2023 (Possible) Writers Strike

[valkyrie013]

https://www.latimes.com/entertainme...rs-gather-to-weigh-issues-what-are-they-after

So May 1 is when the writers collective agreement ends. Apparently the union has some issues that will need to be ironed out with the studios. It all basically boils down to more money for the writers.
After reading the article, they do have substantial reasons, basically its gone from "Hollywood Math" To "Streamer Math" the streamers never release any of there information on viewership, etc. so many writers ( and others) don't have any idea on if a show there working on is doing any good.

anybody that is/was in the bussiness want to chime in on what to expect?

Hope they work out an agreement.

 

[Scout101]

Hope this is sorted out, recall it ruining several shows and movies last time because of long delays, or having to run with a script from pre-lockout that they couldn't change, etc. Cancelling things that would have likely otherwise survived, losing actors with contract issues...

 

[Snaploud]

The article fails to mention one of the biggest problematic trends: studios hoarding their own content onto studio-owned streaming services rather than selling that content on the open market. This practice turns residual calculations into just another black hole of Hollywood accounting.

It also apparently results in HBO Max coming to the conclusion that it is sometimes financially a good idea to pull a show entirely from streaming services rather than pay royalties. I can't imagine that happening if there were an open bidding process between streaming services (as the residuals just would have been a cut of whatever was paid out by the streaming service). [Of course, I still don't know why shows were also pulled from being purchased digitally. One would think that would have nothing to do with avoiding royalty payments.]

 

[Owain Taggart]

The article fails to mention one of the biggest problematic trends: studios hoarding their own content onto studio-owned streaming services rather than selling that content on the open market. This practice turns residual calculations into just another black hole of Hollywood accounting.

That's true, and one thing I've been wondering is if all these exclusives are getting as many eyeballs as they would on the open market. Are they being seen as much or less? The thing is, I look at the list of Oscar nominations every year ever since they started including streaming outlets, and I'd say more than half are on services I'll never have access to. I'd have to think the viewership numbers are a lot narrower than they would be if they were also available elsewhere. I've noticed though that some movies are now starting to migrate over to other services, such as Sound of Metal, which was previously an Amazon exclusive, presumably meaning a contract has expired. It's popped up on Netflix a few months ago.

 

[Starbreaker]

Let them strike and get what they deserve. I've got years worth of stuff to catch up on anyway.

 

[the G-man]

The article fails to mention one of the biggest problematic trends: studios hoarding their own content onto studio-owned streaming services rather than selling that content on the open market. This practice turns residual calculations into just another black hole of Hollywood accounting.

It also apparently results in HBO Max coming to the conclusion that it is sometimes financially a good idea to pull a show entirely from streaming services rather than pay royalties. I can't imagine that happening if there were an open bidding process between streaming services (as the residuals just would have been a cut of whatever was paid out by the streaming service). [Of course, I still don't know why shows were also pulled from being purchased digitally. One would think that would have nothing to do with avoiding royalty payments.]

That's true, and one thing I've been wondering is if all these exclusives are getting as many eyeballs as they would on the open market. Are they being seen as much or less? The thing is, I look at the list of Oscar nominations every year ever since they started including streaming outlets, and I'd say more than half are on services I'll never have access to. I'd have to think the viewership numbers are a lot narrower than they would be if they were also available elsewhere. I've noticed though that some movies are now starting to migrate over to other services, such as Sound of Metal, which was previously an Amazon exclusive, presumably meaning a contract has expired. It's popped up on Netflix a few months ago.

this reminds me of David Duchovny’s lawsuit against the X-files. He argued, not unreasonably, that Fox sold the syndication rights to their own subsidiary (FX) at a cost that would deflate his residuals.

 

[valkyrie013]

Apparently its ON.

https://www.nbcnews.com/pop-culture...rs-strike-2023-wga-pay-negotiations-rcna82236

Haven't read anything to sudgest that there asking for anything more/less than whats been covered so far.

First to this will be Late Night talk shows ( no loss there..)
Then Daytime Soaps or anything with daily stuff.. Sadly not "Reality" TV..

EDIT:
Oh, apparently they want an AI Clause as well, basically that they won't be put to pasture like other jobs by AI.
Considering some of the quality of some scripts.. AI just might make it better..

P.S.:
The main “sticking points,” according to the entertainment giants, include union proposals that would require companies to staff television shows with a certain number of writers for a specific period of time, “whether needed or not.” Needed or not? Huh.

