As the Writer’s Guild of America (WGA), along with several other unions, held a strike for 148 days, Hollywood paused abruptly May 2, according to forbes.com. The writers demanded higher wages, more reasonable hours, and, most importantly, protections against artificial intelligence (AI). The main concern writers had was the possibility of AI usurping their jobs and causing reduced pay. While these technological advancements generate more production, originality and creativity only stem from human minds, not artificial ones.
The WGA strike was one of the longest in history, second to the writers’ strike held in 1988, which lasted 153 days, according to The New York Times. While the film industry has experienced a financial boom over the past few years, the wages of the writers has remained stagnant due to the threat of AI interference. After almost five months, the strike revealed how the industry continues to emphasize financial success rather than the well-being of its workers, from the actors to those with minor roles in productions.
Before streaming services, writers earned royalties from the popularity of series released on television because they could see the precise number of viewers of each show. With the introduction of these streaming services, writers do not receive any royalties from the productions released on them, meaning that their wages remain the same regardless of the success of the series or film. The Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers addressed and resolved this issue in their deal with the WGA in addition to their concerns about AI, according to The New York Times.
As AI becomes more advanced and commonly used, the real issue that stems from replacing writers with AI is the content it produces. Initially, the use of artificial assistance seems like the most effective financial option, but it does not account for the reaction of the viewers, which ultimately negatively affects the industry. AI often writes shows and movies with a lack of originality. Mr. Ian Eck, who runs a film and media production company, emphasized the creativity that stems from writers.
“It’s the creatives that are actually getting more empowered because you still need a creative mind,” Mr. Eck said, according to npr.org. “You need taste. You need to know what makes interesting drama and interesting characters, what makes a story good, and what makes it human.”
The union and the producers complied with a contract that also prevents studios from allowing AI to generate screenplays. This was a major concern for screenwriters because film studios would have the writers adapt these AI-generated scripts for lower compensation and less credit than an original, human-produced script. This agreement hands control of AI to the writers instead of the film studios, according to theguardian.com. While this is a success for the writers, it brings attention to the negative potential power AI holds. Mr. Hamilton Nolan, a writer and member of the WGA, commented on the possible damaging effects of AI on writers’ careers.
“What we know for sure is this,” Mr. Nolan said, according to theguardian.com. “If we leave AI wholly in the hands of tech companies and their investors, it is absolutely certain that AI will be used in a way that takes the maximum amount of money out of the pockets of labor and deposits it in the accounts of executives and investment firms.”
Before the strike, film companies were more concerned with releasing many series and movies, providing more content rather than sufficient quality for viewers. Therefore, AI could exactly fulfill what the industry wanted: more content with fewer expenses. This meant a greater influx of money, but the question that arose was whether or not it would fulfill viewers. Ultimately, the creativity and imagination of a writer are the aspects that generate the most income in the film industry. A top Hollywood studio executive discussed the importance of considering the quality of their projects.
“We’ve been able to consider some of these projects, sit with them for a minute, decide what really needs to get done, and give thoughtful direction,” said one top studio executive, according to vaintyfair.com.
As the strike came to an end September 27, writers seemingly met their demands. The contentment of the writers and the seemingly minor players in the industry are necessary for it to thrive. Without the contribution of writers, the success of the film industry ceases to exist.
As writers return to the workplace with new conditions in place, their strike and its outcome foreshadow the influence AI could have on the film industry. It becomes clear to audiences when creative industries use AI because the content they produce quickly becomes derivative, according to The New York Times. When it comes to writing, a book, news article, or film production written by something that is not human immediately loses its creative appeal.
Featured Image by Camila Oliva ’24
