History was made on October 9 when the second-longest strike in Hollywood history came to an end. After five months of striking, Hollywood writers are back to work with a new contract that includes better pay, improvements to sizes of writing teams, and guidelines for the use of artificial intelligence in their industry. This is a huge win for the Hollywood creatives who put their talent on hold for months to negotiate better industry conditions.
©️ Leonardo Munoz / AFP / Getty Images
The Writers Guild of America (WGA) went on strike back in May after “an ongoing labor dispute” with the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers (AMPTP). Many TV shows had been shut down or paused during this time. The writers’ strike overlapped with a SAG-AFTRA actors strike, which remains ongoing and similarly is addressing labor complaints.
The win for the writers provides optimism that creatives and those in the communications business are valued by big business and are critical to the workflow. Three emerging themes arise from this historic event, which all can relate to the communications industry.
Technology is changing the way we do business.
There is no question that artificial intelligence and platforms like ChatGPT have the world talking. Many people are worried that it will take over jobs. The writers’ negotiations furthered this idea as they demanded that the Hollywood entertainment industry construct guidelines about how writers should be allowed to use AI. Vanity Fair listed “robots” as a loser in the deal, with the new contract stating that AI cannot be used to write scripts or screenplays and writers cannot be required to use the technology in their work. By having policies in place, writers can now feel more secure that AI will not take over their jobs.
There needs to be a greater appreciation of people who work behind the scenes.
You may not know the writers of your favorite show or characters. Writers are often the masterminds behind the scenes, working hard to keep actors, movies and shows running. Their work in entertainment is essential. Similarly, marketing and public relations professionals work behind the scenes to elevate brands and businesses to drive more sales or increase donations. Without funding, many organizations could not continue to do their good work. It all works together to create the complete picture and effective business workflow.
Taking action is important, even if it puts you at financial risk.
There are times when it’s worth the personal cost to stand up for what you believe in. People on strike jeopardize their own personal finances for the greater good, forgoing their livelihoods to make people notice and listen to them. Many Hollywood strikers had to take on “survival jobs,” jobs that involved gig work, like servers and retail associates, to make ends meet during this time. In the nonprofit sector, people also take action, which sometimes means forgoing a large salary. However, it’s often worth it because they are working for the greater good and making sacrifices for what they believe in. It’s rewarding in a different way.
While the SAG-AFTRA strike continues and there is always more work to be done, is the ending of the writers’ strike is a step in the right direction for Hollywood writers and communication professionals alike. The strike concluded with optimism and motivation to keep improving labor conditions in Hollywood and beyond.
