Business & Finance Entertainment Industry Strikes

[Husky_Khan]

The Writers Guild has been on strike since May, over seventy days and soon the SAG or Screen Actors Guild maybe contemplating a similar move. But apparently the television and movie studios/streaming services (represented by the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers) have little interest in negotiating with either party for at least several months.

Since the Writers Guild Strike in May, financials apparently are still looking good for the movie and television producers and now the executives are apparently seeking to "break the WGA" by keeping the writers on the picket line for at least five months if not longer.

Receiving positive feedback from Wall Street since the WGA went on strike May 2, Warner Bros Discovery, Apple, Netflix, Amazon, Disney, Paramount and others have become determined to "break the WGA," as one studio exec blatantly put it.

To do so, the studios and the AMPTP believe that by October most writers will be running out of money after five months on the picket lines and no work.

"The endgame is to allow things to drag on until union members start losing their apartments and losing their houses," a studio executive told Deadline. Acknowledging the cold-as-ice approach, several other sources reiterated the statement. One insider called it "a cruel but necessary evil."

The studios and streamers' next think financially strapped writers would go to WGA leadership and demand they restart talks before what could be a very cold Christmas. In that context, the studios and streamers feel they would be in a position to dictate most of the terms of any possible deal.

The studios noticed how talent agencies were compelled by the WGA into dismantling the lucrative practice of "packaging fees" back in 2021 and also feel that giving in would make the studios vulnerable to other labor groups such as the Teamsters Union, or IATSE (International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees) etc.

Hollywood Studios’ WGA Strike Endgame Is To Let Writers Go Broke Before Resuming Talks In Fall

EXCLUSIVE: Regardless of whether SAG-AFTRA goes on strike this week, the studios have no intention of sitting down with the Writers Guild for several more months. “I think we’re in for a long strik…

deadline.com

The Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers is a trade association made up of all of the major Hollywood Film Studios (Sony, Universal, Disney, Warner Bros, the network television broadcasting companies (Fox, ABC, CBS etc) as well as major streaming services such as Amazon and Netflix etc along with most cable television channels and many independent film and television production companies.

 

[Husky_Khan]

The Screen Actors Guild or SAG-AFTRA has joined the Writers in Striking!

And much renowned Hollywood Actor Ron Perlman is going to fucking kill the Hollywood Producers in their homes! This is the best timeline!

The 73-year-old actor warned the executive to be wary of losing his own home for playing with union members' families and livelihoods and said that he and others know where the studio executive lives.

Hell Yeah!

Perlman later deleted the threatening rant and posted a follow-up video, which still criticized the executive but urged all those embroiled in the current SAG-AFTRA and WGA strike to keep their "humanity."

Oh what a cuck. Hellboi caved almost immediately. Guess he'd rather cry more about Twitter on Twitter then save his livelihood.

Star Ron Perlman seems to threaten Hollywood exec in writers strike battle: ‘We know where he f------ lives'

A "heated" Ron Perlman unleashed a seemingly threatening rant against a studio executive for claiming union members may end up "losing their houses."

www.foxnews.com

 

[Skallagrim]

There are countless aspiring actors, and the current cadre of screenwriters is shit.

Why doesn't the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers just say "the strike ends tomorrow, on our terms, or no member of the WGA or SAG-AFTRA will ever work for any of our members ever again."

Just blacklist all union members forever, and only hire non-union personnel. (I'm not a fan of the big studios, either, but I don't get why they'd let themselves be held hostage by a bunch of over-paid whiners.)

 

[Typhonis]

All I have to say is..."Let them fight"

 

[Bear Ribs]

There are countless aspiring actors, and the current cadre of screenwriters is shit.

Why doesn't the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers just say "the strike ends tomorrow, on our terms, or no member of the WGA or SAG-AFTRA will ever work for any of our members ever again."

Just blacklist all union members forever, and only hire non-union personnel. (I'm not a fan of the big studios, either, but I don't get why they'd let themselves be held hostage by a bunch of over-paid whiners.)

Well for starters, blacklists are illegal AF in California so doing that would generate lawsuits on a grand scale. Any person who actually said that would wind up taking the lucrative "homeless person" job in short order. It's a growth industry in California.

But more importantly, it goes against their self-image as enlightened liberals, who support unions. It's important to note, Hollywood lives and dies by its image. Movies are purely luxury goods people buy for pure enjoyment. Nobody needs a movie, nobody will choose a movie unless they like it. It's not a necessary good without elasticity like food, housing, or furry fanart. People deciding they hate X company, X actor, X director, etc. is a death knell.

They're caught between a rock and a hard place because their moral compass says support unions while their wallets say break the unions. Their wallets, however, also say make sure they never appear to be the villains to the masses and breaking the unions completely, along with ruining the lives of countless innocents, will make them very much look like villains.

