Actors now on strike - join Writers

[Velar Fricative]

So...what do we think will eventually happen?

I ask as someone who admittedly doesn't watch much TV (and if I do, it's shows I can watch on repeat over and over again, like The Office, or shows like Jeopardy!), and I think part of that reason is not necessarily lack of time, but because I am overwhelmed with options. Like, there are soooooo many shows and movies these days thanks to streaming, so I just watch what I know I like. So to be honest, I haven't really felt the sting of the WGA strike that's in its 10th week. Maybe it'll be annoying in the fall, but I'm just sitting here wondering what the aftermath will look like if and when there are agreements. I don't think I'm the typical TV viewer though, but I feel like the 2008ish writers' strike had a lot more attention and impact at this point in that strike.

I'm not making any judgments on the merits of their demands, and of course I'll root for the little guy versus the big studios because I hope this is good for all the workers out there in other industries. But I just don't know what will happen after this, or if people will care when there is an agreement.

[mrsslocombe]

Jul 18, 2023 11:45:47 GMT -5 Velar Fricative said:

So...what do we think will eventually happen?

I ask as someone who admittedly doesn't watch much TV (and if I do, it's shows I can watch on repeat over and over again, like The Office, or shows like Jeopardy!), and I think part of that reason is not necessarily lack of time, but because I am overwhelmed with options. Like, there are soooooo many shows and movies these days thanks to streaming, so I just watch what I know I like. So to be honest, I haven't really felt the sting of the WGA strike that's in its 10th week. Maybe it'll be annoying in the fall, but I'm just sitting here wondering what the aftermath will look like if and when there are agreements. I don't think I'm the typical TV viewer though, but I feel like the 2008ish writers' strike had a lot more attention and impact at this point in that strike.

I'm not making any judgments on the merits of their demands, and of course I'll root for the little guy versus the big studios because I hope this is good for all the workers out there in other industries. But I just don't know what will happen after this, or if people will care when there is an agreement.

There will be some sort of agreement about minimum staffing for writers rooms. 

They will write in some nebulous language about AI that the studios will just skirt around anyway.

It's hard for me to see where compensation/residuals wind up though. The streamers will do anything to avoid releasing their viewership counts. They may just bump up minimum pay and minimum weeks to a point where the WGA caves. And offer more points for licensing/resale to outside outlets. 

[basilosaurus]

Velar Fricative, I believe 2008 happened midseason, or the impact was starting then, so you'd have 10 episodes of a show that's normally 20+. This hit after season finales had already been filmed and were able to air. It's really only impacted late night shows so far but is very likely to affect the fall line up. Already networks are planning to stretch reality shows to fill more airtime.

[mrsslocombe]

The pressures on the AMTMP are much different than this time around. Streamers can acquire international content to boost their libraries. Terrestrial networks can fill air time with original series that were previously only available online, it's just going to get worse.

The surprising element is that orders for reality content are lower than they have been in a decade. There's a lot of rumors of a coordinated work slow down in reality to starve us out and keep reality workers from acting in solidarity. I don't necessarily buy into that conspiracy, I just think networks are vastly cutting back on original programming to see how much they can get away with while losing the minimum number of viewers/subscribers.

Networks are choosing to merely expand the run times on current properties vs developing new shows (I work on a show that went from 60 min eps to 90 min last year, the budget increased by less than 10% when we bumped up the clock. We only hired 1 more worker to do 50% longer episodes. It's the world's cheapest move for extra content).

Really the only people who feel somewhat secure are those on Bravo shows, they still have long calendars, higher pay rates, better staffing.

[konapoppy]

Jul 18, 2023 11:45:47 GMT -5 Velar Fricative said:

So...what do we think will eventually happen?

Eventually? We go back to a cable/mostly inclusive model.

Either that or AI takes over all content creation and acting.

[basilosaurus]

mrsslocombe, at the beginning of the pandemic, with all filming shut down, I noticed more shows like court cam where literally there is no filming, spliced available footage, and a narrator. Do you see a potential return to using such material? With no writers and no voice actors, though, maybe I just answered my own question, although that was really stuff AI could handle. Not eactly high brow or skilled work.

[mrsslocombe]

Jul 18, 2023 15:27:29 GMT -5 basilosaurus said:

mrsslocombe , at the beginning of the pandemic, with all filming shut down, I noticed more shows like court cam where literally there is no filming, spliced available footage, and a narrator. Do you see a potential return to using such material? With no writers and no voice actors, though, maybe I just answered my own question, although that was really stuff AI could handle. Not eactly high brow or skilled work.

The future looks pretty bleak honestly. Quite a few cable networks are going to go under in the next 2-5 years. Paramount is trying to sell off their BET/Vh1 arm, but they could just consolidate down to 2-3 networks. Disney is rumored to be trying to sell some of their ABC branch. I think we're just going to be further striation between extremely expensive projects (though the failure of the Lord of the Rings show might slow some of that) and just bottom of the barrel cheap content. 

