#1574 Creative vs Control: Hollywood strikes for livable wages and the future of human creativity

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Air Date 7/25/2023

Today, we take a look at the impact of the rise of streaming video services and the potential for AI-written scripts on the future of show business and those trying to earn a living from it.

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Transcript

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SHOW NOTES

Ch. 1: Writers Guild Strikes Back | Adam Conover Part 1 - The Majority Report - Air Date 6-11-23

Adam Conover then talks Sam through updates on the writers’ strike as it reaches its fifth week, tackling the scope of the issues – from the gigification of the job to the labor threat of AI

Ch. 2: Why Actors Are Striking For The First Time In 40 Years - More Perfect Union - Air Date 6-23-23

Hollywood actors have joined writers on strike and shut down the TV and film industry. Streaming has broken the industry. Successful actors are working second jobs. Some received $0 in residuals from Netflix shows with millions of viewers.

Ch. 3: Why the Supreme Court Broke Up Hollywood's Studio System - On the Media - Air Date 7-5-23

The dominance of giant streaming services like Netflix and Disney Plus has led to the current strike by television writers, who say their ubiquity has led to lower pay, shakier job security, and perhaps even worse writing.

Ch. 4: How streaming caused the TV writers strike - Vox - Air Date 6-7-23

The way scripted television gets made today has transformed the careers of writers.

Ch. 5: Why Are Studio Executives Like This? - Steve Shives - Air Date 7-17-23

Donate to support the striking members of the WGA and SAG-AFTRA!

Ch. 6: How AI Took Center Stage In The Hollywood Writers' Strike - CNBC - Air Date 6-30-23

As streaming companies scramble to nourish their bottom line, content is being removed from platforms, cutting off creators from being compensated.

Ch. 7: Writers Guild Strikes Back | Adam Conover Part 2 - The Majority Report - Air Date 6-11-23

Ch. 8: Hollywood On Strike: Who Cares? - Wisecrack - Air Date 6-2-23

Screenwriters are on strike, which means a lot less new television for our greedy consumption. And understandably, nobody’s excited about Hollywood shutting down. But what if the writers’ strike can actually teach us about how labor movements function

MEMBERS-ONLY BONUS CLIP(S)

Ch. 9: Meet the AI company that wants to remake Hollywood - Recode Media with Peter Kafka - Air Date 6-14-23

For some people that’s a dystopian vision. But for Cristóbal Valenzuela, it’s a mission statement: Valenzuela is the co-founder and CEO of Runway, an AI startup that wants to radically change the way movies and TV are made.

Ch. 10: 'We Know Where He F***ing Lives' - The Majority Report - Air Date 7-17-23

Hollywood star Ron Pearlman delivers a serious response to Disney CEO Bob Iger’s comments about using the WGA and SAG-AFTRA strikes to force writers and actors into homelessness.

FINAL COMMENTS

Ch. 11: Final comments on closing in on the end of our membership drive

MUSIC (Blue Dot Sessions)

SHOW IMAGE

Description: A person holds a large sign in a crowd of protestors that says “Writers Guild of America ON STRIKE!”

Credit: “WGA Strike 6.21.2023 032” by ufcw770, Flickr | License: CC BY 2.0 | Changes: Cropped

Produced by Jay! Tomlinson

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