After the apocalypse

It's set to be a big weekend in Los Angeles, and not just because Flo Rida will be on stage with about a hundred of his closest friends at the Avalon.

The WGA West has called a Saturday night tent revival at the Shrine (it's actually called an "informational meeting" but that just sounds so deadly dull). Members are freed up because they'd already ditched their own awards show on that night. (Winners will be announced by press release, speaking of deadly dull). WGA East will be holding a similar get together on the other coast.

Before anyone imagines that the strike's done, guild negotiator John Bowman says this:

"Regardless of what you hear or read, there are many significant points that have yet to be worked out."

For now, pickets continue. THR's Carl DiOrio has more details here.

Today's cautious optimism aside, people are already starting to look to tomorrow, metaphorically speaking, at the scorched landscape left behind after three-plus months of a bitter work stoppage. Does it look like a post-apocalyptic "Mad Max?" No, but it's not exactly singing animated woodland creatures lovely either.

Check our brother blog Risky Business for a lay of the land, (also known as, who'll be buying stuff?) and the L.A. Times' Scriptland for some stark news about a revamped, streamlined business that will tighten its belt going forward. The photo of stern faced Peter Chernin and Rupert Murdoch makes it real. Real scary, that is.