Those questions are answered by Jonathan Handel, an entertainment lawyer and journalist. So we have a different perspective here, which I think gives us a certain nuanced gaze onto the strike
He points out that one of the sticking-points is over benefits and health, which apparently hasn’t changed since the 1980 agreement. Yes, 1980!! I had to read that twice before it sank in - 43 years ago! (I was 23 back in 1980!)
“All Hollywood strikes have been about technological change. Changing technologies that, in most cases, resulted in disagreement on what sort of residuals should be paid and how they should be calculated.”
And of course everything is connected and here’s how:
“So the studio execs are looking ahead to that (the IATSE and Teamster’s contracts) as well, and saying, If we give an inch to the writers, we’re gonna have to give at least an inch to the actors, and likewise next year.”
One telling phrase from Jonathan that you could get lost in the article, was this:
“The view is existential by the studios in terms of the reset in labor-management relations that the unions are seeking. It’s also viewed as existential in terms of where the business is at. The box office is down versus 2019 and is never gonna recover. The linear-television broadcast and cable is dying and audiences are shrinking.”
It seems likely that as the pace of technological change increases, then future contract negotiations are going to be very confrontational and visceral. There is a whole landscape shift - call it the tectonics of technology - in the TV and Film industry and the good old golden age of theatrical being the measure of success, is over. It would seem that the age of romance for theatrical is over.
As well as talking about these terms and conditions of labour and the paradigm shifts in technology, we should as the labour behind the industry, be discussing (on Stage32!) what we can do to develop the Indie production of content and transform the world by the stories we tell.
https://www.vulture.com/article/what-is-the-sag-strike-sag-aftra-questio...
Geoff Hall ~ interesting Geoff! Thanks for sharing...
MY intuitive and psychic SIDE OF ME (right side brain)... is revealing that THIS does all make sense...
though ONE AREA THAT WILL CONTINUE & GET STRONGER... is LIVE THEATRICAL PLAYS, like Broadway, OR ALIKE...
THIS WILL BE DUE TO HUMANS are wanting to RETURN TO A TIME WHEN, THE LAND was more "ALIVE" in an organic sense. AS WHEN HUMANS GATHERED BACK IN MORE ANCIENT TIMES, though at times, barbaric on some level in the entertainment area. It will be in the near FUTURE similar, yet different!
I remember seeing MY FIRST EVER LIVE PLAY of HELLO DOLLY back when I was in 9th grade (13ish?) AND I was a volunteer in the LIBRARY for my extra hours... SO WE as a group, were given a nice TRIP to the RIVERFRONT in Philadelphia... where we ate a great meal, AND SAW THIS LIVE!
That was my first taste of theatrical PLAYS LIVE... and ever since I LOVE THEM!! THOUGH it is the only one I have ever attended sad to say... LIFE HAS JUST BEEN TOO HECTIC... NOW in the GOLDEN YEARS< I plan on attending a few... AND have one of my OWN LIVE PLAYS I am thinking to do down the road...!!