I compared The Ankler's takes on the WGA deal vs. Variety's coverage and realized one side actually talked to real writers

Variety sounded official but The Ankler's piece had direct quotes from assistants and showrunners that lined up with what my buddy who works on a Netflix show told me, so now I trust the scrappy newsletter way more for Hollywood truth - has anyone else noticed a big difference between trade coverage and what people actually say behind the scenes?

3 comments

3 Comments

lucast8115d ago

Started reading The Ankler around the strike and it was night and day. Variety and Deadline post these corporate press releases dressed up as news, but The Ankler had a piece about what showrunners were actually doing during the walkout that matched what I heard from a friend who was on the picket line. They broke down the real math on streaming residuals too, not the glossy numbers the big trades get from studio PR people. The Ankler feels like talking to someone who actually works in the business, not someone who gets their info from a press release.

beth_park14d ago

Oh man, you nailed it. I've learned the hard way to cross-reference big trade articles with at least three sources who actually work in the trenches before I trust anything. If you want real intel, follow the mid-level assistants and coordinators on social media - they're the ones who actually know what's happening while the trades are still typing up press releases.

brookeellis14d ago

The Ankler's breakdown of streaming residuals was a wake-up call for me too, I felt so stupid for taking those big trade numbers at face value lmao.