Facing the Hollywood Strike Head-On (Part II)

Note from the author: As the situation evolves, the information within this article may differ from the current situation. Thank you for understanding.

Welcome to the long-awaited Part II of this series, and thank you for your patience and waiting. If you haven’t read Part I, I strongly suggest you read it, as we’re picking up right from where we left off. Assuming you have already read the first part, buckle up because it’s time we addressed how the entire industry fell off a cliff with the introduction of streaming and the recent pioneering of artificial intelligence.

Before the streaming era, studios paid residuals to screenwriters and actors, and everyone was satisfied. But after streaming services became a thing, the whole industry changed. It indeed brought about advantages. One of them was that seasons became shorter. For writers, it made writing a film much more direct, as with no more commercial breaks, there was no need to arc an episode specifically to transition to an ad, making films much more practical and well-cut. However, one edge of this double-bladed sword became far more fatal and would shatter a long-held balance in the entertainment industry.

The most notable change is there was no longer the concept of reruns. The streaming library would put movies on for some time, and subscribers could watch and re-watch them infinite times. For viewers, it was a helpful innovation that made watching movies and TV shows much more comfortable. Be that as it may, those changes were not beneficial for the screenwriters and actors. As demand for episodes shrunk substantially and screenwriters got employed less on a yearly basis. And under the new predominant contract format: The screenwriter would get a percentage of the revenue studios earned when entering agreements with the streaming platforms. That meant screenwriters earned only one paycheck. It was similar for actors. The situation for screenwriters became so desperate that some had to work multiple random jobs to keep themselves financially afloat. It’s why they are angry and on strike.

What about the second topic, AI? For the writers, the improved generative feature of chat-bots like ChatGPT threatens the very existence of their jobs, as a text made by a chat-bot can mimic quite well that of a human. For actors, it is pretty much the same; AI-generated content may reduce the need for real actors, and there are also concerns about how a cloned avatar of famous actors may be used (or abused) by studios. There are already films that “de-aged” already old actors, and even some that plan to use AI generative technology to reenact deceased actors. The two unions are currently questioning the morality of AI in the entertainment industry and the potential effects it might have. Sag-Aftra wants a new contract effectively increase the base compensation for actors and stricter regulation on artificial intelligence mimicking stars (such as Morgan Freeman and Tom Cruise). The WGA meanwhile wants increased residuals, restricting AI use in script writing, and job security for screenwriters.

Finally, let’s cover briefly how this strike would affect the industry. For viewers, there will be a recognizably lesser range of new movies. Some movies in the works, like “Venom 3” and “Deadpool 3” have been postponed by their maker, Marvel Studios, because of the strike. The studios will lose money and potential revenue from the postponed movies, though the exact amount is unknown. And lastly, for the actors and screenwriters, it is still unclear how the AMPTP will respond to their demands.

Overall, I believe that Sag-Aftra and the Writers Guild of America have substantial leverage in their fight for better pay and what they think is the improved future of the entertainment industry. What do you think? Have any of your favourite shows been postponed or paused? Leave your thoughts down in the comments. That’s the end of this production from the New News Newsminute and this two-part series. I hope you learned more about the current situation in Hollywood. Thank you for reading, and remember to subscribe and press that share button so you and others do not miss out on future news updates.