"Make Believe with Billy" - OPN interview with Bill Wolkoff...AGAIN!

Newman: 0:45

This is Bill Wolkoff and you're listening to open pike night, the most

John T Bolds: 1:02

is this thing on Hulu Hulu? Welcome to open pike night the strange new worlds podcast where your calls are T Bolds. With me tonight are my co hosts, the man who's always singing the sudden but inevitable Jesse.

Jesse: 1:36

I promise I won't sing anything. And the

John T Bolds: 1:40

man who's excited to cross over from his main show, bringing shirt a newbies Trek through the next generation Cameron.

Bill Wolkoff: 1:49

Don't you dare besmirch. The names of my grandparents were

John T Bolds: 1:55

And our guest tonight, returning for his third time on the open Double Strike veteran as well as a prolific sci fi TV scribe, including swings ever and hits a man lobster claws never interfere with the tying of a indomitable Mr. Bill Wolkoff.

Newman: 2:20

They're not sick of me yett I guess.

John T Bolds: 2:22

Never. Bill How you doing good. We

Newman: 2:26

be I'm good. I know this is a podcast. But Jesse John and cameron just And he just got back from school. And it's just as a brief aside, it's persimmons are only around until, you know, the beginning of December. So my as many as possible. And they give them they're handing them out at the persimmons there. My printer was that was a persimmon delivery. Excellent. You are aware,

John T Bolds: 3:09

I was gonna say the first time ever first time ever on open pike

Newman: 3:14

live person and deliveries very exciting, very colorful.

Jesse: 3:17

We did once have Onitra Johnson's sister crawl behind her on camera to get this is still a first for persimmons. Yeah,

Newman: 3:28

he brought enough to share for everybody. Nice.

John T Bolds: 3:31

Good, much appreciated.

Jesse: 3:32

So Bill, the last time you were here, you faithfully predicted that the contract. And it has been lauded as such. First of all, congratulations. And

Newman: 3:48

Fantastic. It feels like a lifetime ago already, but it's only been actually, it's we're closing in on two months since since we ended our strike. victory lap. It's gonna take obviously, it's going to take a lot of time for really trickle down to all of our, you know, 13,000 members on both coasts, but knew that we weren't gonna get every single thing. When we first started proposals, were not even never even responded to total nonstarters, they things. And we got them all. So you know, and that all happened in the last a real testament to the power of labor, where members really stand up for for

Bill Wolkoff: 4:48

As a member of the Writers Guild and Screen Actors Guild. Thank

Newman: 4:57

have been a member of the Screen Actors Guild, believe it or not since

Bill Wolkoff: 5:03

I'm gonna have to knock down some of that information.

Newman: 5:07

Yeah, I acted in commercials when I was a little kid. The I my mother this brief story answered an open casting call for a horror movie called brought to LA for a screen test I apparently did really well. But I was he was in London but their his his casting director told my mom okay, so called me Billy. But I go by Bill now. We're gonna play make believe with That monsters are coming down out of the ceiling and trying to get him and that waves of blood are splashing towards him and we're gonna see how that goes. So year old into a room alone and we're going to play all that make believe with me. And apparently was good at playing make believe I didn't obviously me being a child actor. I was in a bunch of commercials. And I had auditioned for get in any of them. But I was at a bunch of commercials. And, and I acted in, you I always paid my dues. And then I was the director's assistant for the movie scene with vanilla ice.

Bill Wolkoff: 6:38

Well, now we know where all of the the emotional turmoil for from. Thank you the shining. Well, yes. As a member of both fields, how many got the number in your head.

Newman: 6:53

Well, it was 148 days or the WGA was 118 days for sag AFTRA. I think when slightly wrong. I think it was 197 days. Wow. But I my math on that part might be sag aftra I gotta say, Star Trek luminary Jerry Ryan being being one of one. Frances Fisher came to TV city where I was a lot coordinator on day one that day. And she came out consistently through the entire WGA strike. You know, core group of sag AFTRA that were heroes, union heroes, that that really got us where we are. And I'm proud to know all of them. So what

Jesse: 7:46

I'm hearing is strikes work. They do. Yeah.

