WGA writers remain concerned about AI, decrease in residuals with studios' new model
LOS ANGELES (KABC) -- Picketing resumed Wednesday for the 11,000 members of the Writers Guild of America outside major L.A.-area studios as the strike that's halted hundreds of productions has entered its second day.
Following Monday night's announcement by the WGA's West Coast and East Coast branches that contract talks with the studios had broken down, the union walked off the job when its contract expired at 12:01 a.m. Tuesday, the union's first strike in 15 years.
The writers union remains at an impasse with Hollywood studios over a host of labor issues. Besides residuals for streaming content and the number of writers assigned to each show, writers have also raised concerns about the use of artificial intelligence.
"I think it speaks to the fact that we're all dealing with the same issues. We're all concerned about AI. We're all concerned with not being able to have a middle class existence," said Claire Kiechel, a WGA member on strike.
Kiechel said she has friends who worked on network shows before streaming and they were able to buy homes and build wealth if their show succeeded. And now, for the Netflix show she worked on in 2017, she said she has made about $5,000 in total residuals.
A rise in streaming content means there are more shows to work on, but each one has fewer episodes than network television and fewer writers in the room.
"If you only have tiny rooms, only experienced people are going to be in this profession. Only the people that are making a lot of money. And we are just not gonna have the next generation of incredible showrunners to come out. And that's a tragedy," said Kiechel.
Union leaders have offered a proposal to allow the use of some AI to assist writers in polishing scripts, as long as it doesn't impact their credits or residuals.
But concerns remain about the potential for the technology to replace writers altogether if no restrictions are imposed.
"They want to have AI write a script and hire a writer - an actual person - to come and touch up the script that AI writes to make it unique. Over time, AI will just be generating the same story over and over again," one man in a picket line told Eyewitness News on Tuesday.
"We need creativity in this field and in this industry to keep viewers interested."
The Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers, which represents the studios, has said it presented a comprehensive package proposal to the guild, which included "generous" increases in compensation for writers as well as improvements in streaming residuals.
"The AMPTP also indicated to the WGA that it is prepared to improve that offer, but was unwilling to do so because of the magnitude of other proposals still on the table that the guild continues to insist upon. The primary sticking points are mandatory staffing and duration of employment, guild proposals that would require a company to staff a show with a certain number of writers for a specified period of time, whether needed or not.
"The AMPTP member companies remain united in their desire to reach a deal that is mutually beneficial to writers and the health and longevity of the industry, and to avoid hardship to the thousands of employees who depend upon the industry for their livelihoods. The AMPTP is willing to engage in discussions with the WGA in an effort to break this logjam.''
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Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass played a key role in the recent labor dispute between the Los Angeles Unified School District and thousands of workers. Bass said she'll be reaching out to both sides of this labor dispute.
"Though we negotiated intent on making a fair deal -- and though your strike vote gave us the leverage to make some gains -- the studios' responses to our proposals have been wholly insufficient, given the existential crisis writers are facing," the Writers Guild wrote in a message to its membership.
"The companies' behavior has created a gig economy inside a union workforce, and their immovable stance in this negotiation has betrayed a commitment to further devaluing the profession of writing. From their refusal to guarantee any level of weekly employment in episodic television, to the creation of a 'day rate' in comedy variety, to their stonewalling on free work for screenwriters and on AI (artificial intelligence) for all writers, they have closed the door on their labor force and opened the door to writing as an entirely freelance profession," the union's statement read.
A WGA and Screen Actors Guild member, Daheli Hall, said the studios' new model may work for them now, but things could change on a dime.
"They don't know what they want. People feel like they have the formula. You just do this formula, you're gonna make money and be profitable. And we've seen time and time again that formulas get disrupted all of a sudden," she said.
Hall said that during the last strike in 2007, she switched from acting to writing to ensure that she remained successful in Hollywood.
"That strike shut down my show, and it was a very tough couple of years for me. And I made sure to be a writer and started making sure my content was what was going to keep me alive in this industry as a creative person," said Hall.
Pickets began on Wednesday 9 a.m. at Amazon's Studio in Culver City, CBS' Studio City lot, Television City, The Walt Disney Co.'s corporate headquarters in Burbank, the Fox Studio Lot, Netflix's Hollywood headquarters, Paramount Studios in Hollywood, Sony Studios in Culver City, Universal Studios and Warner Bros. in Burbank.
"What we're saying is, let's not have this hubris to believe we are replaceable. That is such a sad state of affairs if that's what you feel like you can do," said Hall.
Given the writers' concerns and demands, there is no clear end to the strike in sight.
"I think we're going to be out here a while, and it sucks," said Robert Forman, a writer and WGA striker.
City News Service contributed to this report.
