The Hollywood strike is an unprecedented event in history, causing the vast entertainment industry of this country to fall into a state of paralysis.
Hollywood cinema is one of the world’s leading film industries, always at the forefront in terms of both quantity and quality. For over 3 months, two Hollywood strikes have taken place simultaneously, leaving many unfinished projects with no chance to continue, causing unemployment for many film crews, actors, and workers who live under the threat of AI artificial intelligence. The dual strike of the Screen Actors Guild and the Writers Guild of America is predicted to have significant repercussions in the future.
Numerous protests by thousands of writers and actors have erupted in Hollywood.
A more chaotic Hollywood than ever before.
As of the current moment, the Hollywood strike has lasted for more than 100 days. No longer a renowned Hollywood, the film industry now becomes chaotic, tumultuous, lacking many blockbusters that should have premiered this summer. The main focus of this strike is an ongoing dispute over salary issues. The strike began to brew when there was a huge disparity in the salaries between A-list stars, newcomers, and those working in supporting roles within the crew. Moreover, the low wages, which tend to decrease, are also the reason why many famous faces in Hollywood are involved in the strike.
The Hollywood strike is predicted to make the film market of this country challenging.
With such wages, many actors and workers share that they still have to pay taxes, insurance, and dozens of other expenses… These amounts sometimes make up to 35% of their total income. Especially after the Covid-19 pandemic, difficulties are further compounded.
On the other hand, in the era of Industry 4.0, as online streaming services rise and the disruption of artificial intelligence, humans are living in more anxiety and threat. Many directors and writers share that they are very afraid that AI will replace their positions at any time. And of course, filmmakers, will they use AI to replace them to save a huge amount of costs?
Writers and actors participate in protests outside the Paramount studio in Los Angeles, USA.
The Hollywood strike not only affects the film industry but also extends to other professions. These can include restaurants, customers, dining, laundry, transportation… This dual strike seriously impacts the economy, and it is predicted that the existing damages are just the beginning. According to estimates published by Kevin Klowden, the global strategy director of the Milken Institute, the strikes could cause damages of up to 4 billion USD to the national economy.”
It can be seen that the recent Hollywood strike has not only caused a stir in this country but also upheaval in the world. Across newspapers, media outlets, the released numbers about this strike have undoubtedly left a significant impact.
More than 65,000 actors on strike, demanding better conditions in Hollywood.
Around mid-July, 60,000 members of the Screen Actors Guild (SAG) went on strike in Hollywood. This number has been uncontrollably increasing as 11,000 members of the Writers Guild of America also officially joined the strike.
$27.73 per hour is the average wage for actors in California in 2022. This statistic is provided by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. According to actors’ opinions, this pay is low considering the effort they put in. Protest participants are demanding higher wages, with a minimum of $3,756 per week.
Only 12.7% of SAG-AFTRA members have qualifying insurance plans. This low percentage is due to the fact that after receiving wages, actors and workers have to allocate funds for many other obligatory expenses mentioned above. This is also one of the main reasons motivating many to participate in the protest and strike.
$4 billion is the estimated damage that the Hollywood strike will cause. This dual strike will undoubtedly stall numerous film projects, leading to no income and lost audience for the U.S. film industry. Gradually, it will even threaten the position of Hollywood cinema.
The aforementioned figures speak to the unforeseen consequences that Hollywood cinema will have to endure. In reality, actors and writers in Hollywood have no choice but to stand up and fight for their rights.
When will the Hollywood strike end?
Not only in the United States but all around the world, many are questioning when the Hollywood strike will come to an end. According to Mr. Purdy’s estimation, these strikes are likely to continue until 2024. Providing an immediate solution that satisfies all parties involved is an impractical task.
Many experts predict that these strikes are likely to extend until 2024.
The alliance of film producers has also convened to propose solutions and announced that they will strive to respond as soon as possible. They have put forth various suggestions to ease the protests and anger from the demonstrators.
The film studios have proposed granting project organizers the authority to establish the scale of staff and allocate additional budget for programs and film projects. This ensures both quality and fairness in wage distribution.
The film studios also assert that AI cannot be considered a writer, and they will not use or abuse AI to cut down the wages of screenwriters.
For now, no one can definitively predict when the Hollywood strike will come to a complete end, returning to the audience a film industry of quality with groundbreaking blockbusters. Nonetheless, audiences around the world still hope that Hollywood will soon return and all issues will be resolved in the best possible way.