Bill Wolkoff: 7:51

They do. What was it like seeing Season Two air and everyone talk for all your hard work while you were unable to talk about it?

Newman: 8:03

Oh, my God, it was. It was wonderful and horrible. I had so much wanted to shout from the rooftops. I am a member of sag AFTRA and sag AFTRA had WGA is rules were a little different. And the reason behind that writers tend press. So it's important that writers be able to say somebody wrote this. And They include writers in their in their publicity, but it's traditionally the it's it, the WGA was in a real bind, where the on what on the one hand, they studios and the companies. But on the other hand, they didn't want to push we already are. So the compromise that they came up with was writers can self request of the studio or company. Actors, actors are very visible in you know, like, movies get viewers through through actor publicity. So they anywhere. And I just wanted to respect that, and not you know, tout the amazing we did in season two, and the episodes that I had the pleasure of getting honor was a delight seeing our season get well received. And we felt that on the picket fans, we all of us, felt your love and your presence and that kept us going. Willett and the Star Trek snack squad. Claire Willett is a fan and playwright of volunteers who sent regular food deliveries and supply deliveries to basically to everywhere. We had Star Trek writers and performers on picket that worked with her and I'm forgive me I don't have the names of everybody in want to thank every single one of you that kept us going and was a shot in the for Star Trek writers but for every writer and actor who is out there for Awesome.

John T Bolds: 10:40

Excellent. Very cool. Well, we do have a few calls tonight. A we'll start with one of those greetings

Unknown: 10:49

open pike and Mr. Wolkoff. This is Kelly Zeki or ghee or antiphonal on best wishes to you and all the writers and actors who stood fast in their long of you all and very happy that you've reached an equitable conclusion. Best season three production. I think one thing that most fans would like to see it doesn't deter from the quality of the episodes. We would also like to see some Thank you open pike Best Wishes during the long hiatus until season three and

Newman: 11:40

Hi Kelly. Thank you for being such a big fan of the show. I Kelly we appreciate that great questions the nature of streaming the way that the they tend to fall to 10 Episode seasons. Kelly, everybody on the strange new say this with certainty we would love more episodes per season that we have we and and it would it would really you know free us up to explore more areas of in you know that's one good thing is that we you know we work very very hard everybody as much as we possibly can but it would be great to have more episodes. the in the the current business model for streaming networks. But that's have more short tracks right now. The short tracks were really active during what became paramount plus and I think it it allowed cbsl access to have Star year but still it would be Yeah, sure checks are wonderful. I love you know I being made and I would I would you know kill to get to write and produce one.

John T Bolds: 13:11

They look really fun. I'm going to disagree with Kelly real quick if it means we can have 15 episodes. Please like phone it in every once in a fun with the sixes, you know. All right, well, it is time to let you brag about talk about those old scientists. Jesse, you want to start us off.

Jesse: 13:38

You really managed to blend the emotionally conscious feel of the TNG swashbuckling adventurous feel of tos and strange new worlds was the balance of maintenance or did it kind of flow naturally, given your modern writing

Newman: 13:59

It was a real collaborative effort. And I you know, I want to credit and also Henry Myers, our showrunner long with Akiva Goldsman, but Henry this one in the best way. And also Mike McMahon, Mike really came and like we borrowing major characters from another show, you know, that has a completely know, we cat comes from lower decks. But Mike, you know, really helped us make telling a strange new world story, but we were also telling a story, you know, Mariner and we went through many, many drafts in the best way, which happens a drafts. And every other episode has lots of drafts, but double that for for those it was a big swing. And it took us a while to really make sure we were both tones. And then so that was part one. Part two, was pulling it off. And Newsome, who are not only brilliant voice actors, but brilliant, live action They have the flexibility to do comedy and drama, and they have they bring a here's where our cast really stepped up to the plate because we did not want to we had a write in from one of our listeners, David Jones, and you pretty Boimler and Mariner they were you know, they were two comedy actors trapped in a know, they, they're playful and we do comedy but it's really a swashbuckling loose in the world and our cast met met the tone met the improvisational tone were given the mandate from the beginning from from Henry. Because Lower they do a lot of improv to find where you land on which is, you know, that's Your Enthusiasm do that a lot. We had a script but but it we had the room for we tend to do on on strange new worlds. And our cast really was able to meet you know, the tone in the world that that that we have, and and it took a lot really felt like we had 5000 drafts to get to get the right draft, we did not takes as we would normally have. And just we shot the episode and in the shepherd that we had and genius director, auteur director, we had the perfect shepherd to bring this through. So all these elements really together on the set. It was that was really awesome. That was how we got the integrated live action and animation. Very cool any roads

