WRITERS' TALKS EXPECTED TO LINGER AFTER DEADLINE.

Byline: Jesse Hiestand Staff Writer

Negotiators for Hollywood's union writers have not backed off a selmposed deadline to break off talks with producers when the two-week round ends today, although sources say it's likely the negotiations will continue.

Official word on an extension of the talks is not expected until the conclusion of the 11th day of talks today, when the contentious issue of creative rights will be discussed.

``That's been a really sticky and emotional issue for them,'' said a source familiar with the talks. ``A lot of different scenarios could play out.''

One possibility, considered slim, is that the talks ``blow up'' over creative issues like the writers' demand that films no longer show the possessory credit ``a film by,'' usually taken by directors.

More likely, the creative issues will be farmed out to a side committee so the writers and their counterparts with the Alliance of Motion Picture & Television Producers can concentrate on the nuts-and-bolts financial concerns, like residuals.

Spokesmen for the writers and producers guilds declined to comment Thursday because of an agreed-upon media blackout during the talks being held at the Writers Guild of America's offices in the Fairfax District.

Hollywood is watching these negotiations nervously because their outcome will likely to determine if the writers go on strike when their contract expires May 1.

Hoping to speed through its 41 demands, the writers limited the talks to two weeks, although WGA President John Wells said on the opening day that he would not walk away from the table if progress was being made.

That has not been indicated in the updates the parties have released after each day's session.

Just this week, they have discussed residuals on basic cable, foreign markets, made-for-pay TV, video and DVD, and the Internet, as well as foreign distribution and screenwriters' rights to reacquire unproduced scripts.

However the writers' contract plays out, it will undoubtedly influence separate contract negotiations between the producers and Screen Actors Guild before its contract expires June 30.

A combined writers and actors strike would paralyze the industry and cost the Los Angeles County economy an estimated $250 million a week.