It's Been A Hot Strike Summer (What We Can Learn From The Hollywood Strikes)
We chose hyper-individualism world, but, however, it does not serve us.
In early June, the actors of Hollywood voted to authorize a strike for the first time in decades, with over 98% voting for a strike instead of against one. These actors voted to join the screenwriters at the picket line and refute labor until the studios and executives give into their needs and wants. Most of the demands made were very reasonable. They hinge around increasing workers’ pay and workers’ rights to residuals and to moderate and reign in AI. Unfortunately, studios are not budging to meet demands, forcing the actors to go on strike.
This will be the first time in sixty years that writers and actors are on strike at the same time. The last time the writers were on strike was in 2008, which lasted 100 days and gave rise to the reality TV behemoth that we see today. When the writers were on strike back then, very few could work on projects, which led to television projects being cut short, wrapped up haphazardly, or cancelled all together. The risks and rewards are highly contested for this strike with a lot at stake for all parties involved. With the increased expansion and usage of AI, writers are concerned that they will be out of a job and out of an industry. Actors are also concerned about being out of work and about their likeliness being used for publicity without their consent. The demand to strike is high right now, as this is the most opportune time to have voices heard before things get dire and the timing of the moment escapes.
The thing is, people outside the industry have never taken writers or actors seriously. People see the typical actor as whining or entitled, even though there is no truth to back these statements up. They see them as ‘spoiled and stuck-up’, but the reality is that only two percent of actors make an actual living, and many actors, including background actors and voice actors, are severely underpaid for the amount of work that they do and have to have second or even third jobs to cover their bills. Even the actors on the tippy top aren’t always financially secure. There are plenty of A-list stars who have come out about being in debt and having to rely on credit cards, gifts, or the kindness of friends or family in order to make it in the industry. Even the most well-known actors have to take on projects that are unfavorable to their brand or that might not make sense to their fans to get them through until they land their next gig.
What also gets lost in translation is that actors and writers in Hollywood are essentially freelancers and contractors. They are not salaried employees, and they do not have a regular paycheck to rely on. They also do not get the healthcare or benefits that we associate with the traditional nine-to-five job. They have to get healthcare, benefits, and other protections by working with and being represented by their union. Though Hollywood might present itself as glitz, glamour, and free events, the reality is that for most striving actors, the reality is a far cry from what the media and social media present to their audience. After all, you can attend all the free events that you want, but if you do not have good health coverage, you won’t be in the best spot if something unexpected happens.
Strikes, in general, are not something that people actively want to happen. Strikes tend to happen when workers’ rights are compromised to the point that they have no choice but to withhold their labor. Strikes tend to be beneficial to workers, giving them the right to quality healthcare, favorable working conditions, and reduced working hours, to name a few. Typically, when workers come to the point of striking, they have already exhausted other possibilities, and the powers that be are not leaving room for negotiation or answers. Case in point: though there have been several rounds of negotiation (including a round of federal mediation), the actors of SAG have cited multiple times that the studios have stonewalled conversations, especially when they get to the heart of the demands surrounding pay and the future of technology.
Should Content Creators Go On Strike?
One idea that has been floating around is that content creators and influencers should go on strike to support the actors and screenwriters currently on strike. This idea comes from the fact that now that studios can’t use actors, they will naturally turn to content creators to fill the void. This could be a wide range of activities, from promoting movies or shows that are already out to calling on content creators or influencers for small roles or short-form content to make the studios look more favorable in the public's eyes.
Many social media creators have made videos explicitly addressing these tactics and behaviors that can arise out of the strike and calling on other creators to resist these tactics as they may want or need to join the actors guild or union in the future. They have called on other creators to instead make videos explaining the strike, filming themselves at the strike, or other educational material regarding what is happening in Hollywood. It is, of course, an elusive feeling to want to answer Big Hollywood calls, but it won’t be the big break that creators would hope for because there is the potential of being discouraged once the Hollywood execs see no more need for them.
