(Los Angeles) Progress and an end? Speculation was rife in Hollywood on Friday, the third day of a new round of negotiations to end the screenwriters’ strike that has paralyzed the industry for nearly five months.
The studios and the WGA, the industry’s feather association, resumed negotiations Wednesday over revenue sharing. Streaming and oversight of the use of artificial intelligence, after nearly a month of radio silence.
According to industry observers, signs of progress are emerging from the discussions. Big names from Disney (Bob Iger), Netflix (Ted Sarandos), Warner Bros. (David Zaslav) and NBCUniversal (Donna Langley) were around the table Thursday.
According to the special magazine Deadline, they were due to arrive on Friday as well.
As of Friday afternoon, negotiations were still ongoing, a film industry source confirmed to AFP.
In another encouraging sign, the WGA and employers represented by the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers (AMPTP) issued a joint press release Wednesday evening to announce the extension of negotiations.
This unusual approach, according to many observers, raises hopes that a deal is imminent. At the very least, it indicates a narrowing of the gap between the two sides after a 144-day strike that almost brought the industry to a standstill.
Since mid-July, actors have also been on strike, halting production of most movies and TV series in the US.
In early September, the Financial Times A study by the Milken Institute estimated the cost of this dual social movement to the California economy at a cost not seen since 1960 at $5 billion.
Screenwriters and actors share similar demands.
Revenue sharing is linked Streaming The crux of the matter is: they want to earn more when one of their movies or series hits a platform, rather than getting a lump sum regardless of the show’s popularity.
Both industries want protection against the use of artificial intelligence: actors fear having their image or voice cloned, while screenwriters may be used for AI scripts and paid less, or their footage used to train robots.
Even if an agreement is reached between the studios and the screenwriters, the actors will be on strike. Their union, SAG-AFTRA, has not spoken to employers since mid-July. But according to specialist press, an agreement with industry leaders could pave the way for ending the actors’ strike.
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