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Actors union will join writers on strike, shutting down Hollywood

cnbc.com

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Re: Actors union will join writers on strike, shutting down Hollywood

#31

Post by falcolas »

vkou wrote: post #21
falcolas wrote: post #10

Given the explicit "we'll just wait for them to lose their housing" messaging from the Hollywood executives... Good on SAG-AFTRA. This can only increase the bargaining power of both groups.

Waiting until striking workers run out of money is absolutely gentille, when it comes to the history of strike-breaking.

Not being the worst tactic used by companies to break strikes doesn't make it good or even OK.

Nor should it lessen the condemnation faced by these companies.

EDIT: To be clear, I expect a company's executive team in the 21st century to act ethically and with even the smallest bit of compassion for their coworkers. I do not expect them to act like some entitled plantation owner in the late 19th century.

And if that's me being naive, it's a naivety I'll gladly take to the grave.

Re: Actors union will join writers on strike, shutting down Hollywood

#32

Post by gruez »

monkeyodeath wrote: post #19

The business philosophy of "maximize shareholder value above all else" is going to eviscerate our society until there's nothing of quality left. Hollywood has always been a dirty and money-focused business, but it seems like the latest crop of execs are hellbent on entirely divorcing the creative enterprise from its human elements. Now studios are just exotic financial instruments that seek to turn "content" into sto…

> The business philosophy of "maximize shareholder value above all else" is going to eviscerate our society until there's nothing of quality left.

Well no, because there are literally an entire industry (luxury goods) where the main selling point is quality, and I don't see any sign that's going to disappear anytime soon.

Re: Actors union will join writers on strike, shutting down Hollywood

#33

Post by falcolas »

gruez wrote: post #27
vkou wrote: post #21

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Waiting until striking workers run out of money is absolutely gentille, when it comes to the history of strike-breaking.

"absolutely gentille" and "strike-breaking" seems like weird ways to describe studios refusing to accept the union's offer, as if they're expected to accept whatever that the union offers.

The studios haven't even come to the negotiation table in the 70 days of the WGA's strike. Their entire plan is waiting them out so they'll accept a worse offer.

Re: Actors union will join writers on strike, shutting down Hollywood

#34

Post by mrtksn »

monkeyodeath wrote: post #19

The business philosophy of "maximize shareholder value above all else" is going to eviscerate our society until there's nothing of quality left. Hollywood has always been a dirty and money-focused business, but it seems like the latest crop of execs are hellbent on entirely divorcing the creative enterprise from its human elements. Now studios are just exotic financial instruments that seek to turn "content" into sto…

Everything measured and optimised for shallow goals goes into the gutter. As the analytics overtook decision making, the quality of everything declined sharply.

IMHO, it's happening because we the humans optimize for proxy metrics which once were good as a proxy to the real thing but with the computer age they turned into shallow goals that end up destroying the real thing as the optimisation became too robust. Removing the human element from the machinery creates a fatigue on the remaining parts and the consumers. All jobs have become horrible, even if the productivity increases the optimisations end up destroying the workforce and this started eating into the society because no one is happy with their job and life. Seamen no longer can see the world through their sailing career because the stays at the ports are too short, a person can't have a simple job and a simple life because the simple job is optimised into exhaustion.

Re: Actors union will join writers on strike, shutting down Hollywood

#35

Post by davidw »

monkeyodeath wrote: post #19

The business philosophy of "maximize shareholder value above all else" is going to eviscerate our society until there's nothing of quality left. Hollywood has always been a dirty and money-focused business, but it seems like the latest crop of execs are hellbent on entirely divorcing the creative enterprise from its human elements. Now studios are just exotic financial instruments that seek to turn "content" into sto…

"Captain's log, Stardate 3034. The Enterprise is now in its 23rd reboot."

Re: Actors union will join writers on strike, shutting down Hollywood

#36

Post by saltminer »

AlexandrB wrote: post #5

> “In that ground breaking AI proposal, they proposed that our background performers should be able to be scanned, get paid for one day’s pay, and their company should own that scan, their image, their likeness, and should be able to use it for the rest of eternity in any project they want with no consent and no compensation,” he said. “So if you think that’s a ground breaking proposal I suggest you think again.” I m…

This was part of the plot of "Joan is Awful" (Black Mirror S06E01). I sorta expected some sort of AI proposal but I didn't think it would be so drastic, so soon. Then again, it might just be the tactic of asking for a mountain to get the hill you really want (I'm sure there's a name for this).

Re: Actors union will join writers on strike, shutting down Hollywood

#37

Post by endisneigh »

anotherhue wrote: post #4

Unions are a critical counterbalance to the power of corporations. Hardly perfect, but we'll be sorry when they're gone.

Not really. Ironically the kind of people who frequent this forum will be the ones to end labor once and for all.

Unions are only helpful with leverage. For now labor has inherent leverage as capital production fundamentally requires some labor. As AI increases productivity of certain individuals the amount (of people) of productive labor will become less, thus making unions ineffective.

Re: Actors union will join writers on strike, shutting down Hollywood

#38

Post by Oarch »

saltminer wrote: post #36
AlexandrB wrote: post #5

> “In that ground breaking AI proposal, they proposed that our background performers should be able to be scanned, get paid for one day’s pay, and their company should own that scan, their image, their likeness, and should be able to use it for the rest of eternity in any project they want with no consent and no compensation,” he said. “So if you think that’s a ground breaking proposal I suggest you think again.” I m…

This was part of the plot of "Joan is Awful" (Black Mirror S06E01). I sorta expected some sort of AI proposal but I didn't think it would be so drastic, so soon. Then again, it might just be the tactic of asking for a mountain to get the hill you really want (I'm sure there's a name for this).

It's also a key plot point of The Congress (2013), the scanning process of the actress is even in the movie trailer.

Re: Actors union will join writers on strike, shutting down Hollywood

#39

Post by nine_zeros »

saltminer wrote: post #36
AlexandrB wrote: post #5

> “In that ground breaking AI proposal, they proposed that our background performers should be able to be scanned, get paid for one day’s pay, and their company should own that scan, their image, their likeness, and should be able to use it for the rest of eternity in any project they want with no consent and no compensation,” he said. “So if you think that’s a ground breaking proposal I suggest you think again.” I m…

This was part of the plot of "Joan is Awful" (Black Mirror S06E01). I sorta expected some sort of AI proposal but I didn't think it would be so drastic, so soon. Then again, it might just be the tactic of asking for a mountain to get the hill you really want (I'm sure there's a name for this).

Black mirror surprisingly accurately captured the human consequences of the ultra-capitalistic-tech future.

Still remember the episode where the guy runs on a treadmill to collect points and uses it on porn. Not too different from tech workers running hard everyday and yet, spending all their money on only-fans, living in a studio apartment in a VHCOL city.

Re: Actors union will join writers on strike, shutting down Hollywood

#40

Post by phpisthebest »

ilamont wrote: post #11

For consumers, now is a good time to evaluate paid streaming services. The content pipeline will be rationed and extended, leading to a decline in new programming. HBO/"Max" was already looking shaky, and we've noticed Apple and Amazon are increasingly plastered with paid options.

I have been doing that for a long time not because of the strike, but because 90% of the content is garbage, and the few shows that have found interesting they cancel after 1 season....

I think the situation with the Witcher will be the last straw with me and Netflix..

I am probably one of the few people that still have Prime because of the shipping but as they keep increasing costs to add a bunch of things I have no interest in (like Sports, and complete Trash that is Rings of Power) the value is less and less for that as well

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