Venture capital made all of these streaming services extremely cheap to subscribe to, and the investment is running out. The public got used to having a cheap product, they aren't going to like what the actual cost is going to be. It's the same problem as Uber, AirBNB, etc are facing. And younger viewers are spending their time on Tiktok and Youtube, which are free. 

I feel very doom and gloom these days honestly, I don't know that I will have a job in 5 years, let alone 10. But media goes through ebbs and flows, we could have another 70s/90s style Indie Renaissance that pumps the (scripted) industry back up.

[basilosaurus]

I'd skimmed about the Disney/ABC/ESPN thing, and it didn't surprise me.

Outside the US, people (nearly everyone I know, epats and locals) are subscribing to netfli which has different content based on which country you're in/VPNing through (bonus IMO). Also, hayu ($6/mo) which is reality only. Many subscribe to youtube. A few free ones like popcorn, and another whose name I'm blanking on are heavily used, too, so that's obviously competition.

How much of the international market is influencing or providing revenue to these American companies? FTR I put hulu on 3 month pauses two or 3 times and cancelled when I didn't miss it at all, not even to watch SVU or ER for the umpteenth time.

[nsl]

Jul 18, 2023 10:53:59 GMT -5 picksthemusic said:

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/

The LA city controller tweeted today that his office is investigating this tree trimming. Those are LA’s trees, not Universal’s, so they could be in some legal trouble if they didn’t get permits and/or trim appropriately.

[TR]

I thought this was an interesting deterrent to current non-members / influencers:

“TikTok influencers will have to return to plank challenges or put down their tiny mics, because the actors strike also applies to them. On Monday, the Screen Actors Guild-American Federation of Television and Radio Artists (SAG-AFTRA), the Hollywood union that went on strike last week, released an FAQ detailing how union and nonunion creators can avoid crossing the digital picket line.

The guidelines explain that creators can fulfill any contracts that were agreed upon before the strike started and work on brand partnerships—but shouldn’t take on any new Barbie makeup tutorials. The guild also advises creators not to hype any struck work, even if they promote it as a fan.

The stakes are high: If a nonunion influencer decides to make some extra cash posting a three-hour “Easter eggs of Oppenheimer” YouTube video, they could risk never being allowed to become a member of SAG-AFTRA.”

Link to article

[pixy0stix]

Wow re: social media influencers. I wonder how many will cross the picket either knowingly or no.

[formerlyak]

IATSE May also strike as early as Friday which would shut down Broadway and most touring shows.

[quesyrah]

Jul 19, 2023 17:47:29 GMT -5 formerlyak said:

IATSE May also strike as early as Friday which would shut down Broadway and most touring shows.

Oh no, I hadn’t heard this!

We have tickets to into the woods next week that we’ve been looking forward to for 6+ months.

I’ll have to keep an eye on this news

[formerlyak]

Jul 19, 2023 18:08:44 GMT -5 quesyrah said:

Jul 19, 2023 17:47:29 GMT -5 formerlyak said:

IATSE May also strike as early as Friday which would shut down Broadway and most touring shows.

Oh no, I hadn’t heard this!

We have tickets to into the woods next week that we’ve been looking forward to for 6+ months.

I’ll have to keep an eye on this news

I also have Into the Woods tickets for Sunday. They voted today to authorize the strike if an agreement isn’t reached by Friday.

[quesyrah]

Jul 19, 2023 18:19:44 GMT -5 formerlyak said:

Jul 19, 2023 18:08:44 GMT -5 quesyrah said:

Oh no, I hadn’t heard this!

We have tickets to into the woods next week that we’ve been looking forward to for 6+ months.

I’ll have to keep an eye on this news

I also have Into the Woods tickets for Sunday. They voted today to authorize the strike if an agreement isn’t reached by Friday.

Aw man.

I definitely support the union members getting fair pay, benefit, working conditions etc.

But what a bummer.

[pixy0stix]

Jul 19, 2023 17:47:29 GMT -5 formerlyak said:

IATSE May also strike as early as Friday which would shut down Broadway and most touring shows.

www.hollywoodreporter.com/business/business-news/iatse-holds-strike-authorization-vote-pink-contract-1235539490/

[isabel]

Jul 18, 2023 15:53:13 GMT -5 mrsslocombe said:

Jul 18, 2023 15:27:29 GMT -5 basilosaurus said:

mrsslocombe , at the beginning of the pandemic, with all filming shut down, I noticed more shows like court cam where literally there is no filming, spliced available footage, and a narrator. Do you see a potential return to using such material? With no writers and no voice actors, though, maybe I just answered my own question, although that was really stuff AI could handle. Not eactly high brow or skilled work.

Venture capital made all of these streaming services extremely cheap to subscribe to, and the investment is running out. The public got used to having a cheap product, they aren't going to like what the actual cost is going to be. 