Bill Wolkoff: 17:25

or bits you went down in those previous takes that didn't make enjoyed on their own that you could share with

Newman: 17:32

Anson boy did he meet the meet the day, he was such a delight and never expected. He had one moment when at the very end of the episode, when you should we come get you? And he goes NOOOO! And it took us a long time to get funny. Like, there's some that were very big. And it wasn't that he didn't like this again. And I you know, if there's a gag reel, gosh, I hope we could string they were great.

John T Bolds: 18:14

We hope we have a great caller question actually about ad-libs

Abby from First Flight: 18:18

Hey, hey, open pike and Mr. Bill Wolkoff. First of all with these fine gentlemen, I was telling you how we're a proud teacher union thrilled that you guys held the line for as long as you did and got the outcome who was part of the struggle and you know what? It works. So bravo. My can talk more specifics is I know that trek is famously Word Perfect from times and a few of the episodes that we are chatting about today, specifically have said that they improvised. Most specifically, I'm thinking about the which might be my favorite part of the entire episode. So I'm wondering how you process is now versus what it used to be or if it's direct, you're in Episode kind of stuff. Because we know that when people who love track are on track, they different ways. So glad to hear from all of you and hope you and yours are well

Newman: 19:33

First Abbey, teachers are heroes to me. So thank you restrike aside, we teachers union come out from the LAUSD and they really taught us how to strike. was one of the most exciting days of TV city was when we had the teachers union city. It was glorious. I'll tell you one tidbit from that scene. Because that think it was Omicron. Or there was another big COVID outbreak happening. during the episode and Jack's schedule was so tight because he was in the Oppenheimer. And we didn't think we're gonna be able to get them back and then with, you know, Mr. Christopher Nolan to get you know, to get a couple more days shooting that movie. And then Henry said, Oh, great. It had to be in the get? And we've had like, five minutes to like, come up with the scene and Kat and we're okay. Jack is just a Boiler has just left La'an. And he's going to be in he beams down because he needs to be contained somewhere. We've got that the saddle. And so that scene was written very quickly, like the day we had very little time to shoot it too, by the way, what's just getting him on team of people come out and make sure the saddle was ready. And yes, so that know, instance for improv like, what do you say when he got on the saddle of the beauty. When he said, right, there was other things that he said to that's put in the gag reel, all that all the outtakes from that, but Riker was the to use that. Yeah.

Jesse: 21:49

Man, that's, that blows me away, because you can not tell that that scene original script, like, it fits perfectly. That is That is very

Newman: 22:01

That's TV production. I mean, that happens all the time. And TV too. of COVID. Like that makes it even more. So like we said, we did a lot of writing the van.

John T Bolds: 22:14

Man. So lower decks thrives on loving jabs and starry eyed What did it feel like to base those on your own cast of characters?

Newman: 22:25

John? Yeah, that's the heart of the episode. It's like, what's that's, Boimler is a stand in for you know, the biggest. He's such a fan of Star Fleet the biggest Star Trek fan, so like, what is the biggest Star Trek fan in the enterprise. And so that was, that was our in for the ep. And then you bring know, everything. Gotta bring them back down a little bit. But, yeah, that was, boimler's position. You know, the moment that when he comes down to the bridge on the bridge, and you're in his point of view, and, you know, breaks knew You know, that's, that's all it's that's the four of us and everybody listening, In the middle of, you know, a tense standoff with an Orion pirate, who is

Jesse: 23:22

scientist.

