"On May 2nd, the Writers Guild of America (WGA) declared a strike. Productions stopped, as without writers, there was no one to update scripts and stories. On July 14th, SAG-AFTRA members also began to strike." --Mackenzie Luna,
8th Grade
On May 2nd, the Writers Guild of America (WGA) declared a strike. Most union members took to the streets, in front of all the main production studios, including Universal, Disney, Warner Brothers, Netflix, Paramount, and Sony Pictures. Productions stopped, as without writers, there was no one to update scripts and stories. Saturday Night Live ended season 48 early, while shows such as Abbott Elementary, Stranger Things, and The Last of Us are only some of the many paused shows.
“WGA East strikers are striking in front of Netflix’s New York headquarters, Hbo/ Amazon office, and Silvercup studios, as well as many others,” reported The Wrap. Television Companies where there are strikes also include CBS, ABC, FOX, and NBC.
The Writers Guild of America “refers to two unions, the Writers Guild of America, East, and the Writers Guild of America, West, which represent writers in film and TV,” states Teen Vogue. WGA was founded in 1954, after the Screen Writers Guild merged with unions that represented both radio and television writers from both coasts. This formed the WGA, East and WGA, West. Since the founding, there have been 8 writers strikes, mostly all involving pay, residuales, and rights with scripts.
This May, members of the WGA voted “overwhelmingly to authorize a strike” as a small threat if they were unable to reach an agreement with the Alliance of Motion Pictures and Television Producers, (AMPTP) by the end of their current contract, which was set to expire on May 1st. This begs the questions of what this writer's strike is about, and what is the conflict for the AMPTP?
If you have watched television shows, you may have noticed how seasons have only had a few episodes. This affects upcoming writers, as “the path to ‘break in’ was to be an assistant on a show for 1-2 seasons, write a freelance episode, then eventually be promoted to staff writer on a future season.” Per an anoynomus writers assistant who wants to confirm they are from the perspective of a supporting staff member.
However, because shows have risks of being canceled, becoming promoted is now “more difficult than ever, regardless of your skills as a writer.” Because of this, WGA is fighting for a certain number of writers to a room, so lower-level positions can stay open with opportunities for rising writers trying to get deeper into the industry.
“Another sticking point for the WGA is success-based residuals, so actors and writers get a share of the massive profits that streamers get from their work,” added the supporting staff member.
“What used to be a good living for writers is now, like most tech sectors, reduced to gig economy jobs - temporary, sporadic, low pay, and without clear development ladders to move up,” wrote an anonymous WGA and DGA member. She also added the fact that there were many more reasons for the strike, but “the biggest one is Netflix and the rapid rise of streaming in film and TV, spurred by the pandemic.”
There is another main point the writers are striking about, Artificial Intelligence. Students have used AI for schoolwork, adults have used it for work, or life in general. Many, many years ago AI would not have crossed many minds as a thing that can make a movie, but now Artificial Intelligence is that intelligent. This is a threat to the film industry, as studios can just ask AI for film ideas, or ask it to write out a screenplay. This would put many writers out of the job, as many writers work hard in the industry, and love it.
“Protection and regulation against AI is a must. It’s not only the future of the industry that’s at stake, but also our livelihoods,” added the supporting staff member.
“WGA East strikers are striking in front of Netflix’s New York headquarters, Hbo/ Amazon office, and Silvercup studios, as well as many others,” reported The Wrap. Television Companies where there are strikes also include CBS, ABC, FOX, and NBC.
The Writers Guild of America “refers to two unions, the Writers Guild of America, East, and the Writers Guild of America, West, which represent writers in film and TV,” states Teen Vogue. WGA was founded in 1954, after the Screen Writers Guild merged with unions that represented both radio and television writers from both coasts. This formed the WGA, East and WGA, West. Since the founding, there have been 8 writers strikes, mostly all involving pay, residuales, and rights with scripts.
This May, members of the WGA voted “overwhelmingly to authorize a strike” as a small threat if they were unable to reach an agreement with the Alliance of Motion Pictures and Television Producers, (AMPTP) by the end of their current contract, which was set to expire on May 1st. This begs the questions of what this writer's strike is about, and what is the conflict for the AMPTP?
If you have watched television shows, you may have noticed how seasons have only had a few episodes. This affects upcoming writers, as “the path to ‘break in’ was to be an assistant on a show for 1-2 seasons, write a freelance episode, then eventually be promoted to staff writer on a future season.” Per an anoynomus writers assistant who wants to confirm they are from the perspective of a supporting staff member.
