Hollywood strike "cools down"
The NY Times reported on September 26 (Vietnam time) that the Writers Guild of America (WGA) and the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers (AMPTP) have reached a new, hopeful contract agreement after a 146-day strike.
The double strike in Hollywood that will last until May 2023 has shown positive signs.
The deal, expected to last three years, promises to pave the way for an end to a 146-day strike that has devastated the entertainment industry.
Immediately after the negotiations ended, the heads of the Writers Guild of Hollywood sent a letter to members to announce the positive situation.
"We can be incredibly proud to say that this agreement is something special. It has meaningful benefits and protections for writers of all stripes," the Writers Guild said in a letter to its members.
However, details regarding the agreement have not been released.
“While we would love to share what we have achieved with you, we cannot announce it until we have finalized the agreement,” the association explained. “Announcing it in advance would complicate our work.”
Previously, the two sides discussed and reached a common agreement last weekend after five consecutive days of negotiations.
On day four, lawyers from the WGA and the Producers Alliance were in attendance to add some provisions to the original agreement. The use of AI in content production was also one of the last items the two sides worked on before signing.
Although a general agreement has been reached, the writers will not be allowed to return to work until the association makes an official announcement.
SAG-AFTRA began a strike in July, with many of the same demands as the WGA. Photo: The NY Times.
Meanwhile, the Hollywood Actors Guild (SAG-AFTRA) is still on strike this week. The two sides have yet to make plans for future negotiations.
Therefore, WGA leadership encourages members to join the SAG-AFTRA protest to show their support and determination. The strike will also continue until the two sides sign a final document.
Variety commented that the end of the WGA strike marked the return of the entertainment industry after a 5-month production shutdown.
"Hollywood is now planning to restart production of shows and films, which will also require time and resources. However, the end of the strike has brought hope to the typical content industry and filmmakers," the newspaper commented.
Full view of the double strike in Hollywood
In May 2023, the WGA launched a massive strike campaign. The central issue of this dispute is directly related to the fact that the average income of screenwriters has largely been cut compared to a decade ago.
Hollywood strike cools down
Along with that, the rise of artificial intelligence tools capable of synthesizing and generating text like ChatGPT is also one of the issues that can directly affect the livelihoods of members of this organization.
In July 2023, SAG-AFTRA members continued to join the wave of strikes demanding higher wages for screenwriters, while calling for avoiding the abuse of artificial intelligence technology in the field of cinema art.
Historically, the WGA went on strike for 154 days in 1988. This time, though it only lasted 146 days, it was the film industry's largest double strike in the streaming era.
The incident directly affects many companies in three different areas of media business activities such as cinema, linear television and streaming.
Hollywood and the US economy were heavily affected by this strike, with estimated losses of 5 billion USD (nearly 122,000 billion VND) according to economic experts.
In Hollywood, 11 major film studios suffered a loss of 1.3 billion USD (more than 31,700 billion VND), 17,000 people lost their jobs, according to Reuters.
In a filing with the SEC (Securities and Exchange Commission), Hollywood's major film studio Warner Bros said the double strike by Hollywood actors and writers has negatively impacted the company's revenue and profits this year.
The company expects losses of 300-500 million USD (7,300-12,200 billion VND) in 2023 alone.
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