Uggghh!!! And this poster calls herself a fan? ;) Not that "the fans" wouldn't love to see Angel in its seventh season but REALLY. Is season five that hard to forget seeing as she remembered the quote but not a simple number? I'm miffed because this isn't the first time I've seen someone make this mistake about the show *sniff* She really could've left out mentioning the season and would've been better off - I feel all pouty now.

When's the new Angel issue coming out again? *needs some comfort reading*

[ edited by Mirage on 2007-12-09 08:45 ]

Mirage | December 09, 11:25 CET

Yeah, there're quite a few typos in there (QuoterGal reduced to a mere fourth of her normal self for instance ;) and it is a bit less focused on the strike itself than maybe it should be but it's a personal account so I guess he's just relating the experience as he, well, experienced it.

Saje | December 09, 11:57 CET

BrownCoat_Tabz,

The author of the post thinks Nathan was sick.



Do you think Joss gave Nathan the cold that wouldn't go away? Does anybody know if Joss is all better now or is he still sick?

Anonymous1 | December 09, 12:02 CET

Geller ... Gellar? and the S7 dragon really hurt a lot... (although I really don't wanna be picky, I can't get myself to continue reading!)

[ edited by bookworm on 2007-12-09 09:24 ]

bookworm | December 09, 12:24 CET

It attracted the attention of Sarah Michelle Geller Prinze who brought 1,000 boxes of donuts.

Wow, that sure was generous of her. :)

hacksaway | December 09, 12:45 CET

1,000 boxes of donuts? I only counted 5 or 6, but maybe people were that hungry.

Hey, guys! I wasn't able to post on the ME Day thread because I haven't had internet access since Thursday morning. I'm currently holed up in a swanky hotel room in Valencia because I-5 is closed for 50 miles due to icy roads.

I'm so proud of my fellow fans for such a classy appearance at the strike. I'm humbled to have been able to (finally) be part of something like this. I didn't have any meaningful conversations with the writers or actors, and I pretty much gave them the space I felt I should, but I did have a smoke break with Tim Minear, and Camden Toy remarked favorably on my reuse of a water bottle, so that made me feel kinda special. Rubbing elbows with my heroes -- and quite literally, in the case me ending up right next to Joss in a group photo at the picnic. That was pretty surreal.

I had an awesome time, and I just wanted to thank all the writers and actors for being so good to us. You guys rock!

electricspacegirl | December 09, 14:00 CET

A site called 'mycelebrityencounters'? Oi vey.

Caroline | December 09, 14:49 CET

Saje, maybe that Quatergal typo was a subliminal reference to what happened to Anya in season 5. I mean season 7.

MutantFriend | December 09, 14:51 CET

I will say that those kids were AWESOME. They were so well behaved and did really really well for marching around and holding signs for hours on end.

As for the donuts, I think it was 1,000 donuts - and some went to the WGA and some came to the fans. But still it was awesome.

Mirage, I'm kind of amused that you point out the mistake of a fan and question their right to call themselves a fan, but in the next breath you don't know when Angel comics are coming out?! :) Just kidding.

BrownCoat_Tabz | December 09, 19:09 CET

The author of the article is a fellow Whedonesque poster.

Simon | December 09, 19:13 CET

sorry about the season 7 thing, I guess my hubby got so exciting writing he put in what he wished Angel would have gone to :( I fixed it.
On the fans4writers board we were told not to ask for autos but that pictures were ok, we only asked the actors as we were walking the picket line,(except Joss at the beginning for the 2 boys) so if I upset anyone and I misunderstood I apologize. Thanks for the kind words about our boys. They tried thier best and they really had a lot of fun.
It was a wonderful experience and I am glad that so many fans writers and actors were there to make a point and I hope we did. :)

***

Hi, this is the writer, teacherdarlings husband. I wanted to thank Saje, Mirage, and Bookworm, ElectricSpageGirl and the others who pointed out my mistakes. I do apologize. We awoke at 1:30am to drive out to the event, and we drove home the same night arriving home at 5am. I lacked a certain lucidity when I wrote. I will go back through and re-edit it now. ;)

[ edited by Teacherdarling on 2007-12-09 17:48 ]

Teacherdarling | December 09, 19:24 CET

BrownCoat_Tabz *hand over chest* I was kidding too! Didn't you see the wink-y symbol? (here it is again ";)" it reminds of an intoxicated fish. I don't know why) Not only about the fan thing about when Angel's coming out *points at calendar, mobile phone reminder and best friend* I just need my season 6. Hearing about season seven and Angel just makes my blood curdle not because it’s a typo (there was sniffing and pouting involved too) but because it never saw the light! *sobs uncontrollably*

Teacherdarling, the thanks has to come from us! Well, at least the us *cough*me*cough* that wasn't fortunate to be there and was able to pretend how it would've been if they were while reading this. And be jealous. Just a pinch.