However, because shows have risks of being canceled, becoming promoted is now “more difficult than ever, regardless of your skills as a writer.” Because of this, WGA is fighting for a certain number of writers to a room, so lower-level positions can stay open with opportunities for rising writers trying to get deeper into the industry.
“Another sticking point for the WGA is success-based residuals, so actors and writers get a share of the massive profits that streamers get from their work,” added the supporting staff member.
“What used to be a good living for writers is now, like most tech sectors, reduced to gig economy jobs - temporary, sporadic, low pay, and without clear development ladders to move up,” wrote an anonymous WGA and DGA member. She also added the fact that there were many more reasons for the strike, but “the biggest one is Netflix and the rapid rise of streaming in film and TV, spurred by the pandemic.”
There is another main point the writers are striking about, Artificial Intelligence. Students have used AI for schoolwork, adults have used it for work, or life in general. Many, many years ago AI would not have crossed many minds as a thing that can make a movie, but now Artificial Intelligence is that intelligent. This is a threat to the film industry, as studios can just ask AI for film ideas, or ask it to write out a screenplay. This would put many writers out of the job, as many writers work hard in the industry, and love it.
“Protection and regulation against AI is a must. It’s not only the future of the industry that’s at stake, but also our livelihoods,” added the supporting staff member.
Credit: Rene Luna
On July 14th, SAG-AFTRA members also began to strike. SAG-AFTRA stands for Screen Actors Guild-American Federation of Television and Recording Artists, a labor union which represents around 160,000 people who are in the entertainment industry. The people in these unions include “actors, announcers, broadcast journalists, dancers, DJs, news writers, news editors, program hosts, puppeteers, recording artists, singers, stunt performers, voiceover artists and other media professionals," explains SAG-AFTRA’s home website.
“We are the faces and the voices that entertain and inform America and the world.”
The SAG-AFTRA strike came after weeks of failed negotiations with AMPTP . AMPTP represents major motion picture studios including Sony, Paramount, Walt Disney Studios, Universal, and Warner Bros. They also represent Television Networks like Fox, ABC, NBC, as well as CBS. Streaming services are also included, like Apple TV, Netflix, and Amazon. This company does not want to accept demands being expressed by WGA and SAG-AFTRA. AMPTP is basically continuing strikes because they are not willing to agree.
WGA’s demands are an echo of the demands of the SAG-AFTRA strike, which is calling for better pay and better working conditions, as well as fairer contracts that include stipulations of use of artificial intelligence.
The SAG-AFTRA president, actress, writer, activist and trade union leader Fran Drescher, in an interview with TIME. “This contract, the foundation of it was forged in 1960. That was so far before anything that we’re dealing with now: streaming, digital, AI,” said Drescher. “It’s a completely different industry. It demands a whole new, reinvigorated, restructured contract.”
The longest writers' strike lasted for 154 days in 1988, and the strike now is over 135 days. SAG-AFTRA is past 65 days. There is no say when the strikes will end, but per both anonymous sources and multiple media opinions, these strikes could continue into the new year.
Because productions have been on pause, new film content is slowing down. Shows and movies already filmed and completed may still release, but newer and typical cable shows, for example The Rookie, Abbott Elementary, 9-1-1, and every other show in general are all stopped. This makes a lot of people wonder, if there will be a rise in the reality television industry.
“Conventional thinking says yes,” wrote the DGA and WGA member. “But there is an interesting thing happening right now where there is new and greater scrutiny into the reality TV industry, including exploitative pay and abusive and degrading situations reality cast members are put into to create greater drama.”
Basically it’s possible, and likely, but we all have to just watch and see.
While the strikes are happening, there have been films and shows that have still been granted access to continue filming, with special waivers by the union.
Smaller studios, such as A24 and Neon, are not under the AMPTP umbrella, and are allowed to film with SAG-AFTRA actors, agreeing to terms SAG-AFTRA negotiated, with an 11% higher minimum wage and AI protections.
Over 100 productions have been approved, including Death of a Unicorn starring Paul Rudd and Jenna Ortega, a Rebel Wilson comedy entitled Bride Hard, and The Rivals of Amziah King', which stars Matthew McConaughey.
The WGA and SAG-AFTRA strikes are very important for those striking, and for us who watch the content. Writers are the foundations of a film, and they need to be paid to be able to make a living. The world can be hard to live in in general, and expensive. Same goes for the actors. What to take from this article is just to understand the fight of these unions, and their reason.
