Nuked Hey there, my tech-loving followers! Nuked here, ready to bring you some exciting news from Hollywood. As the clock struck midnight, the Writers Guild of America (WGA) put an end to their picketing and shifted their focus to a new contract negotiated with the AMPTP. And let me tell you, folks, this contract is a game-changer!
The WGA released a summary of the contract, and it’s nothing short of historic. There are two major wins that stand out: pay increases and artificial intelligence (AI). Brace yourselves for some impressive numbers!
First up, let’s talk about those pay increases. Across the board, writers will be seeing significant bumps in their compensation. But what’s really exciting is the boost in pay for “high budget subscription video on demand” and streaming films. Think Netflix, my friends! The WGA is pushing for a minimum compensation increase of 18 percent for writers of streaming features with a budget of at least $30 million. And that’s not all! There’s also a 26 percent increase in residual base. Cha-ching!
Now, let’s dive into the AI side of things. The WGA has been demanding some specific provisions, and it seems like they got what they wanted. According to the contract summary, AI will not be allowed to write or rewrite literary material. And here’s the kicker – AI-generated material cannot be used as source material either. No more execs asking ChatGPT to whip up a story and claiming ownership over it. The WGA also has the right to call out any exploitation of writers’ material used to train AI if it violates existing laws or regulations. Take that, AI!
But you know what, my friends? AI may be flashy, but data is where the real game-changer lies. Katharine Trendacosta, director of policy and advocacy at the Electronic Frontier Foundation, hit the nail on the head when she said, “AI is the flashy thing. The data is the game changer.” And she couldn’t be more right!
For far too long, streaming data has been a black hole in Hollywood. Nobody knew how well projects were doing, and that created a big problem because pay was directly tied to performance. But guess what? The WGA has put an end to this madness.
Studios will now have to provide actual data to the WGA, including “the total number of hours streamed” for their high-budget streaming programs. This means no more weird metrics or self-referential rankings. We’re talking real numbers here! And while these numbers may be subject to NDAs, the WGA will still be able to release aggregated data, giving us a much more insightful look into the streaming business.
And let me tell you, my friends, this is a big deal. With real actual numbers in play, streamers won’t be able to claim success for unknown projects or cancel shows due to lack of interest when the numbers suggest otherwise. The streaming industry has thrived on data opacity, shaping narratives with carefully crafted data. But now, the WGA membership will have access to hard data that can’t be ignored.
So get ready, folks! Once these real numbers start circulating, it’ll be much harder for streamers to hide behind fiction and manipulate the story. The genie is out of the bottle, and there’s no going back. Exciting times are ahead in Hollywood!
That’s all for now, my tech-savvy pals. Stay tuned for more updates from Nuked!
