2023 Writers + Actors Strike Thread

[RavenWhitney]

All the actor botox, fillers and caked on make up will positively wilt in that heat!

[Contessa Donatella]

My morning Google Alert email on the combined strike, strongly suggested that we all watch this TED talk by Ethan Hawke on allowing oneself to be creative. Hey, I'm game. It's just 10  minutes. 

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[DramatistDreamer]

Lest anyone believe that only the writers and actors stand to lose the longer all parties go without an agreement, the studios stand to lose their credit worthiness as businesses, which could end up costing them about a half billion dollars a year, according to credit ratings agency Moody’s.

https://deadline.com/2023/07/moodys-sag-aftra-actors-strike-wga-costing-big-media-movie-theaters-streamers-netflix-1235439559/

[Contessa Donatella]

https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/business/business-news/iatse-holds-strike-authorization-vote-pink-contract-1235539490/

[titan1978]

I know daytime actor contracts do not allow them to strike. But I was wondering if it impacts new hires/non contract roles?

Does SAG/AFTRA allow actors to be hired on soaps for background work, recurring, or  audition and begin a new contract while the strike is happening? Because shows like GH have their recurring folks in constant story.

If I was in this union I would understand honoring the contract. But I would frown upon non-contract actors still appearing.

Edited July 20, 2023 by titan1978

[dragonflies]

[Errol]

Different contract, so yes. General Hospital can hire Meryl Streep tomorrow and she wouldn't be considered a scab since the contract covering General Hospital is still valid. Look at Net Code as a show/program contract that SAG-AFTRA and the studios agreed upon. Essentially, the soaps could theoretically go on a hiring spree as anyone wanting to make a buck during the strike could potentially appear on any of the soaps. The difference is when it comes to talk shows, which also falls under Net Code. If the SAG-AFTRA member were on a talk show to discuss their pet Roman, how they raise their kids or their wedding anniversary, that's fine. They just can't talk about projects (current, future and past) that was produced or financed by a struck company.

The problem with Net Code, which isn't necessarily addressed, is that any actor working is technically working for a show that has hired a Fi-Core writer to write the show's storylines unless the script was written prior to the strike. The longer the strike persists, however, the less likely that is going to be.

[Contessa Donatella]

Correct me if I'm wrong but isn't a rule of thumb that as long as they have a union card it doesn't matter how they are employed by the soap, contract, recurring, under 5, background, etc. that they're all covered?

[Errol]

That's my understanding. As long as they are a SAG-AFTRA member and the show falls under Net Code, it doesn't matter whether they are on contract or not. They all still get paid by the Net Code show at the end of the day.

[titan1978]

Thanks for the clarification!

[Contessa Donatella]

Thanks!!

[Soaplovers]

Not sure if posted before...but a history of past strikes.

https://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/UsefulNotes/TVStrikes#:~:text=This three-month strike was to establish compensation for,took over for Jean Doumanian as executive producer.

 

1985 wga strike is probably one of the main reasons the WGA has held firm in future strikes...and led to the 2007/8 strike...which helped WGA writers get hired for streaming shows.

[Vee]

A reasonably insightful article about the dynamics between the streamers and conventional networks, discussing why the networks are still siding with the streamers even though the strikes could hasten the demise of network TV.

[Faulkner]

This line says so much about the state of affairs:

[Soapsuds]

That is why TV programming has been garbage for decades.