Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers (AMPTP) and WGA were undergoing a 146-day-long standoff. The issue was to use AI tools for scriptwriting in Hollywood. Agreements and disagreements on the idea resulted in a 146-day-long strike.
What Actually Happened with the Writers Guild?
Hollywood, composed of major film studios, and streaming services remained highlighted in the past few months. The reason is Artificial Intelligence (AI) technology. Yes, you heard it right. Hollywood eagerly wants to embed AI in the entertainment industry. AMPTP put their views in front of WAG to include AI writing tools for script writing. WAG on the other side was completely against the decision, based on the assumption of getting replaced with AI tools.
According to scriptwriters, using AI for scriptwriting will directly impact the quality of content as AI only provides plagiarized and medium-quality content. After a long battle, the strike finally ended on Sunday, September 24. Both parties have reached a provisional agreement for the next three-year contract.
In an email, WAG expressed confidence about the agreement stating the tentative agreement of members on the contract. However, the scenario is still unclear, and preliminary votes from the union’s head are expected to be revealed soon. If approved by the leaders, the deal will initiate a rectification vote by the general membership.
Why is AI so Important in the Entertainment Industry?
The main question that arises is, why were members not in favor of the deal?
The WAG union went on strike in May, showing concern over the wages, staff sizes, and the continuous evolution of technologies. The team claimed that the involvement of AI in the industry would disrupt the jobs of scriptwriters. Language is one of the main concerns that emerged from the strike.
AI is not powerful enough to express feelings similar to humans and thus can impact production. Considering the whole scenario, SAG-AFTRA actors also go on strike in July, which is unsolved yet. SAG-AFTRA remains committed to attaining the essential terms for the members.
The strikes and arguments, not only affected the productions but also affected the entire Hollywood as well as fan base. The tentative deal was a raise between 3.5% to 5%. WAG also negotiated new wages based on the show’s popularity. In addition to this, a demand is also raised for bonuses on the most popular shows on Netflix, Max, and other services, which was initially rejected by the studio.
The entire entertainment industry, along with fans worldwide, expects a positive response from WAG’s side.
Conclusion
The 146-day-long standoff finally ended on September 24 with a tentative agreement between WAG and AMPTP. Both parties agreed on the wages, use of AI in the script writing, and other issues. Both parties have reached a provisional agreement for the next three-year contract.
Steve Anderson is an Australian crypto enthusiast. He is a specialist in management and trading for over 5 years. Steve has worked as a crypto trader, he loves learning about decentralisation, understanding the true potential of the blockchain.
Source: https://www.thecoinrepublic.com/2023/10/01/script-writers-unite-with-studios-agreed-on-tentative-deal/