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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 25 ธ.ค. 2024
- The way scripted television gets made today has transformed the careers of writers.
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Thousands of television and film writers who are part of the Writers Guild of America are in the middle of a historic strike. They're forming picket lines in front of studios, and productions in New York and Los Angeles and shutting down active sets. The last time they went on strike was 15 years ago - when streaming’s impact on the film and television industry was only just taking shape. This time around, they are striking for better residuals and rights against the looming threat of AI, among other concerns.
At the core of this dispute is streaming and how it's revolutionized the industry. Companies like Netflix, Hulu, Apple TV+, and more have given consumers an unprecedented array of films and TV shows and opened the door to new voices that don’t have to adhere to mainstream network formats. On the other hand, streaming has also changed how television gets produced, the role writers play, and how they get paid. We interviewed four television writers and showrunners about how streaming has changed how they work, how their incomes have taken a hit, and why it has become harder than ever to build a career.
Further reading:
The New Yorker interviewed The Bear writer Alex O’Keefe that Julia Yorks mentions in the video: www.newyorker....
Alissa Wilkinson covered the WGA strike for Vox, including a part of it we don’t mention in this video: the threat of AI: www.vox.com/cu...
There’s a great episode of The Daily about how streaming stunts career development for TV writers: www.nytimes.co...
Vox is an explanatory newsroom on a mission to help everyone understand our weird, wonderful, complicated world, so that we can all help shape it. Part of that mission is keeping our work free.
You can help us do that by making a gift: www.vox.com/con...
Watch our full video catalog: goo.gl/IZONyE
Follow Vox on TikTok: / voxdotcom Check out our articles: www.vox.com/
Listen to our podcasts: www.vox.com/po...
Disclosure: Vox Media’s editorial team is also unionized with the Writers Guild of America, East. But its members are not part of the strike covered in this video, nor are they part of the contract negotiations with the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers.
aight
SCABS
🤨🤨
She said nobody is asking for 22 eps back , thats not true!!! I want it back!!!
@@Marina-vu2viyeah me too! Because you had the time for character development. Okay you had some filler episodes but still. Nowadays some seasons feel rushed or you don't understand the doing of a character. I need the 20-25 episodes a season to be brought back 🙏🏻🙏🏻🙏🏻
I've seen writers also complain that not only are writing periods smaller, they are contractually forbidden to work for another show in the mean time.
That is downright disgusting.
WHAT
BRO that's legit evil. That forces them to suffer through stress and make compromises without a sliver of agency in the matter.
*OMG* ! Is it real reason?
Did you guys watch the video? Have any of you worked full time jobs? Even if they could work two projects at once, that would mean being on call for both projects.
Anyone who has worked at shoots in productions with hectic schedules and at locations that are available for a limited time would know working at one project is already hard enough. Unless you're an executive of BOTH productions, you don't have the have the luxury of coordinating the logistics of the productions to your favor.
Focus on the problem they're actually discussing, which is the lower work periods per production and the lowe compensation per viewing of products.
That last line is the most powerful statement I've heard so far. "I think we want to make sure that, art isn't coming from only voices who can afford to do this job"
For every writer on strike there are 9 more that will take any job. Its just the media that is making a huge deal out of it, because they have nothing else to talk about.
This is a big problem in the theater world, too.
YESSSS
Luckily, AI is coming
Music has been like that for decades
Streaming didn't cause the writer's strike - greedy companies and people did. I support the writers and hope they get everything and more.
WE LIVE IN A DIFFERENT WOLRD NOW!!! These cry babies want things to be as they were in 1990 hahahahaa IT'S NOT GONNA HAPPEN L0SERS!!!
I support the writers as well.
That’s what I’m saying. Canceling Netflix or HBO leads to literally nothing.
@@scruffd0g193this job is on its way out
If you can’t write better than a brainless ai you’re not needed
@@scruffd0g193 They all have a seat at the table which signs off on these deals to end the strike. They can be hurt more so than traditional old school cable as people can cancel with a few clicks right away. A trend in cancellations can have huge impacts if it catches on even for few months.
Its sad how writers are considered bottom in the hierarchy when they are the ones who are creating the entire world.
The entire entertainment business is irrelevant. Rather watch 70s and 80s reruns than this tripe. There hasn't been anything decent in the last 30 years
@@brianjohnson6053 What are three good shows you recommend from that era that are beyond what today's writers can come up with?
Actors who aren't A-list are in a worse situation because they don't even have as much security as a writer does.
VFX artist here...we're even further down the ladder than writers. We don't even have a union. 😭 We're literally the only hollywood tradeskill that doesn't.
@@johntnguyen1976 I hope you all get a union soon! I know VfX artist and yes, it's a grueling job.
Strikes are vital for workers rights, so workers can be heard and as a blunt reminder to management that sometimes the lowest paid people are the most important.
They make 6 figures on the low end. They used to make high 6 figures with 22 shows. This isn’t the steel worker or labourer working in a restaurant.
or just have a fair wage in the US lol
@@wallacerigby4393 Please provide evidence to back up your claims. Thank you.
It will fuel more investment into AI
@@wallacerigby4393 Even if what you are saying was true, people should be paid for the work they do. That money is still being made but instead of it being divided between all of the parties who helped make it, it is being excluded from some people who play an important part in making them that money
This video is so interesting because you realize how similar this issue is to what most people are experiencing in the workforce. Way back in the day, people used to spend their entire careers working at one company, they could start in the mailroom and make their way up the ladder to the executive suite. Nowadays the mailroom jobs are often contracted out so you don’t build seniority and you don’t get benefits and so career growth is that much harder and there’s no company loyalty. At the end of the day, it’s all about maximizing profits to the detriment of workers everywhere.
Also to the long term detriment of the company. When I worked at RadioShack (I know, I'm old), the CEO had started as a cashier in a local store. You had a guy running the company who had worked at almost every level. Someone who knew what it was like to work on the shop floor, to manage a store, to manage a district of stores. CEO's these days are just glorified accountants that have no idea how the company actually functions.
I was just having this thought the other day as I was talking to my partner. We both have relatively stable jobs, but it's not what either of us would call a "career". In our jobs there's really only so far that you can really move up before you're just stuck there, whereas in the past you might be able to move up higher and have better pay for doing so with incentives to stay at companies for longer. Now, the pay raise for a promotion is minimal, the bonuses for staying 10+ years with a company are almost non-existent and there's little chance to move up.
It seems these days that it's almost better to stay at a job for a few years and then move onto another if there's a hiring bonus with a pay raise (compared to your current job).
Good on them for striking.
A lot of professions should go on strike, but can't.
Doctors probably should strike too
For the rest of us it's called job abandonment. Unions are obsolete institutions from a bygone era of inefficient markets. They should get back to work before someone or something steals their job
Yea thats what im thinking, theres always a writers strike but ive never heard of one for animators, vfx artists, game devs, yet their situations are usually MUCH WORSE. Not saying writers should be content, rather, the entertainment industry is rotten to the core. Source: im a former animator
Every job should have stability, It baffles me that 2023 we still have to fight for basic human rights, like afford housing and eating 🙃
One Big Union!
"Art isn't coming from only voices that can afford to do this job." This quote had a big impact on me. Hopefully, this gets figured out, and these writers find a situation that is a better fit for the talent and effort that they bring to the production.
