#that their threat to wait until writers go broke to open up negotiations again... holds no weight

[chirpsythismorning]

For what I've seen, the ST production team has been working all o this time since none of them are part of neither the WGA nor SAG-Aftra. This probably means they've advanced a lot of work. Do you think that once the strikes are over, this will make it easier for them to start filming as soon as possible or even for the filming process to take less time than initially predicted? (Around a year)

It’s possible.

But it’s also worth noting that them needing a full year to film ST5 is for a multitude of reasons.

With all the delays, they now have to rework their entire schedule post-strike, as it won’t look the same as it looked before the strike. They need to be able to fit dozens of cast-members schedules together to ensure that their availability aligns with other cast-members they have scenes with.

While ST does get first dibs more than the casts other projects because of their contract with Netflix, it’s a lot easier to plan a schedule when you get everyone’s schedules, put them all together, and look at what aligns and what doesn’t, to make it easier for everyone.

For example, it made sense that despite certain cast members being unavailable in May to film, there were rumors (multiple statements from Noah himself) that he would start filming in May. And that’s likely because he started school again in the fall, and so it makes sense they looked at his schedule and determined it would be best to squeeze in as much filming for him as possible from May-August before school started in the fall, with him having a good chunk of time throughout the school year to go back to school for tests, etc..

Another example is David Harbour, who said he was going to be filming Thunderbolts in Atlanta simultaneously while he was filming ST5 in Atlanta. This means he would likely have at least 1-2 weeks of filming for ST and then 1-2 weeks of filming Thunderbolts, with days off and on within the mix, in order to accommodate both films schedules and when they need him for certain scenes.

I think a lot of fans assume that 1 year of filming means nonstop filming for each cast member, which is just not the case.

Even if certain actors have a lot of scenes in each episode, there are still scenes without them.

For example, let’s say Millie has 8 scenes total in 5x01 or something. There are still going to be several scenes without her, upwards of over 10 scenes give or take. That's scenes with other characters filming without Millie present because she does not have to be because she is not in any of the shots. Millie does not need to be strictly in Atlanta for those 1-2 weeks that it takes to film the block of scenes that do not include her. If they can make it so actors are able to be gone for 1-2 weeks of time, as opposed to just filming 1-2 scenes and then having to wait 2-3 days for their next scene, they’ll try to. Not saying that won’t happen occasionally, as I'm sure there are times when it's maybe a week on and week off or three weeks on and one off, but still, doing it in larger blocks to make it easier and accommodate everyone, is much more realistic because it just makes it a lot smoother to flesh out the schedule like that with their main (high demand) cast, and then fit side characters (not as high demand aka more wide open availability) around that.

For example, Amybeth only had like 4ish scenes total throughout the entirety of s4, and she lives out of the country, so it wouldn’t make sense to have her stay in Atlanta for upwards of a year. Instead Amybeth was only in Atlanta filming for two weeks total for those scenes featuring her, from mid May-early June 2021. That meant they had to ensure Maya (and Joe lmao) were available during that time Amybeth would be on set bc they had scenes together. Fun fact, if you pay close attention to the shots with Vickie during the pep rally, it's clear that it was filmed on a different day than the rest of the scenes, bc in the wide shots we don't even see the band on the bleachers (TV magic!). This means that only that corner with the band was filled up and the rest of the bleachers were empty when they shot that scene with Amybeth and Maya. No one else needed to be there since it wasn't necessary.

Usually, filming for 1 episode takes about a month. But it’s likely much of ST5’s episodes will be a little over 60 minutes as opposed to like 50 minutes. So giving them about 1-1.5 months to film each episode, 8 total (unless that changes), puts them at approximately 12 months aka a year. While some episodes might take only a month (or maybe even less) to film, the finale is going to be over 2 hours, which means filming for the finale will take closer to 2 months potentially.

This means 12 months is a very good estimate for how long it could take to film ST5 overall. Though to be fair, given the circumstances of them being on hiatus for so long and maybe being more prepared, maybe it’ll take a little bit less than that? But I honesty don’t think it will be by much, as most years they end up underestimating and it takes a little bit longer than anticipated bc of impromptu delays. (This is also assuming the strike ends and filming starts in Oct, only a couple months from now, which isn't guaranteed whatsoever either).

Even if the strike ends and filming is in full swing and they have a plan to finish in 12 months, there’s no way of knowing for certain if something else could impact filming and cause it to take longer. We should know by now with COVID and the strike that nothing is guaranteed until it’s all filmed. Once it’s all filmed, THEN we can actually start theorizing about when it will premiere.

ST5 premiered about 8 months after filming, not only because post-production is time consuming in and of itself, but because they wanted to have it come out in summer as opposed to Spring. Maybe the first few episodes were ready way earlier, but the later ones weren't even close, so holding off for a more suitable release period, Summer, which they prefer for ST releases anyways, makes sense.