“Don't take this as a sign to not follow your dreams, but do take it as a sign to plan and have lots of different things going on in your life outside of Hollywood -both for personal/artistic fulfillment and financial sustainability,” wrote the WGA and DGA member as a message to anyone looking to be involved in the film industry.
Much support to WGA and SAG-AFTRA.
*UPDATE*
On September 24th, the WGA strike has come to an end.
"Hollywood heaves a sigh of relief. The WGA and major studios and streamers have reached a tentative agreement on a new three-year contract that promises to end the 146-day strike that has taken a heavy toll across the content industry," reported Variety.
On July 14th, SAG-AFTRA members also began to strike. SAG-AFTRA stands for Screen Actors Guild-American Federation of Television and Recording Artists, a labor union which represents around 160,000 people who are in the entertainment industry. The people in these unions include “actors, announcers, broadcast journalists, dancers, DJs, news writers, news editors, program hosts, puppeteers, recording artists, singers, stunt performers, voiceover artists and other media professionals," explains SAG-AFTRA’s home website.
“We are the faces and the voices that entertain and inform America and the world.”
The SAG-AFTRA strike came after weeks of failed negotiations with AMPTP . AMPTP represents major motion picture studios including Sony, Paramount, Walt Disney Studios, Universal, and Warner Bros. They also represent Television Networks like Fox, ABC, NBC, as well as CBS. Streaming services are also included, like Apple TV, Netflix, and Amazon. This company does not want to accept demands being expressed by WGA and SAG-AFTRA. AMPTP is basically continuing strikes because they are not willing to agree.
WGA’s demands are an echo of the demands of the SAG-AFTRA strike, which is calling for better pay and better working conditions, as well as fairer contracts that include stipulations of use of artificial intelligence.
The SAG-AFTRA president, actress, writer, activist and trade union leader Fran Drescher, in an interview with TIME. “This contract, the foundation of it was forged in 1960. That was so far before anything that we’re dealing with now: streaming, digital, AI,” said Drescher. “It’s a completely different industry. It demands a whole new, reinvigorated, restructured contract.”
The longest writers' strike lasted for 154 days in 1988, and the strike now is over 135 days. SAG-AFTRA is past 65 days. There is no say when the strikes will end, but per both anonymous sources and multiple media opinions, these strikes could continue into the new year.
Because productions have been on pause, new film content is slowing down. Shows and movies already filmed and completed may still release, but newer and typical cable shows, for example The Rookie, Abbott Elementary, 9-1-1, and every other show in general are all stopped. This makes a lot of people wonder, if there will be a rise in the reality television industry.
“Conventional thinking says yes,” wrote the DGA and WGA member. “But there is an interesting thing happening right now where there is new and greater scrutiny into the reality TV industry, including exploitative pay and abusive and degrading situations reality cast members are put into to create greater drama.”
Basically it’s possible, and likely, but we all have to just watch and see.
While the strikes are happening, there have been films and shows that have still been granted access to continue filming, with special waivers by the union.
Smaller studios, such as A24 and Neon, are not under the AMPTP umbrella, and are allowed to film with SAG-AFTRA actors, agreeing to terms SAG-AFTRA negotiated, with an 11% higher minimum wage and AI protections.
Over 100 productions have been approved, including Death of a Unicorn starring Paul Rudd and Jenna Ortega, a Rebel Wilson comedy entitled Bride Hard, and The Rivals of Amziah King', which stars Matthew McConaughey.
The WGA and SAG-AFTRA strikes are very important for those striking, and for us who watch the content. Writers are the foundations of a film, and they need to be paid to be able to make a living. The world can be hard to live in in general, and expensive. Same goes for the actors. What to take from this article is just to understand the fight of these unions, and their reason.
“Don't take this as a sign to not follow your dreams, but do take it as a sign to plan and have lots of different things going on in your life outside of Hollywood -both for personal/artistic fulfillment and financial sustainability,” wrote the WGA and DGA member as a message to anyone looking to be involved in the film industry.
Much support to WGA and SAG-AFTRA.
*UPDATE*
On September 24th, the WGA strike has come to an end.
"Hollywood heaves a sigh of relief. The WGA and major studios and streamers have reached a tentative agreement on a new three-year contract that promises to end the 146-day strike that has taken a heavy toll across the content industry," reported Variety.
