Actors' strike

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I feel sorry for all the regular grunts suffering through this strike. Like a PP said, that's the vast majority living on limited income to begin with and now nothing.

Ok but if you can barely survive than maybe being an actor isn't a great job and they should move on to something else.

Movie sales and tv watching in general has declined and it's not going to go back up because time and technology are moving on and Hollywood is stuck back in the 1950s. Content that is created by average people in their home is gaining more viewing time these days than a produced tv show with professional actors and that trend is going to continue. It's hard when your industry finally comes to terms with technology.

Yeah, no. TikTok and homemade youtube videos are not replacing Hollywood.There's been a huge spike in demand for quality programming over the past 8 years. But the business is changing. Now that everyone has a nice tv and covid breaking some habits, people aren't going to theaters like they used to. And that's not coming back. Also, people stream. Besides live sports, no one is watching regular television anymore. But the demand for quality writing and quality acting has never been higher. The business model and the way things are delivered has changed. But not the demand. And it's the writers and actors that deliver the goods. Not executives, who are very replaceable.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I feel sorry for all the regular grunts suffering through this strike. Like a PP said, that's the vast majority living on limited income to begin with and now nothing.

Ok but if you can barely survive than maybe being an actor isn't a great job and they should move on to something else.

Movie sales and tv watching in general has declined and it's not going to go back up because time and technology are moving on and Hollywood is stuck back in the 1950s. Content that is created by average people in their home is gaining more viewing time these days than a produced tv show with professional actors and that trend is going to continue. It's hard when your industry finally comes to terms with technology.

Yeah, no. TikTok and homemade youtube videos are not replacing Hollywood.There's been a huge spike in demand for quality programming over the past 8 years. But the business is changing. Now that everyone has a nice tv and covid breaking some habits, people aren't going to theaters like they used to. And that's not coming back. Also, people stream. Besides live sports, no one is watching regular television anymore. But the demand for quality writing and quality acting has never been higher. The business model and the way things are delivered has changed. But not the demand. And it's the writers and actors that deliver the goods. Not executives, who are very replaceable.

+ a million. Well put.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I feel sorry for all the regular grunts suffering through this strike. Like a PP said, that's the vast majority living on limited income to begin with and now nothing.

Ok but if you can barely survive than maybe being an actor isn't a great job and they should move on to something else.

Movie sales and tv watching in general has declined and it's not going to go back up because time and technology are moving on and Hollywood is stuck back in the 1950s. Content that is created by average people in their home is gaining more viewing time these days than a produced tv show with professional actors and that trend is going to continue. It's hard when your industry finally comes to terms with technology.

Yeah, no. TikTok and homemade youtube videos are not replacing Hollywood.There's been a huge spike in demand for quality programming over the past 8 years. But the business is changing. Now that everyone has a nice tv and covid breaking some habits, people aren't going to theaters like they used to. And that's not coming back. Also, people stream. Besides live sports, no one is watching regular television anymore. But the demand for quality writing and quality acting has never been higher. The business model and the way things are delivered has changed. But not the demand. And it's the writers and actors that deliver the goods. Not executives, who are very replaceable.

+ a million. Well put.

+1 yes, this.

[Anonymous]

If AI replaces background actors, etc., all of that support and ancillary business needed for them will also be obsolete. So watch the supporting businesses and crafts people who will be out of work with the strike (make-up, costume, lighting, catering, etc.), they will be the same people out of a job if there are no longer IRL background or supporting actors. Pay attention

[Anonymous]

Do we think anyone will cross the picket line? If so, who?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Do we think anyone will cross the picket line? If so, who?

Non-union employees.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Do we think anyone will cross the picket line? If so, who?

Daytime actors, talk show/game show hosts, and variety performers are under a different contract, and are obligated to continue working through the strike. It doesn’t actually count as crossing the picket line, though.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I have a hard time feeling bad for Hollywood actors. Writers, sure, but not supportive of an actor strike.