Many of the biggest issues were in TV, such getting more writers on set and what the studios are referring to as “mandatory staffing” and the WGA is calling “preserving the writers’ room.”

The AMPTP rejected this with studio sources saying that this was difficult because it could last for months, particularly at the streamers, where they often don’t greenlight a show until all of the scripts are written. Also a point of contention were shows written entirely by one person, like The White Lotus. How would staffing quotas work on those? Write all the scripts before its even greenlit?

HUH? So what happens when you work for weeks/months for 10 episodes and its not greenlit?? Was there a prelim budget to pay for peoples time? Maybe set a Minimum pay per episode, even in mini rooms??

I know residuals are almost non existent now since they sell to themselves. and the "Mini" rooms that pop up are grossly under paid for what they do.

There are points that need to be addressed. and there is a "Fair Share" needed.

And all this leads into the SAG and other renegotiation that are up this year as well.

https://deadline.com/2023/05/writers-strike-what-went-wrong-1235353267/

 

[Jedman67]

From what i've read on twitter, even the minimum staffing being asked for writers rooms will be subject to stress and overwork. And how many shows are entirely written by one person? And does that same - call it "sole creative writer" not pass along the completed scripts to staff writers for formatting, editing and fine tuning?

And even if the show is not greenlit for months, who is going to pay the staff for their groceries, rent, car etc?
Sounds like this strike was a long time in coming.

As far as the AI clause, it's going to be a long time before AI can spit out a television or movie script able to compete with something written by humans.

 

[Owain Taggart]

I wonder if this means networks will want to air/stream foreign shows like they did during the last writer's strike. The last one had them filling their schedule with Canadian shows.

 

[The Nth Doctor]

I wonder if this means networks will want to air/stream foreign shows like they did during the last writer's strike. The last one had them filling their schedule with Canadian shows.

Netflix certainly has a head start with that idea since they're already exporting a lot of shows from Europe and Asia.

 

[Owain Taggart]

Netflix certainly has a head start with that idea since they're already exporting a lot of shows from Europe and Asia.

Yeah, Netflix has been particularly good for foreign shows. I don't think we'd be seeing half of them if it weren't for Netflix, actually.

 

[C.E. Evans]

As far as the AI clause, it's going to be a long time before AI can spit out a television or movie script able to compete with something written by humans.

Seems like they want to nip it in the bud before it reaches anywhere near that point. An A.I. program might indeed be used to "strengthen" a script and make alterations, something a studio may not have to pay a human writer or script editor to do.

 

[DarrenTR1970]

this reminds me of David Duchovny’s lawsuit against the X-files. He argued, not unreasonably, that Fox sold the syndication rights to their own subsidiary (FX) at a cost that would deflate his residuals.

I posted this over in the 'Classic/Retro Pop Culture' thread re 'Mission: Impossible' and it seems appropriate here

". . . well known within the industry was the lawsuit Bruce Geller threatened against Paramount over syndication monies. "Bruce demanded an accounting from Paramount," says Bruce's friend Austin "Rocky" Kalish. "He felt he wasn't getting a fair shake and was going to call his lawyers. It's not uncommon." Bruce told Chris Knopf that the studio offered him half of what was actually due. "They told him, 'Sue us. It'll take ten years. Maybe you'll get it, maybe you won't.' It's not unusual." According to Bernie Kowalski, who owns a piece of the show, Bruce, and Peter Graves (another profit participant) were going to sue together. "The audit would have been well over one hundred thousand dollars," Kowalski says, "and Bruce, being a wise man with a legal background, knew that their bookkeeping factors were very tough to beat." In the end, Geller settled. "He was very bitter about the deal," says another friend, Ron Austin. "He was intimidated by all the legal stuff, so he settled for far less that he should have gotten out of Mission." Geller wasn't the only one; Peter Graves recalls Bruce Lansbury telling him that Mission never went over budget after its fifth season. "I remember it every time I get a financial statement from Paramount concerning my percentage of the profits, because there are no profits! I've never pursued it," says the actor. "There's nothing to do about it."

And this was back in '73; fifty years ago.

 

[valkyrie013]

Well with streamers .. You can literally see how many times a series was watched, how many episodes people watched, etc.
If you have a million watching Ep1. But 22 watching ep10 .. Your show sucked and your not getting more.
But it's played on there streamer so they don't cut a residual check..

Hollywood math sucks