Mirage | December 09, 20:16 CET

I thought the photos with fans were not too obstrusive, although I steered clear of partaking just because, well, because it felt like the right thing for me to do. I managed to get some photos of the Mutant Enemy folks marching and that seemed more to the point to me.

igj | December 09, 23:30 CET

I managed to get some photos of the Mutant Enemy folks marching and that seemed more to the point to me.

That's basically all I have as well, except for a few shots of notables off to the side conversing. But then in general I don't go for posed shots regardless of what I'm shooting.

The One True b!X | December 09, 23:56 CET

... I don't go for posed shots regardless of what I'm shooting.

Intriguing ;).

I lacked a certain lucidity when I wrote. I will go back through and re-edit it now. ;)

The real mystery is how you stayed lucid at all in that case. In that context the typos aren't really typos, they're just corrections that haven't been made yet ;).

(and cheers for the account)

Saje | December 10, 00:21 CET

My first batch of photos is in the ME Day pool now.

The One True b!X | December 10, 00:52 CET

;>

My partner wanted to know which 1/4 of me yet survives and how did it happen? I am unable to enlighten him. After the picnic and sampling somebody's killer chocolate pie I felt more like Quoter-Gal-and-a-half.

It was interesting to read someone else's impression of the picket, but I too felt it was not quite in the spirit of the effort to stop the line to ask for posed shots with my favourite Whedonworld folks - and I'm not a big fan of such photos, anyhoo. (I took some writer-and-actor photos for the fans4writers.com website, but that felt different.)

I did go for the Gonerses shots with Joss at the picnic, but that felt like a horse of a different color, after our work was done, when it felt alright to finally pester the very patient Joss a little, and with my fellow Japanese-Doberman-Pie-Eating-Useless-Super-Powers-Possessing-Caption-Writing-Fellow-Gonerses.

I have not done my full strike report yet, nor posted my photos in the several Flickr pools yet, because I apparently suck, but I did post a preliminary mini-report at Goners yesterday, and there are a few more tidbits from other attending Goners in that same thread - including Lioness, who stayed with us at the QuoterHouse. (Also - my mini-report there contains a couple of brags that I was too shy - if you can believe it - to post in here.)

I'll post my full report there when I a) write it and b) stop obsessively color-correcting my crappy cell-phone photos and upload 'em already for gawdssakes.

*runs over to look at the new photos in the flickr pool.*

Ohmigod, somebody with Joss & friends in a C.A. Bridges photo used my Joss-quote-"Laser-Beams-O-How-They-Terrify-Me" strike slogan sticker. I never thought anyone would grab that one - it was there for an absurdist private laugh...

*laughs, absurdly*

QuoterGal | December 10, 01:45 CET

I not sure if I can link to a you tube video I grabbed from theTV, if it's not cool then just let me know.

So.. I was drinking my morning coffee when who caught my eye;
his purpleness self. here's the clip of Mutant Enemy day

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qHSwkQQoAAA

[ edited by adapa on 2007-12-09 22:49 ]

adapa | December 10, 01:49 CET

I have all kinds of weirdo mixed feelings reading this - we were there and I remember this adorable family - those cutie kids at one point were high fiving picketers and my son and I both engaged. Cuties! Our plane flight the night before was cancelled, so we literally got to LAX at 9:30 am - raced and got to a hotel with 15 minutes to spare and then booked it to the picket line (with the help of two lovely Mutant Enemy Ladies - thank you!!). Saw Joss first thing and knew we were in the right place - then four straight hours, around, around, around, around... We were just as awed of all of you as we were with the stars. We're shy, boring, unattractive (well, my son's a doll, but...) and we just picketed while dying a little inside at every star/writer that we recognized. We approached no one not because we're holier-than-thou, but because we're plain weenies! We own every Buffy/Angel/Firefly season - we love others like Tru Calling and Bones. We feed on the 'verse and swim in it - have for years. My son said something poignant while we were walking about a funky heart hurt at being so close to these people that we feel we know and love but we don't, of course, know them at all. We know and love their characters. But we also know what Joss said at the end - which we MISSED because we (literally) limped away at 2pm sharp - is true: The combined essence of the whole creative community is magic. We were there because that magic is threatened by blatant economic injustice. I'm sick inside to know that a resolution isn't imminent, but I hope the effort helped somewhat. I'm thankful to have been given the opportunity and the means to participate. It was bittersweet to have walked with the interpreters of characters we love, but even moreso to know that those who breathe life into those characters are still striking, still fighting, and still not getting justice. Mixed feelings galore....

shicks | December 10, 02:31 CET

adapa, thank you so much for the YouTube link! Just that clip was worth a lot! Getting a little bit of free press which shows the viewers supporting the WGA is worth a fortune in PR.

