1 00:00:00,400 --> 00:00:02,440 Speaker 1: You should be able to make a living off of 2 00:00:02,480 --> 00:00:05,280 Speaker 1: your work because somebody else is making a living off 3 00:00:05,280 --> 00:00:05,880 Speaker 1: of your work. 4 00:00:11,600 --> 00:00:13,320 Speaker 2: There are no girls on the Internet. As a production 5 00:00:13,360 --> 00:00:21,040 Speaker 2: of iHeartRadio and unbost Creative, I'm brigittat and this is 6 00:00:21,040 --> 00:00:25,720 Speaker 2: there are no girls on the Internet. It's been a 7 00:00:25,720 --> 00:00:29,319 Speaker 2: summer of strikes, and after days of bargaining last week, 8 00:00:29,720 --> 00:00:33,720 Speaker 2: screenwriters are resuming negotiations with the Alliance of Motion Picture 9 00:00:33,760 --> 00:00:38,320 Speaker 2: and Television Producers or the AMPTP this week. Today is 10 00:00:38,360 --> 00:00:41,760 Speaker 2: the Day of Solidarity, where labor supporters from across unions 11 00:00:41,760 --> 00:00:45,160 Speaker 2: and sectors all rallied outside of Disney Studios to show 12 00:00:45,159 --> 00:00:48,680 Speaker 2: their alliance and unity. Because it's not just about Hollywood, 13 00:00:49,000 --> 00:00:52,159 Speaker 2: It's about an entire country of working people who are 14 00:00:52,200 --> 00:00:54,920 Speaker 2: fed up with the dynamic where their work is commodified 15 00:00:54,960 --> 00:00:58,720 Speaker 2: to make someone else rich. Americans from across industries and 16 00:00:58,760 --> 00:01:02,120 Speaker 2: across the country are fighting for better contracts, better compensation, 17 00:01:02,440 --> 00:01:07,280 Speaker 2: better working conditions, and importantly, better protections from encroaching technology 18 00:01:07,360 --> 00:01:11,360 Speaker 2: like AI. Some of the clearest voices sounding the alarm 19 00:01:11,400 --> 00:01:15,880 Speaker 2: about AI belongs to creatives. Both striking actors and screenwriters 20 00:01:16,040 --> 00:01:19,119 Speaker 2: want guardrails around how studios and tend to use AI 21 00:01:19,280 --> 00:01:22,280 Speaker 2: in writers' rooms and on sets, and for actor and 22 00:01:22,319 --> 00:01:25,840 Speaker 2: writer Francesca Ramsey, technology has been kind of a double 23 00:01:25,959 --> 00:01:29,520 Speaker 2: edged sword. It's how she first started her career, but 24 00:01:29,680 --> 00:01:32,720 Speaker 2: now she sees the way it's being positioned to threaten 25 00:01:32,800 --> 00:01:34,000 Speaker 2: the entire industry. 26 00:01:34,640 --> 00:01:39,000 Speaker 1: My name is Francesca Ramsey and I'm a TV writer, actress, 27 00:01:39,200 --> 00:01:44,440 Speaker 1: and author, producer, content creator. Multi high finch. 28 00:01:45,760 --> 00:01:47,920 Speaker 2: That actually was going to be one of my first questions. 29 00:01:47,920 --> 00:01:50,680 Speaker 2: It's like, I don't know how to describe you because 30 00:01:50,680 --> 00:01:52,800 Speaker 2: I do all the things, Like is that how you 31 00:01:52,800 --> 00:01:56,600 Speaker 2: describe yourself? Francesca kind of does it all, and it 32 00:01:56,720 --> 00:01:59,400 Speaker 2: all started by being an early pioneer of the Internet. 33 00:02:00,160 --> 00:02:00,440 Speaker 3: Yeah. 34 00:02:00,800 --> 00:02:03,360 Speaker 1: So I learned the phrase multi hyphen it from someone 35 00:02:03,440 --> 00:02:06,440 Speaker 1: else and it really spoke to me because I do 36 00:02:06,520 --> 00:02:09,919 Speaker 1: have so many varied interests and I've been really fortunate 37 00:02:09,960 --> 00:02:13,040 Speaker 1: to have done a lot of really cool different jobs 38 00:02:13,040 --> 00:02:16,960 Speaker 1: over the course of my career, especially considering I went 39 00:02:17,000 --> 00:02:18,440 Speaker 1: to school and I just thought I was going to 40 00:02:18,440 --> 00:02:21,239 Speaker 1: be an actress. That's what I wanted to do. There 41 00:02:21,320 --> 00:02:25,800 Speaker 1: was no social media when I was studying in college. 