How This WGA Strike Compares to the Last One

To grasp the stakes of the current situation, it's worth looking at how much has changed since the last time this happened.

By Eric Kohn, Anne Thompson

May 5, 2023 9:45 am

BURBANK, CA - MAY 03: People picket outside of Warner Bros. Studios on the second day of the Hollywood writers strike on May 3, 2023 in Burbank, California. Scripted TV series, late-night talk shows, film, and streaming productions are being interrupted by the Writers Guild of America (WGA) strike. In 2007 and 2008, a WGA strike shut down Hollywood productions for 100 days, costing the local economy between $2 billion and $3 billion. (Photo by David McNew/Getty Images) — People picket outside of Warner Bros. Studios on the second day of the Hollywood writers strike on May 3, 2023 in Burbank, CA

After prolonged negotiations for fair pay, the WGA went on strike, and Hollywood was forced to rethink how it relates to the economics of writing for film and TV. That was 2008. The strike lasted for 100 days.

Well, here we go again. After extensive conversations with the AMPTP, the WGA once again went on strike this week, and nobody knows how long it will take this time. One thing is certain, though: a lot has changed about the market for writers in the streaming era, and it only stands to change more now that AI is on the scene.

In this week’s episode of Screen Talk, Eric Kohn and Anne Thompson discuss those extensive changes and how much of the WGA’s current demands stand a real shot at getting through. They also look at the potential impact on current and future productions.

Also in this week’s episode, the pair look at the recent changes announced on Monday by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, including new rules for campaigning designed to curb another Andrea Riseborough problem and a surprise update to the requirements for Best International Feature Film.

Watch the full episode above or listen to it below.

Screen Talk is produced by Azwan Badruzaman and available on Apple Podcasts, Stitcher, and Spotify, and hosted by Megaphone. Browse previous installments here, subscribe here, and be sure to let us know if you’d like to hear the hosts address specific issues in upcoming editions of Screen Talk.