Cash for the Crew

Our fundraising drive has come to an end.

Allyson and I would like to thank the fabulous folks who donated to the MPTF’s Work Stoppage Relief Fund. All 82 of you! (That’s 82 that we know of. I believe we had a few people who chose to donate without participating in the raffle.) We’d also like to thank all the writers who donated items to the raffle.

We are waiting for the final tally from the MPTF. Once have the amount, we will post it here in very large font.

In the interim, names have been drawn and winners will soon be contacted by Allyson. She will be contacting each winner in the order their name was drawn so it may take a few days for her to get in touch with each winner. Your patience is appreciated.

More information as soon as we have it!

We have updated our gallery to include the great new items that have been donated to our raffle:

• JERICHO - “Why We Fight” - Signed by the JERICHO writers
• “Scary Movie” - Signed by Craig Mazin
• Books “The John Lennon Affair”and “The Elvis & Marilyn Affair” - Signed by author (and WGA member) Robert S. Levinson

Through the years, there have been many fandom projects related to the Whedonverse and we’ve added three pieces of fan campaign history to the raffle:

• Stand Up for Buffy - The campaign that started it all for BtVS fans - Signed by Joss Whedon, Marti Noxon, David Fury, Jane Espenson and Doug Petrie
• Give Buffy an Emmy - For Your Consideration Ad for the BtVS episode “The Body” - Signed by Joss Whedon…despite the fact he had burned his hands only days before, he still signed this at ComicCon
• Save Firefly - This one probably needs no explanation - Signed by Joss Whedon

We also do have the script (though not a picture) for “Black Hawk Down,” Signed by Ken Nolan.

Given that we’ve just added these items at the 11th hour, we’ve extended our deadline by ONE DAY. If you haven’t donated yet, you have another 24 hours to do so. Anyone who sends us a receipt by 11:59 PM (PST) tomorrow (February 1) will be entered in our raffle.

Finally, we have not received an update from the MPTF on how much they have received in donations. They seem to be swamped over there, which we hope is a good sign, and don’t want to burden them by being pests. As soon as we have the final tally, we’ll let you know.

The raffle prizes are starting to trickle in!

We’ve added a new section to the site. If you click on “Rewards,” you’ll see a photo gallery of the various prizes up for grabs. We will continue to update the gallery with photos as we receive new items.

If you have any trouble accessing the gallery, please let me know in the comments or email.

A Is For Allyson Who Died From The Damp

It’s been cold and rainy in Los Angeles. It feels like I’m standing inside a vat of raw hamburger every time I go outside. Just cold and wet and sticky and gross and gray. While I really love looking at Edward Gorey art, I’m not so fond of living it.

But despite every freeway being completely frozen in soul-sucking gridlock, Tim Minear’s assistant showed up at my place last night with a crate of scripts; masters of everything Tim has written since he started working on Angel.

I’ll be off to Kinkos later to make copies of as many of them I can, and then battle the 5 back to Tim’s with a sharpie and a batch of homemade cookies.

Jane Espenson has tossed a signed copy of BtVS “A New Man” into the pile, but is mailing it, bless her heart.

Then I’m off to pick up signed headshots of Eureka’s Sheriff Jack Carter (um, super nice actor and all around awesome human, Colin Ferguson).

I’m tickled to say that some of the big screenwriters are contributing their works: Ken Nolan is sending Black Hawk Down. Chap Taylor is sending over Changing Lanes. Craig Mazin also promised to send along a script for one of the Scary Movies. Thanks!

Friends picketing on the lines have promised to collect scripts in between walking in circles.

So! If you’re a writer who will be back out on the pickets on January 7^th, and you’d like to contribute a signed or other goodie to the drawing, please drop me or Kristen Reidel an email, and we’ll arrange for pickup/handoff/kisses/handshakes.

Also? It appears that we’ve got about $3000 in donations in to the MPTF! Our goal is 10K by January 31^st, and we’re well on our way! MPTF will have a tally for us by the second week in January, after the accounting is closed for December.