42 00:02:26,200 --> 00:02:28,840 Speaker 1: Social media came up while I was in school, and 43 00:02:28,919 --> 00:02:31,760 Speaker 1: so a lot of the work that I do. I 44 00:02:31,800 --> 00:02:33,960 Speaker 1: didn't know it would be what I would be doing. 45 00:02:34,639 --> 00:02:37,440 Speaker 2: You've talked about how a lot of your early like 46 00:02:37,600 --> 00:02:41,520 Speaker 2: online internet experiences have really shaped the person that you 47 00:02:41,520 --> 00:02:44,080 Speaker 2: would become. Like I've read about how you would you 48 00:02:44,080 --> 00:02:46,360 Speaker 2: know you didn't have a digital camera because it was 49 00:02:46,400 --> 00:02:48,920 Speaker 2: the nineties, so you were like scanning in pictures to 50 00:02:49,000 --> 00:02:52,680 Speaker 2: make these blogs. Did you ever see this activity leading 51 00:02:52,720 --> 00:02:54,000 Speaker 2: to the career that you have now? 52 00:02:54,919 --> 00:03:00,280 Speaker 1: No, absolutely not. I mean I've always been techie. I 53 00:03:00,320 --> 00:03:03,680 Speaker 1: went to computer camp when I was in middle school 54 00:03:04,400 --> 00:03:08,920 Speaker 1: and I learned HTML and it was a really small camp. 55 00:03:09,080 --> 00:03:12,120 Speaker 1: There was maybe twenty kids and it was myself and 56 00:03:12,200 --> 00:03:17,079 Speaker 1: one other girl. It was all boys, and my parents 57 00:03:17,080 --> 00:03:23,200 Speaker 1: were encouraging, but I definitely remember friends and peers saying 58 00:03:23,240 --> 00:03:25,640 Speaker 1: like what are you doing? Like why do you care? 59 00:03:27,160 --> 00:03:30,359 Speaker 1: I had a website that I uploaded, updated and no 60 00:03:30,400 --> 00:03:34,240 Speaker 1: one was reading it. It was just me. I had 61 00:03:34,240 --> 00:03:36,680 Speaker 1: a bootleg a photoshop that I got from a boy 62 00:03:36,720 --> 00:03:38,440 Speaker 1: that I had a crush on, and I was like 63 00:03:39,000 --> 00:03:42,200 Speaker 1: scanning my art and clipping together photos. It was just 64 00:03:42,760 --> 00:03:46,800 Speaker 1: purely because I had a love for creating things. I 65 00:03:46,880 --> 00:03:50,520 Speaker 1: didn't know I could have never imagined where it would 66 00:03:50,600 --> 00:03:53,760 Speaker 1: lead me to so I really see you and a 67 00:03:53,760 --> 00:03:56,760 Speaker 1: couple other folks of having this like I see y'all 68 00:03:56,840 --> 00:03:59,760 Speaker 1: us having this like very specific kind of trajectory where 69 00:04:00,160 --> 00:04:03,680 Speaker 1: it was like all of these very creative, very online 70 00:04:04,000 --> 00:04:06,960 Speaker 1: young black women who were like of the culture of 71 00:04:07,000 --> 00:04:12,160 Speaker 1: the zeitgeist, who were making content online in the early days, 72 00:04:12,200 --> 00:04:16,560 Speaker 1: right on platforms like for you, YouTube and really now 73 00:04:17,200 --> 00:04:20,440 Speaker 1: it's like you all saw something like other people didn't see, 74 00:04:20,560 --> 00:04:22,320 Speaker 1: and you got how to use it in a way 75 00:04:22,320 --> 00:04:23,360 Speaker 1: that not everyone did. 76 00:04:23,400 --> 00:04:25,840 Speaker 2: Like how did that trajectory work for you in your career? 77 00:04:26,680 --> 00:04:30,880 Speaker 1: It's so thank you for saying that. I think that's 78 00:04:30,960 --> 00:04:33,720 Speaker 1: just always been me. I'll never forget. I think I 79 00:04:33,760 --> 00:04:37,000 Speaker 1: was in I think I was in middle school and 80 00:04:37,240 --> 00:04:41,160 Speaker 1: I got a pair of capri pants from like a 81 00:04:41,200 --> 00:04:43,520 Speaker 1: thrift store, and I wore them to school and everyone 82 00:04:43,640 --> 00:04:46,440 Speaker 1: was like, what's wrong with you? Your pants are short, 83 00:04:46,680 --> 00:04:48,560 Speaker 1: you're wearing high waters. What's wrong with you? And then 84 00:04:48,600 --> 00:04:51,880 Speaker 1: like the next year, everyone was wearing caprepants and I 85 00:04:51,960 --> 00:04:56,200 Speaker 1: remember being like, you bitches all made fun of me, 86 00:04:56,680 --> 00:04:59,080 Speaker 1: but I had and I was like mad about