Jimmy Kimmel, Stephen Colbert, Jimmy Fallon, Seth Meyers, and John Oliver have come together to create a podcast, "Strike Force Five," to discuss the Hollywood strikes. The podcast features conversations about the strikes and aims to raise awareness about the Writers Guild of America and SAG-AFTRA strikes. The podcast is available on Spotify and will feature weekly conversations about the strikes.
Posts tagged as “the Writers Guild of America East”
Hollywood writers and studio executives have met to discuss the possibility of resuming contract talks, as the Writers Guild of America (WGA) strike approaches the 100-day mark. The strike has had a significant economic impact on Los Angeles and California, where film and television production accounts for more than 700,000 jobs and nearly $70 billion a year in wages. Negotiations are expected to continue in the coming weeks, with the hope that a deal can be reached that is beneficial to both sides.
After nearly 100 days of striking, Hollywood writers and producers have finally agreed to reopen negotiations. The Writers Guild of America (WGA) and the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers (AMPTP) have been in a stalemate since early May, when 11,500 film and TV writers began striking for more equitable wages and working conditions. Carol Lombardini, the studio negotiator, has requested a meeting for Friday to discuss the possibility of resuming negotiations, marking the first sign of movement in the dispute. The meeting does not guarantee a resolution, but it is a positive step forward in the process and hopefully will lead to a beneficial agreement for both sides.
The 75th Primetime Emmy Awards have been postponed due to strikes led by the Writers Guild of America and SAG-AFTRA, who are seeking better pay in the streaming era. The Television Academy and Fox had looked to move the show to November and January respectively, but no new date has been determined. The strikes have also affected the Daytime and Creative Arts Emmy Awards, which have been moved to October and November respectively.
City Controller Kenneth Mejia is investigating whether Universal Studios has resorted to shady measures to retaliate against writers and actors on the picket lines, after before and after photos of trees outside the studio showed them trimmed down, preventing union members from receiving shade in the hot weather. The incident has sparked outrage among union members and has highlighted the need for better working conditions for writers and actors.
On July 12, the 75th Primetime Emmy Awards nominations were announced, with HBO's "Succession" leading the pack with 27 nominations. Yvette Nicole Brown and Frank Scherma hosted the announcement, which comes at a tense time for Hollywood due to the ongoing Writers Guild of America strike. The Emmy Awards ceremony will take place on September 19, 2021, and viewers will have to wait to see which shows will take home the awards.
On Sunday, May 22, 2021, a protest was held at Boston University in response to the ongoing Writers Guild of America strike. The protest was attended by around 100 people, who chanted and waved signs, and some graduates inside the stadium shouted "pay your writers" during the commencement address. The strike began on April 12, 2021, and is centered around wages, healthcare, and other benefits for writers. Negotiations between the WGA and Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers are ongoing.
President Joe Biden has expressed his support for striking Hollywood writers, calling for a “fair deal” for them as soon as possible. The Writers Guild of America is leading the strike, which began last Tuesday, demanding higher pay for streaming services, better health care coverage, and an end to the practice of “firing and rehiring” writers. Biden’s remarks on Monday were his first public comments on the strike, and his support of the writers is a welcome sign for those on the picket lines.