I’m supportive of the actors both in their own right — many actors are unfairly paid and barely making ends meet — and also because they’re strike props up the WGA strike. I hope the studios fold like they did for IASTE two years ago and everyone gets better and safer working conditions.

The studios didn't fold with IATSE; the union had to take a crappy deal because SAG-AFTRA, WGA and DGA weren't taking a strong position to back them. What doesn't get talked about is that the folks who are feeling the brunt of the pain in the current strike are the crews. Crews don't have residuals to fall back on and they are not making big bucks. They are putting in the 14-16 hour days to bring the content to life. There has been precious little work for IATSE members since the writer's strike began. Now there is no work because even non-scripted shows are shut down.

I hope this gets resolved soon.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Do we think anyone will cross the picket line? If so, who?

Non-union employees.

Crossing the picket lines is too much of a risk for union members. Film and television, especially on the production side, is a word-of-mouth industry. If word gets out that someone worked as a scab, they are likely to have a hard time getting work in future.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Do we think anyone will cross the picket line? If so, who?

Non-union employees.

There aren't any non-union folks in the film industry. There are a lot of folks who are trying to break into film production. Crossing the picket line will kill any chance they might have

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I have a hard time feeling bad for Hollywood actors. Writers, sure, but not supportive of an actor strike.

I’m supportive of the actors both in their own right — many actors are unfairly paid and barely making ends meet — and also because they’re strike props up the WGA strike. I hope the studios fold like they did for IASTE two years ago and everyone gets better and safer working conditions.

The studios didn't fold with IATSE; the union had to take a crappy deal because SAG-AFTRA, WGA and DGA weren't taking a strong position to back them. What doesn't get talked about is that the folks who are feeling the brunt of the pain in the current strike are the crews. Crews don't have residuals to fall back on and they are not making big bucks. They are putting in the 14-16 hour days to bring the content to life. There has been precious little work for IATSE members since the writer's strike began. Now there is no work because even non-scripted shows are shut down.

I hope this gets resolved soon.

IATSE got the deal they were originally asking for. It was a crappy deal and it would have been better if they thought they’d get support from writers/actors/audiences when they started collective bargaining in the spring but they didn’t. And they still had to strike to get even the minimum they were asking for. I’m glad to see IATSE’s fund listed on all the strike fund donation lists. As you say, they’re really hurting right now even though they’re not technically striking.

[Anonymous]

The producer’s stance is really disgusting- they are willing to wait until people lose their homes and everything and “come crawling back” before they will give in on any of the wga or sag requests.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The producer’s stance is really disgusting- they are willing to wait until people lose their homes and everything and “come crawling back” before they will give in on any of the wga or sag requests.

Sorry -producers’ plural of course.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

As a SAG-AFTRA member, you have to make $26,000 a year to get health insurance. 87 percent of union members don't qualify annually." (source: SAG-AFTRA national board member, actor Dule Hill)

This is inflated though. To be a SAG-AFTRA member you only have to work one day with a speaking role (or I think 3 days as background). There are a TON of wannabe actors that get this opportunity but continue with their full time non-acting jobs until they can make a decent living acting and still join the union.

That percentage implies that 100% of all SAG-AFTRA members are FULL TIME actors. That is not true and very misleading.

I just watched an interview with Renee Felice Smith, who played a character on NCIS:Los Angeles for 11 seasons. She was notified in 2022 that she did make enough to qualify for the insurance. A series regular for 11 seasons did not make $26k to qualify for insurance... that's insane.

That's the reality for 95% of actors in the union.

Didn’t she quit in 2020 from NCIS? If not employed then maybe she didn’t make 26k. Google says she’s worth 4 million.

[Anonymous]

The studios used to sign the actors to only work for them and paid a salary. The studio picked the movies they did. Actors wanted more flexibility in the work they did and found out they could make more being independent.

So basically if you’re an A/B lister you can probably be independent and make more money. Maybe the little guys need to be contractual employed.