WGA & SAG Strike of 2023

[Clive]

Not reading too much into this just yet but if this does mean they're coordinating demands, the strike might be over a little sooner than we thought.

I had drinks with someone working on a very expensive Universal movie last night. They explained to me that if the DGA strikes OR SAG strikes, it's over. It costs too much to shut down active productions.

 

[Casper Gutman]

I had drinks with someone working on a very expensive Universal movie last night. They explained to me that if the DGA strikes OR SAG strikes, it's over. It costs too much to shut down active productions.

My understanding is that neither can legally strike under their current contracts. I believe SAGs contract is up June 30.

 

[Clive]

My understanding is that neither can legally strike under their current contracts. I believe SAGs contract is up June 30.

That is correct on both fronts. Teamsters, however, have been instructed not to cross picket lines if one is between them and their destination, which is how the WGA picketing managed to shut down a shoot for American Horror Story today.

The contracts for the DGA and SAG are both up June 30, which is why some are speculating this'll be done just before July 4.

 

[Nick]

That is correct on both fronts. Teamsters, however, have been instructed not to cross picket lines if one is between them and their destination, which is how the WGA picketing managed to shut down a shoot for American Horror Story today.

The contracts for the DGA and SAG are both up June 30, which is why some are speculating this'll be done just before July 4.

Yeah imagine three extremely important unions to the film industry being on strike all at once and the corporations still thinking they hold literally any leverage.

 

[Jerroddragon]

Not reading too much into this just yet but if this does mean they're coordinating demands, the strike might be over a little sooner than we thought.

I hope so

 

[PerceptiveCoot]

I had drinks with someone working on a very expensive Universal movie last night. They explained to me that if the DGA strikes OR SAG strikes, it's over. It costs too much to shut down active productions.

Really feels like the complete unwillingness to back off AI contributed partially to this. Everyone knows now that the studios would be willing to throw all their talent under the bus in a heartbeat for the promise of infinite free "content".

 

[Jerroddragon]

Studios Demand Showrunners Work During Writers Strike

Letters to striking writer-producers from studios including those owned by Warner Bros. and Disney state that they must perform non-writing duties and may be obligated to act against their guild's own mandates.

www.hollywoodreporter.com

 

[Clive]

Studios Demand Showrunners Work During Writers Strike

Letters to striking writer-producers from studios including those owned by Warner Bros. and Disney state that they must perform non-writing duties and may be obligated to act against their guild's own mandates.

www.hollywoodreporter.com

WGA West has already come out and said this would violate the terms of the strike, so we'll have to see how it plays out.

 

[Michael S]

Again, I didn't say the WGA shouldn't be striking.

I just hope people are clear-eyed about -- and sympathetic to -- the possible knock-on effects on folks who aren't directly represented in the two negotiating parties involved in this strike. I don't personally know any WGA members (as far as I know!) or entertainment executives, but I do know theater owners and theater employees, and I hope they're not truly struggling again in 18 months. That's all. I'm not assigning blame, it will be what it will be.

It’s also hurting a lot of us crew members, and after our disastrous attempt at a strike a year and a half ago, while it hurts, we still support what the writers’ are after.

 

[GAcoaster]

The strike has already cost the studios more in lost stock value than the writers are asking for. They should settle this relatively quickly...

 

[Jerroddragon]

The strike has already cost the studios more in lost stock value than the writers are asking for. They should settle this relatively quickly...

I just saw some of Warner new CEO comments on the matter and it really is about power/control. The money is a bonus but people on power now can’t stand to let the normal worker win look at working from home, not giving out raises to normal workers making people hop job to job to gain more income and companies sending Pinkertons against unions

 

[quinnmac000]

I'm hearing the trouble is Netflix...Netflix is the studio not wanting to negotiate since they have so many foreign content in production and make money from that. Even Bob Bakish hinted at that during the Parmount earning call that they are focusing on producing overseas content in the event this continues

 

[Grabnar]

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I just saw some of Warner new CEO comments on the matter and it really is about power/control. The money is a bonus but people on power now can’t stand to let the normal worker win look at working from home, not giving out raises to normal workers making people hop job to job to gain more income and companies sending Pinkertons against unions

100% this. The labor market has dramatically shifted in favor of the worker since covid. We're in the "Finding Out" portion of the cycle that the government and employers were hoping to avoid after the labor pool sharply contracted due to covid deaths/disability, and overall disruption readjusting people's priorities. This is remarkably similar to what happened after the Black Death with the collapse of feudalism.
Time is a flat circle.