 

[Husky_Khan]

The former CEO of Paramount, Barry Diller, had this to say about the dual strikes of the Film Screen Actors Guild and Writers Guild affecting Hollywood.

"What will happen is, if in fact, it doesn't get settled until Christmas or so, then next year, there's not going to be many programs for anybody to watch. So, you're gonna see subscriptions get pulled, which is going to reduce the revenue of all these movie companies, television companies, the result of which is that there will be no programs," Diller said on CBS' "Face the Nation" Sunday. "And at just the time, [the] strike is settled that you want to get back up, there won't be enough money."

No settlement by Christmas could result in subscriptions plummeting due to lack of new programming and content? And that would cut into revenue? That's... awful... please... tell me more...

The problem is… all strikes get settled. The issue with this one is because…you had COVID, which sent people home to watch streaming television and killed theaters. You've had the results of huge investments in streaming which have produced all these losses for all these companies that are now kind of retrenching. So at this moment, this kind of perfect storm, it's okay if it gets settled in the next month but… what happens if it doesn't? And there doesn't seem enough trust and energy to get it settled soon."

Yesssss.... that sounds terrible I mean... COVID and the huge investments in streaming could produce massive losses for all of these companies and that could create a perfect storm? Please... continue... what could happen in this Perfect Storm? I hope it won't be... uhhh... too devastating...

"I think there should be a settlement deadline because… this actually will have devastating effects if it is not settled soon," he said, adding that while the public might seem disinterested in internal Hollywood chaos, the truth is, "this is a huge business, both domestically and for world exporters. It sounds like I'm crying to the skies," he added, "but these conditions will potentially produce an absolute collapse of an entire industry."

Hnnnggghhhh... the whole industry... might collapse!?!?!

Actor, writer strikes could lead to Hollywood's 'absolute collapse' if not resolved soon: Former Paramount CEO

Media mogul Barry Diller warned of 'devastating' ramifications if the parties don't reach a resolution by September 1 amid ongoing strikes against Hollywood by writers and actors.

www.foxnews.com

I want everyone to remember the most important theme of the film Watchmen as said by the HERO Rorschach about compromise. "No. Not even in the face of Armageddon. Never compromise."

Don't compromise your integrity... Producers, Writers and Actors. You are all doing the right thing.

 

[Typhonis]

please don't tempt me with a good time! I mean they may have to make...a quality product for people to watch.

 

[bintananth]

please don't tempt me with a good time! I mean they may have to make...a quality product for people to watch.

Hollywood aims for the largest possible audience and always stoops to the lowest common denominator in the process. The result is mass-market dreck with impressive sizzle and little substance.

 

[Von_Lohengram]

Believe it or not I enthusiastically support the strikes!

Not in the sense of me supporting the writers, actors, etc guilds. But in the sense of:
1. Seeing this as an "Enemy Civil War", which will probably not end with them destroying each other, but hurting somewhat.
2. Hopefully resulting in Netflix spending more of it's subscription fees on licensing more Asian and other non-Us made content.
3. Hopefully more people giving said content a chance and liking it, resulting in more of the same even after the strike.

 

[Husky_Khan]

So I just came across this article last night.

Annual Cost of SAG-AFTRA, DGA, WGA Contracts May Be $450M-$600M a Year, Moody’s Estimates

The firm's debt analyst Neil Begley adds that "we believe this standstill could be a relatively long strike, with the stakes being larger than they have been in many years" and estimated the potential cost of the new contracts.

www.hollywoodreporter.com

Now maybe I'm missing something... but the annual estimated increase in costs of WGA and SAG contracts is apparently 450-600 million per year, which sounds like a lot but... I remember seeing graphics on like the pay of top executives at Warner Brothers and Disney and now I must look them up.

Ah yes, in 2021 Warner Bros. CEO David Zaslav made $246 million.

I'll run Warner Brothers into the ground for only the tenth the price, call me! The writing and acting talent pool I can call upon is all unaffiliated with the Hollywood Unions because I promise no delivery of actual talent whatsoever. When I'm done, I'll be paying more taxes on my twenty million then all of Warner Brothers will be for the next century due to losses.

 

[Allanon]

Why should I care?

As a straight white guy I've seen heroes like Indiana Jones, He-Man, Luke Skywalker and so many others either "deconstructed" or replaced by "diversity." The entertainment industry was fine with this.

I've been called a bigot, an anti(whatever), just for saying anything about what's happening or standing up for myself. The entertainment industry was a part of this.

And who do you think was part of it? The writers of course. So why should I care what happens to any of them? Go ahead, strike away, and if you lose your jobs good riddance. That goes for all of you in Hollywood.

