Hollywood is on Strike

[Steevy Maximus]

Following the lead of the Writers Guild of America (WGA), who began their strike back in May, the SAG-AFTRA (Screen Actors Guild-American Federation of Television and Radio Artists) has joined them this evening. The core cast of Oppenheimer walked out during the film’s premiere due to the call to strike.
Fundamentally, the demands from the Actors’ Guild are not dissimilar as the Writers: An increased and more equal pay structure. Due compensation and credit on projects, regardless of release. More transparency on streaming and how that would impacts residuals. Regulation regarding the use of AI in media projects.

As it stands: All filming projects are now on hold. Projects in post production will likely not be effected, albeit, losing the ability of reshoots or other late stage alterations (The Directors Guild made a new agreement earlier). Animated films (like the upcoming Transformers One) are unlikely to be impacted due to lead time. Presumably, most voice work is complete for the slate of animated films on deck for next year (including another Spiderverse, Transformers, Despicable Me 4, Inside Out 2, and even a Lord of the Rings film!). SOME independent films will go forward featuring SAG-AFTRA talent on a case by case basis. Anime dubbing will likely lose several major actors as Crunchyroll has, notoriously, refused to work with the SAG-AFTRA union in prior years. It remains to be seen how much the strike will impact that segment.

So..in the immediate future, TV is going full garbage with game shows and reality TV dominating the airwaves. Theatres will probably be okay going into early next year, maybe longer if studios opt to spread out the finished films they do have. Anything else is up to however long the strike(s) end up lasting.

The last time both guilds striked at the same time was in 1960, when that pro-union crazy Ronald Reagan was in charge of the SAG.

 

[Steevy Maximus]

A major quote being spread around is from Disney CEO Bob Iger, calling guilds’ demands as “adding new challenges in addition to those faced” by the industry. That the guilds must “be realistic on the business environment and what it can deliver”.

As Iger stands to get a base compensation package of more than $25 MILLION, before bonuses.

 

[Echowarrior]

I'm with the guilds, to be honest.

 

[ZacWilliam1]

Everybody should be with the Guilds/Unions.

What they're asking for is only fairness and protection and the Studios are being unmitigated greedy villains.


-ZacWilliam, I'll lament the temporary quality and quantity drop of media as much as anyone but it's absolutely worth it and I support them fully.

 

[CoffeeHorse]

Imagine sinking a huge chunk of your time into a role you can't even get credit for because it never got released. I'm with the guilds. They've been forced to do this.

 

[Lobjob]

Imagine waging war against the creators and performers who allow you to make an astronomical amount of money. Imagine pushing them to the point where your entire business is on hold.

Greed is relentless.

 

[Dekafox]

Kevin Beaumont (@[email protected])

if you are wondering why actors are on strike now, too, read this. I know an actor on The Walking Dead who had to have their parents pay their rent while shooting as their fee didn’t cover it...

cyberplace.social

The article referred to in case the link doesn't embed: https://www.newyorker.com/culture/n...ignalled-the-rot-inside-the-streaming-economy

There's also talk about paying actors for 1 day's work to scan and record them and then apply AI recreation to that.

https://twitter.com/i/web/status/1679652898136014849

 

[Axaday]

It is sort of a shame that their contract dates are so close. Both being on strike at the same time does not double the impact. They mitigate each other to some extent.

 

[Dake]

Yeah - that AI proposal is absolutely dystopian in its utter disregard for the individual. Hollywood management deserves to lose on that alone, nevermind the more prosaic issues at hand.

That being said, it's likely a tactic. Put something so outrageous out there (knowing no one in their right mind would agree to it), so you can walk it back and "settle" for the other stuff you wanted. I hope the union holds their collective feet to the fire.

It is sort of a shame that their contract dates are so close. Both being on strike at the same time does not double the impact. They mitigate each other to some extent.

I disagree. With the writers out, Hollywood could keep working on stuff that was already settled (as demonstrated by Deadpool 3 filming for example). This provided the short-sighted management the illusion of safety. With actors out now, nothing can happen.

 

[LBD "Nytetrayn"]

Heard they basically plan to starve them out. Absolutely abhorrent.

 

[wonko the sane?]

Anyone got a line to Mouth04? How's he doing?

 

[Steevy Maximus]

Heard they basically plan to starve them out. Absolutely abhorrent.

Jokes on them, most are already starving!

 

[Cybersnark]

Imagine sinking a huge chunk of your time into a role you can't even get credit for because it never got released. I'm with the guilds. They've been forced to do this.

Or did get released but then got effectively erased from existence.

A lot of news is inexplicably still on Twitter (which I can't see unless others post it), but here's just one article about the potentially lethal measures the studios are taking.