it. 87 00:04:59,120 --> 00:05:00,920 Speaker 1: I was really mad. It was like all the caprice 88 00:05:01,040 --> 00:05:06,000 Speaker 1: sets were very popular, and I that moment sticks out 89 00:05:06,040 --> 00:05:09,160 Speaker 1: in my mind because I felt the same way when 90 00:05:09,320 --> 00:05:13,719 Speaker 1: I've adapted to technology. I was on YouTube my senior 91 00:05:13,800 --> 00:05:16,520 Speaker 1: year of college. I was going to school for graphic design, 92 00:05:17,000 --> 00:05:21,000 Speaker 1: and I remember making these videos and my classmates being 93 00:05:21,040 --> 00:05:23,880 Speaker 1: like why, Like, what do you get out of this? 94 00:05:24,000 --> 00:05:27,560 Speaker 1: I was not making any money. I was not getting 95 00:05:27,640 --> 00:05:30,400 Speaker 1: jobs because of it. It was truly just a hobby. 96 00:05:31,200 --> 00:05:35,720 Speaker 1: And so I hope that people see that as inspiration 97 00:05:36,040 --> 00:05:40,600 Speaker 1: for themselves. You know, you should follow things, not necessarily 98 00:05:40,640 --> 00:05:43,480 Speaker 1: because it's a trend, but because you have an interest 99 00:05:43,520 --> 00:05:45,760 Speaker 1: in it. And you have to know that when you 100 00:05:46,000 --> 00:05:48,760 Speaker 1: are following your own path, there are always going to 101 00:05:48,760 --> 00:05:51,240 Speaker 1: be people that don't get it. But it's your path 102 00:05:51,320 --> 00:05:54,760 Speaker 1: and that's why you are following it. So it's really 103 00:05:54,839 --> 00:05:58,159 Speaker 1: cool to see where the internet is at now. I 104 00:05:58,200 --> 00:06:01,719 Speaker 1: mean back in mind, you know, I would have to 105 00:06:01,839 --> 00:06:04,120 Speaker 1: edit for hours, and now you can go on your 106 00:06:04,120 --> 00:06:06,840 Speaker 1: phone and you can edit green screen in two seconds. 107 00:06:06,839 --> 00:06:09,080 Speaker 1: I used to have to put up you know, like 108 00:06:09,320 --> 00:06:12,240 Speaker 1: hang the green screen in my living room and make 109 00:06:12,240 --> 00:06:14,479 Speaker 1: sure it was lit the right way because god forbid, 110 00:06:14,560 --> 00:06:17,040 Speaker 1: there's a shadow on the green screen is not going 111 00:06:17,120 --> 00:06:20,640 Speaker 1: greas here Now and now you just literally click a button. 112 00:06:21,800 --> 00:06:24,520 Speaker 1: I feel like a boomer saying this, but I truly 113 00:06:24,560 --> 00:06:27,880 Speaker 1: it's it's mind boggling to me editing on a phone. 114 00:06:28,640 --> 00:06:32,479 Speaker 1: Never in my life did I think that everyone would 115 00:06:32,520 --> 00:06:36,560 Speaker 1: be an influencer. Now everyone is a filmmaker, and I 116 00:06:36,600 --> 00:06:40,440 Speaker 1: think it's really cool that it's democratized content creating. It's 117 00:06:40,640 --> 00:06:43,400 Speaker 1: it's made it accessible for everyone, and I think that's 118 00:06:43,400 --> 00:06:47,440 Speaker 1: how it should be today. Francesca is a successful writer 119 00:06:47,560 --> 00:06:50,239 Speaker 1: and actor. You've seen her on shows like broad City 120 00:06:50,440 --> 00:06:53,640 Speaker 1: and Superstore. She's in both the Screen Actors Guild or 121 00:06:53,760 --> 00:06:57,360 Speaker 1: SAG and the Writer's Guild of America or WGA, and 122 00:06:57,480 --> 00:06:59,239 Speaker 1: both unions are currently on strike. 123 00:06:59,720 --> 00:07:02,080 Speaker 2: Now. Even though we might have this idea that the 124 00:07:02,120 --> 00:07:05,600 Speaker 2: actors that we see on screen are all fabulously wealthy, 125 00:07:06,000 --> 00:07:09,480 Speaker 2: Francesca says that it's not really the case. I had 126 00:07:09,480 --> 00:07:13,000 Speaker 2: a conversation with somebody that I respect recently, and I 127 00:07:13,080 --> 00:07:15,920 Speaker 2: was shocked that some of the things she was saying 128 00:07:16,040 --> 00:07:19,280 Speaker 2: about the strike. I was shocked to hear. And it 129 00:07:19,360 --> 00:07:22,040 Speaker 2: was things like, well, you know, when I hear