A clearer image of how far aside the writers and studios had been from a deal has emerged after talks between the WGA and AMPTP broke down, resulting in a strike beginning on Tuesday.
The WGA stated its proposals would have benefited its members by $429M per yr and claimed that the AMPTP’s supply was roughly $86M per yr, 48% of which is from a rise in minimums. The AMPTP countered that these numbers are hypothetical because it’s unclear what number of reveals could be ordered over the three years and what number of subscribers the streamers would have. They additionally made it clear to the WGA that these had been gives that it was prepared to enhance.
Many of the largest points had been in TV such getting extra writers on set and what the studios are referring to as “mandatory staffing” and the WGA is asking “preserving the writers’ room”.
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On-set expertise has been a key plank of the WGA’s drive to assist its members. The guild proposed that writers on workers should get a minimum of three weeks per episode, as much as a most of 52 weeks, of what’s known as “post-greenlight rooms”. They wished half of the minimal workers to be employed by way of manufacturing and one author employed by way of put up.
However, the AMPTP rejected this with studio sources saying that this was troublesome as a result of it may final for months, significantly on the streamers, the place they usually don’t greenlight a present till all the scripts are written.
The WGA was additionally trying to safe numerous workers – six writers together with 4 author/producers – as a part of “pre-greenlight rooms”, in any other case referred to as mini-rooms – and “post-greenlight rooms” the place one author per episode as much as six episodes, then one further author required for every two episodes after six. For occasion, an eight episode present would require seven writers together with 4 author/producers and a ten episode present would require eight writers together with 5 author/producers.
The studios once more rejected this, pointing to reveals corresponding to HBO’s The White Lotus, which was written solely by Mike White.
Once it grew to become clear that the studios and writers had been very far aside on these points, all events left, shortly earlier than 8pm PT.
Elsewhere, on residuals, the guild was asking for six%-5%-5% will increase over the course of a brand new three-year contract for all minimums together with residual bases. But in line with the guild, the AMPTP solely supplied 4%-3%-2% (one-time improve to most residual bases of two% or 2.5%)
The writers had been trying to set up a viewership-based residual, along with the prevailing mounted residual, which it stated would reward packages for larger viewership, though would require transparency on its numbers.
Lastly, on AI, the WGA wished to manage its use on MBA-covered initiatives however the studios wished to introduce annual conferences “to discuss advancements in technology”.
WHAT DID THE WRITERS AND STUDIOS AGREE ON?
There had been some tentative agreements during the last six weeks. These included script charges for workers writers on prime of their weekly pay; a rise in span cap from $400,000 to $450,000 with span safety to be prolonged to writers on restricted sequence, a rise earnings cap from $325,000 to $350,000 on choices, a 150% pilot premium and 115% backup script for high-end streaming sequence; the WGA to have the choice to divert 0.5% of negotiated minimums will increase to its Pension or Health Fund and to permit one further free “promotional” run for brand new made for broadcast sequence.
The streamers additionally appeared to offer in to residuals based mostly on overseas subscriber counts with Paramount+ and Max persevering with to pay a decrease license-fee-based residual.
There did appear to be some give on comedy/selection reveals for streaming coming beneath the MBA
It appears it wasn’t sufficient.
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