In a surprising turn of events on a day when thousands gathered in solidarity at the National Day of Solidarity rally organized by the Writers Guild of America (WGA) and the Screen Actors Guild – American Federation of Television and Radio Artists (SAG-AFTRA), the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers (AMPTP) unexpectedly released a statement unveiling what they term a “comprehensive package” to address the concerns of the writers’ guild.
In a move aimed at concluding the ongoing strike, AMPTP’s comprehensive package promises substantial compensation increases, groundbreaking terms in the realm of Generative Artificial Intelligence (GAI), and a commitment to data transparency, among other significant reforms.
The AMPTP’s sudden announcement garnered significant attention, as it directly responded to the demands that have been a focal point of the WGA strike, now on its 113th day. The package’s details remain to be fully revealed, but the timing of the announcement, on the same day as the National Day of Solidarity, is notable.
This new package tactically “improves” upon the AMPTP’s prior proposals. The comprehensive
package also features first-of-their-kind offers for writers, including terms in the areas of
Generative Artificial Intelligence, data transparency and minimum staffing.
Carol Lombardini, President of the AMPTP, said, “Our priority is to end the strike so that valued members of the creative community can return to what they do best and to end the hardships that so many people and businesses that service the industry are experiencing. We have come to the table with an offer that meets the priority concerns the writers have expressed. We are deeply committed to ending the strike and are hopeful that the WGA will work toward the same resolution.”
Highlights of the Proposal
- Wage Increases: The proposed compensation structure marks a historic milestone, offering the WGA the highest wage increase in 35 years. The increase, amounting to a compounded 13% over a three-year period, will see increments of 5% in the first year, followed by 4% in the second year, and 3.5% in the third year.
- Minimum Weekly Rates: The proposal introduces a 15% increase in minimum weekly rates for Article 14 writers, excluding Story Editors or Executive Story Editors, in the initial year of the agreement. The rates vary depending on the length of the guarantee period.
- High Budget SVOD Residuals: Residuals for High Budget Subscription Video On Demand (SVOD) programs are set to experience a substantial boost, with a global increase from $72,067 to $87,546 per episode over three exhibition years.
- Empowering Future Showrunners: An innovative initiative aims to nurture the next generation of showrunners by ensuring guaranteed employment length and obligating the assignment of at least two mid-level writers chosen by the Showrunner to production.
- GAI Protections: In response to the emergence of Generative Artificial Intelligence (GAI), the proposal outlines landmark protections for writers. It clarifies that GAI-produced material will not be classified as literary material, and safeguards writers’ compensation, credit, and separated rights when part of the script is based on GAI-generated content.
- Enhanced Data Transparency: Acknowledging the transformative impact of the internet on the entertainment landscape, the proposal commits to providing viewership data to the WGA in the form of quarterly confidential reports. This transparency is intended to facilitate restructuring of the current SVOD residual regime in the future.
REELated:
The AMPTP’s decision to release details of their package on the same day is seen by some as an effort to engage in constructive dialogue with the writers’ guild and potentially reach a resolution to the ongoing strike. However, the true extent of the package’s offerings and its alignment with the WGA’s demands are yet to be determined.
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