Could producers turn to UK writers?

Family Guy and The Office are the latest casualties of the US writers’ strike, with production on both shows grinding to a halt.

Nightly topical shows such as The Daily Show with Jon Stewart and The Late Show with David Letterman were the first to be hit by the Writers Guild Of America action – but now scripted shows are being affected, too.

The worst hit are those where the producer is also a writer, such as Family Guy.

Creator Seth MacFarlane, who also voices several characters, says the episode going out on America’s Fox network this Sunday is the last with his involvement.

Other episodes are almost finished, but MacFarlane says he will not cross picket lines to complete them.

When asked whether the studio could simply hire other producers, who are not also writers to put together the episodes, MacFarlane said: ‘They could, but it would be unwise, because I would be angry.’ And with Family Guy being one of the channel’s most reliable ratings hits, he is hoping executives will not want to sour relationships.

In reply, Fox told trade paper Variety simply: ‘Our hope is that he returns to work and completes his non-writing obligations on those episodes.’

Production has also stopped on the NBC version of The Office after many of its stars failed to show up for work, meaning the network will have to show repeats after November 15. Many of the actors are also writers, as is the executive producer, Greg Daniels, who has also not crossed picket lines.

Central to the writers’ demands are extra money for shows sold on DVD or distributed over the internet – where The Office has proved very popular.

Daniels told Variety: ‘We've seen the future. The Office has received 7 million downloads. It generates the most traffic at NBC.com. We received a Daytime Emmy for webisodes that no one was paid for. The future is very bright for these companies.

‘They [the studios] know there's a huge pot of money out there, and if they don't share it the profits will be more for them.'

Writers on The Office, including Daniels, have posted a video about the strike on YouTube:

As the strike takes hold, studio chiefs are said to be looking to use UK writers in place of WGA union members, perhaps through co-productions with British companies, or by using the UK arm of Hollywood studios.

One British-based executive said: ‘It could be an extraordinary opportunity for British writers to get a shot at big studio projects that they otherwise would never get a shot at.’

However agents are urging caution, warning that breaking a strike could damage a writer’s future prospects in the US, as well as their integrity and reputation among their colleagues.

Here is a CNN report of stars and writers on the picket line: Watch .

Published: 9 Nov 2007