The Writer's Strike

And What It Means for Independent Creators

I’ve been following this current Hollywood writer’s strike since it started. Then when it rolled into actors striking with the writers I began to really understand what’s happening, and how it’ll affect the whole of creating art and media in the US, and therefore (possibly) the whole world. The crazy thing is this is just another tentacle of what’s happening in this country, another symptom caused by the unending greed that’s engulfing the decision makers in every major company and position of power. My main takeaway of this situation is this:

If writers and actors in Hollywood, some of which are recognizable, beloved and well-known, can’t get fair compensation for their work, what does that mean for writers and actors not in Hollywood?

And while writers and actors outside of Hollywood make a living from their craft in many different ways, making it in Hollywood is an end goal for many of us. To those who have this goal in mind, making it in Hollywood means never having to struggle while working on our craft. But here in the midst of this strike we’re finding out that well-known actors, artists we would deem have made it in Hollywood, are not making what it takes to sustain a middle-class lifestyle. At least not from solely acting. Sure, a lot of us creators would love to be rich, but mostly we’ll settle for a middle-class life if we can pay for it by working on what we love working on. But apparently, even that is becoming more and more fleeting. Meanwhile, studio execs are raking in raise after raise after bonus every single year, so there’s no shortage of money. So how did it come to this?

It’s all Big Tech. 

When big tech entered the entertainment industry over 10 years ago, many existing companies didn't really take it seriously. 

“Oh Netlfix, the one that mails DVDs to you? They’re making shows?”

 “Really? I can watch TV shows on an Amazon app on my TV?”

None of the existing powers understood that streaming would become the dominant form of entertainment delivery within the decade. And thus, contracts and payment structures were erected with this lack of understanding. Because they are tech companies in an uncharted new medium, and not entertainment studios, they were able to get away with securing contracts not requiring them to pay out what actors and writers would usually receive for reruns and syndication. Hell, they’re able to get away with not disclosing their user numbers or how many views their content gets, all basis for what residuals actors and writers would receive. And it flourished like this for years and years, until, well, the writer/actor strike we see ongoing right now.

It’s not surprising to see the WGA walk out on strike, I remember when it happened 15 years ago. But one thing I do find surprising is the audacity of the studios in the wake of all this. From Deadline: 

“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.” 

While some dismiss this as just “cynical strike talk,” studio and streamer sources around town confirm the strategy.

Of course the studios would speak like this in boardrooms and offices, but the fact that this made it to the public gave me a stir. And I don’t think anybody has tried to walk it back. A big glaring thing now is when this is settled and done how do go back to work for someone who wished this much ill upon you? Another little (big) malicious thing that has occurred, someone trimmed all the trees on the sidewalk outside a particular studio where the protesters are picketing, in the middle of a heatwave, no less. The city of Los Angeles has launched an investigation into this unsanctioned tree trimming because it sounds like destruction of public property. Yes, the studio execs are dead bent on holding on to their money, but do they have to be so blatant about it? But I guess that’s good because we know exactly who the bad guys are. 

It’s not only the pay that writers and actors are striking, it’s also the forthcoming use of AI technologies that the studios want to start utilizing. Once again, this is uncharted territory, and instead of running in guns blazing, everybody is clamoring for a halt to their use following some ground rules get laid down. This concept alone is a lot to dig into so I’ll save it for another post.

Bottom line, though, is that technology is upending a lot of the norms (it always does) so I’m very interested in how this plays out. The way we consume the internet has become really constricted in the last 10-15 years; much of everything we look at and log into is a product of a big corporation. Social media has always been this way and then it ramped up. We log in and look at a curated feed, forgoing any kind of surfing we used to do (remember that?) as everything we want to see is already right there. And even that switched. We no longer log in to see what our friends are doing and experiencing as much as what they share and retweet. The major social media sites have slowly transformed into media companies, except they refuse to call themselves that lest they have to follow the rules, ergo, the strike.

All the streaming apps behave in a similar way; we log in and we’re allowed to watch whatever is up at the time. It’s fed to us, so to speak. But what if creators could break out of these avenues and not depend on the feeds of corporations to showcase their “content” and get paid? It sounds daunting but I remember that was the promise of the burgeoning internet in the 90s, everyone will have their own space to say what they want. Can everybody switch to creating independent media or must we always be slaves to the gatekeepers and the broadcasting networks? With all the tech and tools at each and everyone’s disposal can we upend the shitty business aspect of mass media and build something more equitable? That’s what I want to find out, and that’s why I find this strike so interesting.

I’ll be posting about the AI and it’s use in creative endeavors, so make sure you’re signed up here. Also share with anybody who you think would enjoy reading my stuff. As always, follow on Instagram @toonzday, I’m most active there. Twitta @toonzday, and of course here for all my longform stuff.