Shicks, I'm so glad you went out to ME day with your family, and I know what you mean: it breaks my heart to know that the writers I love so much are on strike. And it upsets me every day that so many people's lives are being disrupted by the stupid gamesmanship of the AMPTP. We can, and will, stand by the WGA and continue to write letters, buy pencils, and everything else which might help.

And I really enjoyed the little hints of your experiences QuoterGal, I will look forward to your real report! Thank you all again, it is so great that everyone made the effort to show up and picket.

embers | December 10, 02:56 CET

Another YouTube video.

RavenU | December 10, 03:41 CET

(1,037 photos)
http://www.flickr.com/groups/mutantenemyday/pool/

Remember there is a search box and you can search names and such like picnic or whatever within the pool.

United Hollywood has a counter up on top of their page. "days since the AMPTP Walked Out of negotiations. The Whole Town is Waiting..."

New tag line "We're fighting for the future."

517,944 pencils sold as of 12/08 10:11 am

http://unitedhollywood.blogspot.com/

Anonymous1 | December 10, 03:43 CET

Another YouTube video.

This one is frakking awesome.

The One True b!X | December 10, 04:07 CET

Indeed it was! Thanks, RavenU!

Harmalicious | December 10, 04:16 CET

Tony did such a good job I can't wait for part 2. Thanks for posting it RavenU!

Teacherdarling | December 10, 04:41 CET

I can't wait for part Two! I love playing spot the fan on these And There are very nice little interviews too, with both fans and actors/writers, etc.

Lioness | December 10, 04:52 CET

The Joss Thank You. Thank's Lioness.

RavenU | December 10, 04:56 CET

RavenU: I cried all through that youtube video, it was so brilliant, I can't wait to see Tony's part 2.
*sigh*

embers | December 10, 05:22 CET

Anyone compiling a centralized list of video/other media links etc. to ME Day activities?

m'cookies actual | December 10, 05:50 CET

A good place for go for this info, m'cookies is this Fans4writers.com Mutant Enemy Day Picket Thread. There's also a thread for posting photo links.

(And may I just say that I've seen enough footage and photos of myself today to last a few lifetimes.)

QuoterGal | December 10, 06:07 CET

silly QuoterGal you look superb :)

Teacherdarling | December 10, 06:11 CET

I feel like such a bad fan - I couldn't be there, and I can't afford to support them.

ShadowQuest | December 10, 08:23 CET

ShadowQuest,

Then you spread the information anyway you can. For example, just be ready with info in case the subject comes up in conversation. Like "My favorite show isn't on...why????"

Anonymous1 | December 10, 08:28 CET

(And may I just say that I've seen enough footage and photos of myself today to last a few lifetimes.)

I don't like looking at pictures of myself, either. Fortunately there don't seem to be many with me in them. In the few I've seen, though, I've been very pleased with how my hat came out.

dreamlogic | December 10, 09:05 CET

Your hat rocked the Casbah.

QuoterGal | December 10, 09:34 CET

I made sure to get a few pics of you dreamlogic, check the pool again. You looked great, and very in charge behind the table-o-food :)

danregal | December 10, 21:11 CET

Does anyone know how Trek day is going? I read about it on a Trek blog and the comments there were surprisingly anti-strike.

[ edited by Caroline on 2007-12-10 19:57 ]

Caroline | December 10, 22:57 CET

Thank you to one and all who made it there and shared the day with us who couldn't. It was so great to see everyone united for this excellent cause.

ruthless1 | December 11, 00:15 CET

Caroline, UnitedHollywoodLive (on air...er I'm mean, online now) is covering the Star Trek picket, they had the shortest interview ever with Brent Spiner, and now a wonderful interview with the writer of 'The Trouble With Tribbles' (who did not get on going residuals for that episode even though it is still replayed today, and was used in a ST:NG episode). It sounds like a successful event (another exciting picket I missed out on!).

embers | December 11, 00:39 CET

Thanks, Embers.

Caroline | December 11, 00:45 CET

Thanks for posting that link, RavenU. It is fun to recognise not only the writers, directors and actors, but fellow fans, especially since I couldn't be there in person.

Thanks to all who went and carried us with them in spirit.

samatwitch | December 11, 01:46 CET

i'm not sure where the idea that photos weren't allowed came from. on fans4writers, we said that photos were great, as long as you weren't there just to meet celebs, did your fair share of picketing, and didn't hold up the picket line (and contributed your pics to our flickr group of course). we said no autographs, and people were amazingly good about that. heck, i got a few shots with ME folks myself.

cymerin | December 11, 02:44 CET