Delaney Hibbits
Arts and Entertainment Editor
On May 2, the Writer’s Guild of America took it upon themselves to go on strike in hopes of signing better contracts. Some of the issues leading up to this strike consisted of a lack of compensation, artificial intelligence interference and length of employment.
Due to streaming, many writers would only work for a few weeks to complete a season rather than taking it bit by bit. This meant the writers received less pay since their period of work was shorter.
While the WGA was on strike, the SGA-AFTRA also stepped away to walk the picket line. This is the first time both of these associations have been on strike against AMPTP since 1960. With this news, it is clear that 2023 is the year of Hollywood history.
However, after 148 days, the writer’s strike has come to an end. As of 12:01 a.m. on September 27, writers were able to start on scripts with their new terms. The latest contract is valid for the next three years.
The union was determined to earn better wages and higher residuals. At first, writers wanted a raise between 5%-6% but negotiated with the studios for a percentage between 3.5% and 5%.
Many writers wanted more incentives for their part in the most popular shows on certain services and channels. Originally, Netflix and other studios rejected this idea. Later, the corporations agreed to give bonuses to those involved in the top shows.
Furthermore, the studios agreed to have at least three writers on staff for shows that have yet to become a series. The agreement also states every series with at least 13 episodes will have six or more writers depending on episode count. This helps with the staff’s workload and makes sure enough writers receive work.
In addition to receiving employment, writers also have a guaranteed timeline of at least 10 weeks of work for shows in development. Those working on shows that go to air will be employed for three weeks per episode.
One huge problem circling the writing career in society is the use of artificial intelligence. This used to be irrelevant yet it has continued to be a problem for creators everywhere. AI has been given credit on multiple projects and acts as source material.
With the new studio contract, storylines developed from AI will no longer be credited as artist work nor will it receive screen credits. Writers will be able to use their ideas without competing against an algorithm. There is a choice to use artificial intelligence but it cannot be forced by the studios.
The contract is not finalized but will be voted on during the week of October 2. The guild does not seem to disagree with the terms considering they announced the deal as “exceptional with meaningful gains and protections for writers.”
Despite this huge victory for the writers, many actors are still at the picket line protesting for more compensation and bonuses for shows that are on streaming services. After seeing how long the writers stayed away from work, I would say keep an eye on the actor’s strike because there is no telling what could happen.