Who would write at a loss 🤣
@@buckbuckleyson2259 wealthy kids who want to work their way up the cultural ladder.
@@Antoinetheman classic
Bro, the average income for a writer is between 80-150k. Theyre making good money.
@@anthonypareigis6188 says who?
Netflix is a prime example of this. Wednesday did as well as Stranger Things. They didn’t retain any of there writers bc of this streaming structure. Not one writer from the first season was signed on for the second season. It’s 100% a different show by that alone.
🥺 oh no
Is the show even still on? Used to hear about it quite a bit now nothing
Actually, this doesn't help the argument. Stranger Things has had couple of the same writers the entire time but there has been a lot of turnover. But if there is that much turnover of the lower-level writers and the show itself continues to be a critical and commercial hit then those lower-level writers were easily replaceable and not critical to the success of the show. It really doesn't matter how successful a show is in terms of compensation if a role's contribution to that success is so minor that having a revolving door in that role doesn't alter the quality of the product. That's not to say they shouldn't be compensated or that this strike isn't justified - but it does go to show that the success or failure of the product isn't reliant upon those writers but instead that success is on people like the Duffer Bros who ARE the ones who are making the big bucks.
@@waltblackadar4690BS, what about GoT? What happened there, he?
so what you're saying is only Showrunners should get paid fairly. Lot of words to make that point.@@waltblackadar4690
I was already on the “give the writers guild everything they are demanding” camp, but after watching this I’m thinking whatever they are demanding is just the BEGINNING of what needs to happen. Wow
This is the same in the animation industry too. Plus a ton of the animation jobs aren't done by studios in the animators guild (under iatse). Only two of the nyc studios are under the guild (titmouse and late night cartoons and they only unionized last year/6 months ago) and a lot of major broadcast companies will subcontract to non-union studios.
It's why I moved from animation to apparel graphics production, and my non-union apparel contract is better than my friends' union animation jobs are. (not a knock on the unions, it's how bad the animation industry is that those are considered the "good" contracts).
@@timetobenotdo😮
who cares these a rich people complaining about changing times. these are no different to the people whining in 1970s for losing manufacturing jobs. maybe these people should have chosen fields that actually make you money.
@@covfefe1787why are you calling them rich while also saying they should of chose a job that makes money
Reject streaming, embrace piracy
I LOVE Pirates of the Caribbean
Lol if they don’t make money they’ll stop making shows. How about everyone go touch grass!
Here here!! lol
I used to pay for Netflix and hbo. But after a while I cancelled my subscription. I believe you can find anything online for free if you have the time and I think piracy isn’t a big problem the industry makes billions and isn’t a problem for the big studios
er, how are the show's gonna get made then?
Post Productionist here, we've felt the lack of work and as the years have gone on less and less pay. I used to get paid $30 an hour now its $19 and I've been doing it for 10+ years. This is needed for the whole industry.
I love movies and TV Shows and that's why I decided to go into the creative industry. For a period of time, I wanted to break into "Hollywood". Go the traditional route. I worked on a few film/tv/commercial sets at lower-level positions and got to see what the reality of "Hollywood" was. It broke my heart to see how people were treated. I understand that I was in a lower-level position but I think basic human decency is not a lot to ask for. After my last set, back in 2021, I decided to find another path that wasn't the "traditional" filmmaking path. I never wanted fame or wealth, I just wanted to make a living and be happy doing the thing that I love. This strike is long overdue because these writers deserve better.
so what do you do then, what alternative path have you found for you? :)
@@koljatomisch9428 I would also like to know
You shouldn't have to ask for basic human decency in the first place.
Studios and streaming platforms are nothing without the writers. Pay them fairly.
To be honest, I'd care more if they were putting out quality writing before they went on strike. But the writing that go into most series and movies these days(10-15 years or more) has been excremental, and that's putting it mildly.
@@randell9667 What you are saying is that you would do a great job at something while being paid much less than you deserve. And this isn't something that is new now. Before streaming there were horrendous writing as well as great ones, the same way it is today. I don't think your personal experience is enough to make a good point in this case.
@@randell9667I disagree completely.
There are way more shows being made now and so many stand out, the content has evolved a lot in maturity and content and creativity and effects, etc.
Saying old shows were better quality makes no sense at all.
Thry ARE paid fairly! The minimum salary for a writer is 125k and they only work 26 weeks per year!
@@randell9667 The Sopranos, Breaking Bad, The Wire, Succession, Better Call Saul, Utopia, Ozark, Mad Men, Boardwalk Empire, Fleabag, Barry are just some of the series that have come out in the past 10-15 years. Excremental? Really?
I really appreciated this break down. Definitely helped me to understand this strike and how important it truly is to entertainment.
Strikes are the way to show that CEOs don't create your Entertainment
Writers make plenty of money. You never see bricklayers go on strike. Writers wine too much about making over 100K a year.
@@TheCabledawg1 did you watch the video? People can't send their children to school.
@@TheCabledawg1 someone needs to learn about unions
@@TheCabledawg1 you type this a lot, how much the entertainment studio pays you? More than $100,000?
@Pronto CEOs do not make shows? If anything it’s the producers that pull it all together
This really explains how vastly changed the business is. Someone is making plenty of money from the creative work of these writers. Management needs to share, I support the writers.
The funny thing is that the streaming services are not making money.
They are all losing money, and are all vetting on the other streaming services to give up first.
(You can check, the yearly earnings are public information. Netflix had never had a positive year)
@@E_D___ Most of the major media companies can make up the difference in other ways. Disney might lose $659 million in the 2nd Quarter this year from their streaming division, but their parks division created $2.2 Billion in profit for example this quarter. Disney overall had a $28.7 Billion profit from their 2022 Balance sheet across all their assets.
They have the money. They're just not willing to share that piece of the pie.
This is also why Apple can take a loss on Apple Music and Google with TH-cam/Music since they can make up the difference by selling iPhones/hardware and selling Google Ads respectively.
Yes, Netflix and Spotify for instance have no choice but to take a loss and figure out how to recuperate that with means they have to figure out, yet for these major media conglomerates they already do.
@@kevindao1103facts
No one is making money from streaming. It’s not profitable, what might eventually happen is cable all over again because that actually made money.
@@kevindao1103 Disney has debt. It's not like they're swimming in dollar bill swimming pools. Cash in the bank (with debt still floating out there) is 11 billion.
Bad writing surfaces upfront but good writing goes unnoticed by majority of the audience. These writers should be leading the line.
@@fdaa3154 Read my statement again. I never said bad writers should get paid more did I?
@@fdaa3154that’s what happens when you kick writers out instead of training them
@richardsejour The writers should demand more money because the studios are still making a large amount of money off of the writers creative work.
@@melissagreye8445 Well, to be fair, Disney has been losing a lot of money lately. They lost $900 million in the quarter ending 1 July.
This explains the frantic reshuffling that has been going on at executive level, but even that isn't helping.
The writing stinks. It's horrible. I put most of the blame on the executives, but also on the writers and actors as well for agreeing to participate in atrocious productions.
No one writes anything original anymore. There has to be a generic political script; no imagination or effort put into thinking about coherent narratives.
