XAVIER BOATNER
campus editor
xavier.boatner@my.tccd.edu
Writers and actors have banded together to stand against Hollywood, but what does this mean for the future?
On May 2, the “2023 Writers Guild of America (WGA) Strike” began, and with it came countless writers and actors who spoke out regarding labor disputes in the industry. This has been going on for three months, putting it on track to become among the longest-running WGA strikes in history.
This has caused mass hysteria within Hollywood and has led many to question what will become of actors and writers in the entertainment industry. Though, some may be wondering why this is happening in the first place. So, what’s the sitch?
Entertainers from across the entire industry have come together in search of not only better accommodation for their work, but proper respect for their work. It is not uncommon for entertainers to tell stories about their lackluster pay, grueling work hours, poor accommodations and hostile work environments. This strike, however, is here to try and change this.
But Hollywood is not going down without a fight. There have been many strides made on Hollywood’s end to continue its work despite the resistance from writers and actors over the duration of the strike.
Not only has Hollywood already begun experimenting with alternatives like AI body scans for background extras over the last few months, but it has gone as far as to resurrect deceased actors using AI, namely the late Christopher Reeves, to feature in films such as DC Comics’ and Warner Brothers’ “The Flash” from earlier in the year.
On top of that, writers have been on the frontlines of this debacle as well (it is called the Writers Guild of America Strike after all), fighting for their livelihoods. AI writing has already started to take the industry by storm, which has put writers in fear of losing their jobs.
This has been setting a curious precedent for the future, and many wonder how this strike will affect entertainment.
Lot of projects have been delayed, put on hold indefinitely, or cancelled. Movies like Universal Pictures’ “Cleopatra” have been postponed by the strike, new seasons of NBC’s “Law and Order” have been postponed indefinitely, and Apple TV’s “Metropolis’” has been cancelled.
In addition to increasing unemployment figures and affecting the rollout of many different productions, the strike has also negatively impacted the economy.
According to Forbes, the economic fallout of the strike could potentially exceed $3 billion. For the uninitiated, this is a lot of money. Though, what does it all mean? What happens? Prices will go up, but for what? Movie tickets? Streaming services? At this point, who’s to say for certain.
The battle between writers and actors and Hollywood is fierce, but it’s going to have to end eventually. It is hard to say when it will end, but the only hope is that entertainers walk away from this with the respect they deserve.
