WGA/SAGAFTRA Strike Discussion Thread | SAG Ratifies Contract

[AMC Theaters Enjoyer]

I remain skeptical of the AMPTP actually getting a deal done until SAG and the WGA indicate so. Lot of folks in those unions aren’t buying this report.

[Mojoguy]

EVERYTHING gets delayed because SAG strike won't allow awards bait movie actors to do press resulting in Oscars 2024 being headlined by Barbenheimer.

 

Massive ratings as Barbie and Opp go against each other for all the major awards.

[babz06]

3 hours ago, cooldude97 said:

very much expect nothing to come out of this, and it's because it'll still come down to A.I and residuals 

The residuals are the biggest issue. I think they will relent on AI. 

[JohnCarterofEarth]

Why would they move Dune 2? People aren’t going in to see Zendaya or Timotheé. Only a handful of actors if even that carry movies anymore. 

[Eric Lasagna]

23 hours ago, KC7 said:

So evidently Stephan Amell is a jackass:

Stephen Amell Calls Actors Strike “Myopic” & “A Reductive Negotiating Tactic”

 

And there's this bit from Deadline:

 

It's important to note if you're an industry rag shilling for the studios, sure.

 

[Cappoedameron]

 

[cooldude97]

2 hours ago, babz06 said:

The residuals are the biggest issue. I think they will relent on AI. 

No they fucking won't, especially writers, they would have to the god damn dumbest people in the universe to let studios use Ai the way they want to

[Michael Gary Scott]

1 hour ago, JohnCarterofEarth said:

Why would they move Dune 2? People aren’t going in to see Zendaya or Timotheé. Only a handful of actors if even that carry movies anymore. 

People on here know when movies come out the general audience doesn't know and these tik toks or talk show appearances give the film awareness

[BoxOfficeFangrl]

I doubt that anyone at Deadline genuinely believes Stephen Amell is even kind of high profile, but the headline did its job (inspiring a million views and hundreds of quote tweets).

 

 

I don't expect a deal before the end of whatever counts as summer to executives, plus a couple weeks buffer. Probably much later than that...

 

[Ryan Reynolds]

Studios Seek To Reopen Talks With WGA On Friday

[filmlover]

The fact they're looking to get back to the negotiating table this week with WGA shows at least some sign of movement (and also a surprise, since I figured SAG-AFTRA would be a bigger priority). Of course, that doesn't mean the strikes are over a week from now, but at least gives a hopeful indication that this won't last through the holidays like some were predicting.

[thajdikt]

I think some of you guys are underestimating the reach a person like Zendaya has. Yes people don´t go to movies for stars anymore but Zendaya promoting the movie has an enormous reach. It reaches out to a crowd that may not been otherwise reached with the traditional marketing can´t. Dune is what people will going for but Zendaya helps the spotlight for Dune get out there. I think that´s the point with wanting Zendaya and Chalamet being available for promotion etc. So I wouldnt´be surprised if Dune moves if they don´t come to an agreement by October

Edited August 2, 2023 by thajdikt

[filmlover]

3 minutes ago, thajdikt said:

I think some of you guys are underestimating the reach a person like Zendaya has. Yes people don´t go to movies for stars anymore but Zendaya promoting the movie has an enormous reach. It reaches out to a crowd that may not been otherwise reached with the traditional marketing can´t. Dune is what people will going for but Zendaya helps the spotlight for Dune get out there. I think that´s the point with wanting Zendaya and Chalamet being available for promotion etc. So I wouldnt´be surprised if Dune moves if they don´t come to an agreement by October

They reportedly have until early September to make the final decision (hence why the CEO of IMAX has been essentially pleading to WB to not delay it to 2024 by touting it'll play for several weeks in the format). I have a feeling we'll know before then though if Sony is already assessing the schedule for the next year or so by delaying a few notables (Kraven, Ghostbusters) while keeping enough high-profile titles (Gran Turismo, Equalizer 3, Dumb Money, Napoleon, that R-rated Glen Powell/Sydney Sweeney romcom) to claim they still have a viable slate for the remainder of 2023, strike or not.

[Dementeleus]

Keep in mind, for each union it probably takes 3-4 weeks to vote and ratify a deal after a preliminary agreement. 

[Mojoguy]

18 minutes ago, filmlover said:

They reportedly have until early September to make the final decision (hence why the CEO of IMAX has been essentially pleading to WB to not delay it to 2024 by touting it'll play for several weeks in the format). I have a feeling we'll know before then though if Sony is already assessing the schedule for the next year or so by delaying a few notables (Kraven, Ghostbusters) while keeping enough high-profile titles (Gran Turismo, Equalizer 3, Dumb Money, Napoleon, that R-rated Glen Powell/Sydney Sweeney romcom) to claim they still have a viable slate for the remainder of 2023, strike or not.

