WGAW Showrunner Statement Dashboard Dashboard

In television, the Showrunner is responsible for overseeing the writing, directing, producing and post-production of their television series. We are also the liaison between the production and the network/studio, and the hub through which issues of health and safety run.

So we take a deep interest in the health and safety not just of our sets but of the entire production, including post-production. To that end, we applaud DGA, SAG-AFTRA, IATSE and the Teamsters' efforts in their document “The Safe Way Forward” and appreciate the work of the individual unions and Industry-wide Labor-Management Safety Committee Task Force.

As these white papers suggest, the key to these protocols achieving the desired effect—creating the healthiest workable production scenarios possible—is that the protocols are adopted widely and completely. All the departments must work together, and not at cross-purposes, in their pursuit of production health.

The Showrunner’s role here is essential.

Since the Showrunner hires and supervises the director, actors, writers, casting director, production designers, and editors, our casts and crews will be looking to us for reassurance and creative direction, as they did before the crisis. We will work with our partners at our sister unions to communicate, enact, and ensure that every possible effort is made to keep workers safe as they execute the creative mission of the show.

We agree that testing is paramount and the cornerstone of any return to work. We also find their suggestion of a zone system smart and essential—with one caveat: to reduce a director’s guesswork in trying to execute the Showrunner’s vision, and, therefore, reduce the number of reshoots, the involvement of the Showrunners and their writer proxies on the set is a must—either in person or if those with disability or underlying health issues are unable to be on set physically, with proper accommodations so they can still do their jobs effectively.

The Showrunners believe the next step is not to add another white paper to the discussion. Instead, we will focus on additions to “The Safe Way Forward” that underline the practical importance of collaboration.

We do believe we can all return to work safely and many of us have been in touch with our casts about changes that individual productions will make to ensure health and safety. Now comes the hard work.

The Showrunners are ready to get to it and we welcome discussions with individual studios as soon as possible.

In solidarity,

Rebecca Addelman Mike Alber Chris Alberghini Sheryl J. Anderson Dave Andron Michael Angeli Nick Antosca Josh Appelbaum Jeff Astrof Meredith Averill Jenna Bans Carol Barbee Alex Barnow Kenya Barris Janine Sherman Barrois Simon Barry Julie Bean Bridget Bedard Jeffrey Bell Roberto Benabib Amy Berg Jason Berger Michael Berns Kevin Biegel Steven D. Binder Chris Bishop Max Borenstein Yvette Bowser Brian Boyle Patrick Brammall Chris Brancato Josh Bycel Peter Calloway Frank Cardea John Carney Glenn Gordon Caron Bridget Carpenter Aeysha Carr Nkechi Okoro Carroll Tucker Cawley Marissa Jo Cerar Andrew Chambliss Marc Cherry Mike Chessler Eliza Clark Allen Clary Wayne Conley Daniel Connolly Greg Coolidge Akela Cooper Matt Corman Carter Covington Charlie Craig Dan Cross Alexandra Cunningham Carlton Cuse Andrew Dabb Sarah Fain Ayanna Floyd Davis Michelle Dean Meg DeLoatch David DiGilio Karey Dornetto Caroline Dries Jay Dyer Charles H. Eglee Kerry Ehrin John Eisendrath Jed Elinoff Tim Federle Matthew Federman Liz Feldman Michael Feldman Hannah Fidell Linda Figueiredo Deb Fisher Debra J. Fisher Micah Fitzerman-Blue Jennifer Flackett Dana Fox Emily Fox Etan Frankel Anna Fricke Maggie Friedman Mark Friedman Diane Frolov Emma Frost Daniel Futterman Kelly Galuska Sera Gamble Eric Garcia Linda Gase R. Scott Gemmill Dean Georgaris Martin Gero Vince Gilligan Scott Gimple Karin Gist Adam Glass Andrew Goldberg Darin Goldberg Ian Goldberg David A. Goodman Peter Gould David S. Goyer Hilary Graham Matthew Graham Seth Grahame-Smith Michael Grassi Jonathan Green Lyn Greene Jonathan Groff David Guarascio Eric Guggenheim Aaron Guzikowski Tanya Hamilton Noah Harpster Dee Harris-Lawrence Todd Harthan Becky Hartman Edwards Alexi Hawley Eric Haywood Josh Heald Allan Heinberg Eileen Heisler Keith Heisler Eric Heisserer Bruce Helford DeAnn Heline Kevin Hench Joe Henderson Regina Y. Hicks Lauren Hissrich Josh Hlavin Chad Hodge David Hoge Charles Holland Chris Hollier Dave Holstein Adam Horowitz Jason Horwitch Spencer Hudnut Randy Huggins Helen Hunt Jon Hurwitz Lauren Iungerich Rick Jaffa Elgin James Al Jean Joanna Johnson Krister Johnson Angela Kang Deborah Kaplan Jason Katims Richard Keith Gloria Calderon Kellett David Kendall Carla Kettner Chris Keyser Callie Khouri Albert Kim Sang Kyu Kim Jonathan Kimmel Anthony King Michelle King Robert King Edward Kitsis Elizabeth Klaviter Phil Klemmer Daniel Knauf Keetgi Kogan Jay Kogen Jenni Konner Michael Konyves Terri Kopp Bill Krebs Eric Kripke Liz Kruger Seth Kurland Adam Lash Meredith Lavender Aaron Lee Mark Levin Richard Levine