Bill Wolkoff: 23:23

Speaking of being a starry eyed fan, in love with Starfleet and meeting? Jonathan Frakes. Kind of what was that? Like? Yes, yeah. Oh, man, everything you'd want it to be everything you'd want it to be. He, you my favorite experiences. Being on set. He's very open, very inclusive, very to be on set. But it gets the work done. And it was, yeah, you know, I had to wonderful collaborative experience. Does anyone ever accidentally call him Riker? Be honest,

Newman: 24:06

I mean, I've wanted to call him Riker, you know.

Jesse: 24:12

So it's a conscious effort is what you're saying?

Bill Wolkoff: 24:15

Well, as just looking for writing tips here, how would you write history into a script? How do you how do you format that?

Newman: 24:26

terrestrially as you just described, not far off from from what And Ethan Boy does he you know, it, he's, he's, he's what's so great about you know, like, he takes the spirit of of Nimoy but it's, it's it's his own. He really doesn't have it in himself. And he's made it he's made it separate know, like the honoring of the legacy of Nimoy Spock and he's also Spock in a then we meet him in the original series. So he knew how to sell that smile.

Jesse: 25:12

If you had to pick one joke from those old scientists that you feel incredibly proud of having written Do you have one off the top of your head?

Newman: 25:27

we do think so fast and furious, like, it's hard to you know, like collaborative experience. My way of chickening out of like, like laying mentioned the you know, I'm probably most proud of the work And I did you when we had one, you know, set and how are you gonna write a whole scene and the saddle, you know, so I think I'm probably, you know, most proud of that. other jokes that I necessarily didn't you know, right. You know, we're gonna laugh. That's my favorite. Nice.

Jesse: 26:12

Oh, man, that was my favorite, too. That's so cool. Well, then, what

Bill Wolkoff: 26:15

about non jokes, because I think everyone was surprised by how are. Especially the oh, "they put that on the poster", that line I think, I'm just repeating the line. And I don't deliver it as well. So Rebecca Romijn, going into the script was like, you know, what, we're going to make this some emotional heartstrings, or did that kind of just come up organically while

Newman: 26:43

wanted it to be emotional from from the beginning. I mean, it's to like, the laughs have to lead lead you somewhere to, and there is something it's, it's Be careful what you wish for, you know, it is everybody's fantasy to then they're facing an existential crisis of being trapped there. And there like, what are you going to do with your, with, with with your life, and I embarrassed that I don't remember if this made it into the final cut, I you know, we had a, we had a beat in the script, that may not still be in it, stuck here, I'm gonna go to the island, you know, that fictional island that that, you know, like, he's like, what else you're going to do, like, you don't got to go there. And, you know, that's somebody that who not only you know, as responsibility of, you know, being a Starfleet officer and wanting to, you sacrifice and give up, you know, any semblance of a life that I that I that I timelines. So same with the story with Rebecca, like, you know, we had this like, great at being intimidating and intimidating. Number one. And so it just would be intimidated by her. And we wanted to, you know, we wanted to have jab, you know, just because she's, you know, she is a supermodel. You know, so we were able to find the joke in that, but also the real emotion of it, too.

John T Bolds: 28:40

Well done. Excellent. So was there any time during those old scripting or rehearsals where you're like, This is not going to work? Like, Or was it a ultimately confident experience?

Bill Wolkoff: 28:57

Oh, we were terrified.

Newman: 28:58

It was not gonna work. The day that, you know, we started out utterly know, pretty pretty quickly, we, we were shooting those old scientists when the going in the first couple days, the series hadn't premiered yet. And then it three or day four of shooting, that we were certified 100% on Rotten Tomatoes. know, like, okay, we're doing, we did something right in season one. And it big swing all that worked out in, in a happy way. Like, like the show premiere when we were taking a big swing like that. Okay,

Jesse: 29:47

so I can't believe that. We forgot to ask Kay Hanley and Tom Polce. the vocal rendition of the main title theme come from?

Newman: 30:01

I think that was Akiva. I could be wrong. I could be wrong. It was one of the two the studio and the network were really happy with what we Akiv and Henry said, I think we're going to ask to the money to do this. And the they usually don't do that. Usually have to there has to be some strong arming, Yeah, do it. And yeah, I was lucky I got to be on the soundstage the day that we incredible. It was incredible. I mean, I was crying. It was so emotional.

