The Writers Guild of America (WGA) is continuing the strike from May 2, 2023. The guild representing over 11,500 screenwriters is pulling through their demands over a labor dispute with the AMPTP. (Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers)
WGA is mainly demanding the AMPTP to see that the financial compensations of writers do not decline as it is happening now. They also want a restricted use of artificial intelligence tools such as ChatGPT so that it facilitates the script-writing process but does not replace the writers. The other demand of the Writers Guild is that the health care funds and pension of writers be secured.
The AMPTP has rejected all the proposals and so the Hollywood writers are going on with the fight for their rights.
As a result of this ongoing strike, several production houses have shut down, some are trying to continue without the writers. Projects that were to be started or were incomplete at the beginning of the unrest are largely suffering.
To cap it all, the actors have also joined the writers’ strike. They are demanding film studios and streaming sites to improve their contracts. Also, they want a curbing on the use of artificial intelligence.
The Screen Actors Guild (SAG) and the American Federation of Television and Radio Artists (AFTRA) have now joined the Writers Guild of America (WGA). As a result, Hollywood is in turmoil. Actors are even skipping promotional events of new movie releases. Oppenheimer is the last movie that saw a star assemblage. Actor and Filmmaker Bradley Cooper was reported to be in Venice but he was absent from this year’s Venice Film Festival. The Festival found a few stars promoting indie films and films produced by small houses.
Effect on movie business
The strike is definitely getting stronger and as long as the streaming companies and film production houses would not come to an agreement with the protesters, major Hollywood projects would be on hold. If this is not sorted before the end of this year, needless to say, the movie business will suffer and fans will be deprived of a regular dose of entertainment as they are very used to getting.
By Ishita Ganguly
