Why Hollywood is Changing

Illustration by Annie Bueler

With Barbie and Oppenheimer having spent weeks in theatres, breaking records, and providing movies critics say are finally worth going to see, it’s only natural to question:: what's next? The answer: almost nothing. The Writers Strike, set by the Writers Guild of America (WGA), started on May 2nd 2023 with demands of increased pay, improved pay structure, better working conditions, and fair contracts for writers. The Writer's Guild of America is the heading for two unions in alliance. These unions represent thousands of writers who contribute to a wide range of media from our favourite shows, blogs, radio channels, and more. Without the writers, Hollywood cannot sustain itself. 

The Writers Guild of America works in agreement with Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers. The strike is a result of the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television refusing to meet the demands of change sought out by the WGA. It has been occurring for over four months with no sign of either party coming to agreement. 

But how can writers be complaining about pay with how accessible film and TV are through streaming services, and how often the public consumes them? The reality is that streaming services like Netflix, Disney +, and Prime Video are not all they appear to be. Though they make gross profits, services like Disney +, and Warner Bros, are millions of dollars in debt. To take them out of it, these companies are pressured to slash costs, and it seems that writer compensation is one of their solutions. Writers do not make a cut from their work being released on additional platforms like streaming services. This has caused their pay to remain stagnant since the last strike 16 years ago, when DVDs and Blockbuster still prevailed. 

.As shown by the strike, however, writers are standing up for themselves. 

Popular shows such as Abbot Elementary, Euphoria, Emily in Paris, House of the Dragon, and Late Night talk shows to name a few have had production put on hold due to the writers’ strike. With the delayed productions and the threat of media cancellations due to a lack of contributing writers, Hollywood faces the potential for catastrophic economic downfall. As writers go on a hiatus until higher salaries are negotiated, rallies for support have been occurring in New York’s Times Square. Our favourite actors and TV hosts have joined these rallies in support of the WGA. Showrunners, whose duties are directly linked to writing, are also showing up in support. The writers strike started a domino effect for the production of media; everyone in television is affected in one way or another. 

Companies such as Warner Bros. Discovery are expecting a huge loss to their predicted yearly earnings. As the strike was hopeful to be resolved by September, these companies are scrambling to find a solution to their losses. Not only do the strikes affect current production, they also threaten productions for next summer. Studios are reliant on what projects have been produced and were prepared to release before the writers decide to strike. But a loss compared to last year’s numbers is to be expected.

The immunity to downfall that power seems to promise is an illusion. While Hollywood has made over 4 billion in the box office this year, the strike crisis will massively decrease box office sales the rest of the year. It can be a battle for writers to make a consistent stable paycheck in the streaming world. Thus, corporations need writers, despite how overshadowed they might be. 

Hollywood must wait for a resolution, when and if it comes. For now, there is still chaos in the air, we can only hope that writers are properly compensated for their work. As the strike continues, there is greater pressure on actors to speak out as their jobs also hang in the balance. As each side holds the idea that it's up to the other to respond, it is left as a waiting game. 

Sources

James, Meg. “Warner Bros.. Discovery Says Strikes Could Cut Profits by as Much as $500 Million.” Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 5 Sept. 2023, www.latimes.com/entertainment-arts/business/story/2023-09-05/writers-strike-actors-could-cut-warner-bros-discovery-profits-by-500-million. 

Barnes, Brooks. “Writers, Seeking Pay Change for the Streaming Era, Prepare to Strike.” The New York Times, The New York Times, 30 Apr. 2023, www.nytimes.com/2023/04/30/business/media/hollywood-writers-strike.html. 

Edited by Kris Sanchez