 

[Nick]

100% this. The labor market has dramatically shifted in favor of the worker since covid. We're in the "Finding Out" portion of the cycle that the government and employers were hoping to avoid after the labor pool sharply contracted due to covid deaths/disability, and overall disruption readjusting people's priorities. This is remarkably similar to what happened after the Black Death with the collapse of feudalism.
Time is a flat circle.

Yup, this is the same reason Disney had an ugly fight (that they lost) for about 5-6 months with the WDW Union.

 

[Lucky Planet]

Are they asking for a contract saying you can't use AI and if so is there any end date or just plain out you can't use AI?

I know today it can't be used but even a year ago AI could not create music and do as much as now.....so in ten years its up in the air on how good an AI could be used in the writing room.

While I support writers, I think it's going to be hard to get companies to say they will NEVER use AI for what you listed

Could be wrong but putting a year end date is fine but FOREVER? Yeah, I can't see companies just giving up AI as a tool forever

The Seinfeld AI project on twitch proved that AI couldn't really write coherent shows. Most of the time it felt like it was writing nonsense.
I'm sure other ai programs can be more sophisticated but ai can't write comedy, literally can't. There is some university team trying to teach it to write comedy but it doesn't seem like it can. Or something like that. I don't know.

 

[Grabnar]

The Seinfeld AI project on twitch proved that AI couldn't really write coherent shows. Most of the time it felt like it was writing nonsense.
I'm sure other ai programs can be more sophisticated but ai can't write comedy, literally can't. There is some university team trying to teach it to write comedy but it doesn't seem like it can. Or something like that. I don't know.

Even if it can, it's inevitably just a rehash of existing content, that's how LLMs work. That's why they all sound the same. Writing a coherent movie with an LLM will just end up with an even more boring, homogenous Hollywood in the long term. It's a very short-sighted move to try and force the tech's use.

 

[Jerroddragon]

The Seinfeld AI project on twitch proved that AI couldn't really write coherent shows. Most of the time it felt like it was writing nonsense.
I'm sure other ai programs can be more sophisticated but ai can't write comedy, literally can't. There is some university team trying to teach it to write comedy but it doesn't seem like it can. Or something like that. I don't know.

It’s gen one tech
In ten years it will be much better

Second if writers thought it couldn’t replace them they would not be against AI

The best films would still have writers so let the crappy companies try it and fail

My job will be replaced one day, most jobs will be not saying I want it to happen but it will regardless of our wants

 

[quinnmac000]

It’s gen one tech
In ten years it will be much better

Second if writers thought it couldn’t replace them they would not be against AI

The best films would still have writers so let the crappy companies try it and fail

My job will be replaced one day, most jobs will be not saying I want it to happen but it will regardless of our wants

I disagree...

Writers are against AI because even if its bad, studios will still use it to save money and have someone just do a rewrite later. Limiting the amount of creativity and input that can justify them projects later. If I am unable to show my talent as a writer and only hired a script doctor for AI, what's the purpose?

However, in the long run unless we have AI that can actual emote and able to demonstrate convincing emotions, we will never ever have Hollywood rely on AI and I hope no one is stupid enough to make an AI with emotions because that has more negative implications than a lot of human tragedies.

 

[Jake S]

My job will be replaced one day, most jobs will be not saying I want it to happen but it will regardless of our wants

why? do we have no agency over our future?

there’s nothing wrong with telling people like mark zuckerberg to beat it. if they aren’t innovations in a way that makes our lives better, tell them to pound sand.

 

[Cygnus]

It shouldn't matter if AI is good now, or will be in 10-15 years. AI movies and TV shows are just depressing to think about, and no one should want to live through that reality. Entertainment is an extension of human expression, y'know, things made by humans.

And what happens when hundreds of millions, or even billions of people are considered "no longer necessary" and put out of work?