Also, there is a bit of symbiosis and solidarity between creators and actors. They all want to share their creativity and art and get paid fairly for it. Plus, content creators tend to know where actors are standing. Only 12% of content creators make decent wages or money from their content, and that is out of the outsize number of 200 million content creators worldwide. In fact, most people do content creation part-time, and those who do grind at it for years before seeing money and their worth being respected.
Even though the influencer and content creation industries are worth billions of dollars, creators only get a fraction of what they are owed. And with the ever-changing nature of the internet, it is hard to know how and what can be monetized and for how long. Many sites promising creator funds have downsized or gotten rid of them all together, including the likes of TikTok and Instagram. The only real stable way to monetize social media content creation is through Youtube, but even Youtube has been criticized for demonetizing some creators’ videos, changing up monetization terms, and making it harder for some videos to be shown via their algorithm.
Reality TV Stars Hint At Strike
And content creators are not the only ones who are wondering whether or not they should strike. Popular reality stars are also speaking out about their unfavorable circumstances. When Hollywood strikes, reality stars pick up the slack. There is an increase in viewers going somewhere, so the viewers lean more into unscripted content while their favorite shows are off air. For channels like Bravo, E!, WE, and Lifetime, that could be a goldmine, as there are a lot of unscripted reality options to choose from on these channels. However, that does not mean reality TV stars are being fairly compensated or protected under the clauses and contracts that they sign. What viewers forget is that reality TV stars always have to be on and share some version of their lives with their audience, regardless of their health conditions, mental health outlook, physical wellbeing, or the like.
Bethany Frankel noted this when she called for reality stars to unionize and look into a potential strike. She mentioned how life can be mined for content and how it could leave the stars in dire straits. Of course, what comes to mind are popular incidents, including the most recent incident of ‘Scandoval’, where the stars of Vanderpump Rules had to reenact a cheating scandal that tore apart cast members and had the audience choosing sides. While things like that make for great content and engagement, they come at the expense of the stars personal lives and personal wellbeing. The understanding that we have all come to tacitly accept is that you are selling your life for content, fame, and money, and you have to do what it takes to maintain your standing. If you choose to participate, you get riches and all that comes with them. And if you do not, well, there are millions of people ready and willing to take your place.
Strikes Can Be Successful.
Hollywood is not the only industry that is on strike this year, though it is the one being most talked about. In late June, the teamsters at UPS decided to call and authorize a strike after multiple failed rounds of negotiations. The frustrations that the workers cited in these instances were unfair labor conditions involving hot cars, no breaks, an outdated pay structure, and being overrun or overworked. The strike was expected to last ten days and could have cost the US billions of dollars in undelivered items and put a full stop to deliveries.
If it had happened, there would have been a wide-reaching impact on both small and large businesses as well as consumers. The consequences would have been insurmountable. After a tense debate, the teamsters won their battle, and their employer gave them what they wanted. The teamster got a whopping increase in salary, plus more in benefits and working protections. Because they won this new contract for their employees, UPS drivers who work full time now can earn over one hundred and seventy thousand dollars in a year.
The Hollywood Strike Is Still Ongoing.
Though there have been meetings and talks from both sides, the WGA and the SAG-AFTA strikes are still ongoing. This is unprecedented, as the WGA strike has become the second-longest strike in the union’s history. Though there is a backlog of content to get through and plenty of shows to watch on all streaming services, people are starting to get antsy about the future of television and what the strikes will do to the fall television line-up and beyond. Some popular movies, including one that features Zendaya, have been pulled from the rotation to be featured next year instead of this year. Additionally, the Emmys have rescheduled the time and date for the famed award show. More award shows are expected to follow suit, depending on how long the strikes last.
And it is too soon to tell if this will be an even longer strike than it already is or if both sides will reach a deal by the end of the year. However, and whenever it ends, the most important thing is that a fair agreement is reached for the ones who create, because at the end of the day, that is why we watch and live to see—the bleeding heart of our entertainment are the creators.