The Hollywood Writers' Strike Explained

After weeks of negotiations, for the first time in 15 years, the Writers Guild of America has officially gone on strike. Dan Casey breaks down everything you need to know about why this strike happened, how long it might last, and what it means for you, the viewers at home, on today’s episode of Nerdist News!


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[Editor_N_Chief]

I just watched The Bear and loved it, which makes that news about O'Keefe very saddening. I work graveyard security alone in an empty building and I just write screenplays to kill time since my job is a joke. I made $56k last year doing this, and hearing that O'Keefe is making less and is writing PROFESSIONALY is disgusting. This dude should be making six figures for his great work and dedication to the medium. I hope Hollywood loses billions due to this strike just like last time.

[davidsamuelson]

And can you imagine that these scumbag CEOs & these corporations are saying that they’re losing money on streaming? Can you imagine that they don’t pay anybody except themselves and they still say they’re losing money? There really needs to be a serious investigation as to the accounting shenanigans that go on with these people.

[KennethWrites]

It's funny hearing complaints about the current writing in Hollywood, when most of the problems with writing come from executive interference. Not all, but A LOT. Also, as someone who is good friends with a WGAW writer, I can tell you their work output would be better if they weren't working 10-12 hours a day in a writers room and another 6 hours as a dog walker to pay the bills.

[vkngs]

Dexter is a prime example of what happens when fantastic writers go on strike…

[yageshabazz]

The first writer’s strike is why we have so many reality tv shows; they aren’t complex enough to require a whole team of writers. Wonder what we’ll see aside from the cancellation of many shows with this strike.

[williamgregory]

When you've been told for DECADES, that an English major or liberal arts degree is worthless and everyone should "learn to code, " yeah, we're gonna end up with a society that thinks what writers do is easy and shouldn't be valued and AI is the solution. It's all connected!

We're gonna end up with a society that's very comfortable looking at writers and artists as fools who picked a foolish career who deserve whatever pennies they get.

People are STUNNED that writers don't want AI to replace them and that we'd strike over it. That we should somehow be grateful that tech and the free market smiled upon us.

Machines can't do what people do. The key to art isn't an algorithm. It's people, creativity, and stability.

[StrawBss]

It blows my mind that Studios don't see how important writing is. Can you imagine how much more excitement there would be for Star Wars projects if they were all as well written as Andor?

[ConGamePro]

Writers only get 2% of the profits on material they write? That’s disgusting.

[NobodyC]

Why do I get the feeling that HBO MAX's great content purge last summer was the first shot fired in this Strike when Dan mentioned "Residuals?"

[matthewsander]

It's just as bad for animators and subcontracted animation studios. Overworked underpaid, but they also don't get the same residuals. Ironic that the hollywood elites that support laws that tax the rich for the poor don't want to take pay cuts to support those that make all of their wealth possible. They'll still be exorbitantly wealthy too.

[Polymathically]

This kind of thing is why I gave up on being a writer years ago. The powers that be will _always_ try to screw writers over as much as possible.

[Timewarpiaman]

The new generation don't know what's ahead of them, the last time the writers went on strike it killed so many shows. Honestly the powers that be would be wise to just give in and give the writers what they want.

[TheOyeah]

Its insane that Hollywood want free writing for their projects, writers is one of important cog wheel in the industry. If the writers gone, then production for projects stop immediately including animators even the guys that bought coffee or donuts for breakfast for the crew. Insane

[Ptangmatik]

Appreciate having it laid out in simple stark terms like this, what a feudalistic mess the executives have made of the whole thing.

[TheNewsDepot]

A guy gets his arm cut off and the hospital offers to talk to him once a year about advances in medicine.

[jaanfo]

The working world in general has been going through this. I really hope the WGA is able to gain some traction because we the workers of the world need a couple of good wins. (Sincerely, a railroad employee who the government didn’t allow to strike and was force-fed a terrible contract the railroads are still trying their best not to honor).

[darthsirrius]

I remember from that last strike, that Letterman had so much clout, he was able to negotiate his own deal with the writer's Guild that got just his show up & running again 😄

[mehtacotute]

Rings of power... worst writing I've ever seen in a show. Ever.

[sadiemcmurray]

Though I am an avid watcher of many different shows, I will always support fair wages for the people who write them whatever the consequences may be. Power to the writer.

[rbr]

This is incredibly informative. Thank you.