The breakdown of the Writers Guild of America’s contract negotiations with the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers has unleashed a torrent of emotion not seen among Hollywood union members since the last time the WGA went on strike in 2007.
As of 12:01 a.m. on May 2, members of the creative community on both coasts have traded the finery of that event for fire and brimstone on picket lines. The breakdown of the Writers Guild of America’s contract negotiations with the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers has unleashed a torrent of emotion not seen among Hollywood union members since the last time thewent on strike, in 2007.
“Hollywood is an industry that runs on stories, period. There’s nothing without the storytellers,” says “Jane the Virgin” writer Rafael Agustin. “I’m angry because the WGA is inevitably going to win, but the AMPTP insisted on stopping an entire industry as opposed to properly compensating the labor force that helps them make billions.”
“This is about more than writers,” says Nazemian, whose credits include 2017’s “Call Me by Your Name” and the NBC sitcom “Ordinary Joe.” “It’s about how we value human labor. It’s about the truly alarming rise in wealth disparity. It’s about keeping unions strong so we can revitalize our middle class. And it’s about standing up to corporate greed, which impacts everyone everywhere these days.”
“With the advent of streaming and the pandemic changing people’s viewing habits, it’s another world,” says Paul Hardart, a professor at NYU’s Stern School of Business and director of its Entertainment, Media & Technology program. “And therefore it requires a different deal.” “I’m feeling the historical gravity of this moment. I’m worried about how this will affect not just writers but our entire industry,” says Charise Castro Smith, a writer whose credits include 2021’s “Encanto.” “The guild’s proposals are fair, and they reflect the reality that writers shape culture and deserve to be able to provide for their families. So many young writers of color coming into the industry get boxed out or stuck at staff writer or forced to do free work.
The ramifications of this are significant for writers, who are typically paid by the episode. In the new world order, short-order series hire writers to pen all the scripts over a 10- or 13-week period before physical production begins. All of this adds up to lower paychecks overall. Plus, a huge problem that has come to the fore as part of the negotiation is the growing experience gap between more established scribes and greener writers.
On top of the change in viewing habits and business models, writers are also confronting the threat of artificial intelligence; they fear the studios will use AI to replace them. The guild offered a proposal that would protect writers from encroachment by AI on their credits and compensation, but the AMPTP rejected that proposal, and suggested meeting annually to discuss advances in technology.
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