When will writers strike resolve?

[Anonymous]

I’m a nanny for someone working in the industry, currently on strike. He doesn’t think anything will be resolved until 2024.

[Anonymous]

Whenever greedy studio execs stop dragging their feet and come up with a repeatable compensation model that accounts for streaming and AI.

[Anonymous]

^respectable!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I read an interesting theory the other day that predicted this might be the end of the AMPTP. There are studios out there still making movies because the studios negotiated with SAG/WAG etc separately. A24 for example isn't a part of the AMPTPT so is chugging along. The streamers are what is complicating this, like Netflix is really a very different business model from Disney. At some point when the AMPTP has too diverse needs because their members need different things, then it makes more sense to break up and let producers just negotiate with actors and writers independently. Why should universal accept months of strike and a huge financial hit to help netflix continue to obfuscate streaming metrics, it just doesn't make sense.

I'm wondering how long it will take a studio to set up in a right to work state. Stars may be able to hold out indefinitely, but Hollywood can only absorb so many new waiters. I think this has turned existential for both sides. On the one hand, you have writers faced with shorter streaming seasons, smaller writing rooms, and less ability to get paid residuals. The combination could turn writing into gig work incapable of supporting a middle class lifestyle. On the other hand, you have studios losing billions in streaming (netflix excepted). AI is the wild card. From everything I read, the writers expected it to be an easy win and started panicking when the studios refused to budge. The studios know that if they don't do AI, someone else will. I don't think AI will be winning Oscars anytime soon, but do people really think that it's incapable of writing formulaic action movies or rom coms?

[Anonymous]

I am industry adjacent and from what I hear not likely until 2024.

Wish it were sooner, I have a project I am connected to that can't start (get written) until the strike is over.

I am very supportive of the writers and actors -- yet I am personally bummed b/c this is a big deal for me that I have been working on for years and now it os on hold.

[Anonymous]

My aunt works in Hollywood. It won’t be resolved til January at the earliest.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:TBH I haven’t even noticed and I doubt I am the only one. Plenty to watch on streaming. I think the strike isn’t having that big of effect so there isn’t a reason for them to take any action.

I think people haven't really noticed because it's primarily been over summer. Back in the old days that's when there were only reruns anyway, and people are traveling and happy to stream Suits or Succession or whatever show they didn't manage to watch the first time around.
Now that the fall season is here and everyone is getting back into the school/work routine, I suspect people will start to notice.
I heard a podcast yesterday with one of the writers who said there are a few fall shows that had already been completely written and handed off to the show-runner right before the strike started. But for most shows, the fall episodes are completely blown out of the water already - they should have started working on them in early summer. And with no short term end in sight, this writer was beginning to think that the entire season is just gone.

I also wonder why the actors/writers haven't called for a consumer boycott. It wouldn't be massively popular, but I do think it might be enough to catch the studio's attention. Maybe they're waiting to see how things play out once the fall season doesn't actually start.

well you hit the nail on the head “back in the old days” people cared about the start of a new season but now it’s just as a big of deal. These days peplum figure they will just catch up later and binge the episodes.

And let’s say there were no new episodes on streaming coming out either. No problem. I can find endless things to watch on youtube, tiktok, instagram and it’s endless and continuous. These days my attention span is better suited to an instagram reel from a creator who incorporates a storyline over a few days.

[Anonymous]

Again, why do any of them deserve residuals? Most of us are paid for the work we do. If it’s successful after we move onto another job, we don’t get residuals.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Again, why do any of them deserve residuals? Most of us are paid for the work we do. If it’s successful after we move onto another job, we don’t get residuals.

+1

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Again, why do any of them deserve residuals? Most of us are paid for the work we do. If it’s successful after we move onto another job, we don’t get residuals.

Residuals do not work like YOUR job's pay works. Period. No comparison.

You seem not to know that people get paid less up front on the understanding that they will then be paid residuals over time, in amounts based on things like how much a show is viewed. They are not making a big wad of cash up front and then residuals are extra goodies on top of that. Residuals are part of the compensation they're owed for the work. Imagine if your job paid you a much smaller amount up front then said, we'll pay you the rest we owe you, dribbled out in tiny checks over a long, long time, IF the thing you built is still working well for us in a year, two years, five years....That's the deal. It sucks. It benefits only the studios and streamers, who then turn around and say, "Oh, that show isn't getting many eyeballs on streaming, here's a check for 15 cents, sorry!" And 15 cents is not an exaggeration for effect, PP. Many, many residual checks are for pennies. Often that's based on streamers claiming shows aren't being watched. Guess what? Old-school "TV ratings" don't really exist for most streaming so the streamers can just make up whatever they want about a show's "success" and no one can challenge them.

