I think that there were a number ways that a fundraising drive could have been incredibly successful. (Maybe not $40k successful but definitely a good amount.) For whatever reason, that wasn't the direction they chose, which is disappointing.

I bought a box of pencils in that campaign, because I wanted to do SOMETHING to show support for the writers and Joss was one of the main drivers behind the campaign.

Supporting the writers by directly donating to the WGA would be more practical, but not as 'sexy' and 'easy' as buying pencils.

Its tough to read about descriptions of the enormous power and resources of studios. It almost seems like every post here is telling writers and their supporters that 'resistence is futile' when it comes to attempting to wring a better deal from the studios.

Well I don't believe resistance is futile. The WGA has resources too. The strike is costing the studios money in the long run.

I think the writers have a very strong weapon and that is not writing. That's what they are doing with the strike and in time it will play out. Its the things like the pencils that I think have no effect and are just publicity stunts. The strike is the big action and it is just going to take time to play out.

Its tough to read about descriptions of the enormous power and resources of studios. It almost seems like every post here is telling writers and their supporters that 'resistence is futile' when it comes to attempting to wring a better deal from the studios.

I disagree. I've seen an incredible amount of support here for the writers (both because many of us are writers' fans, and some Buffistas are striking WGA members). There's less support here (although still some, I think) for the pencil campaign.

If I've followed the conversation correctly, the pencil campaign just strikes some people as unseemly (for whatever reasons). United Hollywood has co-opted a fannish sort of protest and is waving it like a banner in a professional battle. Some fans seem all for that, but not all.

Topic!Cindy,

The pencil campaign is pretty much just another in a long list of other campaigns, similar to the constant 'save our shows' stuff we've seen with Jericho and other shows. I don't expect it to work any better than the other campaigns. It made me feel a tiny bit useful than just doing nothing but watch from the sidelines.

NoiseDesign

What can fans do to make the weapons of writers stronger?

And to expand on what Cindy is saying, I think people like Allyson, NoiseDesign and myself are not telling anyone "resistance is futile" or anything like that. Dog knows that none of us are on the side of the producers.

But it seems like a big chunk of fandom has this really wide-eyed, rose tinted view of the situation, and how much of an effect stunts like this are going to have on the producers. Many of us have first hand knowledge (or close to it) of what producers are actually like, and how laughable they find things like the pencil stunt.

It does fandom no favors to hold silly and wrong-headed illusions, and since we're a part of fandom, and care about fandom, we're just trying do disabuse people of their false notions of how effective stunts like this are.

Perhaps we are in the minority, but I think we are to one degree or another people who would rather tell a friend an unpleasant and hard-to-hear truth than let them continue lying to themselves. I have come to discover through life that many people think it's better to feed that same friend's delusion.

I think everyone realizes what they were going for -- big, symbolic show of support from fans. However, the fact that writers guided it and contributed to it immediately taints the idea that it's about the fans.

I still want to know, what was the point? $40K spent on a big vat of pencils that Joss and Co. were left standing next to on a studio lot? It was pretty obvious to me from the start that the AMPTP wasn't going to give a flying crap. The fact that it was glossed over and lumped in with things like the exorcism shows what the producers thought of the stunt, IMO.

And, honestly, the "send in a random object as a show of rabid fandom" thing is cliche; there's no story there for the press at large to really latch onto. It's been done. That's why I thought Allyson's idea of the producers matching funds was so great; the idea that the writers and fans would band together to look out for those affected by the strike during the holidays is a much better story than blowing $40K on pencils, even if they are made of recycled bits and will eventually wind up in the hands of L.A.-area youths, or whatever they say they're planning.

It seems likely that $40K contributed to helping those out of a paycheck while the strike continued would have benefited the cause a whole lot more than unused pencils.

I think the pencils helped the writers in a morale-ish way more than it sent a message to the AMPTP.