One of Hollywood’s longest labour disputes has reached an end. The Writers Guild of America (WGA), representing over 11,000 screenwriters, has reached a tentative agreement for a new contract with entertainment companies, effectively bringing an end to a 146-day strike that had disrupted television and film production and had launched Hollywood into a state of inertia.
Guild members will soon vote on whether to accept the deal, which largely (but not entirely) meets their demands. This includes higher compensation for content streamed online, concessions from studios regarding minimum staffing for TV shows, and assurances that artificial intelligence technology won’t impact writers’ credits and pay. As quoted in the New York Times, the negotiating committee of the Writers Guild expressed pride in the deal, highlighting that it offers significant benefits and protections for writers across various sectors of the membership. This agreement arrived just in time where the strike was just five days away from surpassing the Writers Guild’s previous record for the longest strike. Had that happened, it would have gone down in history as the longest strike in Hollywood in over seven decades.
Despite the WGA arriving at a consensus, this does not imply that the entirety of Hollywood will resume and fall into its usual rhyme and rhythm. Owing to the fact that over 10,000 actors have still not lifted their foot off of the pedal and remain on strike, the shutdown will continue to carry on. Nevertheless, the tentative deal might create a ripple effect that will positively influence the decisions of the actors as well. Network shows that do not require the presence of actors, such as NBC’s “The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon” and ABC’s “Jimmy Kimmel Live!” could go back on air, once the strike officially wraps things up in a few days.
Even Joe Biden took to the media and voiced his opinions where according to The Guardian, he appreciates the efforts of this strike. He says,
“I applaud the Writers Guild of America and the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers for reaching a tentative agreement that will allow writers to return to the important work of telling the stories of our nation, our world – and of all of us. This agreement, including assurances related to artificial intelligence, did not come easily. But its formation is a testament to the power of collective bargaining.”
What are the contents included in the deal?
The temporary contract, spanning three years, which has been agreed upon by the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers and the Writers Guild of America, will tackle the primary concerns that created the foundation for the strike. These concerns include guard rails to prevent artificial intelligence from affecting writers’ work, ensuring fair residual payments for content on streaming services, and establishing minimum staffing requirements for writers’ teams working on TV shows.
Even amidst the issues that were listed, the one that they fought against the most was that of AI. It is not a hyperbolic statement to say that it was one of the most conspicuous concerns that the strike revolved around. The issue was particularly significant and emotionally charged for almost all of the parties involved.
Hollywood has been increasingly exploring AI. At times for the betterment of the industry and at times to make things more efficient. Gradually, it came to a point where the sinister side of AI started making the most impact on Hollywood where all of a sudden, the use of AI and the validity of human labour became mutually exclusive. The WGA was especially perturbed by the fact that streaming platforms and studios might use generative AI, like OpenAI’s ChatGPT, to reduce costs by stepping in for human writers with AI-generated scripts. While this was an obvious attempt at gunning for their jobs, it was also an attempt at destroying the human touch that was crucial for the longevity of Hollywood. While minute details about the AI-related concessions in the contract are not yet entirely disclosed, negotiations regarding AI regulations were a critical point of contention.
According to reports, AMPTP proposed adding a few paragraphs as a coda to the contract concerning AI and the use of old scripts owned by studios. The two sides are said to have spent a considerable number of hours during the final night of negotiations working on the precise language related to AI in the contract.
Future implications
It is only natural that the entire world was holding their breath when it came to the Hollywood strike. Almost everyone was keeping tabs on it and was keen to receive updates. With the tentative deal coming into play, people have already started to predict which shows will come back and in what order. However, the deal needs to be endorsed, formalized, authorized and written down in contract language down to the last full stop by the guild’s several leadership boards, so that nobody will have the slightest chance to go back on their word. Once all of this is ratified with no crumbs left behind, it is important that we do not become oblivious to the root cause of the strike. Because the WGA’s focus on artificial intelligence is not an isolated event but rather marks the initial confrontation in a broader conflict that will have far-reaching implications for the entire world.
(Sandunlekha Ekanayake)