If what you perceive as good writing goes unnoticed, you should probably find better shows
Writers should not be the bottom of the ladder. Without their thoughts, creativity and words THERE IS NO SHOW! Put the writers in the place they belong and pay for for what they are, the CREATORS.
IATSE members, the actual crew people are at the bottom of the pay scale and do far more manual labor than the writers. A gaffer will make far less than a staff writer.
@@nelcomargaming6612that is almost entirely the producers problem not the writers
They are not… production assistants are and they get treated like 💩
The they need to perform better storylines to justify the better pay.
It is what it is. There's always A+ people working and under some C- talentless people.
I am all for more episodes. Imagine the writers who wrote Prison Break and kept you hooked all through 24 episodes in every season. Mad respect. I don't enjoy shorter episode series, it's like you are busting my bubble that I like too early.
or could be even in the way how the German thriller series Dark premised, shorter episodes per season but written in a way the plot is spread across 3 seasons, while retaining a major hook by the last ep of each season.
I guess it depends on the style and pace of the storytelling or characters. I could imagine relaxing into longer seasons on some shows but sometimes they can just tell a focused story without wasting time.
Nah, I hated longer seasons. Far too repetitive, and the production values were awful.
I think the solution to getting writers who work on streaming shows better pay is to create shows with more longevity. Most of the stuff on Netflix doesn’t last beyond 2 seasons. You have some rare exceptions like Stranger Things but it seems to me like these streaming services would rather just keep pumping out new content than create shows that can go on for multiple seasons.
@@Supherodude The issue there is that episodes of television cost more time and money to produce these days, as they don't have advertised money like they did in the past. Because of this, they rely on subcribers paying every month, so they have to find other ways to entice them to pay. This includes having stars on their shows and increasing production values, etc, which further increases the costs.
I fully support them because the crapiness of the shows lately is over the top and now I understand why ...
The shows that are coming out lately were written before this strike. But there's plenty of great unique shows with WGA members out there too. You just have to dig a little.
@@WaffleEBay12 think their point is that the working condition did not allow the writers to dive fully into crafting a much better story to the best of their capabilities, so if strike can give them better environments theoretically the show writings would improve as well
@Jeroz Okay, I didn't quite understand that, but I think I get it now. I still think there's some excellent shows coming out, but I support the writers and agree that having more time to write (and writing during production) would likely lead to better quality.
@FIGHT + lol, I'm not from Gen Z, not that it matters, and I do have some criticisms of new shows, but I watch a lot so I've found there's some good shows in each genre with some bad. If you want some recommendations of good shows, I could certainly share. And please don't say "lit" or "goat" or "fire" again, lol you're sounding like a boomer trying to relate to kids.
@FIGHT + lol I don’t think you know the age range of gen z people. I’m nearing 27 and considered gen z. I don’t understand how you can just disregard an entire generations opinion on tv. I’m grateful to work in a job (1 of 2 jobs i have) where I can watch TV so long as I get my quota complete, and I have watched so many shows from all different generations and new ones coming out, all different genres as well. I enjoy all different things and could likely recommend shows to any age group based on their interests and know that they would enjoy it.
These studios have to stop taking writers for granted. You have nothing to direct, perform, produce, market, edit, or profit from without writers. Hoping the storytellers win.
Writers make plenty of money. You never see bricklayers go on strike. Writers wine too much about making over 100K a year.
@@TheCabledawg1 probably because brick layers can’t afford to go on strike. if writers never striked like they are now, they might become like bricklayers in the future due to lack of income.
bricklayers should absolutely strike, however they cant even afford it, living paycheck to paycheck
@@TheCabledawg1 brain dead comment, if tommorow you slash the average doctors pay by half the net wage after the slash is still going to be a lot of money but is it justified to cut the wage ? NO . Writters making 100k make the actors tens of millions essentially writing down all those dialogues and scenes and they make the film company billions some times if not 100 + million
@@TheCabledawg1 you're absolutely delusional if you think the majority of writers are making anything close to that figure
(while also being forced to live in two of the most expensive cities on the planet)
✊🔥🔥🔥
As a set carpenter for hollywood films this strike has had detrimental effects to the construction side of our industry as we have no work due to no available scripts. Hope something comes soon.
What was missing: the difference in mean salary at a network show versus the mean salary at a streaming show.
I tried googling it but couldn't find anything. My guess is that even *if* the salary is nominally higher, the increase in cost of living (especially in places where shows are made) will mean that the purchasing power of writers is lower.
One thing they might want to add to their strike agenda is a Land Value Tax, to make the rent go down.
@@Xob_Driesestig I think it depends. Many shows are filmed in locations other than New York and LA now. Atlanta for instance. COL is high and a barrier, but it's not something exclusively experienced by writers.
I don't think they mention it because writers make a hellavu lot more money than minimum wage or your average Joe. And if people heard the numbers they'd be less willing to emphasise with the writers which is the goal of this story.
@@dontknowdocare It's good that you _don't_ think that. Nobody should think something like that as long as there's no evidence provided to back it up.
@@lonestarr1490 What? Talk to literally every person who has had a theory ever.
I work in animation and if you have the privilege to work in a union job at a large company, the company will usually try to find a spot on a new show when your contract ends, rather than you having to search around every several months. It seems like writers could benefit from a similar thing
Oh wow didn't know that existed, I think thats a wonderful idea! Hopefully something like that is created but I can see the industry resisting it because a writer has so much control over the actual story that execs are more likely to gatekeep writing positions to ensure the writers will create what they want since its their money. People really want control in the industry and will go to great lengths to maintain it.
Ooooo i love that.
Writing is very different from animating brother. Animation is art but animation has become less about individual output but moreso about technicality and computers whereas writing still depends solely on what your brain comes up with. Yes they are both collaborative but writing and animation are not even close to being the same.
You mean, like if they were members of a guild? Something like that?
@@r3drift Do you know animation works are submitted to the same writing process, right?
OMG! The writers are the heart of the show. Without them, there will be no beautiful stories to watch.😢
I was in Visual Effects ( VFX ) industry before, similar situation there too. I used to work 80-90 hours a week in a LA studio, after hiring full time they refused to sponsor visa. Artists had gone on strike ( around the time Life of Pi got Oscars ) and nothing changed. Thankfully i had computer engineering degree as fall back and been working as software engineer since. I miss working in the movies, but without stability and pay I cant survive in the US.
I worked as a composer in LA during the ‘08 recession. No one I knew could find work. Like you, I went into software engineering just to stay alive!
@@hemslonnigum I’m glad we had something to fall back to. Did you think about going back at some point ?
@@harin1892 Sometimes I wonder what could have become of my filmscoring career if I had suffered through it, but it wasn't until I left the film industry that I sensed my life really began to flourish. In my experience working in entertainment takes a needlessly brutal toll on one's mental health. I empathize with my friends still in it who feel trapped because they've been in it so long they feel it's too late to start over in something else.
This makes me think Americans need to have each others backs more bc I would give up TV if the people making it aren’t making enough money to live.
I’m so sorry you had to go through this
If writing becomes an unsustainable career then only the wealthiest will be able to pursue it. Morally, with the power to set such a large portion of our cultural language, these companies have a responsibility to ensure that process is equitable and inclusive. But how silly of me I forgot, maximizing profits for shareholders is obviously more important.