This is also why some streamers have pulled shows off entirely and won't show them at all. The streamers now don't want to pay anyone involved any of the owed residuals, so they've yanked less-known shows from all streaming. Gone. Max (HBO) did this just recently. So, how would you like it if even your tiny dribble of the remainder of your pay ended completely, and you'd never see the rest of your compensation, because your old bosses stowed your work product in a vault just to avoid paying you?

[Anonymous]

Honestly, I haven’t noticed it much either but the only thing I really watch on tv is sports.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The studios didn't count on the public support, tbh.

My sister is in one of the striking industries and has told me so many stories of local restaurants and businesses bringing free food out to those on strike. There are also lots of places that will give out free or very deeply discounted food to those on strike who are struggling.

She said many big-time actors, writers, and directors have publicly and quietly donated funds to help those struggling to make ends meet while on strike.

My sister has picked up side work as a tutor and dog walker through a group formed to put those needing work done in touch with those on strike who need work.

I don't recall the outpouring of public support during the last strike. Probably because social media wasn't as big back then. It was around, but it wasn't as robust as now. My sister wasn't in the industry at that time, so I have no 'personal' reference, though.

But is that just in CA?

I don't think so, but my view may be skewed by my lefty and creative friends. I'm sure there are plenty of people who just want their shows and think the writers and actors are being unreasonable.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Again, why do any of them deserve residuals? Most of us are paid for the work we do. If it’s successful after we move onto another job, we don’t get residuals.

Residuals do not work like YOUR job's pay works. Period. No comparison.

You seem not to know that people get paid less up front on the understanding that they will then be paid residuals over time, in amounts based on things like how much a show is viewed. They are not making a big wad of cash up front and then residuals are extra goodies on top of that. Residuals are part of the compensation they're owed for the work. Imagine if your job paid you a much smaller amount up front then said, we'll pay you the rest we owe you, dribbled out in tiny checks over a long, long time, IF the thing you built is still working well for us in a year, two years, five years....That's the deal. It sucks. It benefits only the studios and streamers, who then turn around and say, "Oh, that show isn't getting many eyeballs on streaming, here's a check for 15 cents, sorry!" And 15 cents is not an exaggeration for effect, PP. Many, many residual checks are for pennies. Often that's based on streamers claiming shows aren't being watched. Guess what? Old-school "TV ratings" don't really exist for most streaming so the streamers can just make up whatever they want about a show's "success" and no one can challenge them.

This is also why some streamers have pulled shows off entirely and won't show them at all. The streamers now don't want to pay anyone involved any of the owed residuals, so they've yanked less-known shows from all streaming. Gone. Max (HBO) did this just recently. So, how would you like it if even your tiny dribble of the remainder of your pay ended completely, and you'd never see the rest of your compensation, because your old bosses stowed your work product in a vault just to avoid paying you?

DP here, trying to understand how this works. Aren't the studios afraid that writers will simply leave the field and there won't be anyone left to write for the shows? I just don't see how this gets resolved in a way that's good for either side if writers take on all the risk of not getting compensated.

To give an example, I used to do a lot of proposal writing. Compensation was done one of two ways:

1) An hourly rate for my expertise as an independent consultant. Company takes on all the risk and keeps all profits if they win the contract.
2) A salary as an employee of the company, plus a percentage of profits for the contracts I helped to win. The risk is split between me and the company. I had the opportunity to make a lot of money, but someone who's not very good wouldn't see the extra money.

I apologize if I'm missing something. Just struggling here to see how this gets resolved in a sustainable way.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Again, why do any of them deserve residuals? Most of us are paid for the work we do. If it’s successful after we move onto another job, we don’t get residuals.

And others choose to contribute their labor with an agreement to receive residuals/royalties/licensing on the final product in perpetuity. This isn't unique to Hollywood.

[Anonymous]

Don't the services and studios taut re-runs and the revenue created? Netflix and Max has a ton of old shows that had several seasons of episodes, they market those shows to build their revenue in perpetuity. They should just rake in pure profit despite there not being a perpetual cost?