What's a more realistic cost for these subscriptions? 

[mrsslocombe]

Jul 19, 2023 22:13:58 GMT -5 isabel said:

Jul 18, 2023 15:53:13 GMT -5 mrsslocombe said:

Venture capital made all of these streaming services extremely cheap to subscribe to, and the investment is running out. The public got used to having a cheap product, they aren't going to like what the actual cost is going to be. 

What's a more realistic cost for these subscriptions? 

The answer depends on a lot of factors:
-is the service ad supported? Or just subscription fee based?
-how much original content are they producing?
-how much revenue do they generate from licensing their product to other companies
-are they stand-alone companies (like Netflix) or tied to a larger distribution/financing network (Paramount+, Max, etc).

Netflix is the only major streaming service in the black, and that is largely due to an enormous world wide subscriber base. And their profits are taking a nose dive due to major falloff in India.

Disney + had a $1.1B loss Oct/22-Dec 22. And over $600 M Jan-March of this year. And their # of original hours of content is relatively low, but very expensive.

And then you have to keep in mind that the higher you raise the price, the more customers you lose. So easily…2-3x current pricing models?

[isabel]

This is really interesting and not stuff I’ve spent much time thinking about. Thank you for sharing, mrsslocombe.

[Jalapeñomel]

Jul 19, 2023 17:47:29 GMT -5 formerlyak said:

IATSE May also strike as early as Friday which would shut down Broadway and most touring shows.

A tentative deal was reached between them.

amp.cnn.com/cnn/2023/07/20/business/broadway-strike/index.html

[Jalapeñomel]

It seems a deal has been reached

amp.cnn.com/cnn/2023/09/24/business/wga-strike-ends-reaches-deal/index.html

[basilosaurus]

Jul 19, 2023 23:38:52 GMT -5 mrsslocombe said:

Jul 19, 2023 22:13:58 GMT -5 isabel said:

What's a more realistic cost for these subscriptions? 

The answer depends on a lot of factors:
-is the service ad supported? Or just subscription fee based?
-how much original content are they producing?
-how much revenue do they generate from licensing their product to other companies
-are they stand-alone companies (like Netflix) or tied to a larger distribution/financing network (Paramount+, Max, etc).

Netflix is the only major streaming service in the black, and that is largely due to an enormous world wide subscriber base. And their profits are taking a nose dive due to major falloff in India.

Disney + had a $1.1B loss Oct/22-Dec 22. And over $600 M Jan-March of this year. And their # of original hours of content is relatively low, but very expensive.

And then you have to keep in mind that the higher you raise the price, the more customers you lose. So easily…2-3x current pricing models?

I'm not in the us, and most people I know have Netflix. They'll pay because there's no other option. It may not be a moral business model, to rely on so much country censorship, but it is effective.

I really think a lot of these streaming services are looking outside USA based on how I hear people talk locally vs my sm that's largely USA based.

[pixy0stix]

The actor strike is over.

SAG-AFTRA and Hollywood studios reach deal to end strike

www.washingtonpost.com/entertainment/2023/11/08/sag-strike-end-deal-actors/

[fortnightlily]

I know several SAG members who are very relieved today.

[wanderingback]

Nov 9, 2023 9:02:02 GMT -5 pixy0stix said:

The actor strike is over.

SAG-AFTRA and Hollywood studios reach deal to end strike

www.washingtonpost.com/entertainment/2023/11/08/sag-strike-end-deal-actors/

So I can’t read this article cause it’s behind a wall but I have a family member who is an actor and SAG member and he said that the actors still have to vote on the deal and he and many of his friends are leaning towards voting no. I guess they still have a couple more weeks to get their votes in. He said his main sticking points are about the use of AI.

Again, sorry if this is all discussed in the article but based on the headlines I thought this was a done deal and the deal was sealed but apparently it’s not!

[jlt19]

Nov 18, 2023 19:10:51 GMT -5 wanderingback said:

Nov 9, 2023 9:02:02 GMT -5 pixy0stix said:

The actor strike is over.

SAG-AFTRA and Hollywood studios reach deal to end strike

www.washingtonpost.com/entertainment/2023/11/08/sag-strike-end-deal-actors/

So I can’t read this article cause it’s behind a wall but I have a family member who is an actor and SAG member and he said that the actors still have to vote on the deal and he and many of his friends are leaning towards voting no. I guess they still have a couple more weeks to get their votes in. He said his main sticking points are about the use of AI.

Again, sorry if this is all discussed in the article but based on the headlines I thought this was a done deal and the deal was sealed but apparently it’s not!

Typically when they say deals are made, that’s between the representatives of the two parties. But the Union members still get to vote if they agree with what their representatives (SAG-AFTRA) negotiated on their behalf. Since the Union represents people that could be living worldwide, they have to give ample time for everyone to get their votes in.