Talking about morals and responsibility by for-profit companies is inane. For them it is more important, so I don't understand why people find this to be a good practical argument. The only way to change their behavior is to change their incentives, which comes from regulation and consumer behavior
You're saying that you'll need to be wealthy to write something? Seriously you should think about AI a little bit and consider the invisible hand of the market.
Unfortunately that is what is happening in a lot if creative industries. A lot of people in fashion for example are extremely privileged because you need to be in order to pay for college and then do a million unpaid internships while living in expensive cities.
@elfrjz free to innovate a better mouse trap anytime you like
@@juanm5447 I think we should expect more from for profit companies. Do they need to make money? Sure just like people need food they can't survive without it. But most people don't rob grocery stores. We expect more out of the average person, even for things they need. Not just thru laws, the society morally expects it out of people. Companies need that societal moral pressure in addition to laws. But they want get that if we throw up our hands and make the judgement, not them, but us make the judgement that for profit companies have no moral responsibilities beyond maximizing profits.
Honestly they just need to make streaming shows longer, very often I’m upset with the fact that there is only 6 to 8 episodes per season
Me too!!
I use to watch a show called Insecure. The audiences begged for MORE episodes or at least longer show times.
Another way streaming affects this is that writers are constantly competing with what has already been aired. Technically this has always been a problem. But there’s a world of difference between driving to rent a dvd of friends and moving a cursor to the right.
There really is too much TV right now- so much that it affects the writers’ leverage here.
Bingo. No new content for a year or two might be sad if you're waiting on a sequel, but will affect the public zero if it doesn't happen. And I'm sorry, network apps are just annoying as they are an oversaturated market. The future will continue to be streaming.
@@littleraeofsunshine Totally. I really don’t see a way out of this one- especially when the upshot would just be…more television. Between content overload, the advent of AI (TBD) and a hoard of hungry Wattpad-ers, it seems the writers couldn’t have picked a worse time.
I doubt that is a major concern given that the number of shows made per year has gone up 6-7 times over (according to the writer himself at 1:00). Even if those shows are only a third the length of traditional TV equivalents, that's still twice as much writing required and twice the job opportunities for writers. Who those shows compete with is not really the writers' priority - as long as they're getting paid for their work its up to the distributor to ensure that it actually sees airtime.
It might have some small impact on the timing of negotiations but even that I'd be pretty surprised about, and absolutely astounded if it was one of the things they were negotiating to "fix". And its not like traditional TV didn't have plenty of things it could re-run to fill time during a strike. Not as much to be sure, but more than enough to last for quite a few months.
I'm not sure whether I agree or disagree that there's "too much TV", I just don't think it plays a significant role in this particular strike.
@@altrag Very fair! What I was getting at (on the consumer side) is that today it’s easier to overlook that there’s a writing strike than in previous eras. Little has changed for the consumer, whereas 10+ years ago I remember a marked difference after a couple months (because I was watching actual tv then-albeit via DVR lol)
@@Ark_bleu Just like Reality TV filled the void of the previous strike, struggling Wattpad writers, chatgpt written scripts, AI generated films, animated films, youtubers and tiktokers could all replace writers and tv and movies in general. This is a bad time to strike but things are only going to get worse not better.
We only see actors but rarely appreciate the people behind shows. This video opened up my perspective to films and writing on a whole new level. Thanks Vox.
The last season of Game of Thrones is proof why you need good writers
IMO, streaming also changed the dynamic between the fans and the show. With some network shows I still watch the relationship is so much different. We get teasers from actors and the crew while they're working on the show. The episodes don't come out all at once which means us fans have time to digest them, speculate on what's coming, and be creative with fan art and fanfiction. That I think means we are connected with the shows for longer. With a lot of streaming shows, you get the new season, and you are active in the fandom for week or two after the release and then the excitement slowly fades.
Yeah, its so much better. Less parasocial weirdos, more shows. Nice.
Animes still operate like that. Which leads to the shows being talked about for longer. They can sell merch for the show for longer too.
Yeah, I really miss weekly release schedules.
@@Defort-jd8xeNope. Interest slowly dies and shows don't get renewed
what does that have to do with how people are paid? Those shows are being watched through streaming services day in and day out and the executives of said services are profiting long after the production is over. Even if its less, it makes their overall product (the streaming service) viable and something worth paying for. If netflix needs to change its model to meet the demands of the people required to operate then so be it.
We live in an age where tv shows, movies, make a LOT of money. I’m sure streaming has a small impact on the strike, but overall I think it boils down to the top dogs making the money and them not wanting to pay people for their talent. We see it on every profession, and should be calling out the failed system for what it is. Trickle down economics have never, and will never work. Everyone should be paid at the VERY least, enough to live on, not just barely “survive”
Yeah, this is the crux of the problem. French Revolution looking real good right now.
@@FlabbyTabbyKilling hundreds of thousands for trumped up charges, enabling anarchy in the countryside and installing a Corsican emperor, I think, won’t solve your problems.
The TV writers strike in 2007-2008, often referred to as the Writers Guild of America (WGA) strike, was primarily caused by issues related to compensation and residuals in the era of digital media and streaming platforms. While streaming itself did not directly cause the strike, it played a significant role in the disputes between the writers and the studios.
At the heart of the conflict was the writers' demand for fair compensation for their work when it was distributed through new digital platforms such as streaming services, downloads, and online platforms. The writers argued that their residuals and compensation structures were not adequately updated to account for the growing digital market and the potential for increased profits.
The emergence of streaming services like Netflix, Hulu, and Amazon Prime Video disrupted the traditional television landscape, leading to changes in how content was consumed and monetized. The writers believed that their compensation should reflect the value of their work in the digital realm, which was rapidly gaining popularity.
The studios and networks, however, maintained that the existing contracts and compensation models were sufficient and resisted making significant changes to the writers' terms. The Writers Guild of America went on strike on November 5, 2007, with thousands of TV and film writers participating, demanding a fair share of revenue from digital distribution.
The strike lasted for 100 days, significantly impacting the television industry. Many scripted TV shows went on hiatus or had shortened seasons, resulting in a decline in viewership and revenue for networks. The strike also affected the production schedules of movies and late-night talk shows, causing disruptions across the entertainment industry.
Ultimately, after months of negotiations, the WGA and the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers (AMPTP) reached a tentative agreement in February 2008. The agreement included some concessions from the studios, providing writers with increased compensation for digital media and a share of revenue from streaming and downloads.
While streaming itself was not the direct cause of the strike, it was a catalyst for the writers' demands for fair compensation in the changing landscape of media consumption. The strike brought attention to the evolving nature of the industry and the need to address compensation and residuals in the digital age. It marked an important moment in the ongoing discussions and negotiations surrounding the impact of streaming on the entertainment industry.
Great explanation!
Streaming isn't the problem, it's the companies choosing not to pay the writers for their work. It's always been the companies, remember the strike back in 2008? Way before streaming and still for fair pay.
The 2008 strike was about home video like dvd blu ray and itunes/services plus newer technology such as streaming like it it ended with changes for streaming like hiring guild writers for originals on the service but none for physical media which was the way it was bc physical media wasn’t seen as reliable way of revenue in it’s inception
The hierarchy here reminds me a lot of the academic system, graduate student-postdoc-assistant professor-associate professor -full professor-professor -emeritus. Also the financial struggles, the need for mobility. 💪 much strength to the writers, I hope you guys find solutions, everyone deserves a living wage
You're right, it totally does! Except professor emeritus. That's just a professor who retired.
