Post-strike life in Hollywood was definitely a hot topic at Sunday’s Writers Guild Awards, with former WGAW president David Goodman saying, “The strike is over, the fight continues,” adding, “As individuals, we are replaceable. ” he added.
That sentiment has never been more applicable than it is now, as the ongoing downsizing in Hollywood continues to impact the number of writers who have remained unemployed since leaving the picket lines in September.
In March, Deadline launched its Hollywood Contraction series, checking in with communities above and below the line to see if opportunities have increased since the strike ended.
The reaction was not positive. With fewer shows in progress and pilot season gone, opportunities for gigs are now few and far between, and many are considering a life outside of Hollywood.
Before Sunday’s celebrations on both coasts, we asked reporters what they thought about the economic contraction and whether they were optimistic about the future.
tony gilroy (Andor, Rogue One): “I think it’s been like a glacial tectonic shift in the last 15 years as people have become more aware of the existence of writers. So there’s power there. And writers are realizing that they can direct. I thought, this story is classic, everyone has always known it, and it’s dangerous to forget. Great people will continue to be really important. But in the end, yes, this is what comes off the desk. It’s the page that falls off the desk.Recontraction) Well, it happens. happened. Because, yeah, I mean, it’s going to happen anyway, probably. It’s like a sport. I mean, you can’t have 600 teams in baseball, and there aren’t that many talented people with that much experience. And what happens is that all these experienced and talented people disband. Because if someone has the talent and experience, they automatically get their own show. Therefore, in the same program he cannot broadcast where there are 2-3-4 talented and experienced people. It was like a basketball team. Everyone has an All-Star, or one they want to be, and they try to run the entire series around that, but it just doesn’t work. In other words, the lower the number, the better the content. It will find its level. ”
Neil Gaiman (Good omen, Lucifer): “Sometime in 2019, I remember looking around and saying, “This is what I want. This is a gold rush. We are in a boom town. And I don’t know how long this can last. And I, you know, sandman Or set it up during a boom. Now the boom is over and the gold rush is over. And I think people are starting to think, “Okay, how can I make money from television again?” And that would change things. Having said that, as you know, dead boy detectives It will be out within 10 days.I saw half of it sandman Season 2, it’s amazing.i am writing Good Omens Season 3 will begin filming in January. That’s how we make things. And I certainly feel like, okay, the ship is still sailing. But the boom is over. I think the boom was over anyway. Like a lot of times the strike, our strike, and often the actors’ strike, is an excuse, especially for streamers, to say, “Oh, we ended up buying more than we actually needed.” I feel it. And maybe you can let go of some things. ” You can probably do that, so I think that’s why it happened too. They are reinventing television now. And we don’t know what will happen in five years. But I do know that there are jobs for writers who can come up with stories and have great stories that people care about. That’s especially important for young people. ”
John Hoffman (Murder inside the building only): “It’s so good that you’re doing that series of stories, because I think it’s a push and pull thing. There are moments in business where everyone has to stop and reset. happened. And that reset is still going on. I want to give people hope. I think things are finally starting to turn around, Disney/Hulu. I went to an event and had a great time, and I talked to a lot of people there, and they all felt the same way. , I want to give you some hope that there’s going to be a little bit of a resurgence. But I also want to give some perspective on what, you know, was a really good fight on this issue last year. Everything was right. And I think things will get better with more work. And what I’m saying is, stay strong.”
