2023-07-14 12:11:36
It’s been rumbling in Hollywood for a long time – now a mega strike has broken out.
Tens of thousands of actors and screenwriters have been on strike, paralyzing Hollywood’s film industry since midnight (local time). In the USA, it is now practically no longer possible to shoot films and series. And film premieres also have to do without their stars.
It is the first double strike by writers and actors since 1960 – and the first strike by the actors’ union in four decades.
Imagine it’s “Barbie” premiere – and the stars don’t go. Margot Robbie and Ryan Gosling already celebrated their film in London on Wednesday, but because of the strike they will not be coming to Berlin on Saturday. The premiere takes place, but without Hollywood glamor
Foto: Getty Images
The long-awaited German premiere of “Barbie” in Berlin will have to do without her draft horses Margot Robbie (33) and Ryan Gosling (42). As members of the actors’ union, they are not allowed to film or travel to promotional dates during the strike.
Union member Robbie said at the London premiere on Wednesday: “I will definitely stand by it.” Gosling also announced: “I support the actors.”
Members of the actors’ union SAG-AFTRA and the screenwriters’ union WGA (Writers Guild of America) strike together outside the Netflix offices in Los Angeles
Foto: Getty Images
A deep crisis for Hollywood. The past few years have been challenging due to the pandemic and the change brought by streaming portals, lower box office revenues and the decline in cable television. The scriptwriters have been on strike since May 2nd. The fact that the actors are now joining makes it almost impossible to work.
The US actors’ union Screen Actors Guild (SAG-AFTRA) is demanding higher fees from Disney, Netflix and Co. In the more than four weeks of negotiations, however, they were unable to reach an agreement with the major film studios. The Association of Film and Television Producers (AMPTP) is “still not ready” to respond to the union’s main demands and offer a “fair deal”.
Three-time Oscar winner Meryl Streep supports the strike
Foto: picture alliance / ASSOCIATED PR
So now the historic strike. The SAG board of directors spoke unanimously in favor of this. Around 65,000 members took part in the ballot on June 7, and almost 98 percent of them voted in favor of the strike. And more than 1,000 actors, including stars such as Glenn Close, Ben Stiller and Meryl Streep, previously signed an open letter urging the union to negotiate relentlessly.
What is on strike?
The SAG-AFTRA union has more than 160,000 members, including film and TV actors, stunt performers, TV journalists and presenters. However, the strike only affects actors for series and films: you are now not allowed to work in front of the camera. Off-camera jobs such as synchronization or fittings are also not permitted.
Tom Cruise is happy: his promotional tour for the new “Mission: Impossible” blockbuster is over. Others are postponed or take place in a slimmed down form
Photo: picture alliance / Evan Agostini/Invision/AP
But that’s not all: SAG members are now banned from promoting red carpet projects or conducting interviews. Premieres, award ceremonies, attending film festivals, podcasts, social media advertising – all taboo. This even applies to films that were shot years ago and were made under a SAG-AFTRA contract. Only interviews that have already been conducted may still be printed.
Anyone who breaks the strike faces expulsion from the union.
Who started the strike?
From 1993 to 1999, actress Fran Drescher radiated her charm in the TV series “The Nanny”.
Foto: picture-alliance / dpa
She is largely responsible for Hollywood’s standstill: actress Fran Drescher (65), who once charmed as “The Nanny” on TV – and now, as chairwoman of SAG, leads the fight against stubborn studio bosses for higher wages.
On Thursday, she gave a passionate speech at the start of the strike: “The eyes of the world and especially the eyes of the workers are on us,” said the actress. “What happens to us is important. What happens to us happens in all areas of work.”
Fran Drescher is combative at the press conference announcing the strike
Photo: Chris Pizzello/dpa
She found drastic words for the actors’ working conditions: “I’m shocked at the way the people we did business with treat us!” It was “disgusting. Shame on you!”
The greed of the big companies has been a thorn in her side for a long time, as she has publicly stated several times. In September 2021, Drescher was elected President of the union. When she was elected, she announced that she wanted to put an end to the “dysfunctional division in this union”. So far, her presidency has not been entirely free of criticism.
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What does the strike mean for film and series fans?
Some film starts will be delayed – including suspected box office hits like “Captain America”, the Disney live action “Moana” and the planned “Avatar” sequels. Large companies had already decided to postpone work during negotiations with the union.
Current productions cannot be continued: Large projects such as the “Star Wars” sequels are now at a standstill. The hit series “Last of us” is also on hold. Even films whose shooting has already been completed cannot be completed. Because the actors are not available for reshoots.
Hollywood star Kevin Costner has a problem: he has already invested millions of his own money in his heart project “Horizon”, a multi-part western epic. If it’s over because of the strike, Costner has an expensive problem
Foto: picture alliance / ASSOCIATED PRESS
Because the screenwriters have been on strike for months, the writing and shooting of series is largely flat. Series like “Stranger Things” are on hold. New seasons will be produced later.
This also means that the effects of the strike will still be felt months later. Because production and marketing have a long lead time. It could also be difficult for productions in Germany if a US actor is involved.
For actors, SAG membership is often a prerequisite for getting jobs at all, many productions require it. Sarah Jessica Parker (“And just like that…”) is also a SAG member
Photo: picture alliance / Geisler-Fotopress
Productions with actors who do not belong to the SAG can theoretically continue to shoot – but the union has already announced that it will ask if the applicant has broken the strike in future membership applications. And SAG membership is often a prerequisite for even getting jobs in the US entertainment industry…
The only ray of hope: There will be fewer interviews and pictures of actors on the set – but perhaps more private insights on Instagram. Because even celebrities don’t want to be forgotten…
Do actors really need more money?
Yes! Because the stars walking the red carpet at the Oscars are just the tip of the golden spear.
sea” Variety‘ just five to 15 percent of SAG members earn enough to qualify for health care. Around 50 percent earn “not a cent from acting”. Only 2 percent of union members “have a secure, middle-class income,” estimates Variety. Most of them have to supplement their earnings with part-time jobs.
Only very few can negotiate high fees. The union regulates the minimum wage, both for extras and for leading actors. The daily fee for a small role: at least 370 euros, extras get at least 180 euros per day plus overtime.
Actors get paid for reruns. Thanks to the royalties, they can continue to benefit from their work years later, including Mayim Bialik and Jim Parsons from “The Big Bang Theory”.
Foto: CBS via Getty Images
But inflation means loss of income. And like the screenwriters, the SAG-AFTRA members suffer from the fact that more films and series are being made, but with a smaller budget. Replay royalties are also lower for streaming services than for stationary television.
But it’s not just about money: According to SAG-AFTRA, artificial intelligence (AI) is a “real and imminent threat” because animated characters could mimic actors in a deceptively real way. The union therefore demands clear rules so that they are not replaced by AI animations.
The short-term losers from the strike are the many thousands of performers who are already barely earning enough to make a living. But also the make-up artists, set technicians and camera people, who are now doomed to do nothing.
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