Almost Lisa: Pt 17, “ALMOST Got Some Sleep Last Night”
Almost Lisa: Pt 17, “Almost Got Some Sleep Last Night”
.
“You
gotta fight for your right...” to pay your rent/mortgage.
On July 13th, I got a message from one of my colleagues on the union
board that Sag-Aftra was unable to make a deal with the AMPTP
regarding our contract negotiations. That a strike was imminent. It
was apparent from day 1 of the WGA talks before us that the AMPTP had
no desire to negotiate for fair wages and protections from AI technology which
greatly threatens to replace Artists and Creatives across the
industry. These multi-millionaire studio executives see us as
nothing more than ink and toner that they need to save money on. Not
the valuable creatives making their products and contributing to
their wealth. It was clear that this needed to happen. We all have to
fight to be treated with respect. This time, we do it together. This time, they made it personal.
One multi-millionaire executive took time out of their billionaire retreat to tell the press that the unions & its members (170,000+ of them) were being “unreasonable” in their demands. That asking to revisit an old contract which no longer reflects a massively changed industry or serves it's members, and to provide fair wages on no-longer-new technology (streaming) which would be commensurate with our talent & contributions as well as match the greatly rising costs of living, was “unreasonable”. A man so out of touch he says that labor unions striking is “shameful” because it affects so many and harms the economy. This makes him a hypocrite. The modest and shrinking incomes we earn stimulate local economies via purchases of groceries, gasoline, shopping small businesses, paying taxes... Their bloated salaries don't. Their money gets re-invested. Furthermore...
We didn't do this. They brought it on themselves.
This Labor movement happening right now transcends the entertainment industry. We are simply the first match to strike and ignite public conversations regarding the threat of union-busting and the worldwide implications of AI technology. Labor unions everywhere have had enough. Hotel worker's, Starbucks, entertainment unions, and soon probably UPS... Everyone's been pushed to the breaking point. You can only ignore, mistreat, and disrespect your employees so long before the dam breaks. And boy is the water coming!
Curiously, I just learned that the National Relations Labor Board is being de-funded. It's almost as if this whole scenario was anticipated. Hmm.
If
you want to make a bigger ripple, throw a bigger stone.
If you've been with me on this blog journey, you know I've been here before. You've read about the major setbacks I've faced. This time, the setback could be devastating, personally and professionally, and for countless others. After the last WGA strike in 2007, the entire entertainment industry (how we earned, filmed, financed, and distributed our works) changed. And it's never been the same. Wall Street has a massive choke-hold on the Biz. Art takes a backseat to investment returns. And the mindset of studio heads, private equity, and hedge fund financiers is “If it don't make dollars, it don't make sense”.
We take to the streets in protest! But who cares about a bunch of whiny, Liberal, spoiled children. Right? That's how the general public views all of us. It doesn't understand what it never sees: the 96+% of the workforce who don't walk red carpets, wear couture, speak at public events, or get awards. No, I'm not bashing the celebs (this time, lol). It's one consideration in the entire dysfunctional machine, something which needs illumination. One GOOD thing coming from this strike is that the general public is getting to see beyond the red carpets & promotion of Hollywood to the reality a majority of professional, working contributors face.
These are REAL people. These are REAL jobs.
And WE- the laborers -are the entertainment
industry. Not just those of us everyone reads about in the news. Speaking of which...
Did you know that Penske Media Group holds a monopoly on Media trades and events such as Rolling Stone, Deadline, Variety, Billboard, and more top-tier brands, as well as The Golden Globes, Academy of Country Music Awards, Billboard Music Awards...? Basically PMC controls the narrative where it comes to Hollywood's and the Music industry's branding and marketing. The general public gets their "information" (and, subsequently, their opinions) from these entities. Not to mention there is loyalty by such subsidiaries to the major studios and corporate entities who provide their paychecks. You can imagine how this kind of control over information could curb the public's attention and spending habits. A great tool by which to make certain movies, albums, "Stars", etc, popular and successful. What would anyone have to compare anything by?
From endless posts on the internet and the sudden surge of commercials and ads for AI "this-n-that", it is painfully evident that a takeover by artificial intelligence is inescapable. The technology has been quietly implemented for years and already ingrained in our daily lives. Including Hollywood. I will concede that there are valuable applications for some AI tech where it comes to infrastructure, sustainability, safety, medical advances, etc. But instead, shareholders and the AMPTP studio heads are ensuring it replaces 100's of 1000's of jobs in the Arts & Entertainment.
