Video Interview with The Handmaid’s Tale Emmy Winner, Kira Snyder
The Salty WGA Strike Issues on the Writers’ Table
On Friday, August 18, 2023, during the Writers Guild of America strike, I had the privileged opportunity to interview the talented Kira Snyder. Her esteemed credits include: executive producer and writer for the Emmy award winning Handmaid’s Tale, The 100, Pacific Rim: Uprising, Moonlight and more.
As we stood in a puddle of shade during a tolerable Los Angeles heat wave, while on the picket line in front of Amazon Studios, car horns sounded their approval with occasional accompanying shouts of “Woo!” and “Power to the People” cries of support—the soundtrack of a picket line.
The Writers Guild of America (WGA) went on strike in May of 2023, to bring attention to the necessity for protections from artificial intelligence job interference, increased compensation, staffing requirements, better residuals, and more. As a writer myself and a proud member of sister union Screen Actors Guild (SAG-AFTRA, also now on strike), I’ve been walking the picket line since the beginning, in May, to lend my support. Knowing that the WGA was meeting with the AMPTP (Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers), I wondered if this meant an end to the strike was coming soon and if someone could please explain the most prominent grumbling from the writers I was walking with: “room sized regulations.” Kira was gracious enough to answer all my questions and then some. Please enjoy this 12-minute interview. Kira is running for a 2023 seat on the WGAW Board of Directors, and we wish her the best of luck. It’s obvious that she has acquired a wealth of experience and is a great representative for the Writers Guild of America. Many thanks to Kira Snyder for taking the time to speak with the Sage Words podcast.
Photo by Margot Hartford
Sage Justice is achingly sincere. Balancing wisdom and humor she most often writes deeply personal solution based pieces about the enduring virtues that connect us all: love and healing. She is an award-winning playwright and critically acclaimed performing artist who has appeared on stages from Madison Square Garden in New York City, to The Comedy Store in Hollywood, California. Ms. Justice is the author of Sage Words FREEDOM Book One, an activist, a member of the Screen Actors Guild and an alumna Artist-In-Residence of Chateau Orquevaux, France. She is a co-founder of The Unity Project which fuses activism with art, to educate and inspire, with a special emphasis on community engagement to end homelessness. She has a series of short reels about living with the rare genetic disorder, Vascular Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome that you can find in a highlight reel on her Instagram page @SageWords2027.
Personal note:
One of the comments I receive most often from my writing is, “You made me think about that topic in a new way.” If we’re going to survive and thrive in this life, we have to support those who make us see things from new and useful perspectives. 16 months ago I started this Substack and gave away 100 free subscriptions and from that a handful of loyal, supportive, generous paid subscribers blossomed—who I am so very grateful for and appreciate. Since April of 2022, I have published 33 pieces on the human experience creating solutions to universal challenges infused with wisdom, empathy, integrity and humor. Due to the current economic struggles facing us all and the dramatic increase in the cost of foods and medical supplements, I will regrettably, no longer be able to provide free subscriptions. My husband and I are both working professionals in the entertainment industry and our income is being directly impacted by the Writers and Actor’s Guild Strikes. Therefore, if you’ve found value in my essays on conflict resolution, relationship dynamics, peaceful parenting, or the seven-piece series I’ve written on PRIDE, the four-part series on how to end mass shootings, the five-part series on protecting children and reproductive freedom, or my pop culture commentaries I thank you in advance for becoming a paid subscriber for yourself and buying a subscription for a friend. A monthly subscription is just $5 a month, a yearly subscription is $45. Writers provide a much-needed service to the community. We gather information and turn it into inspiration, education, entertainment, and understanding to bring people together; and right now, we could use your financial support. Thank you.