With Barbie being a massive hit, high chance of Dune moving to 2024.

 

The year TDK came out and the last WGA strike, they moved Potter 6 to the next year because the lineup was lacking.

 

From wiki

"stop next year's profits from looking seriously underwhelming after the phenomenal success of The Dark Knight," as "they don't need the money this year anymore."

Edited August 2, 2023 by Mojoguy

[Jonwo]

3 hours ago, filmlover said:

The fact they're looking to get back to the negotiating table this week with WGA shows at least some sign of movement (and also a surprise, since I figured SAG-AFTRA would be a bigger priority). Of course, that doesn't mean the strikes are over a week from now, but at least gives a hopeful indication that this won't last through the holidays like some were predicting.

WGA getting sorted acts as a way to get SAG back to the table because then they look like the hold out. 

 

 

[Porthos]

2 hours ago, Plain Old Tele said:

Keep in mind, for each union it probably takes 3-4 weeks to vote and ratify a deal after a preliminary agreement. 

 

The past is not necessarily prologue in matters like these, but here is the, presumably reasonably accurate, Wikipedia summary of the conclusion to the 2007/8 WGA strike:

 

Quote

On February 2, 2008, despite a media blackout agreed to by both parties during unofficial negotiations, multiple media reports suggested there had been significant progress involving breakthroughs on key issues in the talks. Further reporting suggested that by the end of the business week starting February 4, 2008, a contract proposal might be announced.^[62][63][64] Pro-WGA blog UnitedHollywood.com confirmed that "creative solutions to the biggest differences between the AMPTP and the WGA have gotten the tentative and cautious approval of both sides", but cautions that the specific legal language has not yet been drafted.^[65] The next day, rumors continued to mount; Deadlinehollywooddaily.com reported that Peter Chernin had told fellow Super Bowl XLII attendees that "the strike is over."^[66]

 

On February 5, 2008, the WGA leadership scheduled a meeting for active members on Saturday, February 9, 2008, to discuss and gain feedback on a proposed contract.^[68] TV executives had described the deadline as February 15 for new material to be produced for the 2007–2008 television season.^[69][70] On February 9, 2008, WGA President Patric Verrone emailed the membership announcing that the WGA leadership and AMPTP had reached a tentative deal. The tentative contract proposals were provided to the membership, and a meeting to discuss them as well as future process was scheduled the same day on both coasts.

 

According to reports, the first deal discussion meeting for WGAE's members, ended on an optimistic note.^[71]

The WGA started a 48-hour vote for guild members on February 10, 2008, regarding a motion on ending the three-month-old strike.^[72] Voting ended for WGAE at 7PM EST, on February 12, 2008. The WGAW voted from 2:00 to 6:00 p.m. PST, and at approximately 6:51 PST, WGA president Patric Verone announced that 92.5% of the membership voted to end the strike. On February 26, about 93.6% of WGA members approved a new three-year contract that would be effective until May 1, 2011, with pay hikes ranging from 3 to 3.5%.^[73]

 

The key bit to me here is the quick 48 hour vote on stopping the strike, the day after the official announcement of a tentative deal. Then the actual ratification vote which was finalized about two-and-a-half weeks later.

 

Mind, as you well know Tele, tentative labor agreements have blown up in folks faces before once and if a strike was paused/stopped it then starts back up again.  

 

Those labor fights, BTW, get very very VERY messy (and usually protracted), if only because of hurt egos/loss of face.

 

Now it is certainly true that just coz this was how it was handled back in 2007/8, that doesn't necessarily mean it's gonna be handled the exact same way by either the WGA or SAG.  But as a broad roadmap, seems plausible.

 

Either way, neither of the strikes will be over, or rather "over", until at least some sort of vote is taken of the union memberships in question and it won't be over for realz until it is actually ratified.

 

Edited August 2, 2023 by Porthos

[Issac Newton]

Barbie Japan Premiere

 

[MysteryMovieMogul]

14 hours ago, babz06 said:

The residuals are the biggest issue. I think they will relent on AI. 

This is what I keep telling people to expect. AI only matters to artists if it hurts their bottom line. If they get other pay demands, AI will take a backseat.

[Cap]

28 minutes ago, MysteryMovieMogul said:

This is what I keep telling people to expect. AI only matters to artists if it hurts their bottom line. If they get other pay demands, AI will take a backseat.

The problem is they did this last time with “New Media” and got screwed. People are still pissed about that. So I don’t know if this time around there gonna be as willing to cave.