Written by: Alessandra Motisi – Publication date:
It is likely that a mega-strike in Hollywood, involving screenwriters and actors, blocks the production of most movies and TV series.
The last time members of the Screen Actors Guild – American Federation of Television and Radio Artists (SAG-AFTRA) went on strike was in July 1980. At the time, part of the feud between artists and entertainment giants was over profits from the sale of shows and movies made for cable television and videotapes. 43 years later, the new strike – which joins that of the WGA – is centered around similar demands related to material made for streaming platforms and concerns about the use of artificial intelligence.
What will happen to the TV series?
While Warner Bros. Discovery previously boasted of the limited influence the writers’ strike has had on HBO projects, the SAG-AFTRA member actors’ strike means that many ready-made scripts are also at risk of remaining unused.
The following are affected by production halts:
The production of Stranger Things, The Last of Us and Yellowjackets was already blocked due to the strike of the writers, so that of the actors does nothing but extend the stop.
Upcoming industry events, including the Emmy Awards and film festivals in Toronto, Telluride and Venice, are likely to change as well.
How long will it last?
As soundstages in the United States and other parts of the world go quieter due to the Hollywood mega-strike, meetings between corporations and entertainment industry representatives will take place.
It is difficult to estimate its duration, but we can look to the past to get a possible idea. In 1980, the year in which the last actors’ strike was held, it lasted 10 weeks and cost the entertainment industry an estimated $100 million, equivalent to about $370 million today.
The last time both writers and actors went on strike together was in 1960, when the former stopped working for 21 weeks and the latter for 6.
This time the negotiations could be even longerwith some actors urging their union to take a hardline approach.
Hollywood employers and producers said they were disappointed by SAG-AFTRA’s decision, which they said rejected a historic offer.
In response to the strike, the Alliance of Film and Television Producers said that “It was certainly not the outcome we had hoped for, as studios cannot operate without the artists who bring our TV shows and films to life. The union has sadly chosen a path that will lead to financial hardship for countless thousands who depend on the industry.”.