Hollywood writers are still struggling after historic strike

People hold signs that include the words "on Strike" while walking near hedges with a water tower in the background.

By Ryan FonsecaStaff Writer

May 13, 2024 6:30 AM PT

Good morning. It’s Monday, May 13. Here’s what you need to know to start your day.

Hollywood writers are still struggling after their historic strike.
Lake Tahoe may be full for the first time in five years.
Meet the Running Mamis — a running club for Latina moms.
And here’s today’s e-newspaper.

Hollywood writers are still struggling. Blame the decline of peak TV

This time last year, Hollywood writers put down their scripts and picked up picket signs in what became a 146-day strike. Their top demands of the traditional studios and streaming giants that employ them were increased pay rates and better residual payments for streaming shows, plus new rules for how artificial intelligence can be used.

The strike ended in late September when the Writers Guild of America reached a deal with the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers. More than a half a year later, how are writers doing?

Not great, according to Times entertainment industry reporters Christi Carras and Stacy Perman. They checked in with multiple film and TV writers in various stages of their careers to understand what the industry looks like now.

“All said that either they or their colleagues have struggled to find work for at least 12 months amid a contraction that has led to unstable production and employment levels across the entertainment industry,” Christi and Stacy reported this week. “The so-called peak TV era that enabled 599 original scripted series to land in a single year is over, likely never to return.”

Film-production activity in the first quarter of 2024 (which includes movies, TV shows, commercials and more) was 20.5% lower than the five-year average, according to data from FilmLA. Production also fell about 7% globally in the first quarter compared with a year earlier, research shows.

What’s behind the shrinking of the industry? It’s not just the work stoppage. Production levels had been waning even before the strike, Christi and Stacy explained, as a result of the decline of the so-called streaming wars.

In a bid to compete with the success of Netflix, studios and companies poured money into an increasing slate of shows and films. But the surges in production simply were not sustainable, and companies began to cut back.

Another factor: consolidation. As entertainment companies merge and/or acquire the competition, that leaves fewer places for creators to pitch and sell their shows and films.

The CW Network was sold to Nexstar Media Group; Walt Disney Co. acquired 21st Century Fox; WarnerMedia merged with Discovery. And it’s possible that Paramount could be sold soon.

Those diminished opportunities are affecting writers from underrepresented groups in particular. For instance, peak TV programs such as FX’s “Reservation Dogs” and Peacock’s “Rutherford Falls” are centered on Indigenous characters, and thus there were more openings for Indigenous writers and actors. But those shows are no longer being produced.

With fewer options, writers told Stacy and Christi that they’re turning to fallback plans, like flipping furniture or dog grooming.

“I really, really worry about these young writers, and ... sometimes I feel guilt — like I should be talking them into doing something else with their lives,” veteran writer Ted Sullivan told them. “But nothing would have stopped me. And I know that nothing will stop them.”

Some writers do believe the hard-fought gains in the new WGA contract will eventually help reverse some of the fallout from peak TV’s decline.

“But until the rest of the industry bounces back, the wounds could take some time to fully heal,” Christi and Stacy wrote. “‘Survive to ’25’ is a sentiment that writers have begun to internalize.”

You can read more of their reporting in this Times subscriber exclusive.

Today’s top stories

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Graduations and Gaza war protests

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Dodgers

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Commentary and opinions

George Skelton: Lots of complaining about California’s tax system. Time to fix it.
LZ Granderson: Biden is right to nudge Israel toward protecting civilians in Rafah.
Jackie Calmes: Our elections have integrity. These politicians do not.
Steve Lopez: “An apple a day keeps the doctor away” is a big fat lie.
Carla Hall: Being a porn star doesn’t make Stormy Daniels a liar. Trump’s lawyer should have known that.
Editorial: Biden’s plan to reschedule marijuana may finally end “Reefer Madness.”

Today’s great reads

The Running Mamis are helping Latina moms go the distance.
Meet the Running Mamis — a running club for Latina moms. The Boyle Heights-based club was founded in 2018 to provide a safe space for mothers to run with their babies in tow without the threat of catcalls and cracked sidewalks. “We see each other and hold each other without judgment,” club co-founder Jo Anna Mixpe Ley said. “Doing that while moving helps you process and move forward. It’s liberating.”

How can we make this newsletter more useful? Send comments to [email protected].

For your downtime

A pink rose bush at Exposition Park Rose Garden

Going out

🌹 Here are six stunning L.A. gardens where you can stop and smell the roses (literally).
🍗 Fried chicken fans are flocking to a new viral shop in Hacienda Heights. Is it worth the hype (and long lines)?

Staying in

🔪 Here’s how to make the most of California asparagus season, while you can.
🧑‍🍳 Here’s a recipe for smoked salmon sando.
✏️ Get our free daily crossword puzzle, sudoku, word search and arcade games.

And finally ... a great photo

Show us your favorite place in California! We’re running low on submissions. Send us photos that scream California and we may feature them in an edition of Essential California.

A long line of people stretches up a three-level ramp.

Today’s great photo is from Times staff photographer Robert Gauthier, who visited the San Ysidro border crossing. Hundreds of asylum seekers were there for interviews, having used a Customs and Border Protection app to make appointments. Immigrant advocates say the app, CBP One, is prone to glitches and turns people’s right of asylum into a lottery and dangerous waiting game.

Have a great day, from the Essential California team

Ryan Fonseca, reporter
Amy Hubbard, deputy editor, Fast Break

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