Actors union will join writers on strike, shutting down Hollywood • Hacker News Board

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

#41

Post by karaterobot » Thu, Jul 13, 2023, 9:29 PM UTC

gruez wrote: post #32

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.

Some of them, sure. But a lot of luxury products are Veblen goods, where the demand is created by the high price itself, rather than the quality. Status symbols and the like.

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

#42

Post by dluan » Thu, Jul 13, 2023, 9:29 PM UTC

lesuorac wrote: post #15

I guess lucky for Hollywood the visual artists (i.e. CGI) aren't in a union.

The visual effects people and animators in Hollywood should absolutely be organizing for one, because their work is the soonest to be blown up with AI stuff. There's already a ton of stuff for small productivity improvements that reduce editing or grading tasks that used to take days into minutes.

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

#43

Post by gruez » Thu, Jul 13, 2023, 9:30 PM UTC

falcolas wrote: post #33

gruez wrote: post #27

Earlier quoted context omitted.

"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.

>The studios haven't even come to the negotiation table in the 70 days of the WGA's strike.

What's the point of coming to the negotiation table when the other side's demands is so far from what you're willing to offer?

>Their entire plan is waiting them out so they'll accept a worse offer.

It takes two to make a deal. By refusing to accept a deal, both sides' are hoping to inflict damage to the other side so they can get what they want. You might have your own opinions about which side has the more reasonable offer and is therefore in the "right", but both sides are essentially trying to do the same thing.

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

#44

Post by tibbydudeza » Thu, Jul 13, 2023, 9:30 PM UTC

no_wizard wrote: post #3

Now this could actually force the Hollywood studios back to the negotiating table in earnest. Its one thing to outsource writers, its not easy (I'd say rare to impossible) to outsource the actors themselves.

TikTok :).

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

#45

Post by p0pcult » Thu, Jul 13, 2023, 9:32 PM UTC

lesuorac wrote: post #15

I guess lucky for Hollywood the visual artists (i.e. CGI) aren't in a union.

[dead]

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

#46

Post by bigbillheck » Thu, Jul 13, 2023, 9:33 PM UTC

lesuorac wrote: post #15

I guess lucky for Hollywood the visual artists (i.e. CGI) aren't in a union.

They aren't yet in a union.

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

#47

Post by wnc3141 » Thu, Jul 13, 2023, 9:36 PM UTC

nemo44x wrote: post #2

Without scripts how can the actors act anyhow?

I think this helps disempower scabs. Plenty of non union people would love for s studio to pic of their script, or the studio might pull an old script out of the bin

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

#48

Post by vkou » Thu, Jul 13, 2023, 9:37 PM UTC

falcolas wrote: post #31

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.

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'…

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

I mean, I'm very pro-union rights, but I think in this case, it's pretty simple. If you don't work, you don't get paid. Both the studios and the unions are playing by the rules, here.

It may not produce a fair outcome (because the distribution of power in society isn't fair), but it is at least a fair process.

And the union should really have put aside more money to fund a longer strike.

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

#49

Post by phpisthebest » Thu, Jul 13, 2023, 9:38 PM UTC

nemo44x wrote: post #2

Without scripts how can the actors act anyhow?

Scene for Scene remakes would be preferred to them ruining good classics by "reimaging them" for the modern era with new scripts

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

#50

Post by [deleted] » Thu, Jul 13, 2023, 9:40 PM UTC

no_wizard wrote: post #3

Now this could actually force the Hollywood studios back to the negotiating table in earnest. Its one thing to outsource writers, its not easy (I'd say rare to impossible) to outsource the actors themselves.

[deleted]