cultshock

Yeah, I have the same feeling myself, this is going to be interesting. I'm good as I have tons of shows to catch up on, but I'm already missing the late night talk shows. Luckily there are a lot of comedians' podcasts I watch, so that will have to substitute for now.

TheBang

The 1960 and 1988 writers strikes lasted 5 months each, the longest ones. Do we think this one will go longer? At some point the lack of new content has to be a pain point for the studios. I mean, look at ABC's fall schedule: all reruns and reality. That will just accelerate the migration of viewers away from linear broadcast, and reduce their carriage fees and advertising rates.

Count Dooku

It may be that the radical rethink of the entire television industry's business model that has been on the horizon is finally at hand.

Josh-da-man

Yeah, I suspect we're in for a long haul. At least six months, probably more.

The networks will be able to fill their schedules with reality tv. Out of work actors will be able to slum in reality shows. Look for another Celebrity Big Brother. The cable and streamers don't follow any kind of set schedule, and viewers have become accustomed to long waits between seasons. Even before the strike, Disney+ reworked their MCU schedule to spread the series out more, so it will be a while before strike starts to effect them. Netflix can probably survive on non-US content like Squid Game for a while, which, presumably aren't covered by the Hollywood unions. Disney will also have Doctor Who, which is covered by the British unions and not the US unions; if the strike goes on they might consider accelerating the spin-offs they're looking at.

windom

CBS has already pushed back the premiere date of the summer Big Brother season by about a month. It now starts August 2nd, so it will likely run to the end of October if scripted shows aren't ready. I doubt they would be able to squeeze in another short season of BB (celebrity or some some other version) before the end of the year. If the strike isn't resolved by then, they could do something early in '24.

Josh-da-man

Yeah.

I get the sense that the WGA kind of screwed the pooch in 2008 where one of the sticking points was royalties for webisodes, but the deal they reached seems to have royally screwed them out of streaming royalties.

I think it's also problematic for the WGA in that the streamers, who have a constant revenue stream coming in from subscribers, can probably hold out longer than the studios could in years past. Even companies like Disney/ABC and Paramount/CBS have streamers bringing in revenue, and can pull scripted shows from those to fill their primetime lineups if they want to.

And, as far as feature films go, the pandemic showed them they can still survive for an extended period of time without films coming out.

As such, the WGA would seem to be at a disadvantage with a reduced amount of leverage against the studios. Netflix can probably hold out for years if they want to.

DJariya

Looks like the DGA averted a possible strike. They reached a deal tonight although it's tentative.

Twitter

Decker

I guess that’s a good sign? If the producers are willing to negotiate with directors in good faith, maybe they can work something with the actors and writers as well?

DeFan

I was a SAG member in 2007 when we were ready to go on strike. But we got sold out by AFTRA like it looks like the WGA is being sold out by the DGA. The only union you can trust in Hollywood is the Teamsters. No one fucks with them.

cultshock

I've read that for the WGA strike, Teamsters will not cross a picket line if at least two picketers are there, so no trucks full of equipment being delivered to film sets, etc. I'm guessing that's holding up productions for projects that are already scripted and waiting to be shot.

Decker

I mean somebody does.

Gizmo

Big Brother outrates 90% of scripted for probably 1/10th the cost.

networks are happy with this strike and the DGA agreement furthers hurts them. In another month cast and crew will be really pissed as they won’t be able to act or get paid any further.

Decker

Maybe crew. Cast will probably be striking as well.

Gizmo

Cast won’t be paid for work not done. They are all getting zero.

Decker

SAG Strike is coming up fast. So they would be striking, not getting paid, films not getting made, even if the writers weren't.
Unlike a writers strike, a SAG strike will bring all production of anything besides reality TV to a screeching halt.

fujishig

Even for reality tv, aren't the hosts and probably the more famous of the reality stars also part of SAG? Like could Julie Chen and whoever does the voiceovers still work on Big Brother?

etching

Looks like the WGA strike is gonna last for awhile.
AMPTP starts negotiations with SAG on Wednesday, and apparently
AMPTP doesn't negotiate with both at the same time...

Troy Stiffler

So what's happening with working-class strikers? Do they pitch a tent on skid row? Most writers are likely already living week to week, especially in NYC and LA, where it costs so much to live. Unemployment doesn't pay that well, and can be a hassle to get.

Sorry they have to go through all of that. At this point, they're going to need what they demand to get back on track. I hope they have a collective support system to get through it.

I am pro union. I think every job should have someone negotiating their well being in the background. I just really don't understand the choice to suffer through this strike.

DJariya

I saw some anonymous comments on Deadline from some alleged WGA members who think the DGA sold out and are a bunch of AMPTP shills. When you negotiate a new collective bargaining agreement, you're not going to get everything you want. You have to make some concessions even if it's going to make a lot of people unhappy. I recall the last time the WGA signed a new 3 year deal with the AMPTP, there were a lot of members who thought the deal sucked, but it still got ratified.

Gizmo

Maybe they should go get another job during this strike? It’s going to be a while before it’s resolved. The 200,000 crew members are also out of work, If you care at all about them. They don’t get paid as much as the writers, and they get zero residuals for anything they do, unlike the writers.

Jay G.

There's a strike fund, so those that need it can get some assistance.
https://www.wgacontract2023.org/strike-hub
This is part of why you pay your dues to a union.

Josh-da-man

Probably not surprising that the DGA signed new contracts without much fuss.

The writers are holding out for more royalties (and they're usually at the bottom of the production food chain anyway) and protection from things like AI-written material. And, I'm guessing that there's also the matter of deepfakes that's spooking the actors.

Gizmo

phew! They can take out a “low interest loan” from the union. That’s really great. They can easily pay that back when they get back to work… what a great perk of paying your union dues! Unable to seek employment anywhere else do to a strike schedule but also taking out a loan to hopefully pay your rent and feed your kids.

Now how about all the crew currently watching Season 7 of Friends at home waiting for a call back from Starbucks for that part time gig? Or the entire economy in these cities that are losing millions in tax revenue from no filming and putting local businesses, well, out of business, without the cast/crew nearby. I know, I know, “pay those writers what they’re worth” mentality coming up here.

Bill Needle

Oh shall no one break these accursed chains?

Decker

I am curious how low a salary you would be willing to take for the benefit of "local businesses" and those in other fields that are tangentially associated with your profession.
I find it amusing when (and I am not meaning you specifically) those people who bemoan the threat of Socialism start arguing for basically Communism when it comes to a labor dispute they don't like.