The WGA/SAG-AFTRA Strike: Deal Is Brought To You By Letter D

[The Captain]

This wasn't a fan panel. It was official promotion of a struck work and a really bad look on Kenan Thompson and Kel Mitchell's parts. NYCC is not some small fan convention but a massive trade show that several studios come out in force to use as promotion. It gets even more attendees than SDCC.

As for SNL, Kenan performing on that isn't a loophole because SNL is covered under the Network TV Code. It was never part of the SAG strike. What kept them off the air for so long was that it was being struck against by the WGA. With that labor dispute resolved, SNL was free and clear to start up again. Not only that, but the cast members of SNL are under contractual obligation to start going to work now that there aren't any strikes affecting it. Refusing to do so would find them in breach of contract, and NBC Universal would have the ability to fire them without any legal recourse for the cast members.

As the saying goes, facts don't care about your feelings. One is promoting struck work in violation of the guidelines set by SAG, the other isn't. It's clear cut.

[Feargus McReddit]

Like, we had this with Stephen Amell months ago but the difference being Amell was doing it during at a panel just out of the blue because he wanted his show to do well (not justifying it, just saying his reasons). This was specifically a panel organized by Paramount about the product that Kenan and Kel surprised appeared at. As we’ve said, guidelines are clear about that. If high profile cosplayers and influencers can follow them, so can the actual dang actors.

[thechase]

"Kenan, attending a panel for a struck work could be a real bad look for us....Kenan, there could be serious career repercussions, KENAN? KENAN?

AW, HERE IT GOES"

[Feargus McReddit]

This article doesn’t propose it, obviously, but it does come off like with the writers that they either don’t want to share the profits from streaming with actors or they don’t want to reveal there is no money in streaming at the moment and thus, no profits can be shared.

[Feargus McReddit]

Ted Sarandos: SAG-AFTRA aren’t being reasonable, if we give into their demands, we’ll have to have our subscribers cover the costs in price raises.


Also Ted Sarandos:

They are actually going through with the pay restructure for CEOs and Executives, though, rather than ignoring the shareholder’s vote which would have looked pretty bad for them to do, especially right now.

[salz4life]

I don't need it on six devices at a time. At most I need it for two devices at a time. Give me a $16-18 price tage for less screens. Utterly ridiculous.

[Feargus McReddit]

Oh, also to mention in their third quarter earnings report that the SAG-AFTRA talks are still “ongoing”.

Which is funny considering them and the rest of the CEOs were the ones to leave the negotiations in a huff so…are there other talks we’re not privy to?

[Feargus McReddit]

The absolute gall to say any of this considering all the shows you’ve axed after a couple of seasons so they don’t actually have a chance to do that, literally some of the pretty public concerns of actors and writers alike had. Christ.

[Xxcjb01xX [PIECE OF: SH-]]

Oct 18, 2023 17:36:09 GMT -5 Feargus McReddit said:

The absolute gall to say any of this considering all the shows you’ve axed after a couple of seasons so they don’t actually have a chance to do that, literally some of the pretty public concerns of actors and writers alike had. Christ.

In the animation division it's even worse. They cancelled award winning show City of Ghosts reportedly because it didn't draw the same numbers Boss Baby's series did

So if you don't want your talents and showrunners to feel trapped by the presumption of ratings... THEN WHY THE F*** ARE YOU DOING IT? F***ing two faced hypocrites.

[Mighty Attack Tribble]

Netflix are that boyfriend/girlfriend who says they don't care about what you do for a living, only to break up with you because they think you should be earning more.

[Savage Gambino]

Oct 18, 2023 17:36:09 GMT -5 Feargus McReddit said:

The absolute gall to say any of this considering all the shows you’ve axed after a couple of seasons so they don’t actually have a chance to do that, literally some of the pretty public concerns of actors and writers alike had. Christ.

At the time we started creating original programming, our creators felt like they were pretty trapped in this kind of overnight ratings world and weekend box office world defining their success and failures...as we all know, a show might have enormous success down the road and it wasn’t captured in that opening box office.