John T Bolds: 30:45

Did you know at the start of the season that you wanted to have these classic stoicism. Or is that something you arrived at while you were

Newman: 30:56

for subspace Rhapsody? Tom went to Toronto while we were still coming up everybody he like went up there first and like basically said, okay, here are isn't there. You know, because we have like people like Celia, who you know, is Yes. Christina Chong, who is these amazing, you know, is now a pop star. singer. And, and Ethan had not sung before. But Tom said, I think he can, is a song. He's gotta you can't have a kind of a Star Trek musical. Without Spock hard to I mean, they all did. But like, they're actors, like, Ethan and Anson, foremost. And they everything they were so so so brave. They, they trusted Tom. where they work with they that was far outside of their comfort zones. And I'm willing to do that. And then you know, we have great songs like I'm the Ex and conversation, I'll, I'll tell you, I'm gonna go off on a little small tangent beginning of the season. And Henry and said at the very beginning of season skying what what we're going to do they said we want to do a musical this year. back in with like, after like, we blue sky for like a week or so. Usually, at come in with like five ideas that we five pitches that we you know, want and being the final ones. But like we you know, we all it just helps get the get thought, Well, everybody's going to be pitching on the musical. So I you got to got to write the musical. So I went all in on my pitch on the musical and nobody shocked. I had some experience doing musicals before on Kipo and the age of musical. And Dana Horgan back on the episode with she wasn't part of the pitched on the musical if I've worked with Dana before and once upon a time, musicals back in once upon a time so when she joined, I'm like, Oh, I'm and happily that, you know, our all worked out. But in the beginning, the be still feel like a Star Trek episode still be a full original musical, not a that the science be the cause of why they are all singing, you know. So improbability field came in. That it's not, you know, some alien that's forcing felt it felt a little too like magic. You know, I wanted it to feel like like, how do you tie that into the science? You know, and and it was it was Mack's book, the end of everything. And in the end of everything she taught a ways that our universe could die. There's a chapter about the heat death and billions and billions and billions of years particles will, you know, not bashing together. But we're talking billions and billions and trillions of head that particles will bash together. And they and after enough trillions of might not expect. So suddenly, like a piano just my form in the middle of like, it's like, inform and they'll just bash together in improbable ways. And will completely former like, Oh, I'm a piano player. Oh, cool. I'm just playing universe! and the particles, you know, drift off. So that was kind of the idea improbability field that subspaces a great way to you know, that's the way to subspace mobility field, you know, within subspace where, you know, know, like improbable ways, probably a little faster than you know, trillions and, you know, that was our little bit of, you know, science magic to it, but thing. And that stayed through, you know, into the episode. So

Bill Wolkoff: 35:59

cool. So you kind of have answered this, but you know, after where suffering can outreach and season one, were you actively pursuing the more I mean, that's because quite a range you've you've written there between the

Newman: 36:15

actively, it's just I've done a lot of animation writing in you know, my that was why I got assigned to those old scientists. I went after you know, hard. I you know, because I love musical so much. And I you know, team player, assigned it I would champion had done all the work and like, it often that episodes you want to write and then in a, you know, when you're on a show, and you champion them, you know, I'll be very jealous. You champion but I got that I was very excited about one that out, you know, like, just, it was other thankfully, I went after it. And they were like, okay, yeah, you right,

Jesse: 37:07

That's how I felt when Cameron and John got to do the press tour with jealous wish I could be there. But you know what, I'm gonna prop these guys up Much like you guys did.

John T Bolds: 37:20

Well, we got another caller here. Newman joining us on The

Newman: 37:26

This is newman the space hippie from the movies for days podcast. felt like every Trek was my dad's track or my older brother's track, and I was this show, I have a Star Trek that really feels like it's mine. It's the that's been really exciting. Because I have not looked forward to a weekly TV I look forward to a new episode of Star Trek strange new worlds. So I'm really show yourself included. Good, sir. Let's imagine you are thrust into a writers has a holodeck and you've got carte blanche to do your holodeck episode. about it? Newman, the space it'd be out.

