Actors now on strike - join Writers

[pixy0stix]

www.washingtonpost.com/arts-entertainment/2023/07/13/hollywood-writers-actors-strike-sag-aftra/

Whew, this is pretty massive. I keep seeing that Oppenheimer's cast walked out of the UK premiere when the strike was announced.

[pixy0stix]

Completely serious question - how do we (average) people not cross the picket? Not go to movies? Not stream anything?

[Velar Fricative]

Today I learned the SAG President is Fran Drescher.

Yeah I don’t know what to do in support. Cancel streaming services?

[pixy0stix]

Jul 13, 2023 17:13:49 GMT -5 Velar Fricative said:

Today I leaned the SAG President is Fran Drescher.

SAME.

[rubytue]

Jul 13, 2023 17:13:00 GMT -5 pixy0stix said:

Completely serious question - how do we (average) people not cross the picket? Not go to movies? Not stream anything?

I just had a similar thought. Like it just occurred to me that maybe I can’t go see Oppenheimer. Maybe I’ll see why my union suggests. 

[rubytue]

thehill.com/blogs/in-the-know/4096266-oppenheimer-exits-damon-blunt-murphy-walk-out-of-premiere-as-strike-starts/ this is what confirmed it for me. I’m bummed because I’ve been making some new friends and we were planning an Oppenheimer/Barbie thing. And I have to pass 

[Jalapeñomel]

Content creators on SM are sending out videos for others that dream of transitioning into singing, acting, directing, etc not to cross the picket lines, even if they think “it’s their big break”.

[wanderingback]

Jul 13, 2023 17:13:49 GMT -5 Velar Fricative said:

Today I leaned the SAG President is Fran Drescher.

Yeah I don’t know what to do in support. Cancel streaming services?

Yeah several of my family members are actors and SAG members and I also just found this out when they were talking about it!

Eta: apparently she was against the mandatory Covid vaccines for actors so they were talking about how she is def not well received!

[karinothing]

It doesn't seem like either union is calling for a boycott of films/streaming. It seems they want to show a high demand and have studios run out of content.

[konapoppy]

Jul 14, 2023 6:22:28 GMT -5 karinothing said:

It doesn't seem like either union is calling for a boycott of films/streaming. It seems they want to show a high demand and have studios run out of content.

I mean, residuals are a huge part of their income. I would imagine they still want us to see the movies etc so they get paid while they aren’t getting main paychecks. But I could be wrong!

[Jalapeñomel]

Jul 14, 2023 7:02:12 GMT -5 konapoppy said:

Jul 14, 2023 6:22:28 GMT -5 karinothing said:

It doesn't seem like either union is calling for a boycott of films/streaming. It seems they want to show a high demand and have studios run out of content.

I mean, residuals are a huge part of their income. I would imagine they still want us to see the movies etc so they get paid while they aren’t getting main paychecks. But I could be wrong!

I *think* part of the issue is that they aren’t being fairly paid residuals. So if we watch a streaming only show, they aren’t getting the residual money they should be getting if their show was a traditional show.

[rubytue]

Jul 14, 2023 6:22:28 GMT -5 karinothing said:

It doesn't seem like either union is calling for a boycott of films/streaming. It seems they want to show a high demand and have studios run out of content.

Yeah. I arrived at letting it settle in before I decide. But I am leaning strongly toward no. Something will come out from the unions, likely including mine, suggest support actions. And I feel that will happen before I’m set to make a decision about things. 

[mala]

Jul 14, 2023 7:25:13 GMT -5 Jalapeñomel said:

Jul 14, 2023 7:02:12 GMT -5 konapoppy said:

I mean, residuals are a huge part of their income. I would imagine they still want us to see the movies etc so they get paid while they aren’t getting main paychecks. But I could be wrong!

I *think* part of the issue is that they aren’t being fairly paid residuals. So if we watch a streaming only show, they aren’t getting the residual money they should be getting if their show was a traditional show.

Yes this is a big part of it. It's also about concern over AI deepfakes and actors likeness being used from their past works without consent, knowledge or pay.

[konapoppy]

The WGA at least doesn’t list boycotting their shows and movies as a way to support - www.wgacontract2023.org/take-action/solidarity-and-support

I guess if they aren’t asking for it, and whatever residuals they do get are all they have to survive on right now, I don’t know why we would boycott.

[Jalapeñomel]

Jul 14, 2023 8:12:01 GMT -5 konapoppy said:

The WGA at least doesn’t list boycotting their shows and movies as a way to support - www.wgacontract2023.org/take-action/solidarity-and-support

I guess if they aren’t asking for it, and whatever residuals they do get are all they have to survive on right now, I don’t know why we would boycott.

Oh I don’t think it necessary to boycott watching the shows, I just saying that the residuals are part of the issue so even if they’re getting some residuals from streaming shows, it isn’t much (it also takes a while for residuals to be paid out, so they’re not likely to see them any time soon).

[Velar Fricative]

I was listening to a Daily episode a while back about the writer's strike, and the other issue (that I'm assuming is also impacting the actors) is that streaming seasons are far shorter than regular seasons on TV/cable used to be (or are). So not only are residuals less, but there are fewer opportunities for residuals because writers and actors aren't working on shows that last, say, more than 10 episodes a season.

