These WGAE signings are especially important as they are the first signings under the union’s Writers Guild 2.0 initiative — and the first real foothold in the digital media realm, which is the future of showbiz:

WGAE
NEW YORK CITY –The Writers Guild of America, East (WGAE) has signed 11 new companies creating content for digital media. These new signatories have produced more than 12 web series currently available online and have additional series in development. The writers at these companies will become WGAE members. The organizing of these projects and writers is part of the WGAE’s Writers Guild 2.0 initiative and demonstrate that writers working in digital media are interested in joining the Writers Guild.

The new WGA signatories are:

– Dinosaur Diorama TV, LLC – producers of many web series, including The Burg (www.TheBurg.tv), All’s Faire (www.AllsFaire.tv), The All for Nots (www.AllForNots.com), and Greg and Donny (www.youtube.com/GregAndDonny)

– Concierge: The Series – an original web series about the day-to-day operations of a down-on-its-luck hotel aspiring to greatness, featuring an ensemble cast of New York city comedians, improvisers, and actors (www.ConciergeTheSeries.com)

– Kapri Productions, LLC – producer of Elena Moscat’s web series Life After Lisa, which is about college life in the mid 1980s (www.filmfest.com)

– New Jill Productions, LLC – its web series Jack & Jill is a comedic look at a trashy romance novelist’s struggle to get through her first book reading after a stint in rehab (www.newjilltv.com)

– Super Heroic Pictures – its web series Issues The Series is based writer/director Scott Napolitano’s experiences working at Comic Relief and in other retail jobs (www.IssuesTheSeries.com)

– Tailslating, LLC – producer of Andy Parks’s web series The Haley Project, an interactive 37-episode series about a misfit college sophomore who investigates the mysterious and untimely death of her best friend (www.TheHayleyProject.com)

– CJP Communications – a leading corporate public relations firm and developer of branded content. Its web series include The Temp Life and The Fall of Kaden (www.cjpdigital.com)

– Allevon – a web series by writer/director Celia Peters

– The Louise Log – a web series by writer/director Anne Flournoy (http://TheLouiseLog.com)

– An untitled product from writer/creator Chioke Nassor, who also created Titsburg (www.titsburgcomedy.com)

– Hedge Fund Productions, LLC – producer of the web series Hedge Fund created by Chris Murray (www.hedgefundproductions.com)

“We are excited and honored to be the first independent web production company and studio to sign on and join with the Writers Guild of America, East. Signing on with the WGAE is a very important step for creators and the industry to gain the respect we deserve. It recognizes that web video is becoming a force to be reckoned with in entertainment, and it helps to validate the medium. As a writer, I appreciate the flexibility the contract offers, and the smart and progressive way that the Guild is positioning itself for the future,” said Thom Woodley, creator, Dinosaur Diorama TV.

“We welcome these signatories and their writers into the Writers Guild. They are on the cutting edge of digital media production and distribution. We are pleased these companies recognize the value of a Writers Guild contract, and we look forward to working with them as the industry continues to evolve,” said Lowell Peterson, executive director of the Writers Guild of America, East.

Many of these writers and creators will participate in “From Words to Code: Surviving as a Writer in the Digital World,” sponsored by the WGAE and The Paley Center for Media on September 30th. The writers will share the lessons learned from creating content for the Internet, examine business models for original online programming and effective distribution networks, and discuss how writers can communicate and make a living in the new media world.

The event, as well as the signing of these 11 signatories, are the most recent developments in the WGAE’s recently announced initiative focused on digital media – Writers Guild 2.0. The initiative includes seminars and other events for current and prospective members, a job training program, an upgraded web site, and a sustained organizing efforts in digital media.

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