Thanks so much for doing something nice for the hardworking crews. Thousands of them are out of work, and not only need the cash for those little life comforts like food and shelter, but need to know that they have fans, too.

Nick Counter Controversy #125673

I’ve received emails from fans concerned that AMPTP head Nick Counter sits on the Board of Directors of the Motion Picture and Television Fund.

Counter also sits on the Board of the WGA’s Health and Pension Fund, and by all accounts does his job well. On these particular issues, I promise, his heart is not two sizes too small.

I spoke with an IATSE rep and checked MPTF’s rating at Charity Navigator and they get a nice three star rating for doing what they say they’ll do.

The Solidarity Fund that the WGA is setting up plans to work with the MPTF and the Actors Fund, as well.

No worries. IATSE’s Tom Short also sits on the board at MPTF, you know? And by donating to the Work Stoppage Relief Fund, you can feel comfy knowing that your donation is going right to the people BTL who are in need.

Where fore art thou, HTTPS?

Concerns regarding site security at the MPTF’s site are being addressed. If you’re uncomfortable with the current site security, you can make a donation by phone at 818-876-1977.

And thanks for all the donations.

A few years back I hosted a party for ANGEL fans, and invited the cast and crew of the show. By all accounts, a fabulous time was had by all. At the end of the night, when we were packing up the decorations, some of ANGEL’s crew stayed behind, jumping up onto ladders and taking hot gels off lights, wrapping up the sound equipment, all while wearing suits and despite protests that guests shouldn’t be working on clean up.

The universal responses from the crew was full of gratitude, telling us that they do this all the time, and were happy to be able to help us out in some way.

I’ve been thinking of them often, hoping that they were able to save up a bit before the WGA strike.

The shut down of my city’s most lucrative export, television and film, means that thousands of carpenters, costumers, painters, set designers, sound engineers, drivers, editors, gaffers, and that guy who holds the boom are all out of work during the holidays. These are the Below the Line crew members caught in the storm caused by six of the world’s richest and most powerful men not wanting to give up 2.5% of their internet riches to the people writing their content.

The WGA offers loans and emergency funds to its members, but those Below the Line are pretty much screwed.

Let’s help ‘em out, shall we? The Work Stoppage Relief Fund has been set up to help those hard workers who are in need due to the production shut downs.

If you make a donation to the fund anytime between now and January 31st, 2008, forward your donation acknowledgment on to me (we don’t need your financial info, just the email that they received the donation, including your Order Number.), and I’ll enter you into a raffle for whatever autographed scripts I receive before January 31st from those super-hot striking writers.

You can email me at Allyson@cashforthecrew.com.

When you make your donation, please type: “Cash for the Crew” in the notes field so that the MPTV Fund can keep a running tally of the awesome generosity of fandom.

I’ll post a list of signed scripts as they come in.

If you’re a writer or actor and want to donate a signed script or signed headshot to the raffle, drop me an email and I’ll send you my sooper secret LA location (my home address) for mailing.

And thanks in advance for your continued awesomeness.

Questions? Email or comment!

PS: If you’re an AMPTP member and would like to prove you’re not the Montgomery Burns I’m assuming you are, please consider donating to the Fund as well.

Come on, Chernin, I’ve heard good things. Seriously, I’d even take a signed headshot. Or you could donate your brass ring.

As you can see, this site is brand new. We apologize in advance for any glitches or errors that you may experience during your visit. Please let us know in the comments or email me (Kristen) if you run into problems accessing any areas of the site.

Also, please keep in mind that the focus of this site is to raise money to benefit The Motion Picture & Television Fund’s Work Stoppage Relief Fund. Therefore, we ask that you keep your comments limited to the fund raising drive and raffle.

This is not a forum for discussion of the strike itself or the negotiations. Comments will be moderated.  Off-topic comments will be deleted.

Thank you.