Dan Levy Jeffrey Lieber Steve Lightfoot Steven Lilien Sam Littenberg-Weisberg Benjamin Lobato Attica Locke Jay Longino Phil Lord Dean Lorey Chuck Lorre Jeff Lowell Caryn P. Lucas Monica Macer Carina Adly MacKenzie Michael MacLennan Steven Maeda Don Mancini John Mankiewicz Brandon Margolis Justin Marks Bill Martin Brett Matthews Glen Mazzara Colleen McGuinness Tony McIntosh Tim McKeon Jeffrey Melvoin Wendy Mericle Erica Messer Allison Miller Gabe Miller Christopher Miller Tim Minear Arika Lisanne Mittman Ildy Modrovich Lizzie Molyneux Wendy Molyneux Lauren Morelli Alfonso H. Moreno Chris Mundy Ryan Murphy Peter Murrieta Henry Alonso Myers Margaret Nagle DJ Nash Matt Negrete André Nemec Eric Newman Justin Noble Ryan O'Connell Trent O’Donnell Erik Oleson Tracy Oliver George R. Olson Chris Ord Andrew Orenstein Sierra Teller Ornelas Daniel Palladino Charles Parlapanides Vlas Parlapanides Will Pascoe Jim Patterson Saladin Patterson Ilana Peña Sascha Penn Tony Phelan Clyde Phillips Jeff Pinkner Greg Plageman Julie Plec Joe Port Charles Pratt, Jr. Dawn Prestwich Michael Price Kate Purdy Rashad Raisani Ed Redlich Elwood Reid Josh Reims Mark Reisman Jim Reynolds Matthew B. Roberts Dailyn Rodriguez Kate Rorick Gary Rosen Melissa Rosenberg Mike Royce Stacy Rukeyser Alexandra Rushfield Shawn Ryan Marja-Lewis Ryan Joshua Safran Peter Saji Andrea Savage Stephen Scaia Alison Schapker Dario Scardapane Karl Schaefer Mike Schiff Hayden Schlossberg Andrew Schneider David Schulner Mike Schur Beth Schwartz Julie Scully Mike Scully Sanjay Shah Naren Shankar Craig Shapiro Far Shariat Julius Sharpe Devon Shepard Chris Sheridan Amy Sherman-Palladino David Shore Rachel Shukert Amanda Silver Craig Silverstein Shawn Simmons Joey Slamon Jeremy Slater Alena Smith Kira Snyder Patrick Somerville Brandon Sonnier Holly Sorensen Anthony Sparks Erica Spates Emily Spivey Greg Spottiswood Sal Stabile Darren Star David H. Steinberg Hank Steinberg John Stephens Jared Stern Jonathan Stern Meredith Stiehm Rob Sudduth Craig Sweeny Maurissa Tancharoen Melinda Hsu Taylor Aaron Rahsaan Thomas Scott Thomas Peter Tolan Nikki Toscano Nichelle Tramble Spellman Alex Tse Raelle Tucker Cori Uchida Marcie Ulin Chris Van Dusen Pam Veasey Krista Vernoff Cyrus Voris Greg Walker Eric Wallace Moira Walley-Beckett Tim Walsh Kirk Ward Sarah Watson Sharon Lee Watson David Weil Matthew Weiner Josh Weinstein Matt Weitzman Jeff Westbrook Jed Whedon Emily Whitesell Rick Wiener Vaun Wilmott Austin Winsberg Hilary Winston John Wirth Joe Wiseman James Wong Alexander Woo Bryan Wynbrandt Nicole Yorkin Brian Young Moisés Zamora Lenore Zion

Showrunners, if we haven't yet been able to reach you, you can still sign on by emailing Showrunner to add your name to the statement.