This summer signaled a time of imperative change for the entertainment industry. Four months ago, the Writers Guild of America (WGA) went on strike against the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers (AMPTP), with the Screen Actors Guild and American Federation of Television and Radio Artists (SAG-AFTRA) following suit in July. It is the first time both unions have been on strike at the same time since 1960. In addition to the fight for improved and fair working conditions, this historic event will have effects on the film and television industries, including awards seasons and release dates.
Before discussing the effects the strike will have on entertainment, it is important to focus on why both the WGA and SAG-AFTRA unions are on strike. The WGA’s list of demands from the AMPTP include proper compensation and residuals “for features whether released theatrically or on streaming.” According to the union, the AMPTP’s offers did not improve the amount of residuals writers could earn from streaming features, putting writers at risk of not earning enough money to support themselves. Additionally, the WGA is asking studios to “regulate use of material produced using artificial intelligence [AI]” and guarantee that studios will employ a minimum amount of writers throughout productions. The AMPTP rejected both of these requests, among others.
SAG-AFTRA has similar demands for its 160,000 members, which not only includes big-name Hollywood actors, but also dancers, puppeteers, stunt performers and more. Similar to the WGA, SAG-AFTRA demands proper compensation for their work, especially since many actors are feeling the effects of inflation. They requested an 11% wage increase; instead, the AMPTP offered a 5% increase. SAG-AFTRA also wants a guarantee that there will be “informed consent and fair compensation when a ‘digital replica’ is made or [their] performance is changed using AI.” According to SAG-AFTRA, the executives refused to address this concern, along with other guarantees of safety and fair working conditions.
Since the AMPTP has refused to accept the demands of the writers and actors who work for them, there is no end date for either strike in sight. Days before SAG-AFTRA went on strike, one studio executive told Deadline that they believe the WGA strike will last until October, and they will “allow things to drag on until union members start losing their apartments and losing their houses.” Recently, SAG-AFTRA’s national executive director Duncan Crabtree-Ireland said that the AMPTP did not give “any indication they are willing to come back to the table and talk with us.”
While it is difficult to know the strikes’ long-term effects, Hollywood is slowly coming to a standstill. Before the SAG-AFTRA strike, the WGA strike caused many productions to shut down. Matt and Ross Duffer, the creators of Netflix’s “Stranger Things,” emphasized the importance of writers after production on season five was delayed: “Writing does not stop when filming begins. While we’re excited to start production with our amazing cast and crew, it is not possible during this strike. We hope a fair deal is reached soon so we can all get back to work. Until then — over and out. #wgastrong”
Writers are needed during productions because scripts can be rewritten before and during filming. While, theoretically, studios could have continued productions during the WGA strike, they would have risked releasing shows and movies of a lesser, more inferior quality.
Once the SAG-AFTRA strike began, though, no productions from major studios and streaming services in the United States, including ceremonies, could continue, and release and air dates would be delayed into 2024 or later. In the television world, this year’s Emmys ceremony moved its air date from Sept. 18 to Jan. 15 of next year. For films, expect some changes in next year’s Academy Awards. While next year’s ceremony is still set to air on March 10, it would be no surprise if that date was pushed, especially if the strikes continue into 2024.
Additionally, studios have pushed back the release dates of predicted Oscar-worthy contenders, including Denis Villeneuve’s “Dune: Part Two,” whose previous installment swept the technical categories. However, film festivals where many Oscar contenders usually premiere have gone ahead even with the lack of actors in attendance, including those in Toronto and Venice. This opens up the possibility of more international films gaining attention come Oscar season.
Even with the delays and shutdowns, certain productions have been given the greenlight to continue. Some international productions can continue if they are working under another country’s union. HBO’s “House of the Dragon” season two, for instance, is allowed to continue production because the actors, including SAG-AFTRA members, are working under a British union, Equity, which prevents solidarity strikes with other countries. Ryan Condal, the showrunner, is a member of the WGA and cannot rewrite any previously-completed scripts on set.
Additionally, smaller studios who are not a part of the AMPTP can receive approval from SAG-AFTRA to continue or start production during the strike. According to Variety, these productions must “agree to abide by the terms of the latest offer submitted by SAG-AFTRA during contract negotiations.” Dozens have been approved from companies that are not members of the AMPTP, including two productions from A24. Even though the amount of productions greenlit is miniscule compared to those put on hold, there could still be a slate full of new releases next year from smaller, more independent companies.
While the endgame of the strikes remains uncertain, they have already changed several aspects of the 2023-24 film and television seasons. Studios and streaming companies may have a bulk of projects they can release in the next few months, but those will eventually run out, especially since many of their releases originally planned for next year have halted production. Until an agreement is reached, audiences can keep up with film and television releases from other countries or look forward to movies that will still be released in the coming months.