Everyone deserves a living wage
It's why college exist...
Where does adjunct professor fit in that scheme?
It’s incredible how streaming services affects so many in the entertainment industry, and even worst how many people care.
Yes, the writers strike is still ON.
This strike feels so quintessential as for how streaming platforms are actively sabotaging themselves. In a day and age where major streaming services are laughed at for mass producing shitloads of mediocre to bad shows that get axed after a season, the services instate a business model that actively deminishes the vital connection between cast and writers while also disincentivizing putting in the work to produce something fantastic.
This is the side effect of the gig culture seeping into day-to-day jobs. Even programmers are being let go after production
it has been like this since forever.
We’re returning to the days of lining up outside the factory hoping they’ll have work for you that day. Which unions thought they’d put a stop to almost a century ago…
I am from the IT industry. Computer programmers are being tossed out due to code automation. Now there is AI to boot.
As a worker in IT industry, our jobs werent there 5 years ago. Hence they wont be there 5 years after. IT industry constantly innovates. Workers need to innovate/re-skill too. I understand its hard getting all the expertise and then throw it all away coz market condition changed. But thats how the industry is.
it’s sad how easily all of us are replaceable
Writing is just suparbly underrated that it's been the one who can absolutely carry the show, your artworks and the story themselves! except even some people just ignore them or never gave them status the same as the directors do.
They are also the ones who can ruin a show with horrible writing, poor plot development, weak characters, etc. How many amazing streaming shows are there compared to absolute trash or more often, remakes of already written shows?
@@nobodyspecial4702 They give you that duality. Without writers, there wouldn't be shows or movies period. Nothing. With writers sure you may get 'bad' movies or shows, but without them there is literally nothing. And consider why they 'ruin' shows. Hmm. Maybe because they aren't being paid enough and therefore they do not care?
And that's why I left film...it's not just writers and actors, it's everyone...you work for maybe 10 weeks (if you're lucky), then spend 3 months finding another gig...So you might be paid well while working, but over the year it's not great
Writers make plenty of money. You never see bricklayers go on strike. Writers wine too much about making over 100K a year.
Manga writer here. I've always thought the week-to-week/month work ethic that mangaka operate under was harsh. For weekly manga chapters, for example, writers/artists work 6-7 days a week, every week, to produce ~20 pages of story per chapter. As you can guess there is a lot of overworking in the manga industry, especially since its hypercompetitive market means stories get axed ALL THE TIME if they can't gain enough traction. Meaning, the success rate is low; the karoshi ("overwork death") is high.
But now I also realize that I, personally, prefer having the stability of a schedule based on weekly/monthly serialization. I get paid per chapter/page to get me by. Then, when chapters get compiled into volume form every four-month (9-11 chapters for weekly, 4 chapters for monthly), I get a direct cut of that as well. (Volume sales are how we really eat in the manga game). Then there are royalties for merch & licensing, IP cut for movie adaptions, & volume resales. Anime adaptions help bring exposure to the original source, too. My main point is that *as long as manga writers/artists are successful* then we don't have to worry about not getting paid for months at a time.
@@TheCabledawg1 not every writer. Maybe some feature writers but when the executives are cutting costs and making shorter work times, you couldn’t be more wrong. Are you a bricklayer? If you work a trade, you prob make good money, and work labor jobs and should understand standing up for workers rights. if you’re making a comfortable salary pencil pushing at a desk pushing the keyboard, you are so far removed from this world you don’t know what you’re talking about. If you don’t make a lot of money in a job you hate… that’s on you, different life choices could have been made.
As a consumer I want 20+ episode seasons back. A lot of shows feel rushed and have a lack of good character development due to the 10 episode streaming standard we have now.
As a consumer, I don't. I think 20+ episodes are bloated wastes that could have been easily cut down for better, tighter story writing. I've watched 8 episode shows that were bloated, I've watched others that could have used 1 more episode to make it great. It all depends on how well you tell the story. Maybe there is a fully fleshed out 20+ episode season without bloat, but I honestly can't think of one. In the end, I think there's room for both.
Depends on the type of show I think. Streaming sitcoms specifically really need more episodes to breath and are the ones that always feel rushed to me. Which makes sense as they are 25 min not 50-60 and also tend to be slower paced than dramas.
Schitt’s Creek and Ted Lasso are exceptions but I think it’s notable the one or more of the actors serve as writers/creators on those shows and Creek was 13+ episodes per season while Lasso often had longer run times. Even S1 - by far the shortest runtimes - was the equivalent of 14 22-minute episodes
I also think it depends on the type of show. A 10 episode season of a 1-hour show is sufficient. But I do love the comedy TV sitcoms that had 20 episode seasons at 22 minute run time. It gives way for more character development, stories, and obviously more content to consume which is valuable time with the characters you have come to love. Shows like The Office, Community, Parks & Recreation, Modern Family all had 20 episode seasons at some point and they were better (and we were lucky) for it.
I agree, particularly for dramas or scifi/fantasy. They don't put nearly enough work into building out the characters, context, universe, etc.
True. I used to think it helped the writers make more focused stories but now it just feels like the opposite. It just feels like robbing both the writers and the consumers.
The crunching down of TV and film is affecting more than just the writers. It's affecting everyone in that entertainment pipeline. I can totally relate this this as an animator. I want the writers to get a fair deal. Corporations employing these writers have money.... they just don't want to pay people properly.
"properly" is not a thing in economics.
*affecting
Can't stop thinking about how people tend to complain most about the writers when a show does not meet their expectations but it seems those complaints need to be directed towards the executives making bad decisions about how long they actually need to employ them.
@@evilcookie123 I think the Witcher is a good example of what I was talking about - an executive and non writer (in the Witchers case the showrunner) is the one making the poor decision, from what I can tell at least.
At least they can strike, visual effects artists cry themselves to sleep every night.
This is an example of why nearly all workers in all fields need to be unionized. It's the only way to protect the interest of the workers.
The biggest problem for these writers and this 24 episode philosophy is that the audience seems to prefer shorter seasons, especially when streaming.
Don't know about that... It is hard actually for them to land more gigs
It really depends on the show. If it is like a good book, I want as many episodes as possible. Meanwhile Netflix and Disney are allowing the alphabet warriors to produce garbage after garbage. The whole streaming fad needs to be reorganized, remove the woke warriors and start producing what the viewers want instead of writer's wet dreams. Making product that does not bomb can be a good start in negotiating residuals.
Nope, ever since the golden age of TV big a listers who would only appear on the big screen are part of tv shows. Those actors don’t want to commit for more than 10 episodes. They used to shoot 1 or 2 movies a year and they were good. Also tv shows with 24 episodes have many filler episodes. The audience wants high quality story telling. I mean game of thorns, house of cards, breaking bad were ground baking because of the way they were telling stories. This was something totally new to the audience. And it is more fun for writers because they can go all out. Also before Streaming you would have more case of the week tv shows, which are super easy to follow. Big complex stories don’t need 24 episodes.
Much prefer quality over quantity. Many streaming shows go over 1 hour an episode sometimes. Look at stranger things 4, the 9 episodes were over 13 hours long.