Sure would be a shame if a show was cancelled before they got to that "enormous success down the road". Oh, wait.

Assclown.

[Mighty Attack Tribble]

Obvious studio propaganda is obvious.

[Feargus McReddit]

Oct 19, 2023 1:37:25 GMT -5 Mighty Attack Tribble said:

Obvious studio propaganda is obvious.

It’s funny because if you read an earlier version of the article, you’d find that, if the meeting happened how it did (and I absolutely know there’s no guarantees of that), the respective actors have been happy about the job SAG-AFTRA have been doing overall.

I guess there was another meeting hours later to say what they truly meant?

[Mighty Attack Tribble]

Oct 19, 2023 1:52:09 GMT -5 Feargus McReddit said:

It’s funny because if you read an earlier version of the article, you’d find that, if the meeting happened how it did (and I absolutely know there’s no guarantees of that), the respective actors have been happy about the job SAG-AFTRA have been doing overall.

I guess there was another meeting hours later to say what they truly meant?

I don't doubt that there is some restlessness amongst big names – after all, while it was an overwhelming majority the vote to strike was not 100% – but this smacks of the same desperate tactics seen when the major showrunners were reported to have broken ranks, only for it to be thoroughly and conclusively debunked the next day.

[Feargus McReddit]

Oct 19, 2023 3:02:43 GMT -5 Mighty Attack Tribble said:

I don't doubt that there is some restlessness amongst big names – after all, while it was an overwhelming majority the vote to strike was not 100% – but this smacks of the same desperate tactics seen when the major showrunners were reported to have broken ranks, only for it to be thoroughly and conclusively debunked the next day.

Absolutely, especially since the only thing SAG-AFTRA has said so far is "A meeting happened, we're not going to disclose what happened or who attended".

[Kalmia]

Being on strike sucks. It's not a fun time. I wouldn't be surprised if some A-listers (or any letter-listers) wanted to go back to work. They may even have expressed that to SAG-AFTRA. It doesn't mean they're against what SAG-AFTRA are fighting for though or that their frustrations are with how SAG-AFTRA are handling it. It was the studios who walked away from the negotiations, SAG-AFTRA can't negotiate with themselves.

[Feargus McReddit]

Oct 19, 2023 3:48:27 GMT -5 Kalmia said:

Being on strike sucks. It's not a fun time. I wouldn't be surprised if some A-listers (or any letter-listers) wanted to go back to work. They may even have expressed that to SAG-AFTRA. It doesn't mean they're against what SAG-AFTRA are fighting for though or that their frustrations are with how SAG-AFTRA are handling it. It was the studios who walked away from the negotiations, SAG-AFTRA can't negotiate with themselves.

They also likely know the ramifications of how good this deal needs to be for them and can't get it wrong. If AI isn't made clear in the deal, that'll not just affect actors but everyone involved in a film's production and in turn other unions because who needs an entire film crew for shoot days when you can just get a computer to construct everything and use models of actors that look like they were stolen from Unity's art asset store? Same with streaming royalties and other stuff on the line in all this.

[Feargus McReddit]

Because you’re literally contractually obligated to do so, Ted!

It’s like Disney saying they changed the structure of creative for Marvel D+ shows out of the goodness of their heart. No, it’s because the AMPTP handed it to the WGA on a silver platter!

[The Captain]

I see that Variety article is by everyone's favorite studio shill Gene Maddaus.

[Vice honcho room temperature]

Oct 19, 2023 3:48:27 GMT -5 Kalmia said:

Being on strike sucks. It's not a fun time. I wouldn't be surprised if some A-listers (or any letter-listers) wanted to go back to work. They may even have expressed that to SAG-AFTRA. It doesn't mean they're against what SAG-AFTRA are fighting for though or that their frustrations are with how SAG-AFTRA are handling it. It was the studios who walked away from the negotiations, SAG-AFTRA can't negotiate with themselves.

Its only fun when you draw cool signs or that giant rat shows up. And even that only goes so far.