The members of the Writers’ Guild of America have been protesting on the ground for their rights under the Writers’ Strike, which has come to an end nearly five months after it started. The protest that started against the Hollywood studios and streamers has become the second-longest writers’ strike, and the WGA has officially announced that they have reached a tentative deal with AMPTP (Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers). So, let’s delve into how it all began, the root cause of the strike, along with how it has really impacted the film industry.
Where Did the Spark Ignite For the Writers’ Strike?
While the Writers’ Guild of America officially announced the strike in May, the talks of a protest have been in the air since the beginning of 2023. The Writers’ Strike officially began after the WGA failed to reach an agreement with AMPTP, which represents major film and TV studios in Hollywood.
The East and West branches of the Writers’ Guild of America negotiate the terms with major Hollywood studios for thousands of writers working on TV shows and movies every three years. And the WGA was looking forward to making some negotiations regarding fair pay, residual, and the use of AI, with the studios ahead of their contract expiration on May 1, 2023, as well.
When the Writers’ Guild of America failed to reach an agreement with AMPTP by the May deadline, they decided to organize a strike with an overwhelming 97.85% members’ support. Under the strike, the WGA members were prohibited from working until their demands were met and they reached an agreement with AMPTP.
Read More: How The WGA Writers Strike Could Change Hollywood Forever (VIDEO)
What Were Writers’ Demands with Hollywood Studios?
The writers have shared several issues that they look forward to resolving via the Writers’ Strike. However, their major complaints have been regarding the use of Artificial Intelligence in production and the impact the streaming platform has had on the writers’ working conditions.
They have argued that streamers have fewer episodes from the traditional TV networks and also demanded better residual pay from streaming platforms. They also had issues with what has been described as “mini-rooms.” It reportedly includes a small group of writers.
Mini-room writers are hired to work on a show before it officially goes under production. However, the studios often cut off their payments, citing that the mini-room is not an official writers’ room. These mini rooms last only for weeks before the writers have to go back and start looking for new jobs.
They have also demanded to regulate the use of AI in production, preventing its use in writing or changing the material. Nearly five months after the strike, the WGA has announced that they have finally reached an agreement with AMPTP and have said that they would end the strike at 12:01 AM on September 27, 2023.
Read More: Hollywood Writers on Strike! What to Know About the 2023 Writer’s Strike
The WGA Reached a Tentative Deal With AMPTP
The impact of the Writers’ Strike was seen soon after it started, as it halted the productions from late-night shows to some of the major Hollywood productions. Late-night shows like Saturday Night Live, Jimmy Kimmel Live!, and The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon were initially affected by the strike.
Many big names, including Margot Robbie, Billy Porter, and Cillian Murphy, also shared their support for the strike. Soon, the SAG-AFTRA also joined the WGA, after they failed to reach a deal with the AMPTP, resulting in an indefinite pause in the production of several upcoming projects.
Nearly five months after the strike officially started, the Writers’ Guild of America has announced that they have reached a tentative deal with AMPTP. The Negotiating Committee, along with the groups from both the West and East branches, have unanimously recommended the new agreement with AMPTP.
According to The Hollywood Reporter, the major industry leaders, including Bob Iger, Ted Sarandos, David Zaslav, and Donna Langley, recently discussed the changes required. These changes ranged from the minimum staffing in television writers’ rooms to rewarding writers for successful streaming shows. The writers will soon return to creating more stories for the studios. However, SAG-AFTRA will continue its strike, as the studios are still to negotiate deals with the actors.
Source: Writers Guild of America West
