Taking a stand. The Writers Guild of America formally licensed a strike in May 2023 — a number of TV reveals have already been affected consequently.
Writers and studios tried to attain a brand new wage settlement with the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers in April 2023 earlier than the WGA contract expired. Negotiations, nevertheless, broke down because the WGA pushed for his or her compensation to consider streaming residuals, higher working situations and a restrict on using synthetic intelligence know-how.
WGA members emphasised in an open letter that their focus was on “fair pay that reflects the value of our contribution to company success and includes protections to ensure that writing survives as a sustainable profession.”
A strike was confirmed after an settlement finally couldn’t be reached with AMPTP — the group that represents main networks similar to Netflix, Amazon, Apple, Disney, Discovery-Warner, NBC Universal, Paramount and Sony.
“The companies’ behavior has created a gig economy inside a union workforce, and their immovable stance in this negotiation has betrayed a commitment to further devaluing the profession of writing,” the letter learn. “From their refusal to guarantee any level of weekly employment in episodic television, to the creation of a ‘day rate’ in comedy variety, to their stonewalling on free work for screenwriters and on AI for all writers, they have closed the door on their labor force and opened the door to writing as an entirely freelance profession. No such deal could ever be contemplated by this membership.”
In response, AMPTP famous that they felt they provided “generous” compensation of their counteroffer.
“Negotiations between the AMPTP and the WGA concluded without an agreement today,” the commerce affiliation informed Variety on the time. “The AMPTP presented a comprehensive package proposal to the Guild last night which included generous increases in compensation for writers as well as improvements in streaming residuals. The AMPTP also indicated to the WGA that it is prepared to improve that offer, but was unwilling to do so because of the magnitude of other proposals still on the table that the Guild continues to insist upon. The primary sticking points are ‘mandatory staffing,’ and ‘duration of employment’ — Guild proposals that would require a company to staff a show with a certain number of writers for a specified period of time, whether needed or not.”
Shows similar to Abbott Elementary, Yellowjackets and Saturday Night Live have since hit pause on manufacturing. Writer Brittani Nichols, who penned episodes for the hit ABC sitcom, revealed that the strike might impression the variety of episodes in upcoming seasons.
“We are a show that writes while we air,” Nichols informed Democracy Now in May 2023. “If this strike goes on for a significant period of time, our show will not come out on time and that could change the amount of episodes which I’m sure people will be very upset about.”
Meanwhile, Yellowjackets creator Ashley Lyle introduced a writers room shut down after in the future again within the workplace. “It was amazing, and creatively invigorating, and so much fun, and I’m really excited to get back to it as soon as the WGA gets a fair deal,” the screenwriter tweeted in May 2023.
Days later, Matt Duffer and Ross Duffer (A.Okay.A. The Duffer Brothers) revealed that the fifth and closing season of Stranger Things wouldn’t begin manufacturing as anticipated. “Writing does not stop when filming begins. While we’re excited to start production with our amazing cast and crew, it is not possible during this strike. We hope a fair deal is reached soon so we can all get back to work. Until then — over and out,” the creators of the Netflix present shared in a tweet.
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Scroll down to see which TV reveals have been impacted by the 2023 WGA strike:
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