For many years I have been (er...was) a highly experienced and capable brand ambassador and spokesperson. I earned a good wage for my work, and the companies and products I represented benefited by my expertise. Today, anyone can use AI technology to select their virtual "spokesperson" (their age, ethnicity, their voice/language) and plug in whatever they want this "spokesperson" to "say". Despite it's cold, inhuman delivery, this is evidently cheaper than hiring a human. So many jobs like mine have been are are being replaced by artificial representation. It's also happening in News as AI "news anchors" are being launched in various countries. The speed by which these programs can transmit and deliver "information" (and misinformation) is ridiculously fast. Another way to control narrative and public opinion.
"But what about human jobs, Lisa?"
From my vantage point, it seems everything which connects us, helps us to grow and understand ourselves and each other, is being lost. This includes empathy, compassion, creativity, critical thinking, and free-thinking. When humans don't require using human skills, we de-volve. And all of this is likely just the collateral damage of a select few wealthy-elites who are only looking out for their own financial interests. Or worse! They're just bored.
Back to Hollywood and my world...
For years, huge movie studios have been implementing AI technology to scan and record talent (acting, stunts, and voice) for use in film. Those big-budget blockbusters require bodies in numbers greater than the studios could employ. In order to satisfy their production needs, every and anyone working on their production would be required to sign away the rights to their likeness for use on the film/show they were working, then be duplicated/manipulated in post. It was understood that those renderings would remain with the project for which the contract was intended. Now, it seems they want to reuse our scans and our work in other projects without further compensation. FOREVER.
As I sat today for three hours at the Labor Board office, waiting with 15 other unemployed, vested entertainment professionals, to try and get the unemployment benefits which keep getting stalled by the AI TECHNOLOGY the state of GA now "employs", I read through all of the contract negotiation requests SAG-AFTRA brought to the table. And the AMPTP's responses.
Here are a few Highlights for your amusement:
SAG-AFTRA: AMPTP:
NEW MEDIA REVENUE SHARING: Casts share Rejected
in the revenue generated when their
performances are exhibited on streaming
platforms.
We are seeking for all BACKGROUND Rejected
ACTORS to be treated equally, regardless of local.
PERFORMANCE CAPTURE: Rejected
Finally acknowledge that performance capture is
in fact a SAG-AFTRA covered category of work.
This highly skilled form of performance makes
blockbuster projects possible.
MEAL BREAKS: Increase the penalties for not Rejected.
providing meal breaks (which have not been
updated since 1961).
REST PERIODS: Increase the penalties for failing Rejected.
to allow performers sufficient rest between work days.
Aside
from the huge asks for improved residual payments on streaming work and protections from
Artificial Intelligence,
were other small, very reasonable asks. Such as longer turnaround times
for crew who have become accustomed to 16-22 hour shoot days with early
and forced turnarounds to get back to work, without proper rest nor ability to manage "Life" (get the mail, time with kids, Dr's appointments, shop for groceries, etc). This is exceedingly dangerous. Our crew have been injured and even died driving home from long shoots. And what did they respond?
REJECTED.
There's so much more in there. I learned of the fuckary which transpired in the negotiation room, how truly cold and irrational the AMPTP was, how unreasonable THEY were/are. So now what? 87% of SAG-AFTRA members make less than $26,000 a year. The middle class, somewhere around $70,000- $90,000. After taxes (we're in the highest bracket due to the nature of our work), manager and agents commissions, etc... there's not much left. We strike until we either force them to go back to the table with a reasonable offer, or we- quite possibly literally- die trying.
One thing's for sure. We want and deserve every penny we are entitled to for our work. So...
"Hey Bob, tell me more about how "unrealistic" I'm being."
We deserve to NOT be exploited. We deserve wages commensurate with our contributions, inflation, and the rising cost of living.
SO THAT WE CAN CONTINUE TO MAKE YOU AND YOUR INVESTORS WEALTHY.
Fin.
(...to be continued...)
_____
*I retain all rights to my story, likeness, biographical information, quotes, poetry, photography, photos, fashion designs, art work, and all of my own creation represented herewithin*
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