Hollywood is at a crucial juncture. In the midst of a somewhat catastrophic year for the box office of major studios, the Writers Guild of America (WGA) strike is causing a disruption that doesn’t seem to have an early end. Many films and TV series are being delayed, others have been canceled, and numerous projects will never see the light of day due to this strike.
However, far from getting better, the situation is worsening by the day, and a new strike has just joined the fray, making history: the SAG-AFTRA actors’ strike. To give you an idea, this union represents over 160,000 actors, and the strike is causing a crisis in Hollywood unlike anything seen in decades.
The demands of the actors’ strike
It has been sixty years since a similar situation was experienced in Hollywood. In March 1960, former US President Ronald Reagan, who was then president of the actors’ union, sparked a strike to ensure that actors received benefits from the sale of movie rights, not just for their work on the films. The strike also demanded healthcare and pension rights, which were not included at the time, and these demands were eventually met after the historic strike.
However, since then, there hasn’t been a strike of the same magnitude in Hollywood, making this potentially the first one in such a long time. The only comparable strike was the 2007-2008 writers’ strike, which cost the industry over $2 billion, and with the combination of the writers’ and actors’ strikes, the consequences can be catastrophic for the sector.
But what exactly are they demanding in this recent actors’ strike? Among many other requests, the most notable ones are:
- Access to a regulated minimum wage for actors in any category.
- Remuneration for self-taped auditions that actors have to record at their own expense.
- Receiving a bonus if their series and movies are among the most-watched on streaming platforms.
- Access to data on films and series streamed on platforms.
- Protection against techniques used by Artificial Intelligence, particularly against deepfakes.
In summary, most of the complaints are directed towards practices carried out by platforms such as Netflix, HBO Max, or Amazon Prime Video, as they represent new and entirely unique scenarios for which the unions were not prepared. In this way, they also align with the demands of the writers, which are very similar.
The consequences of this strike can be significant. First and foremost, it would have an unprecedented economic impact on Hollywood, and many productions would have to halt until an agreement is reached, as actors would not be able to perform in the meantime.
Furthermore, actors would be unable to participate in promotional activities and events, leading to numerous film and series releases being delayed, as they rely on actors for promotion. Additionally, events such as Comic-Con or the Emmy Awards, scheduled for September, may not be able to take place.
The situation appears unsustainable, and there doesn’t seem to be an early resolution in sight from the studios’ perspective. Therefore, all that remains is to wait and hope that the studios and platforms reflect on the harm they are causing to the industry.
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