The Writers Guild of America (WGA) and the Alliance of Motion Pictures and Television Producers (AMPTP) reached an agreement as the WGA strike neared the 150-day mark. Writers were striking because of a number of issues including payment, streaming services, and the rise of artificial intelligence.
Before details of the agreement were released, the WGA said that the deal is “exceptional, with meaningful gains and protections for writers in every sector,” according to CNBC.
Many Hollywood writers have expressed anger at the portion of streaming service revenue they receive from the shows and movies they wrote.
Daisy Rooks, Professor of Sociology at the University of Montana, said that one of the things writers were fighting for was residuals, or payments for every time the movie or show is streamed. She didn’t think writers would get these residuals.“But I want them to!” Rooks said. “That would be an important victory.”
This isn’t the first time Hollywood writers have gone on strike, but Rooks said that this time is different. “During the last writers strike streaming was still bringing in tons of new subscribers and was very profitable,” said Rooks. She said that nowadays streaming services aren’t quite as lucrative, which gives producers less wiggle room to give writers what they want.
There’s one other important difference between this strike and previous ones; on July 14, SAG-AFTRA, which, according to CNN, represents around 160,000 actors, joined the WGA on strike. This “creates some additional pressure for the studios to settle,” Rooks said.
“I’m not sure what the settlement will be. I bet the studios will do everything they can to salvage this coming season of TV,” said Rooks.
The final details of the deal between the WGA and the AMPTP have been announced and WGA leaders have said they are “exceptional”, according to the Associated Press. Writers got the residuals and pay increases they were looking for, and solely AI generated plots won’t be regarded as “literary material”. This is a big and long awaited step for writers everywhere, and it means that shows and movies will return soon.