 

[Husky_Khan]

First off, they are already striking.

Secondly literally no one here has voiced the opinion of asking anyone to care specifically about any side in this labor dispute.

As for caring in the general sense of the event actually happening... why not?

It's like when I post on the Sudanese Civil War. I don't care too much about either side... but I do care in a general sense because you know, things are happening and people are being affected and it's of interest to me (and assumedly others).

 

[Husky_Khan]

The Labor War has entered its next stage, ENVIRONMENTAL WARFARE!



Supposedly the trees outside of Universal Studios in Los Angeles were illegally trimmed, thus reducing the amount of shade that the Strikers would be able to enjoy as they (wo)manned the picket lines. The fines start at $250 but if violations continue, the fines could increase to $1000 PLUS the offending party would have to pay to replace damaged or destroyed trees at a rate of up to two new trees to replace the original!

NBCUniversal to Be Fined $250 After Strike Tree-Trimming Controversy

Both the Writers Guild of America and SAG-AFTRA filed labor complaints against NBCUniversal, alleging that the company is disrupting strike efforts.

variety.com

It is unknown if at this time, the City of Los Angeles will be accusing Universal Studios of violation of the Geneva Conventions ENMOD or Environmental Modification Convention which allows the United Nations to review on a case by case basis violations "through the deliberate manipulation of natural processes – the dynamics, composition or structure of the earth, including its biota, lithosphere, hydrosphere and atmosphere, or of outer space" and of which, the United States is a signatory!

The Lorax did not respond immediately in request for comment in time for this post.

 

[Captain X]

It actually is pretty lame if they killed all those trees for what amounts to spite.

 

[Skallagrim]

It actually is pretty lame if they killed all those trees for what amounts to spite.

Big studios being spiteful? Say it ain't so!

But you're right, those trees are the only real victims here. As far as I'm concerned, the self-absorbed actors, the message-pushing writers and the garbage-producing studio execs deserve each other's petty bullshit.

 

[Allanon]

I feel bad for the trees.

As for the studios, the actors, the writers- let them all go to blazes. I will not shed one tear for any of them. Good riddance to bad rubbish.

 

[Husky_Khan]

Despite having starred in a dozen movies, twenty or so television shows, released four albums, been on numerous theater runs, and having worked in the industry as a recognizable name for over thirty years, Billy Porter is homeless... well probably not literally homeless but Actor, Singer, Fashion Designer and Queer Activist Billy Porter had to sell he/them's house!

"I have to sell my house… Because we're on strike. And I don't know when we're gonna go back [to work]," said Porter in an interview with Evening Standard, in support of his music career. "The life of an artist, until you make f**k-you money — which I haven't made yet — is still cheque-to-cheque. I was supposed to be in a new movie and on a new television show starting in September. None of that is happening."

Continued Porter, with reference to a July Deadline article quoting an anonymous exec on the WGA strike, "So to the person who said, 'We're going to starve them out until they have to sell their apartments' — you've already starved me out."

His most famous acting role would be as 'The Fabulous Godmother' otherwise known as 'The Fab G' in 2019's Cinderella live action remake released by Amazon, or would be if anyone had actually watched it. He's also famous for having contracted HIV back in 2007 and blaming everything on Whiteness and White Supremacy back in the 2020 elections, including old White people for not liking the Cinderella live action remake and is also known for "cracking toxic masculinity" for some reason I can't be bothered to look into.

Billy Porter Says He’s Been Forced To Sell House Due To Strikes

Billy Porter has been forced to sell his house amidst dual strikes from SAG-AFTRA and the WGA, the actor has revealed.

deadline.com

At press time it was as of yet unknown if Billy Porter plans on applying at the Great Harvest Bread Company, Honey Dew Doughnuts or the local Cheesecake Factory for employment in the interim.

 

[Allanon]

But what did these writers and actors expect? They were the ones writing the scripts that ruined our beloved franchises, pushed "woke" garbage, and made enemies of their customers ("toxic fandom"). Most of these actors supported it all.

They push the idea of "toxic masculinity" while encouraging such behavior in girls.

Let them all rot. They wanted war...they shall have it. This white straight guy has had enough.

 

[Husky_Khan]

There's a shortage of unskilled, low skilled and semi-skilled workers to fill many open dignified jobs anf careers across the United States. Hopefully this strike can alleviate the labor shortage in the service and coding industries while this brouhaha continues.

 

[Causeimboredrightnow]

The sad part is that these big media companies are replacing their script writers with AI. Now instead of the occasional gem in the rough ( Puss in Boots, I’m looking at you) it’ll be just pure garbage.

Truly, the ones coming out the worse in this situation are the audience and the environment XD