Ilana Glazer (broad city): “What I’m seeing is, just like in every other industry, companies like tech companies and private equity come in and buy land and decide to build condos that no one wanted. And now, what’s not funny but very interesting is that they’re looking at selling advertising space. That’s an air quote. oh really?Does that mean the model stayed that way for his 100 years? Of course, bitch.. I’m so proud of the Writers Guild and the Actors Guild for going on strike last year, and that’s so important. This contract is for 3 years. In fact, the most important contribution of last year’s Writers and Actors Union strike was to raise the profile of the labor movement and make it part of the cultural conversation that will soon see an end to taxing billionaires. I think that’s what happened. I think it made me feel very patriotic and like I was on strike with the guild. And that’s how I see the landscape. Yeah, I mean, I literally describe the landscape any way I like as I said earlier, but to sum it up, we continue to struggle and continue to intersect it with other industries and other issues. We are in a precarious position of need. problem. ”
Ron Niswaner (travel companion): “I think those of us who make a living doing this work say, every three or four years, ‘Oh my gosh, big changes are happening.’ So after the strike, when the business consolidated… I think a lot of us are worried about what the future holds. I feel like my job is to find and tell stories that are undeniable. If it gets a little harder, you have to make the story more undeniable, you know, we went out together. Dear travelers, At one point I was told no one would buy this. I had multiple offers. And we received full support along the way. So I think if business is going to be a little bit smaller and a little bit tougher, that means we need to do better. You see, I’ve sold a lot of things in my life that didn’t sell. I mean, I don’t know if it’s any different. But again, my duty is first to tell a story that interests me, but be conscious of how to attract the audience. That’s what we have to do. ”
Julio Torres (los espokies): “The vibe I’m getting from people in the industry is that everyone is feeling a little bit nervous and finding it harder to make things. But, strangely enough, It makes me feel like it could be a job that’s not necessarily commercially focused, that could get a little bit more attention and grow a little bit. I might be completely delusional, but this is a true independent film. I wonder if it could bring about a resurgence of the economy, given that all these conglomerates are becoming less and less interested in taking risks? Would I be happier if I could make a movie? I’m more interested in working with people that I find interesting than working with scripts. It’s like a glass-half-full take. .”
Anna Hagen🙁Graduation certificatet): “I had the great privilege of being in the writers’ room under Deborah Kahn, who takes mentorship very seriously and takes the writers to the field. And, yeah, in that sense, I think I have a kind of unique and very privileged perspective. So the good thing is that what can be shown on TV and what stories can be told is flexible and open in a way. I mean, it looks like it’s going to lead to some really great content. Really great stories, really great television. I hope things don’t get any more difficult. I think it’s optimistic, or a better version of that. I’m inspired by the people who are making things. So, despite all the current difficulties, this strike is really meaningful. I think the win was important, and I’m looking forward to what will come from it.”
david teague (Cassandro): “It’s still hard, yes. In a way, it’s optimism. That’s why in my work I go back and forth between documentary and fiction. That means I write in both categories. Fiction In terms of, one of the things I’m noticing is that after this strike, it took a while for me to feel like things were really starting to open up, maybe now I feel like I’m shining a little bit. But it certainly feels like it took a while to get back to work. I think there was a lot of risk aversion because all the big companies were downsizing. Masu.”
Josh Gondelman (jesus and melo): “So, on the one hand, there’s so much great work and such a wide range of new talent and new voices emerging. I think it’s very exciting to see. But I think things continue to be very tough industry-wise, and frankly, for a lot of these companies. , I feel like there’s a sense that they’re waiting for the industry to pick up steam and recover, the only product they’re selling (Are the platforms not buying as much?) Yes, I certainly feel that way. So the room that’s happening is happening. But I think people looking for work feel that it may be an even more difficult search than an unusual one. ”
david matalon (totally killer) “Feature-wise, the pipeline is empty in some ways. Some studios I know have only made one movie. Yes, there has been cutbacks, but there are still jobs left. You can also sell specs.
sasha pearl raver (totally killer) “These are pendulum swings. Hopefully, eventually they’ll swing in the other direction. It’s all about cycles. As I’m doing this, someone says, “It’s really tough right now.” . But if you still move forward, someone will buy something. I heard there were more people in the room. And that’s part of the fight, and that’s great. Opportunities were given to those who would not otherwise have had them, and people were held accountable. Yes, there will be downsizing, but there will also be small victories along the way. ”
Jim Mickle (sweet tooth): “Sometimes when I talk to someone I’m like, ‘We’re still going.’ But this is the first time I’ve heard a lot of people contact me and say, ‘Have you heard anything?’ A lot of studios… , I’m thinking about whether I’m going to continue doing what I was doing before (the strike). A lot of studios were expecting more material after the strike, but there wasn’t that much.”
