The WGA called an end to the strike after securing sweeping wins that largely met many of the guild’s demands. The terms of the new contract — which must still be ratified by the 11,500 film and TV members of the union — includes strict regulations for the use of artificial intelligence on covered projects, including provisions that AI will not write or rewrite any literary material.
Most salary minimums will increase by 5% upon ratification, with more increases in the following two years, and there will be dramatic increases in residuals from streaming services. (HuffPost’s unionized staff are also members of the WGA East, but are not covered by the film and TV writers’ contract.)
“This allows writers to return to work during the ratification process, but does not affect the membership’s right to make a final determination on contract approval,” the union said in a statement, calling the deal “exceptional, with gains and protections for members in every sector of the business.”
In addition to rules prohibiting companies from using AI to write or rewrite shows and movies, AI-generated material can’t be used as source material for shows and movies. The union can also legally push back if companies exploit writers’ work and use it to train AI models. Companies must also be transparent about whether “any materials given to the writer have been generated by AI or incorporate AI-generated material.”
Over the last decade, the rise of streaming has been a huge flashpoint in the entertainment industry. Writers have been asking for their fair share of the success of streaming shows and movies, and they won several major streaming-related provisions that did not exist previously.
And under the new contract, companies will have to be more transparent about streaming viewership numbers, which streaming giants like Netflix have often cherry-picked and reported inconsistently. Now, companies will be required to disclose to the union “the total number of hours streamed, both domestically and internationally, of self-produced high budget streaming programs (e.g., a Netflix original series).” The union will also be permitted to share a selected summary of the data with members.
In the new contract, the union won a provision to establish a minimum number of writers hired for a given show and guaranteed employment for a minimum number of weeks. This is meant to push back on streaming companies’ practice of “mini rooms,” which writers have criticized as a tactic for saving money by hiring fewer writers and employing them for a shorter period of time.
In addition, under the new contract, at least two senior-level writers must be on set during production, a valuable way for writers to advance their careers and develop experience to take on leadership roles.
Creatively, it’s also important to have writers on set: As many writers have pointed out on the picket lines, the writer’s job doesn’t end with the script. When writers are on set, they’re often making adjustment to the script or or helping an actor try out an alternate line or joke if the initial one isn’t landing right, among other details that often make the final product memorable for viewers.
This content was originally published here.