Bill Wolkoff: 38:23

Hi, Newman. Listen, I I love holodeck episodes they're. They're allowed to like pitch openly. Like what like I wish you know, like, I would love I I'm very proud of like, we we obviously there's no holodeck in there's appears in the animated series. We don't have a holodeck in the original series. episode in Season One that Onitra Johnson and Akela Cooper wrote the like I know this is gonna sound like a cop out but that was that was I felt dream of mine. But that's like an example of a great dream episode like Princess Bride fairy tale type story, you know, with a M'benga as the que like black characters playing the kings and old you know, in fairy tale shows and glad that we get to tell those those kinds of those kinds of stories. In

Jesse: 39:40

Subspace Rhapsody, we see La'an gain some new tools, and a starkly new you feel like you learned from writing this episode, despite being such a

Bill Wolkoff: 39:56

I learned about bravery and comfort zones. This was an episode comfort zone. I learned about the nexus of the two and how how careful it has to trust from the people around you. When you go outside of your comfort zone, you this episode everybody on on from the top down, you know, Paul Wesley too, of our regulars, and it's not with the cast every day, but really became you everybody. Want to give a shout out to Dan Jeannotte too who you know was so scenes in subspace Rhapsody like that all, like, all. All of that is, you know like that episode off. I'm glad it worked. And it might not have and it didn't, because I think we needed to take that big swing. And it takes. It and support. So I think I learned I learned about a little bit about how to Downs brilliant director Dermott downs for being our champion, and our guide through that episode. Yeah, so we've got one more right. And we've got one more writing from Marie. She songs and subspace Rhapsody, what would you have liked to include? And I'm very I would have loved to have done a tap dance number of the transporters. We you have an idea of who would be involved?

Newman: 41:58

It would have been a lot on number probably. But you know, there in and out like tap dancing. And you know, we just we didn't have I mean, we it into into the script phase. But like that was something we talked about. And ambitious to pull off. But it was you know, that was one set that I wished we musical number.

John T Bolds: 42:32

I'm sorry, but a step too ambitious is a great name for that. Song

Bill Wolkoff: 42:39

Was there any talk of having a Kirk brothers to it? I think we would have loved to have seen those two sing off against each other

John T Bolds: 42:46

like Brother versus brother.

Bill Wolkoff: 42:48

We did. We did we had? Yes. That mean, that would have been get you know, Dan and Paul to have their own number. But yeah, and that was by episode too. I mean, oh, yeah. We you know, we went over on that episode. strained. Understood. So yeah. fantasizing about the feature length version. Yeah.

Jesse: 43:14

If anybody earned a little bit of extra time, I think you and your team

John T Bolds: 43:20

All right. Here's our last caller mark, returning to the open bike

Engineer Mark: 43:24

Do you hear the people saying, say Do you hear the Distant When to mA ro. Ca. So on that note, it is engineer mark here. And welcome to night again, stating how much I am so amazed by all of your firm devotion to involved. And I will always be there for you guys and fully back it as much as I Well, yeah, those old scientists the crossover that was so perfectly well it didn't. And then of course subspace Rhapsody I've already talked to you a musicals. And no, that was so incredible, especially that clip you wonderful to see. And looking forward to what we can get next, which I know is thank you for everything. Live long and prosper.

Newman: 44:38

Thank you, engineer, engineer Mark, I think was yesterday, right? question was. There was there wasn't really

John T Bolds: 44:45

a question. Just praise just

Jesse: 44:49

thanks for open pike night. He's one of our biggest supporters. So we

Newman: 44:54

Thank you. Thank you, Mark. I'll

Bill Wolkoff: 44:54

find a question. You did talk about the weight. Are you able to season three? And other some dates out there in the ether, I don't know if they We are I mean, we're moving very quickly. And we were in the middle of strike that we'd been back in the right you know, the writers room was back and I'm allowed to give exact dates yet but but it'll be you know, there'll be soon. strike which is ffortunate because then that spared us all from being in the upset when our episodes were being filmed. We are now getting the band back get back, roll up the sleeves and get back to it. Some

John T Bolds: 45:54

people like supermax prison you son of a bitch.

