2023-07-14 15:41:24
opinion strike
That’s why Hollywood concerns us all this time
Status: 14.07.2023 | Reading time: 2 minutes
Why Hollywood actors are going on strike
For the first time in decades, tens of thousands of screenwriters and actors are on strike at the same time. An important premiere therefore had to do without its stars. Hollywood is facing a major crisis.
You can listen to our WELT podcasts here
In order to display embedded content, your revocable consent to the transmission and processing of personal data is required, since the providers of the embedded content as third-party providers require this consent [In diesem Zusammenhang können auch Nutzungsprofile (u.a. auf Basis von Cookie-IDs) gebildet und angereichert werden, auch außerhalb des EWR]. By setting the switch to “on”, you agree to this (which can be revoked at any time). This also includes your consent to the transfer of certain personal data to third countries, including the USA, in accordance with Art. 49 (1) (a) GDPR. You can find more information about this. You can withdraw your consent at any time via the switch and via privacy at the bottom of the page.
The big stars make millions, their doubles still earn quite well – but the income of most actors in Hollywood is miserable. But this walkout is about much more than just money.
Tom Cruise made $100 million last year. Say the relevant Hollywood rankings. Will Smith was there with 35 million, Leonardo DiCaprio and Brad Pitt with 30 million each. Women can only be found from under 15 million. And now the strike of the actors. They want more money.
Another statistic: According to the collective bargaining agreement – Hollywood is probably the most heavily regulated US industry – the minimum wage for actors is $1,056 a day; if the role requires at least five days of work, the pay is $3,644 per week.
also read
The double for a star brings home $214 in the evening, background actors (without dialogue) $182. By the 160,000 members of the actors’ union SAG-AFTRA more than 90 percent fall into this day-to-day category. It’s quite common for weeks or even months to pass between her last role and her next. The average annual salary of such actors is $26,276, according to union figures.
So, over the next few weeks, we’re going to see Meryl Streep and Jennifer Lawrence picketing Warner Bros. and Netflix headquarters. This has nothing to do with the fact that Streep wanted to add a few thousand dollars to her earnings (estimated over the course of her career: 170 million); her agent negotiates her fees individually anyway. But she lends her face to one thing.
It’s a common phrase, but these days it’s taking on a second, more sinister meaning. Artificial intelligence can imitate faces, facial expressions and movements better and better. Streep and Cruise may still be protected against it or at least let their AI clones pay dearly. But what about the other 90 percent of the 160,000?
Since computer-generated warriors fought in mass scenes for the first time in “The Lord of the Rings” 20 years ago (ultimately a copy/paste process), CGI technology has made massive progress. Actually, the silent background actors (for $182 a day) would soon no longer be needed. That’s what this strike is all about, about the loss of – say – 50 percent of the acting jobs. And that’s why Hollywood concerns us all this time.
This is where you will find third-party content
In order to display embedded content, your revocable consent to the transmission and processing of personal data is required, since the providers of the embedded content as third-party providers require this consent [In diesem Zusammenhang können auch Nutzungsprofile (u.a. auf Basis von Cookie-IDs) gebildet und angereichert werden, auch außerhalb des EWR]. By setting the switch to “on”, you agree to this (which can be revoked at any time). This also includes your consent to the transfer of certain personal data to third countries, including the USA, in accordance with Art. 49 (1) (a) GDPR. You can find more information about this. You can withdraw your consent at any time via the switch and via privacy at the bottom of the page.
#Strike #Hollywood #concerns #time