Screenwriters and Hollywood studios and streamers have reached a “tentative” agreement to end the 146-day writers’ strike.
Summary
Screenwriters and Hollywood studios and streamers have reached a “tentative” agreement to end the 146-day writers’ strike. A simultaneous strike by Hollywood actors remains ongoing.
- The agreement was reached after a marathon five-day negotiation session. The text of the agreement has not yet been released, but Variety reported “the language around the use of generative AI in content production was one of the last items that the sides worked on before closing the pact.”
- To be approved, the agreement must be approved by the boards of the screenwriters union and then by the membership in a vote.
- The union’s chief negotiators asked the membership for their patience while the deal is finalized. The Hollywood Reporter spoke to writers on the picket lines on Friday who expressed “cautious optimism” that the walkout was coming to an end.
- Late-night talk shows will likely be the first programming to return to air, although the guest options will be limited due to the ongoing actors strike. Writers rooms for scripted shows can return to work, but production can’t restart in earnest until the actors strike ends.
- “WGA members have overwhelmingly voted in favor of new contracts in recent negotiating cycles, which take place every three years. More than 97 percent of WGA voters ratified the 2020 contract, which expired in May and precipitated the current strike, and the 2017 contract before it.” (Washington Post)
- “Prominent members of the Writers Guild had framed the strike as being about something loftier than Hollywood — that they were taking a stand against the evils of capitalism. And some of that sentiment is showing up in reactions. Billy Ray, whose credits include ‘Captain Phillips’ and ‘Shattered Glass,’ encouraged fellow writers to ‘stand with the actors’ and workers everywhere. ‘That’s how we’ll save America.’” (New York Times)
- “Both Hollywood strikes have been drawn-out and costly, with the nationwide economic impact of more than $5 billion, according to economists. Industries like restaurants, service firms and prop shops have also felt the ripple effects from the ongoing disputes and have had to cut staffing as a result. In New York, disruption of 11 major productions resulted in a loss of $1.3 billion and 17,000 jobs, according to Empire State Development.” (CNN)
- “The Los Angeles economy has been severely hurt by the strike: A spate of productions ground to a halt, and thousands of other Hollywood workers dependent on the industry for their livelihoods have been sitting on the sidelines. The Milken Institute has projected the hit to California’s economy to be in the billions. Other states feeling the pinch from the shutdown include Georgia and New Mexico.” (Wall Street Journal)
- “While one group of Hollywood workers might be back to work soon, the members of the Screen Actors Guild-American Federation of Television and Radio Artists remained on strike. About 65,000 film and television actors joined writers on the picket line on July 14 — bringing a boost of star power and fresh energy to the fight for better wages, benefits and job security. Their efforts marked the first time both groups had been on strike together since 1960.” (New York Post)
- “Negotiations between studios and writers had been moribund for weeks until a new sense of urgency appeared to have been injected into the process in the last few days, with the heads of Netflix, Disney, Universal and Warner Bros Discovery personally attending the talks. Among their demands, writers say their salaries have not kept up with inflation, and that the rise of streaming has diminished the “residuals” they earn when a show they work on becomes a smash hit.” (Breitbart)
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© Dominic Moore, 2023