A best case scenario rn, that I allow myself to hope for still, despite everything (assuming the studios get their heads out of their asses asap), is ST5 starting filming in October this year and finishing in October 2024. This puts them at a similar roll out period to ST4, with about 8 months of post-production and a premiere in the summer sometime in 2025 between May-August, whether that include two volumes or not. Netflix is a lot more likely to push for a summer release, regardless of them starting/ending filming sooner than October. Hell, even if they finished editing those first 5 eps by like March or something, Netflix would much rather stretch and wait to release those in early summer with the rest in mid/late summer again, bc they’ve never done Spring releases and I don’t think they’re going to start now. Especially bc I think it will be pushing it in terms of the working conditions being way too strenuous for VFX/editors. I'd rather have them push for a summer release and take their time and make it as good as they can, then to rush and make a spring release and have it feel half ass, only to be over forever.

I know people get sad knowing how long it's going to take to come out. But I just can't comprehend wanting it to be out ASAP, and most likely poorly, only to be over forever. Like this is the end for real. Maybe you'll see one of the characters pop up in a spin off, at best, but it wont be any of the mains that is for certain.

ST5 in 2024 is 100% not happening, so unless you want s5 to be edited for a mere 2 months at absolutely shit quality, let it go. If you want to hope for Spring 2025 go ahead, but that release period is already unprecedented with/without the strike, so don't hold your breath. I would try to accept ST5 Summer 2025 and hope that is as far as it goes. TBH if the strike goes past October, Netflix is going to have to come up with a deal because they are risking ST not premiering in the Summer like they want. If they don't make a deal by then, they'll presumably be forced to make a deal asap, otherwise they’d just be fucking themselves over.

[flauntpage]

Don’t Buy What Terrell Owens Is Selling

“My favorite quote’s by Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.,” Terrell Owens asserted during his Hall of Fame speech, which he delivered at the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga. “It says, ‘the ultimate measure of a man is not where he stands in moments of comfort and convenience, but where he stands at times of challenge and controversy.'”

It was an ironic choice from a wide receiver who, during his stellar career and even in retirement, has seemed most comfortable when he was courting controversy. Owens’ decision to exile himself from the ceremony at Canton in favor of a celebration on the campus of his alma mater was unprecedented. Then again, Owens is a man so accustomed to burning bridges that he probably doesn’t mind living on an island.

A cynic would label the entire spectacle a publicity stunt, one last dash by Owens to seize a rapidly dimming spotlight. But Owens didn’t see it that way. You see, T.O’s quest was righteous, a principled stand against a flawed process. Just ask T.O. –

“There has been a lot of speculation and false reports as to why I chose not to be there. I would like to set the record straight. It’s not because [of] how many times it took for me to be voted into the Hall,” Owens explained, before revealing that his delayed induction was precisely the reason why he skipped the event.

In Owens’ estimation, the sports writers who serve as Canton’s gatekeepers had failed to remain “in alignment with the mission and core values of the Hall of Fame.” His three-year wait was tantamount to being “ostracized.”

“Whether it’s three years or forty-five years, you should get what you rightfully earned,” Owens noted to applause.  It was apparently unclear to the gold-jacketed Owens and his assembled fans that he was being enshrined that very day.

Listening to the entire self-absorbed-screed-cloaked-as-altruistic-moral-crusade, I couldn’t help but think back to Owens’ short tenure as a Philadelphia Eagle. I remember him pacing the sideline during a game against the Pittsburgh Steelers, relentlessly stalking Donovan McNabb and letting his quarterback know he was open.

T.O. was always open. And it was always important for him to let his coaches and quarterbacks know he was open.

McNabb had played miserably, throwing for just 109 yards on the day. The Eagles hit their first speed bump in what had been a charmed season until that point, falling to the Steelers by a score of 27-3 and dropping to 7-1. Compounding McNabb’s frustration was the nagging presence of a petulant receiver who showed his true colors at the first moment of crisis.

McNabb kept his composure in Pittsburgh, but lost his patience with Owens during a late-season contest against the Giants. After Owens complained that he did not get the ball on a play that was called for him, McNabb told his whiny teammate to “shut the F up.” McNabb admitted to using the salty language in a 2006 ESPN interview, rationalizing the brief spat as an attempt to re-establish focus on the next play.

“I’m running the huddle. This is my show,” the former Eagle signal caller related to reporter Michael Smith. “I’m going to see you a lot of plays and some plays I won’t see you.”

For anyone who’s played a competitive sport, it’s fairly standard business – words said in the heat of the moment and usually forgotten. Unless you’re T.O., who complained about this “incident” as recently as 2017 in an interview with Graham Bensinger and during a guest appearance on “Undisputed.”