I agree. The 24 episode seasons don’t work well for streaming shows because of they way they are structured. Most of the shows on streaming are basically long movies that have been divided into several chapters whereas with network tv you got a lot of filler and self contained episodes.
Love how whenever there’s an up and coming new type of jobs in the US it always gets abused by big corporations because that’s just their nature
up and coming?? WHAT the guild has been around since 1933
Writing is an up and coming new type of job?
Yep. They have to destroy everything in their path.
@@andrewfarrell6120 writing shows for streaming specifically, not the act of writing itself
Happened with motion pictures, happened with broadcast television, is happening with streaming. They never think long term about what will keep production good, they just try to cash grab for as long as possible any time a new format arrives.
2:33 - this just made me understand why older shows (e.g. Lost on Disney+) has those random intense buildups and then immediately jump to the next scene 😂. Looks so strange without the ads.
Omg you made me feel so old lol
Unfortunately the model of streaming doesn’t work. In a theater each person pays around $20 to see a film. People now expect to be able to see 5-10 films a month for $20, and then they share passwords, so you then have 10+ people wanting to see 5-10 films a month for that same $20 or so. People think they’re sticking it to the Man, but they’re also killing indie production at the same time. Advertising dollars are different now too. When there were only 3-5 options for advertisers they would pay millions, now there are 1000’s of options which causes the cost of advertising to go down. It seems the only way money was being made was through investment in a system that was destined to collapse on itself… and now here we are. Enjoy all the reality TV!
Capitalism has always been about transferring the wealth of the poorest to the rich.
I use to rent 10 DVDs for $11 a week... that is essentially the same as streaming price wise.
Streaming does work; you just need the losers to leave. Less bad streamers, less bad writers, and less bad actors = higher quality content and the writers that are the most talented that are left get paid more.
Except people are still going to the movie theatres to see movies and profits from theatre openings are through the roof.
And people don't just pay $20 a month for content. They pay for various streaming services which all add up to a total price that was similar to cable TV. The difference being cable TV gave residuals to actors whereas these streaming services do not cause they want to maximise profits
It would be nice to make a report on the other writers strike, from 2007 I think. See how things changed, what was achieved then and how are things now etc
That strike was about "new media"... what we now call streaming services. If the writers hadn't struck in 2007, none of the streaming services would be hiring union writers, which probably means the union would be gone by now.
Support the strikers! It will be a long and arduous process. Don't let your support waver. It'll only mean good things for the shows you love in the long run.
Workers won't be automatically right, they have to have legitimate cause just like everyone else
@@blazer9547
Idk, like wanting better pay and working conditions?
@@mainaccount4585 lol its not like their digging ditches
@@blazer9547 I don't think it's appropriate, as an outsider, to argue whether any strike is justifiable. It's impossible to truly grasp the scope of the problems when those problems do not affect you. Organized efforts like a strike aren't easy to pull off. When enough people see a reason to complain to the point where they are willing to put down their work and face the consequences of not getting paid, it's always better to listen to those complaints rather than scrutinize the validity of those complaints. A conflict like this won't ever be resolved if the people in charge refuse to listen and make due changes.
Loved this. Thank you for clarifying what’s happening.
This was great overall, but I really wish they had covered mini-rooms. So many stories of not being hired on shows as full time staff after they write the show, instead getting cheaper less experienced writers for production.
This video was really helpful in understanding what's going on. Stay strong writers!
I hope the strike never ends. No more actors or writers, no more silly movies or TV shows. I prefer this.
No one's forcing you to watch TV or movies. Your distaste for the medium doesn't mean that people should starve.
@@tiawilliams5690 No one is going to starve there are plenty of other jobs you can get, especially with unemployment in the US at a 60 year low. Heck even great writing is in demand for social media, marketing and sales roles. I'm just annoyed at the decreasing quality and repetitive content of mainstream movies and tv. Don't be melodramatic.
@@iceman18211I agree with you 100%.
@@CarlosJuarez-eb5gx I appreciate it :)
I want 20+ episodes back. I miss those days.
*It's sad that it's been a month and still they did not get what they deserve. 🥺*
They dont deserve jackshit, better havr AI write everything instead of these woke clowns
The 1960 WGA strike lasted 148 days so it's not abnormally long yet.
@@somerandompersonhi2028 Thanks for sharing that. Now I’m wondering… how can they afford to be on strike for this long in 2023?!
The strike has to last at least 8 weeks so networks can start cancelling projects.
The writers really picked a bad time to go on strike - pretty much every service is already slashing costs.
Not to mention, most of LA (the news, the corporations, officials, and most of society so dependent on an expected flow of content) are already on the side of the companies so it might make things far worse for writers and creatives that are underpaid. It's impressive that creatives can even afford to strike at all since cost of living (gas, housing (ESPECIALLY rent), commuting, food, etc.) is so insanely high.
My props go to those organizing the strike likely sacrificing any and all credibility in Hollywood to fight for justice that creatives have long needed for decades.
This is honestly just a great time for all American workers to fight back against greed and the class war
Literally, this thing they’re describing exists in every single industry but writers are obviously the only group willing to fight back
Unfortunately the disparity between the top older generation and bottom new generation of workers is huge in so many different professions, the writers are not the only ones who are in this position. As a whole the world we knew is changing and we all will have to find different ways of making income, there will be times of uncertainty and the old way is gone.
I can’t believe there are actually people out there who think that staff writers are part of the “Hollywood elite” and think they’re just being greedy with this strike. Idiotic people like that have no idea how the real world actually functions and it’s important for people to see videos like this that show that writers are severely undervalued and need a considerable change for the industry to succeed. Television is a writer’s medium. There would be NONE of your favorite TV shows without them.
In LA, a writer of one’s favorite show by day… might also be one’s Uber driver by night.
This video confirms that writers are part of the Hollywood elite and are just being greedy. They are literally asking for 40 weeks of pay for 10 weeks of work.
"There would be NONE of your favorite TV shows without them." No, the void will just be filled with other people who don't have the same high demands. Writing isn't some mysterious hidden trait one can only learn by searching the depths of mordor. Time changes things, technology changes things. History has shown (especially recently), if you don't adapt and overcome.. you get left in the dust. The way TV was written a century ago can't and won't be sustained forever.
Certainly nothing worth watching. Good writing is the heart of any project worth it's existence.
@@JGuff707 Hey, GenZer genius! There was no TV "a century ago". But you go on there, troll. All you did was prove your own writing isn't any good. TL;DR.😴
While I have 0 experience as a show writer- from what this talks about, it sounds very much different from what I do for a living- there are a few things about writers BEING ON SET that should be crucial. As previously mentioned, the actor is trying to conjure up the IDEA of what a character is in the head of the writer. They have their own agency, but the writer absolutely helps with that. If the actor doesn’t know what to do, it sounds like they go to the writers for help on that, which is crucial. In long-form story, one thing you go through is redrafting- when the entire story is written out, for the first time, you go back through, effectively rewriting the book, and refine the story down to its crucial points. You cut what isn’t necessary, you add what makes things hit harder later, and you make it all cohesive. This sounds similar to what a show writer does during production, and I just want to say that if doing that refinement is anywhere near similar to what a writer on set is doing, then not hiring them during those weeks, as the FOREMOST EXPERTS ON THE STORY BEING TOLD, is moronic at the very best.
