The situation of the Hollywood writers strike will be complicated from today. SAG-AFTRA, the main union of actors from the mecca of film and television, adds to the demands for salary improvements and addressing the problem of AI that threatens their jobs, according to reports Deadline and various specialized media.
With this, the main productions are paralyzed, which will surely put the streaming industry in check, which is currently facing a saturation problem and which could lead to the bursting of a multi-billion dollar bubble.
Why are the actors going on strike?
More than 65,000 members of the main union of actors have voted, with 97% support for “Yes”, a strike that is already a reality. Among its demands are several very similar to those made by screenwriters:
Improvements in the minimum salary that actors receive. The change to short seasons has decreased the volume of work. Better payment of royalties. The right to charge for the broadcast of a work, won during the 1960 strike, has been seriously affected by the streaming format. The explanation is much more complex but, in essence, the fact that there are fewer reruns on television because everything is available via streaming implies charging less while companies keep the lion’s share. Improvements in general working conditions. It is to be expected that certain incidents have aroused concern among guild professionals. Conversations regarding the use of AIs. The actors demand protection against the improper use of their image when creating products, as well as compensation in case their work is used or to train artificial intelligences.
What impact will this have on series, movies and television?
Obviously, without scriptwriters there are no stories and without actors, no one to interpret them. What this implies is a total stoppage of production. Streaming platforms will not be able to finish half-finished series, films will not be able to finish shooting and live programs will be suspended, as is the case with Saturday Night Live or Jimmy Kimmel Live, which broadcast reruns in solidarity with the writers.
This strike has no precedent in the last 50 years. The last time that scriptwriters and actors were on strike at the same time was in 1960, where, among other things, it came to the negotiation of the payment of royalties.
The economic impact that this joint strike will have cannot be calculated due to its unique characteristics and the evolution of the market since 1960, but it must be taken into account that the previous writers’ strike (2007-2008, lasting 100 days) involved 2,000 million dollars in losses for the industry.
2023-07-13 14:01:08
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