Brace yourselves: Writers Guild of America & Screen Actors Guild going on strike*

‘Jennifer Hudson Show’ Delaying Season 2 Premiere Amid Strikes – Deadline

 

I don't watch that much linear TV, but spending a few hours with NFL broadcasts yesterday and it was very apparent: The networks are going all in on game shows and reality shows with '90 minute specials' and similar to fill up time.

Seems like you still need writers for the game/reality shows? How does that fit with the groups that are striking?

 

Most (but not all) reality and game shows have non-union writers.

 

But they still require camera, lighting, props, catering etc. right?

 

"Ultron: the Musical"

 

My understanding is most of those folks are not yet on strike.

 

Yes and they are there doing their thing. For now anyway.

 

Well I was wrong!

Bill Maher Postpones Return Of HBO’s ‘Real Time’

 

So, new rule: No "Real"?

 

Kinda surprising. If there was one guy willing to take the hits for doing it, I thought it would be him.

 

I thought so too, though I was plenty PO'd at him for the choice. But the town is on edge, the pain we're all feeling is very real and I think everyone knows there's a real deadline within the next 2-3 weeks to end this situation and move forward. Barring that it means no series will be filming until some undetermined point in 2024 with more losses for the Studios' bottom lines. They may not care about the crews they're hurting, but they do care if the stockholders are ticked off. Plus the WGA and AMPTP announced they were meeting this week, why undercut your own writers jut when there's forward movement again? I've no doubt he was excoriated privately by industry friends for his announcement leading to this reversal.

 

My reaction to this post is ?

Remember before Real Time there was a show called Politically Incorrect. He has always employed political humor, I don't see him any different now then 20 years ago.

 

Yep, and ABC canceled him after he remarked that the 9/11 hijackers weren't cowards. The ironies abound.

 

I just stumbled across this online and thought I would share it.

"Here's what you have to know about the strike. There are two kinds of union members. One, the largest number by far, are people who have day jobs and occasionally get some gigs. These people have virtually nothing to lose in the strike so can afford to keep digging their heels in. Also, this group usually plays minor character and can possibly be replaced by AI one day. Two are successful actors who have built a following and a business. They are losing a lot, especially since an actress's career is only ten or fifteen years. Most of them have no other jobs and usually have to support a personal workforce. These people are also less likely to be AIed. This is the group who will be going back to work. Underlying all of this is that a streaming customer is much less lucrative for the entertainment industry than a cable customer. The industry realizes this and cannot afford to give in."

 

These are interesting points, given the fact that 87% of SAG-AFTRA members are earning less than $26,000 and thus may diversify their work skills elsewhere. Some unionized actors have additional skills such as teaching/coaching, graphic design, IT skills and programming, practical SFX, camera work, and so on. I've read online anecdotes of actors scrambling to find a day job (or in the case of going back to their old job, whether they like to or not) during the SAG-AFTRA strikes, which is increasingly precarious since other periphery industries are taking a significant beating and are generally in the same boat as the others.

Regarding the streaming services, I've also read people's speculations about the companies' finances, not withstanding the CEOs' quite lucrative salaries and compensations via stocks.

 

'Dancing With the Stars' to Continue With Season 32 Amid Strikes - Variety

 

Disney Taps 'Monday Night Football' to Boost ABC's Strike Schedule - Variety

 

Even Joey Tribbiani had to have a day job and even lost his medical insurance because not making enough as an actor!

 

So... if Bill Maher or Drew B go on strike for higher salary, will the WGA stop working to support them?

Should I support the UAW by not buying a car, or am I supposed to be gouged and see that as a necessary collateral damage?

Should the UAW be penalized when one of their members falls asleep during assembly and a car malfunctions (let me tell you about a transmission power module on a new Chevy Malibu.... that almost killed me...)

Or are there UNIONS (UAW) and Unions (WGA). Should I see all ( mfg and creative) as having the same perogative. Just thinking out loud.

FWIW, I think the writers are right to strike - they're up against an existential threat. But maybe the solution is new Hollywood. Lots of 'content' will soon be produced outside of those auspices anyway. Whatever agreement they reach could soon be irrelevant to a rapidly changing reality.

 

How is "a streaming customer is much less lucrative for the entertainment industry than a cable customer"?

 

Ad revenue is the first thing that comes to mind.

 

ABC will air an additional 10 'Monday Night Football' games because of writers and actors strikes

 

Reports that it could end soon, potentially tomorrow.

Hollywood studios, writers near agreement to end strike, hope to finalize deal Thursday, sources say

 

Jimmy Kimmel, Jimmy Fallon, Stephen Colbert Cancel ‘Strike Force Three’ Live Show as Kimmel Tests Positive for COVID

I thought this may be of some interest, because it has to do with the podcast those guys are/were doing to help the out of work writers...

 

Dancing With the Stars Premiere May Be Delayed