When money is more important than creating art… I am proud of writers for standing up.
Then why aren’t these writers creating this art for their current earnings if money isn’t more important?
@@dallastexas5653 that like saying why why aren’t firefighters running into fire with the less gear because gears not that important. writers need money to survive companies are putting money over their survival
Um, this strike is all about money, not art.
The irony
@@Bluejellyyyou're literally comparing a fire fighter whose actually important to someone who literally does the most useless job on earth
Considering that many people consider much recent writing from Hollywood to be poor in quality, it seems like more than one thing needs to change in how professional writing works.
I love explanatory journalism ❤ kudos to the Vox team!
Vox is now owned by Comcast too.
the last, most "explanatory" statement on why they strike is on the very last part: "that art is [not] only coming from only voices that can afford to do this job"; if we want to reflect the diversity, the reality, writers do need to come from diverse backgrounds.
Yes, this summed it up perfectly
Here's the thing about that issue. Writing has always been done by people who can afford it. Until recently, it was a relatively stable path to what many of us would consider wealth. The danger is that going forward it will be done by people who don't have to worry about affording it. That is different and inordinately worse. Soon all of our art will be produced by trust fund babies and legacy hires and everything on TV will be different iterations of The White Lotus; white people with rich white-people problems. Like we need more of that.
@@andrewfarrell6120 White lotus is such a well made and well written show. Would love more of that!
It always amazed me that a creator gets paid less than one character they created.
no, the characters don't get paid, the actors do
@@tiago_db_silva Which is a job they’d never have if the writer didn’t include their part.
It is sad. 15000 an episode.😢 how in the world are they going to feed their children?
@@sapphyrus I'm sorry but writing is not as hard or challenging as acting or being the face of the show that brings in the revenue.
@@9395gb With no writing, there is nothing. Production also isn’t as challenging but they get the most money since without funding there is also nothing. Everything except these two is interchangeable. You can make it an animation and cut the actors, you can’t cut the story.
Ive often found it disgusting how much actors would make over writers and while I'm no expert on the film industry economics it's a no brainer that writers are very much under appreciated and under paid. Without them we have nothing.
There are good charts out there that show the decline of union jobs and correlation of the decline of middle class incomes.
We are basically ruled by corporations now.
I love that the 20-to-24-episode model is essentially dead. At least 8 of those always felt like filler, especially on serialised dramas. But I personally think that the ideal model would be for each production company to hire writers for staff, not for specific shows. The creators, producers, and showrunners can choose which writers to take for their shows amongst the staff, and always hire one or two newcomers as interns to give them opportunities. If a writer never gets picked, they get fired. If a writer always gets requested, they’re promoted. But keeping -almost- everyone on staff gives them the financial stability they’re looking for.
That wouldnt work mate as not all writers are suitable for the types of shows a production company is making. They need different people for different projects. Though its a cool idea.
great idea
Sometimes the filler episodes were the best ones though i remember when networks used to do holiday specials like the Christmas, Halloween and thanksgiving ones they were usually fun and light hearted which is what you sometimes need from a show
I think that the new problem then would be kind of the one we have in many other careers: Young people (and young here is under like 35...) will have about zero chance of any kind of permanent employment or steady contract. It will just be mostly people in their 50s and 60s writing everything while gen z and millennials are killing each other for the chance at unpaid internships while working three jobs.
@@ashnikchauhan9103yeah I see this view too. Plus writers moght want to work elsewhere too.
I've been a fan of The X-Files since the '90s, and I'm so grateful for the show's writers. When you saw a name like Frank Spotnitz or Vince Gilligan in the credits, you knew it was going to be a good one. I don't know if writers are still recognized as much with these new TV show formats. Breaks between the (long) seasons were torture but built up excitement for what was to come next. I'm sure being able to binge everything right away takes away from the excitement of desperately waiting for the next season and makes people less emotionally involved with a show.
Streaming is the "fast fashion" of entertainment 😲
basicall, luckily they will be replaced by AI soon enough!
I gotta agree with this 1 😂😂😂
Whats the "actual fashion" of entertainment?
I disagree. I think in many ways tv is getting better because of streaming. Particularly due to shorter seasons and better long story arcs. That doesn’t mean there isn’t trash out their, but I think best shows now are better than the best shows of the past. Far less filler episodes.
Although the golden age of streaming series is dead, network tv still loves procedurals, and are still lower “quality” of streaming ones, the problem with streaming platform is dilution of content combined with cancellation of big budget series to not pay actors higher salaries, because everyone loves free content/products and don’t want to pay the “real” price.
Can't studios have their own staff writers? It seems like it's the same in every industry - the people making the real money are afraid to share.
Or the writers just need to look for another project. Seems like they should get compensated by the success of the show and it's view count should be a factor.
They can, which is what's so ridiculous about all of this.
EAT THE RICH
@@Zak.Sparrow Yeah, I don't think writers are going to be able to get around the need to work on multiple projects; however, I do think keeping them on during production would be a benefit.
Not afraid. They think they deserve the most.
I’m a music artist and I’m standing with it
I read an article on how shows nowadays don’t need as many writers and how streaming services only hire about two or three because of something called a mini room. Haven’t seen the vid yet, wonder if they’ll talk about this.
Most of the best shows still have a nice staff of wtiters. Most of the popular, non-reality or niche shows, still have writers.
So it sounds like a more efficient writing process was invented, and this reduced the demand for writers.
This is just the way it goes, and when it happens to other industries people are told not to get in the way of progress, and learn a new job. New working models on one side, and AI on the other doesn't leave much room to fight for higher pay.
It looks like many writers are becoming horses in the beginning of the age of the car. Some will still be around, but they're not vital any more.
If mini rooms can do a good job I don’t see a problem, if the job deteriorate that another thing.
( when I say job I mean making a good serie/show)
What makes this strike so scary is that back then people went to reality tv which rose the kardashians and now I think studios are going to use ai to fill in gaps which would lessen the quality of our art to a high degree.
I am convinced that big studios have been generating story ideas with algorithms for years now. The stuff that Netflix puts out, for example, is often super generic and formulaic.
This is a huge concern. Luckily one of the demands the WGA and writers have is putting limits on where and how AI can be used in TV and film. I hope they win and these limits are put in place so AI doesn’t replace creativity.
Writers make plenty of money. You never see bricklayers go on strike. Writers wine too much about making over 100K a year.
@@TheCabledawg1 The way you have been spamming the same comment with the same spelling mistake...it's just funny.
or it will get better and some writers won’t be needed anymore
The writers and actors need to get what they’re entitled to. This is a clear injustice! How can the same studios who claim to not have enough money to pay the backbone of their industry then turn around and tell their shareholders that they’re raking in record-breaking profits. Both can’t be true…
The writers are the heart of any TV or Movie that we see. Directors and Actors may get all the huge accolades and fan fare but they can't do sh@ without a story, and that takes a storyteller, a writer.
What infuriates me about all of this is that writers, writing, any facet of art involved in producing TV shows is commercialised as much as possible. Art ceases to be art, it leans more into entertainment. The big money is made with entertainment and thus talented writers with good stories end up with smaller amounts of money to realise their projects.
