Coping with Covid

In addition to the information available on the WGAW’s COVID-19 Resource page, writers can find support through two upcoming webinars on filing for unemployment or disability and coping with addiction during these times.

The California Employment Development Department (EDD) will present a live webinar about paid family leave and disability benefits for writers who are sick or quarantined due to COVID-19, with multiple dates available throughout April and May. Other circumstances that may qualify writers for these programs will also be discussed. The same presentation is given on each date. Read more >>

Writing At Home with Kids: Tips and Tales From Quarantine

For many writers who are parents, particularly of young children, the COVID-19 pandemic really hit home on Monday, March 16, when the Los Angeles Unified School District closed classrooms indefinitely.

Three weeks later, pitch meetings and story conferences are best taken in bathrooms. Or parked cars. Or closets. The creative process, in all its fickle, trial-and-error glory, has become a bygone luxury. Read more >>

It Takes Our Village: Hollywood Coalition Supports Below-the-Line Workers Impacted by COVID-19

While some writers are still able to work during the current coronavirus pandemic, the vast majority of the entertainment industry’s below-the-line workers—from assistants and key grips to craft services and drivers—have been immediately impacted by the virtual shutdown of TV and film production. These crucial workers have found themselves suddenly out of work and without a regular paycheck or safety net. Read more >>

How Did WGAW Staff Transition to Remote Work? Thank the IT Department.

The WGAW’s IT Department has been doing some heavy lifting since Guild employees began working remotely in mid-March, shortly before CA Gov. Gavin Newsom enacted statewide stay-at-home orders. With Guild employees working every day to support more than 10,000 members, shifting the vast majority of staff from working at the WGAW’s West Hollywood headquarters to working remotely from home was no easy task. IT spoke with Connect about what the transition has been like, and how writers can stay cyber safe while working from home. Read more >>

Updates from 3rd & Fairfax Podcast and Written By

Looking for fresh content while you’re sheltering in place and staying home during the pandemic? Listen to the latest episode of WGAW’s #3rdandFairfax Podcast: Host Moon Zappa speaks with screenwriter Lucy Alibar (Beasts of the Southern Wild) about her latest film, Troop Zero, currently streaming on Amazon Prime Video. The Guild’s podcast is also available on iTunes, Spotify, Libsyn, & Stitcher. Recent episodes feature writers/members Matt Sazama & Burk Sharpless (Lost in Space), Leigh Whannell (The Invisible Man), & more. Read more >>