Screen Actors Guild of America (SAG-AFTRA) announced members go on an indefinite strike from this Thursday due to the lack of agreement to sign a new collective agreement with major film and television studios. The unsuccessful negotiations between SAG-AFTRA and the Film and Television Producers Association (AMPTP) represent a real earthquake in Hollywood, which has been bewildered by the Writers Guild of America (WGA) strike since May.
These are the ten keys to understanding what’s going on in the American audiovisual industry.
1. Technological changes, a constant source of friction
Unions in this sector have gone on strike up to twenty times in the last 90 years, and The main reason has almost always been related to a technological change.. If in the past it was challenges from television, videotapes or DVDs, now it’s streaming platforms and artificial intelligence.
Recently, the screenwriters ceased their activities in 2008, demanding higher compensation for the content they broadcast and then distributed on linear television, which laid the foundations for the current conflict.
2. What are the remaining rights?
The remaining rights (‘leftovers’ in English) are additional payments that major Hollywood studios and now giant ‘streaming’ platforms must pay entertainment professionals whenever any of the books they’re working with are republished.
SAG-AFTRA and WGA are demanding that this ratio be increased and subject to the actual accumulated replica count, given the “explosion” of content on the network. Indeed, during their respective deliberations, the unions suggested that a third independent company be tasked with transparently compiling the data of each series or movie in order to find a fair formula.
3. AI is an ‘existential threat’ to the union of actors
The unity of the players has repeatedly demonstrated Concern about the use of artificial intelligence something in the entertainment industry that they see as a “change of the sea” and an “existential threat” to their business. The translators are demanding that they include a clause in their new collective agreement that protects against the exploitation of their identities and abilities “without consent or compensation”.
4. What is the location of major studios and platforms?
Major studios and broadcast platforms highlighted: not currently “snowy” and the saturation of the platform market and the difficult financial situation of conglomerates like Disney, which plans to cut 7,000 jobs this year, are well known. Still this Thursday, they said they were offering players a “76% increase in remaining rights” and an “innovative artificial intelligence that preserves their digital image” before negotiations landed.
5. Increasing role of trade unions
Inflation, stagnant wages, and the consequences of the Covid-19 pandemic have spurred unionization in all sectors of the United States. While union membership in the private sector has been on the decline for a long time, 71% of Americans have a positive view of unions, the highest number since 1965, according to a Gallup poll last year.
6. A strike beyond the Guild of Actors and Writers
Actors are the visible face of productions, but The cessation of operations will also affect other professionals in the industry. pertaining to makeup, wardrobe or logistics, among others. The authors’ prolonged strike in 2007-2008 had an economic impact of more than $2,200 million.
7. Which movies and TV shows will be affected?
So far, it is unknown the projection the strike may have and how many audiovisual titles it may damage currently in shooting or in the production process. Of course, the time the writers’ strike covered for over two months has taken control of such well-known movies as “Gladiator 2” as well as series like “Stranger Things”, “Cobra Kai” or “Abbott Elementary”. and the second part of the new ‘Mission Impossible’ saga.
8. Is movie awards season in danger?
The duration of this simultaneous strike between writers and screenwriters will depend. Now, The Emmys, who announced their nominations this Wednesday, are already considering postponing their 75th. From September to November and even January. This historic change to the awards calendar will also impact the film awards season, which has always been the main theme of the Oscars and the deadline for nomination submissions ends in November.
9. How long did the last strike last?
The players union’s most recent strike dates back to 1980, after which it lasted three months; That’s roughly the same time as the Writers Guild of America’s notorious hundred-day strike in 2007-2008.
10. How to reach the solution?
Despite parties are too far right nowExperts point out that the resolution of the conflict can come as the economic impact makes a notch in the sector. So far, even professionals in the Federal Conciliation and Mediation Service have failed to avoid this conflict of interest.