The Sandman Season 2 Begins Filming: Is The Show Safe Amid Ongoing Strikes?
Neil Gaiman stays very open about all the issues the show may face.
Since the beginning of the Writers Guild of America strike, many major TV series and film productions involving American writers have had to slow down or stop altogether.
As expected from the effects of the previous strike in 2008, the industry has not handled the changes well.
Not many people outside the industry know this, but a writer's job doesn't end when the script is finished and sent to the director.
Almost every production requires the writers to be on set to make sure they can make necessary changes on the spot and perfect those moments that seem better on paper than in reality.
Therefore, starting a show in the middle of a strike is a risky decision, to say the least. However, knowing all the risks involved, Neil Gaiman and the Sandman production team decided to go ahead with the filming of season 2 as planned.
Filming reportedly began on Monday, June 28th, and as required by the strike, there are no writers on set.
While fans of the show are happy to know that they can expect to see their favorite characters without any delays, they are also concerned about the drop in quality that could result.
Getting a second season that doesn't match the quality of the first might be even worse than not getting a second season at all.
Neil Gaiman's brutal honesty on the subject also does nothing to ease the fears some fans may already have:
"It will have a negative effect on the promotion and success of Good Omens, just as it will have a negative effect on Anansi Boys <...> and on Sandman (which will be shooting without anyone rewriting the scripts, which were frozen as of May 31st). But it's worth it," he said in one of the Tumblr posts.
It would be naive for viewers to expect no change, but now the impact of the strike seems more real than ever.
However, as the creator of The Sandman noted, all of the struggles will be worth it for fair working conditions for the people who have been bringing the most amazing stories to our screens for many years.
Keep an eye out for more news and behind-the-scenes updates, and don't miss The Sandman season 2 release date announcement.
Source: Neil Gaiman on Tumblr