Music filled the air on day 56 of the Writers Guild strike as Death Row Records showed up in full force at Sunset Bronson Studios, one of Netflix’s many LA-based offices. Although Snoop Dogg couldn’t make it due to prior commitments in the recording studio, Death Row GM John Payne and label executive K Dubb spoke to FilmmakerFocus about why they were there. “We’re all in the same gang when it comes to this,” said Payne. “Without these people and their pens, there would be no TV shows and there would be no place for us to put our music. They’re not asking for much, they’re asking for something fair.” K Dubb added, “We had to come out and support and show them some love to let them know we stand with them.” Rumor has it that Snoop will be sending a surprise for picketers to the location on Friday.
Meanwhile, screenwriter and WGA Negotiating Committee member John August was walking the picket line as hits from Death Row’s biggest stars were bumping on the speakers. He spoke with FilmmakerFocus about how the WGA is feeling more than 50 days into the strike and as the DGA and SAG-AFTRA work on getting deals for their members. “We’re out here trying to make sure the companies inside remember that we are here and we’re ready to sit down at the negotiating table at any moment to talk about a fair deal for writers,” he said. “Our work with the teamsters and IATSE and unions outside the industry has been amazing. We had this giant rally on Saturday which had people from all over the city recognizing the shared struggle that we’re in.”
But the picketing wasn’t just happening at Sunset Bronson Studios. Across town in Culver City, Eve 6 played an acoustic set for picketers at Sony, performing their hit songs “Inside Out” and “Open Road Song” off their 1998 debut studio album. And in the Valley, Women in Film hosted an Intersectional picket line at Universal Studios, emphasizing the importance of representation in authentic stories for cultural transformation. The strike may be ongoing, but the energy and solidarity among the writers and their supporters remains strong.