I mean it is and has always been primarily entertainment. If the art is not entertaining then it's not good art either because nobody will want to look at it.
@@sryan9547 Understandable, but I do not want to live in a world where art is only good when people like it. Art should also make people uncomfortable or challenge them; art is to be experienced, not always enjoyed right away.
@@sryan9547 Sometimes we need different stories, companies don't want to set a different story model for a particular movie, that's why movies nowadays look boring and same. And more and more people are complaining about it regardless of their political views.
@@sryan9547horrible take
@@RoseJetExhaust people have to make money, though. Lol. A studio can't spend millions on every artsy project with no return. They would go bankrupt. And there avenues for more independent and artsy film projects like independent theaters and film festivals (which most major cities have).
1. Typewriter repair
2. Film developing and processing
3. Switchboard operators
4. VCR repair
5. Fax machine repair
6. Travel agents
7. Video rental stores
8. Encyclopedia salespeople
9. Photo lab technicians
10. Toll booth operators
11. Telemarketers
12. Newspaper delivery personnel
13. Film projectionists
14. CD/DVD manufacturing
15. Pager sales and service
16. Film camera manufacturers
17. Phone book publishers
18. Film editors (with the shift to digital editing)
19. Tape recorder manufacturers
20. Typists
What is the common denominator between all of them? They all got replaced by technology sooner or later! I was once a writer (3.000+ posts on a very successful Brazilian Lifestyle website) but I knew that sooner or later, instagram would replace blogs and even websites, just as websites replaces magazines. So I had to reinvent myself, and that’s what I did. Trying to atop technology doesn’t work.
Love or hate, but as AI evolves, it’ll make most writers a retrograde profession. Even though it’s such a noble one.
There's no excuse for the fact the writers aren't paid enough to live on. If the networks and streaming services won't pay a living wage, the strike should go on until they will, or until the model of who gets paid what changes. The executives can afford to give up their incentives and stock options, the actors don't need a million dollars per episode, and even they will tell you without writers they don't have anything to do.
They are complaining that a mid 6 figure salary isn't enough. How many people make a tenth that and don't complain it's not enough.
Should wages be based on what it costs to live or on what the employer can hire people for and still make a profit? The writers are saying, we won't work for what you pay us and the employer is saying they won't pay what the writers are demanding because is means cuts somewhere else and loss of profits. There will have to be compromise for this strike to end any time soon. The profit motive, by the way, is what drives production and creates jobs for actors and writers.
As diferent industries change, old models of management stop working but unfortunately these only usually change when workers start making noise. Streaming changed this field in such a drastic way I'm not surprised this is happening.
Ah yes "somehow palpatine returned" was very creative writing
It is interesting to see the reason why the writers are striking. The move to (or increase in) streaming shows had definitely put writers at a disadvantage. Streaming shows have a pretty low episode count (anywhere from 8-10 usually). If the show comes on once a year (basically) that is like a temp job. The other factor is not knowing in most cases whether the series is going to be renewed right away. In terms of shows I've watched (most of them) it was not known whether there would be another season a lot of the time. No new season, no job. I can see what they are saying about the streaming series being very volatile. The one guy who worked on SUV said that he got pretty good residuals from that show, but that streaming has almost none. It is a shame that none of the networks could be bothered to come out of their holes to respond to questions.
And that’s without getting into the AI of it all, which as far as I understand is one of the major things that’s kept this going on as long as it has. Writers deserve fair wages and the knowledge that their work will continue to be seen as valuable in the future as technology continues to evolve.
Ultimately, the viewers will decide if their work is valuable or not. Can't have a guarantee on that like that.
I miss that shows used to be 22 episodes. Having waiting week to week watching show months on end seems unheard of now.
Thank you for educating me about this. I just saw it on social media but had no understanding of what writers are going through.
This happens in the animation industry too, animators often times move from show to show. It seems that cinema and tv shows, offer little stability to their employees.
What industry does? I’ve been a hairdresser for over 20 yrs. I’m making less money today than I was 20 yrs ago.
I hope y'all get everything you want and need. and I hope to join you in a writers room one day as an aspiring television writer myself
I feel for the writers, I really do. To my post production and VFX fam who is being impacted by this: keep that creative spark alive, we will be thriving again.
Writers make plenty of money. You never see bricklayers go on strike. Writers wine too much about making over 100K a year.
I want to truly appreciate the great work these writers are doing,may they get the pay they deserve
shouldn't we as consumers pay more too? I feel like something is missing in this discussion: the ridiculously cheap costs of watching a billion movies and series whereas I used to pay good money for just one dvd... this is why the studios don't grow anymore. The amount of subscribers has reached the limit. OR we just start to pay more and accept advertisement.
"deserve" is not a word in economics. Social Science is down the hall to the left.
This is besides the point, but its amazing that this has spanish audio too! Now I can share this video with so many people that dont speak English, this is awesome! Thank you so much!
This is every industry in America right now.
First there was true expansion of the economy. Then expansion though debt...finally expansion though exploitation such as making most jobs into fungible low trained minimum wage, gig workers, streaming and the list goes on. We created a system that split people into asset holders and old school money that are mainly unaffected by the last two items, and the rest are gettin clapped!
Not only in the us is happening in the whole world but part of the fault lands on the consumer , we like cheap stuff, a lot of people complain about the gig economy but they participate in it by using Uber,Lyft, doordash, task rabbit ect.
Apart from Netflix every streaming platform is bleeding money but if consumers see prices increases they complain about it, everyone talks about how bad most musicians are paid but they still use Spotify, especially Americans are always complaining about Chinese made stuff but I bet 98% of the stuff in their house was made in China and they enjoyed the cheap prices
This is incredible. I never stopped to really take in what writers go through 😮
“While women and BIPOC writers have made significant hiring progress over the last decade, men, and white men in particular, remain predominant in both the higher levels of TV employment and in features.” Source: WG Equity Report 2022
Probably not the best example for using Game of Thrones for why Writers should get paid more…. They went on holiday the final 3 seasons without GRRM carrying the weight
Shorter series does generally mean more different series, and thus more writing teams. So while the earnings of each individual writer is lower, there are more total employed writers.
Plus, we are not sitting through garbage filler episodes. Those days are over. Give us the good meat of the show in 8-12 episodes. If BBC can do it, they can do it too.
Now they know how musicians feel, sadly 😢
Streaming came along and was great, then added adverts even to paying customers, then had to appeal more and more to shareholders and started cutting back on expenses and quality and increasing prices. So...greed basically. Bye bye Netflix, hope to see the others follow suit and disappear soon too. Sail the seas I say, never been easier to do. Heck, during Game of Thrones - it would air in the US Sunday night, I'd be watching it in 1080p at around 5pm GMT after work the next day for free, and those that were paying for Sky Atlantic had to wait until 9pm the same day. All the Netflix stuff is up in HD for free within half a day of airing live. Why pay? The shows are getting worse and worse, support the strikers.
The advertisements were added because the writers can't live off 15000 an episode. So the streaming services were forced to find more revenue.
Supporting the writers means supporting more ads, higher costs to consumers, less choices, and less quality shows as they "need" to feel security in their job. Aka, "let me write a bunch of junk and not have to worry about getting fired that the show lost all their viewership."
Dishing quality shows like one of the billion CSI's.