I’ve been having some recent conversations in Hollywood about the ongoing standoff between the studios and the guilds, and let me tell you, it’s become quite a gripe. It’s no longer about who’s right or wrong on topics like AI, writers room staffing, or streaming residuals. The real issue now is the lack of time spent in the negotiating room while the entire industry suffers.
During the last WGA strike, a settlement was reached in just 100 days. But this time, the AMPTP and WGA didn’t even meet until after the 100-day mark. Sure, they’ve had a few more meetings this month, but why did it have to take so long? And to make matters worse, there haven’t been any negotiating sessions with SAG-AFTRA leadership since they called a strike.
While the AMPTP and the striking guilds avoid each other, it’s the workers above and below the line who are caught in the crossfire. These are the people who aren’t even part of the dispute but are struggling to hang on. They’ve already been hit hard by the prolonged production shutdown caused by Covid, and now they’re facing two ongoing strikes that have brought most film and TV productions to a screeching halt. It’s hard to have any confidence that things will change soon, especially when the AMPTP negotiators have barely spent any time sitting across the table from the writers and actors’ representatives.
This is not okay, and the people affected by this are speaking up. They’re tired of hearing rumors that talks have turned a corner, only to be disappointed. They’re tired of the empty gestures that follow each rejected proposal. It’s time for these negotiators to lock themselves in a room and pick up the pace. There are no heroes here anymore. Everyone understands the complexity of the issues at hand as Hollywood grapples with the seismic shifts caused by technology and streaming. But we also know that eventually, two deals will be made. Sitting across the table and engaging in meaningful negotiations seems like the most logical path to resolution. Enough with waiting each other out in a battle of attrition that is hurting too many people. Maybe the AMPTP should invite those backchanneling moguls, who are sitting in a backroom trying to play Lew Wasserman, to the negotiating table. They’re known for calling audibles and they’re great at it.
This is a critical moment, and it’s time for all of you to try harder. Get in the room and make things happen before more industry-wide layoffs hit this fall, along with a spike in For Sale signs on front lawns.
