A storm is brewing in Hollywood. On April 17, 2023, the Writers Guild of America (WGA) passed a strike authorization vote with 97.85% voting in favor. This means that if the WGA and the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers cannot strike a new deal by May 1, 2023, the WGA can authorize a strike vote. This means no member of the guild would be allowed to write on a production. A writer's strike would result in most film and television series production grinding to a halt. The last time the WGA went on a strike, it had major repercussions that were felt for years after.
Just because they are authorized to strike does not mean it will happen. The hope of the WGA is that it will open up negotiations between them and the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers. Yet, as the countdown gets closer to May, a potential strike is on the horizon unless a deal can be reached soon. All signs point to a strike not only being a possibility but an inevitability.
What exactly would cause the WGA to strike? How will this impact the industry? Here is a brief breakdown of what to know about the potential WGA strike.
What Exactly Are Writers Striking For?
A major point for the WGA is to seek a major reworking of writer compensation. Streaming has had a major impact on the writing economy in the film and television industry. While there are certainly more television series being made now thanks to various streamers, they also hire fewer writers and for a shorter amount of time. While writers are not locked into eighteen to twenty-episode seasons, one would think that opens them up to take more writing jobs.
That is not the case though. Even with shorter seasons with long hiatus periods, many writers often do not have the flexibility to seek other work during the downtime between their shows. Sometimes they are locked into contracts that keep them from securing other writing jobs, despite not working on a show at the moment.
Where a writer used to make a good portion of their income on residuals due to series hitting syndication and broadcast, the advent of streaming has not only reduced those outlets but also series designed for streaming doesn't guarantee residuals. While production budgets on series have soared, the writers have seen little increase in payment and receive minimum to no back-end payments for their work.
Part of the request in the new deal focuses on a sizable increase in minimum payments, a better formula for residuals on streaming platforms, and a minimum staffing requirement for all TV shows. The WGA is fighting to give writers a shot at a living wage and the possibility of more job security.
When Was the Last Writer's Strike?
The previous writer's strike was over 15 years ago. The 2007-2008 Writers Guild of America strike lasted for 100 days and went from November 5, 2007, to February 12, 2008. The strike put numerous productions on hold, many series were canceled, and films went into production without finished scripts. The strike is estimated to have cost the city of Los Angeles between $1.5 billion to $2.1 billion.
At the time, writers were on strike for several factors including residuals from home videos like DVDs and Blu-Rays, which had become valuable markets for studios. The other factor, and likely one of the most important in the long term, was new media residuals for digital downloads and what would eventually become streaming.
In the years 2007-2008, the industry drastically changed. Home media is a less lucrative market now than it was in 2007 and 2008. Streaming has become a major factor in the distribution of popular television series and films. Most importantly, while the number of series has increased, the seasons of series have gotten shorter. The demand for new contracts and deals is vital because the industry has changed drastically since the previous strike.
What Will Be Impacted If The Strike Happens
If no agreement is reached by May 1, 2023, and a strike is authorized, then expect any programming that needs immediate writers to halt production. This includes late-night talk shows like The Tonight Show and Last Week Tonight with John Oliver to variety series like Saturday Night Live. While many broadcast series have already wrapped for the summer, their fall premiere dates might be delayed unless they have already commissioned scripts for the first half of the season.
The 2007-2008 WGA Strike forced major studios to rush scripts for films to begin filming to make their release dates. This resulted in movies like Quantum of Solace, X-Men Origins: Wolverine, Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen, and G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra rushing into production with scripts made in a short window or not completed at all.
Marvel Studios recently hired Beef creator Lee Sung Jin to do a rewrite of Thunderbolts on March 29, 2023. That film is expected to go into production sometime in June, which is after the strike could start. This means Marvel Studios likely wants to make sure that script is locked and ready before they need to begin filming.
It is worth remembering that if a strike happens, it is not because the writers are demanding too much or being greedy. Production budgets are soaring and major CEOs of film and television conglomerates are making record paydays while the people who craft the stories that make up these companies are struggling. The Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers holds all the cards and could easily end this if they wanted to before a strike begins.