Everyone knows about the Hollywood strikes that have stopped all TV and film productions, but few really understand what it’s all about. The media reports that the actors and writers are looking for equity and better pay when it comes to residuals and AI but what does all that really mean?
Residuals are like royalty payments for musicians and authors; they get a “royalty” every time a production is aired on network or cable TV or a DVD/Blu-Ray/VHS is purchased. But, established as a part of the 1960 strike, streaming is not covered under the contract. In recent years actors and writers have seen their residual checks go down sometimes significantly as fewer people buy or watch films on TV.
As they age, the roles for actors become slimmer, and it is the residual checks that keep them going from month to month but with smaller and smaller checks, the income security has fallen by the wayside.
In some cases, the residual checks are destined to go down as the movie ages or its popularity winds down and fewer people watch it on TV, but the onset of the streaming area has exacerbated the issue.
Even when a streaming company does pay a residual, it is similar to that paid to musicians for their streaming songs which equals about $.10 per 1,500 plays of a song. While Taylor Swift may get millions of songs streamed per day actors and writers are not so lucky and make considerably less if anything at all.
Negations between the Screen Actors Guild-American Federation of Television and Radio Artists (actors) and
The Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers (studios) broke off July 12 and the AMPTP has not had a single negotiation session with the Writers Guild of America (writers) since early May. There appears to be no progress and little incentive to even try to negotiate with either union a perpetual back-and-forth of they said/ they said. There have even been allegations that the studios executives are willing to “wait out” unions until they lose their houses and are forced to concede.
Striking writers and actors may walk the picket lines but are not allowed to promote any of their projects. Which means all of the movies previously scheduled to be released will do so, but there will be no big fancy premieres with the stars in attendance. This also include attendance at conventions, like Comic Con and awards programs like the Emmys.
However, when it comes to performances on the stage, like Beoadway or national touring companies, the actors are not under the same union, and may act in those productions with no problem.
For the average film or TV viewer, watching newly released productions, or continuing with their current streaming services, does not constitute any violations of the current, strike by the writers and actors. Just the opposite, viewing programs on streaming services actually helps the union’s stance when it comes to negotiations of residual payments.
The writer strike, began in early May, just as studios were preparing to begin shooting for the fall programs. With the onset of the actor strike in early July, all production of new series have ceased with no indication of when anything will begin again. Currently studios and networks are scrambling to find programming to fill in the new fall lineup, which is sure to be filled with reality programming, and some “encore“ programming from past seasons of current programs; including streaming services that depend on original programming.