 

[Dekafox]

https://twitter.com/i/web/status/1681049685971341313

https://twitter.com/i/web/status/1681649203288653824

Tree Law is blood in the water for lawyers. It's something you do NOT mess with, typically. Like jsut the twelve trees in that first pic is a $250k fine alone, at least. If it gives you any idea, they had to ban the use of the term on Reddit from all the lawyers that would dogpile onto Tree Law threads, and Law Twitter(or what used to be it) is like:

 

[wonko the sane?]

The studios are worth literally billions of dollars: they'll pay the fines, offer to sponsor a couple of city councilor re-election campaigns, and the problem will very quickly, very quietly go away. This horror show is probably just the start of what the studios will do and what they will get away with.

In the long run, it works against them though. Eventually, one way or another, the strike will come to an end. Doesn't really matter what the outcome is (for our purposes.) but it will end. When they start putting out tenders for... carpenters, writers, electricians, painters, mechanics, hair dressers, cooks, janitors, animators, artists... literally every position of labour you could conceive of: they'll be scrapping the absolute bottom of the barrel; because it will be known that not only will the studios nickel and dime you into poverty: they will outright try to kill you if you cross them. They are openly and very very loudly screaming from the top of the WB water tower: WORKING FOR US IS A DEAD END PROPOSITION.

There is a labour revolution happening in the US right now, akin to the first major labour revolution way back when. These next few years are going to absolutely suck, and I don't think there's enough workers in the world to make the kinds of long term changes to the economy and wealth in general in the US to do anything other than simply pushing back the collapse of the economy a few more years.

 

[NovaSaber]

Hollywood Studios’ WGA Strike Endgame Is To Let Writers Go Broke Before Resuming Talks In Fall

The 2023 scribes' strike could go a lot longer than the 2008 labor action if executives have their way

deadline.com

And on the lighter side

 

[Steevy Maximus]

Sony is the first to blink. They just announced a significant reorganization of their 2024 film slate. Among the more notable date shifts is Kraven (due this October) got pushed all the way to next August (nearly a year delay), and the removal of Spiderverse 3 from the slate completely. Sony says they are reviewing numerous dates depending on the length of the strike. Summer 2024 dates for Venom 3 and a new Bad Boys remain unchanged.

Sony Delays Spider-Verse, Ghostbuster Sequel Release Dates

Spider-Man: Beyond the Spider-Verse delayed indefinitely as Sony Pictures reveals dramatically revised release schedule amid ongoing labor strike.

www.gamespot.com

 

[Echowarrior]

Sony is the first to blink. They just announced a significant reorganization of their 2024 film slate. Among the more notable date shifts is Kraven (due this October) got pushed all the way to next August (nearly a year delay), and the removal of Spiderverse 3 from the slate completely. Sony says they are reviewing numerous dates depending on the length of the strike. Summer 2024 dates for Venom 3 and a new Bad Boys remain unchanged.

Sony Delays Spider-Verse, Ghostbuster Sequel Release Dates

Spider-Man: Beyond the Spider-Verse delayed indefinitely as Sony Pictures reveals dramatically revised release schedule amid ongoing labor strike.

www.gamespot.com

The Ghostbusters release date change doesn't surprise me in the slightest. The rest, however, is another matter, though less so with Spiderverse 3 - even if the script was finished, they still need to get dialogue recorded, and that's before things like ADR.

In any case, I hope the studios just come to their senses and give the writers and actors what they want. Their profit margins will survive the demands of writers and actors easier than they'll survive the strike if it lasts too long.

 

[Axaday]

What is the point in even making up new release dates when you don't know when you can get back to work?

 

[Steevy Maximus]

The Ghostbusters release date change doesn't surprise me in the slightest. The rest, however, is another matter, though less so with Spiderverse 3 - even if the script was finished, they still need to get dialogue recorded, and that's before things like ADR.

In any case, I hope the studios just come to their senses and give the writers and actors what they want. Their profit margins will survive the demands of writers and actors easier than they'll survive the strike if it lasts too long.

Given the endless delays, and the original expected date of next spring, I guess my expectation/assumption was that the film was pretty far along in production (given the greater lead times for animation). My take on it was that Sony was, effectively, “saving a trump card”, so to speak. They have enough films, enough viably profitable films, to make it through 24. But, if the strike continues for several months, you’re looking at an increasingly lean 25. In which case, the sequel to a beloved film released in late spring/early summer 25 would help boost revenues for the year. Hell, Across the Spiderverse is still putting up solid numbers after 60 days in theaters. Imagine what the sequel might do in an even dryer market.

What is the point in even making up new release dates when you don't know when you can get back to work?

I think it’s one part “claiming a stake” and one part confidence assurance. If a company just “empties the slate”, it prevents partners from planning out their marketing and product plans. And it shows confidence to investors and money people that the studio intends to get back to work and making money. An empty slate might spook investors who might dump stock, tanking the stock.