Film and television writers strike in Queens
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Writers and other union members picketed outside Silvercup Studios in Long Island City Tuesday as the WGA strike continued. Eagle photo by Ryan Schwach
By Ryan Schwach
Queens may not be a well known film and television location – but that doesn’t mean it hasn’t had its moments. “GoodFellas,” “Coming to America,” countless “Spiderman” films and, surprisingly, “A Bronx Tale,” all filmed within the World’s Borough. Queens is also home to three film studios, with a fourth on the way.
And for the past week, it's been home to ongoing pickets as the Writers’ Guild of America strikes for a fair contract with film and television studios.
Striking writers, joined by members of SAG-AFTRA and local labor unions, spent several hours on Tuesday picketing outside Silvercup Studios in Long Island City, one of three active film studios in Queens, as they fight for a new contract.
“We are here just making sure our voices are heard,” said Mike Fylnn, a 14-year member of WGA West who has worked at Broadway Stages in Ridgewood, another Queens studio. “As the industry is developing and evolving, we have to stay ahead of this curve.”
On May 2, the WGA, which represents writers from late night TV to scripted dramas like HBO’s “Succession,” went on strike amid growing tensions with studio executives over their share of the revenue pie in the streaming age.
A full week later, WGA members continued their strike, which stretched from Hollywood to Queens.
“We are protesting in front of all of the soundstages around New York,” said Lisa Takeuchi Cullen, the vice president of WGA East. “Part of our effort is to shut down or slow productions, and, to be frank, that effort is to cause financial hurt to our studio employer so that we can end this strike faster.”
Alongside Cullen were dozens of writers, actors and other film industry union members standing in solidarity with the strike.
“We have great solidarity, great enthusiasm and great support, not just within our membership, but also from our sister unions,” Cullen said. “We have other entertainment unions like SAG-AFTRA like IATSE, like Teamsters, who are strongly supporting us in this effort – we are really appreciative of their support.”
“It's galvanizing and is truly inspiring to see the support and the unity among all of the people who are in Hollywood productions,” she added.
Also present on Tuesday were some faces more than familiar to the New York comedy scene; late night and “Saturday Night Live” star Seth Meyers, as well as fellow SNL alums Fred Armisen and Tina Fey picketed alongside writers. For years, Fey filmed her sitcom “30 Rock” in the World’s Borough.
Late Night and “Saturday Night Live” star Seth Meyers joined Tuesday’s picket line in Queens. Eagle photo by Ryan Schwach
Writers like Daniel Radosh, who has written for Comedy Central’s “The Daily Show” for nearly 15-years, also walked the picket line.
“Like a lot of writers, I'm kind of an introvert, much rather just be sitting in a little room with a computer,” Radosh said. “But I'm not going to do that if they're not going to pay us and they support us and give us what we need.”
Radosh was thrilled with the support from other unions who came and picketed with the writers.
“I think what feels good about it to me is the support and everyone we're getting here,” he said. “People have jobs to do and everyone wants to just like us get back and do that work. But when you see the construction workers joining the line with us, that really makes it feel like New York has our back. I hope New York feels like we have their back as well.”
Among those other unions were members of SAG-AFTRA, the actor’s union, like actresses and Astoria residents Arielle Siegel and Kim Blanck.
“[We’ve] seen it across the industry – more work for less pay and less respect,” said Blanck. “It's just frustrating. So anything that we can do to help move the needle.”
As a mainstay in the entertainment world, the industry is intertwined with the fabric of New York City, and some picketors didn’t have to travel far.
“New York is a union town, it makes me proud to have worked here,” added Blanck.
In addition to Silvercup, Kaufman Astoria Studios and Broadway Stages operate in Queens. That trio is expected to grow by one sometime this year, with the Robert De Niro-backed Wildflower Studious nearing its completion.
“We're going to attract all of the film industry,” Mayor Eric Adams said as the final beam on Wildflower’s structure was laid in February. “To hell with California.”
So far, production has not stopped at Silvercup, Kaufman or Broadway Stages. Silvercup did not respond to requests for comment from the Eagle.
“We haven't heard any official word from Silvercup,” Cullen told the Eagle, about this week’s round of protests outside the studio.
According to the WGA East Twitter account, protests were expected to continue at Silvercup on Wednesday as the strike goes on.
“We feel that we're in the right, writers need to be better paid for the products that we create for these companies,” said Cullen. “We intend to keep fighting until we do.”