Bill Wolkoff: 46:01

Now well speaking of all that, you know, our season two, one word you would do you have a one word tease for the upcoming season three we can our screens whenever that happens.

Newman: 46:20

Boy, I had not prepared for this. I should have. I should have. I one word. All right. Insert Jeopardy music here while I think.

Bill Wolkoff: 46:45

Seriously, wow,

Newman: 46:46

but you wait so long here. I'm trying. Why? Because it's my fear of

Jesse: 46:57

last time you gave us go, I know. And that was so short. We were like, Spock sits in the captain's chair and says go and I gotta tell you, man, we We were like, Thank you, Bill. Also, wow spock. So it doesn't need to be much. Just that single word.

Bill Wolkoff: 47:21

I'm just gonna think about like the general feeling that you know, say. Now. I I'm gonna say more tickets you know, so well. Well,

Jesse: 47:39

man, full circle. You guys seriously? Come on. Thank you so much, Thank you.

Newman: 47:47

It was worth to build up.

Jesse: 47:49

100% Give

John T Bolds: 47:51

me plugs, social media, the only thing going on, you want to

Newman: 47:54

plug in the Writers Guild contract. It's already been ratified. a members all this month there gonna be informational meetings, go to the There's a lot of controversy out there about the sag after contract right now, to the meetings and get informed and 2024 is when I see it's very be selfishly plug the animation guild, their contract is up and the animation existential threats and artists, not just writers, designers, directors, the animators, they are facing just as many existential threats as sag AFTRA be there for for the animation guild when you know they're caught when they and whatever form that negotiation

Jesse: 48:54

takes excellent union strong No,

Newman: 48:57

no, I plugged unions, surprise,

Bill Wolkoff: 48:59

surprise, I gotta say I'm brand.

Jesse: 49:01

Thank you so much for coming back. Of course, of course, your time is open pike night just an absolute joy to put together and so thank you on our callers Thank you.

John T Bolds: 49:15

Thank you.

Newman: 49:16

Good night gentleman. Till the next time, thank you for doing a great Thank you

John T Bolds: 49:20

to our listeners supporters and our 25 minutes set you can become a supporter@patreon.com slash open pike. Help us keep the lights videos, commentaries, and much more. Join today patreon.com/open bike.

Bill Wolkoff: 49:40

All right, well, where can people find us Jesse,

Jesse: 49:43

the easiest way to get everything you need for open bike night is to go to ways to record and send your messages as well as all of our written articles and really all right there in one place. Of course, if you'd like to follow on can think of we are at open pike. They're not all actively maintained. But of those platforms, we will reply I promise.

Bill Wolkoff: 50:13

And where can people find more of us? John T bolds. They can

John T Bolds: 50:16

find you and I they can find more of us on green shirt a newbie podcast to make up for your failure of never watching Star Trek The Next watching it now and we're recording it episode by episode. It is fun. It is lot of dick jokes we

Bill Wolkoff: 50:38

track every dildo shaped property and she is thrown at us.

John T Bolds: 50:43

Yes we do. We absolutely do. And And if you go to open pike.com you know who we're interviewing next so that we can hear your voice on the open Up next, who is our first Star Trek strange new worlds editor. And I think

Bill Wolkoff: 51:06

Very excited for that. I've done my fair share of video editing

John T Bolds: 51:11

yeah. Oh, yeah, it's gonna be gonna be some very editing nerdy

Jesse: 51:17

And she has quite the editing resume perhaps unsurprisingly, there is have seen. And she was a production assistant on the Dark Knight Rises. Like big. And that movie was huge. So yeah, definitely get ready for that. And of to sign up for the newsletter, there is a link on our website, but if you prefer pipe.substack.com Yes, it's on substack but it is totally free.

John T Bolds: 51:50

The open pipe night crew has to go sit around and consider what meant. What could more Tigges mean? What could it mean for open pike night? So be sure to tip your servers. You can go anywhere you want, but you can stay here