[mirabelle]

I haven't read enough about this but the whole use of AI is what stuck out to me the most. I love to see unions pushing back and fighting for workers' rights.

[mrsslocombe]

WGA has asked people to support the Entertainment Community Fund: entertainmentcommunity.org/

This supports the crews and below the line staff that are out of work.

While the AI issue is important and getting the most press-the biggest point on contention, and the thing the AMTMP is most scared of-is the WGA is pushing to release viewership for streaming content and basing fee structure on those numbers.

In terrestrial television, ratings are public, and it's relatively easy to find out what networks are charging for ad buys. You also know how much they have charged for syndication rights. So going into negotiations, you knew what your product was worth. Now with streaming, the companies do not release numbers at all. And they are terrified about the prospect of having to release that information, both because they will have to pay certain people more, and it will affect their stock prices.

There's a bunch of other demands too, about minimum number of writers per project, minimum number of weeks per project, restrictions on the numbers of "writer-producers", etc.

[Jalapeñomel]

Jul 14, 2023 8:47:09 GMT -5 mirabelle said:

I haven't read enough about this but the whole use of AI is what stuck out to me the most. I love to see unions pushing back and fighting for workers' rights.

The lawsuit with Sarah Silverman could make a huge impact.

www.nytimes.com/2023/07/10/arts/sarah-silverman-lawsuit-openai-meta.html

[msmerymac]

Jul 13, 2023 17:13:49 GMT -5 Velar Fricative said:

Today I learned the SAG President is Fran Drescher.

Yeah I don’t know what to do in support. Cancel streaming services?

And it was Gabrielle Carteris before her. 

[msmerymac]

Jul 13, 2023 18:02:54 GMT -5 wanderingback said:

Jul 13, 2023 17:13:49 GMT -5 Velar Fricative said:

Today I leaned the SAG President is Fran Drescher.

Yeah I don’t know what to do in support. Cancel streaming services?

Yeah several of my family members are actors and SAG members and I also just found this out when they were talking about it!

Eta: apparently she was against the mandatory Covid vaccines for actors so they were talking about how she is def not well received!

Her ex partner is an anti-vax "celeb" and wannabe politician, so this doesn't surprise me. 


en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shiva_Ayyadurai

[livinitup]

I do not have a source to link, but “Under the Desk News” on TT reported that the strike extends to all paid work in acting and and writing - any/all content & platforms. It is a-okay to pay and attend movie showings and encouraged to support local theaters.

[Jalapeñomel]

Jul 14, 2023 13:36:51 GMT -5 livinitup said:

I do not have a source to link, but “Under the Desk News” on TT reported that the strike extends to all paid work in acting and and writing - any/all content & platforms. It is a-okay to pay and attend movie showings and encouraged to support local theaters.

[rubytue]

This article contains a real gem. 

The last time the writers and the Screen Actors Guild, the precursor of SAG-AFTRA, were on strike at the same time was 1960 — so long ago that Ronald Reagan was the SAG president leading that strike.

www.cnn.com/2023/07/13/business/actors-strike-tv-shows-movies/index.html

fuck you Reagan, did you think about this when you fired the air traffic controllers?!

[rubytue]

FWIW here is the list of actual picket locations www.sagaftrastrike.org/picket-schedule-locations

edit, I’m using this list as a starting point of the lines I’d be crossing in support. And I canceled Netflix with a reason of “strike support”. 

second edit…. One source saying not to do what I did. wegotthiscovered.com/movies/i-dont-suggest-doing-it-neil-gaiman-explains-why-strike-supporters-shouldnt-boycott-streaming-services/

[basilosaurus]

I have a question. I know a fair number of shows and movies are filmed in Canada (BC mostly I believe) with American actors and crew. This was an issue at the beginning of the pandemic due to the closed border. Will the strike affect that? Or will studios go there, use local talent, and subvert the strikes? That wouldn't be a long term solution, but I can see them wanting to drag it out, hoping to outlast the will of the artists.

[mrsslocombe]

Jul 18, 2023 3:11:49 GMT -5 basilosaurus said:

I have a question. I know a fair number of shows and movies are filmed in Canada (BC mostly I believe) with American actors and crew. This was an issue at the beginning of the pandemic due to the closed border. Will the strike affect that? Or will studios go there, use local talent, and subvert the strikes? That wouldn't be a long term solution, but I can see them wanting to drag it out, hoping to outlast the will of the artists.

SAG-AFTRA is granting waivers for members to work in Canada under some circumstances globalnews.ca/news/9831970/sag-aftra-actors-strike-canada-film/

They will likely grant waivers for Canadian-based projects that are not targeted at a US audience, and for Indies. They aren't going to grant waivers for And Just Like That to go film there. 

ETA: a better article www.hollywoodreporter.com/business/business-news/sag-aftra-actors-canada-hollywood-strike-1235535434/

[basilosaurus]

Thanks! I knew someone would have an answer.

[konapoppy]

Pop culture happy hour has a good episode on this today.

[picksthemusic]

Universal pruned trees in the middle of summer to prevent picketers from getting shade while picketing.

www.lamag.com/article/tree-pruning-universal-pictures-strike-spite/