The largest intervention of the film and television industry in years – the Hollywood strikes, is pushing back TV series and films for what could be “until the beginning of 2024, at the earliest,” according to the research firm LightShed Partners.
In May of 2023, The Writers Guild of America (WGA) began a strike, mainly due to concerns focusing on residuals from streaming networks. Shortly after in July, SAG-AFTRA actors’ followed WGA with their own strike, mainly due to their own worries over job security and pay.
These two situations intersected with each other, as the writer’s strike was already ongoing once the contract between SAG-AFTRA and the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers (AMPTP) concluded on July 12. The collision led to a Hollywood disaster.
Without a contract in place between SAG-AFTRA and AMPTP, an actor’s strike began.
In simple terms, both writers (SGA) and actors of America (SAG-AFTRA) went on two separate strikes beginning at different times, but are both still ongoing protests in Hollywood.
The organizations began their strikes as both writers and actors had contracts between AMPTP ended. Every three years, the contract is to be re-signed. But this time around, the members of both organizations voted to begin a strike instead as they could not reach an agreement on terms and conditions.
With the re-sign of this contract, writers would not be paid for reruns- otherwise known as streams from viewers. Because of this, writers only receive a tiny cut of pay from streams.
Actors began their strike since negotiations between their union and AMPTP could also not agree on negotiations. Their pay was also unfair, and regulations considering AI were concerningly loose. Without an order over the use of AI there could be unauthorized use of actors’ images or their own voice.
Viewers are being directly affected by these strikes overflowing Hollywood. T.V shows and films like Stranger Things, Deadpool 3, Beetlejuice 2 the film adaptation of Wicked, Avatar 3, and more will not be continued to production or writing until these strikes end.
Junior Mia Sbodio shares her disappointment with Stranger Things‘ postponement of production. “It sucks that we have to wait even longer for the final season. I understand why the actors and writers involved all deserve their own equal pay, but it is just disappointing to wait longer,” she says.
Junior Jenna Trzeciak also expresses that she’s “very upset” of the postponement of the series. “I just really need to know what happens next, and waiting for so long is just not ideal,” she shares.
