Strike deal only first step in resolving film industry crisis

 
A tentative deal to end a long-running writers' strike that has paralysed Hollywood is only a first step in resolving a film industry crisis, as an equally bitter studio stand-off with the actors' union stretches on.

The Writers Guild of America, which walked out back in May over demands including better pay and safeguards against the use of artificial intelligence, finally thrashed out a deal with studios including Netflix and Disney on Sunday night, AFP reports.

Ratification of that agreement -- first by the WGA board, then by its 11,500 members -- is widely expected to be waved through without any obstacles in the coming weeks.

Picketing for writers has been suspended and the guild has indicated that it could allow members to return to work even before the final vote is counted.
Late-night TV shows could return to air "within the next two to three weeks," according to Variety, citing industry insiders.

But a far thornier issue is the still ongoing strike by Hollywood actors, represented by the SAG-AFTRA union, which is likely to take weeks to resolve and will prevent any return to production in the immediate future. Even after that, with hundreds of film and television shoots backed up, it could take months for Hollywood to clear the logistical logjam and get fully back to work.

"There are presumably upwards of 1,500 productions that all want to start as soon as they can," said entertainment lawyer Jonathan Handel.
"And so when SAG gives the word, they're all going to be competing simultaneously... it's absolute chaos. I don't think we're going to see normalcy in the production process until sometime after January or February."