“I’ve never disrespected any of my teammates to that degree,” Owens groused to Skip Bayless, seemingly forgetting that he once cavalierly implied his former 49ers teammate and quarterback Jeff Garcia was gay in an interview with Playboy magazine.

In his self-created dramas, Terrell Owens can only play the role of victim. He never had reservations about badmouthing his quarterback and coaches, but always took offense when criticism was redirected at him.

Even when he attempted to take responsibility for his shortcomings during his speech, Owens stopped short of assuming full agency.

“I’m not a perfect man. I’ve made a lot of mistakes. But that’s what happens when you start a professional football career at 22 years old,” Owens stated.

For the record, Owens was 30 years old when he signed his 7 year, $49 million contract with the Eagles. He did so against the advice of the NFL Players Association. He also allowed agent David Joseph to negotiate the contract; Joseph had nearly blown his client’s chance to enter free agency when he missed a deadline to file paperwork.

Owens was 31 years of age when he decided that the contract he signed the previous year was unfair. After threatening to hold out, Owens reported to training camp, only to be sent home following an argument with head coach Andy Reid. Owens then decided to stage a “workout” in his driveway, causing a media circus.

Owens knew just the right buttons to push in his dispute with Eagles management. He publicly attacked McNabb for not supporting his case. He played right into the narrative of McNabb as the ���company man,” the guy on the team who was paid handsomely while the rest were subjected to the hardball negotiating tactics of Joe Banner.

By exploiting this internal dynamic, Owens divided the locker room and undermined his quarterback’s leadership of the team. By November, Reid had enough of the circus and fired the ringmaster. Owens was suspended for three games and deactivated for the rest of the season for conduct detrimental to the team.

To this day, Owens continues to take potshots at the best quarterback not named Steve Young with whom he played. At a time in McNabb’s career when he could have used an ally who had his back, Owens decided to stab him in the back. For years, McNabb had battled the noise machine. When he wasn’t being attacked for being black, he was taking heat for not being black enough. Moreover, had an uneasy relationship with the fan base, whose frustrations with the Eagles’ Super Bowl drought were exacerbated during the McNabb-Reid era.

Instead of silencing the machine, Owens fed it.

This is not to say that Owens does not belong in the Hall of Fame. Anyone who had the privilege of watching him play knows that T.O. earned his place in Canton. When Owens arrived in Philadelphia, he brought the Eagles exactly what they needed: a big-play receiver who could break through tight coverage and run short, intermediate, and deep routes. Gone were the days of depending on Torrance Small or James Thrash to get a critical first down and methodically move the ball down the field. In came Owens, who was a deep threat at any point during the possession.

The offense took off. McNabb had his finest season as a pro in 2004, posting career-high totals in completion percentage, passing yards, touchdowns, and quarterback rating. Although he broke his fibula in a Week 15 game against the Cowboys and missed most of the playoffs, T.O.’s presence in the lineup helped the Eagles secure home field advantage and break through the NFC Championship game ceiling that had kept them from advancing to the Super Bowl for three consecutive seasons.

Owens worked diligently to return in time for the Super Bowl. He rehabbed the injury during the day and slept in a hyperbaric chamber at night. Playing at less than full health, he still snagged 9 catches and netted 122 yards in a spectacular performance against the Patriots.

They couldn’t stop him. No one could stop him. It was a recurring theme throughout T.O.’s career.

Should Owens have been inducted in his first year of eligibility? I think so. His all-time stats establish him as one of the greatest wideouts to play the game. According to Bleacher Report’s Mike Tanier, there was a small bloc of voters on the selection committee who kept T.O. off the ballot in 2016:

The anti-Owens group consisted of nine or 10 selectors, a small minority of the 43-person board of selectors, but large enough and entrenched enough to block Owens from making the cut for the Class of 2016. A candidate needs at least 80 percent of the vote at the end of the meeting to be enshrined, and Owens did not have the numbers.

One could offer a compelling case that these voters were wrong. Indeed, there is a solid argument to be made that media members should remove themselves from the voting process altogether. However, the notion that Owens was somehow wronged because he had to wait a couple of years for his candidacy to gain the necessary traction is ludicrous. If he were truly “ostracized” by the committee, he wouldn’t have been considered at all.

Owens closed his speech with a quote from Albert Einstein: “Adversity introduces a man to himself.”

I completely agree. When presented with adversity, Terrell Owens revealed himself to be an incredible competitor. He also showed himself to be a man who wallowed in self-pity and undermined his teammates and coaches. When there were consequences for his behavior, he evaded accountability the same way he used to run past and through defenders.

“I am a man of courage, courageous enough to choose Chattanooga over Canton,” Owens proclaimed. Owens’ stand wasn’t courageous. It was an extension of his brand as a pervasive attention-seeker and chronic complainer.

Owens showed us who he really is on Saturday. But, as was the case during his playing days, T.O. was too wrapped up in his security blanket of perpetual victimhood to see it. So it goes.

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