The entertainment industry could be preparing to come to a screeching halt.
©Disney
Since May, the WGA (Writers Guild of America) has been on strike, which has already begun to disrupt TV and movie production schedules. Now, though, with a SAG-AFTRA (The Screen Actors Guild – American Federation of Television and Radio Artists) strike potentially on the way, more productions could potentially shut down, halting pretty much all TV and movie productions currently filming. Walt Disney Company CEO Bob Iger has commented on what that could mean.
According to Variety, a SAG-AFTRA strike is imminent after talks between the union and the studios have ended without a deal or extension. Iger spoke to CNBC this morning about what this could mean for the industry as a whole. “It’s very disturbing to me,” he said, mentioning that the industry is still trying to recover after COVID-19 shut down many productions.
©Apple
He added, “This is the worst time in the world to add to that disruption.” Although Iger said he understood that labor organizations must work on behalf of their members, he mentioned that studios had already made a good deal with the Directors Guild. He said that studios wanted to do the same with writers and actors, but there’s a level of expectation they have that’s just not realistic.
©MasterClass
He did mention he respects the unions’ rights to get more compensation for their people, “but you also have to be realistic about the business environment,” which has been a great business for all these people. Again, he stressed that being realistic is imperative.
One of the key issues with both unions is the increasing use of AI in the entertainment industry. Iger admitted that it could be very damaging to the industry and have a major impact on support services. “It’s a shame,” he said as he mentioned how it could affect the economy of different regions.
©Disney | Walt Disney Company Headquarters
These remarks come after Marvel’s newest show on Disney+, Secret Invasion, was criticized for using AI for its opening credits. The director and executive producer of that show, Ali Selim, told Polygon that the use of AI was justified because it keeps with the premise of the series. The studio responsible for the intro, Method Studios, has stated that “no artists’ jobs were replaced by incorporating these new tools.”
Iger’s contract as CEO of Disney was recently extended until 2026, with Disney’s Q3 2023 earnings call set for August 9th. He’ll likely make more comments about the company at the time, and we can definitely expect to learn more about how Disney is doing financially.
UPDATE: On July 13th, 2023, SAG-AFTRA held a press conference to announce that the union representing Hollywood actors and performers is now on strike. The union’s representatives made the decision following failed negotiations with the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers. Learn more about the strike here.
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🤣🤣🤣🤣 did he mention how the industry fought like blazes to try and survive the pandemic, while the top echelons made millions?
28 Feb 2023 — As of 2022, the market value of media and entertainment was $2.51 trillion. In the year the industry is expected to value at $2.64 trillion
Now they want to pay an actor an hourly wage, so they can get the measurements need to recreate them in AI form, so they can then use the AI instead of the actor and save royalties as well as salaries.
What really is disgusting is how large the gap is between his check and the checks of the lowest paid workers of his own company. He should be ashamed for the words coming out of his mouth while all the people want is to be able to make a living wage. A wage that his salary incredibly exceeds.
I’m so disappointed in Iger. I’m starting to feel like someone with his thinking as CEO is making a company that I cannot stand behind and that hurts me to the core.