what 130 00:07:22,320 --> 00:07:24,920 Speaker 2: Hollywood writers are making, it seems like good money to me, 131 00:07:25,000 --> 00:07:28,120 Speaker 2: Like what, like, why should they be like, like, why 132 00:07:28,160 --> 00:07:30,800 Speaker 2: should they be striking? Like, you know, that's I would 133 00:07:30,840 --> 00:07:32,680 Speaker 2: love to make that kind of money. And I had 134 00:07:32,680 --> 00:07:35,840 Speaker 2: this realization that I think that people might have a 135 00:07:35,920 --> 00:07:39,800 Speaker 2: misconception that if you are involved in the entertainment industry, 136 00:07:40,040 --> 00:07:44,160 Speaker 2: that you're automatically you're making millions of dollars and you're set. 137 00:07:44,440 --> 00:07:48,840 Speaker 1: It's absolutely not true. I wish it was true. Fame, 138 00:07:49,760 --> 00:07:53,280 Speaker 1: I mean, I you know, I started online and then 139 00:07:53,320 --> 00:07:55,880 Speaker 1: I got the opportunity to move into TV, and a 140 00:07:55,920 --> 00:07:59,080 Speaker 1: big part of my desire to move into TV was 141 00:07:59,120 --> 00:08:03,760 Speaker 1: looking for stability, and I was very quickly surprised to 142 00:08:03,880 --> 00:08:08,480 Speaker 1: learn that as fortunate as I was to transition into 143 00:08:08,480 --> 00:08:11,320 Speaker 1: this career, it wasn't as stable as I thought it 144 00:08:11,360 --> 00:08:14,240 Speaker 1: would be, and the money wasn't as good. And once 145 00:08:14,280 --> 00:08:16,920 Speaker 1: I got into the career, all of my peers and 146 00:08:16,960 --> 00:08:19,800 Speaker 1: coworkers were like, yeah, girl is hard out here. That's 147 00:08:19,840 --> 00:08:22,440 Speaker 1: why we all have eighty jobs. That's why you see 148 00:08:22,520 --> 00:08:26,440 Speaker 1: us on instagram slinging, you know, teeth whitening, strips like 149 00:08:26,480 --> 00:08:29,880 Speaker 1: I gotta pay bills, you know. And the reality is 150 00:08:29,960 --> 00:08:35,599 Speaker 1: for TV writers and actors, many of us are struggling 151 00:08:35,679 --> 00:08:39,760 Speaker 1: to make ends meet, and the current streaming model is 152 00:08:39,760 --> 00:08:43,080 Speaker 1: a big part of the problem. There are so many shows, 153 00:08:43,440 --> 00:08:47,400 Speaker 1: there are so many platforms, and the audiences have noticed 154 00:08:47,400 --> 00:08:50,080 Speaker 1: the change too. All the shows are getting shorter. You know, 155 00:08:50,240 --> 00:08:52,240 Speaker 1: we used to have a show with twenty two episodes. 156 00:08:52,520 --> 00:08:56,079 Speaker 1: Now you might get one with eight or six. You're 157 00:08:56,120 --> 00:09:01,080 Speaker 1: also noticing that more time is transpiring between cs. So 158 00:09:01,760 --> 00:09:05,840 Speaker 1: you know, the kids on Euphoria, they've got to be 159 00:09:05,920 --> 00:09:08,280 Speaker 1: grown by beside the show comes back right, they are 160 00:09:08,280 --> 00:09:10,400 Speaker 1: in high school and you know, now he got a 161 00:09:10,400 --> 00:09:13,679 Speaker 1: five o'clock shadow that is a man. So all of 162 00:09:13,720 --> 00:09:17,400 Speaker 1: those things are contributing to how much the creators and 163 00:09:17,480 --> 00:09:20,959 Speaker 1: actors in these programs are getting paid. And then because 164 00:09:21,000 --> 00:09:25,800 Speaker 1: of streaming, we often are not aware that we're not 165 00:09:25,840 --> 00:09:28,400 Speaker 1: We don't know how many views the shows are getting. 166 00:09:28,880 --> 00:09:34,200 Speaker 1: So in addition to the residuals from the streamers being 167 00:09:35,160 --> 00:09:39,600 Speaker 1: laughably low by comparison the network, we don't actually know 168 00:09:40,080 --> 00:09:43,040 Speaker 1: like how much we're being screwed. They're like, h here, 169 00:09:43,360 --> 00:09:47,200 Speaker 1: just take this. And so the strike is essentially asking 170 00:09:47,320 --> 00:09:52,000 Speaker 1: the networks to have transparency with us. We want to 171 00:09:52,000 --> 00:09:54,600 Speaker 1: make sure that the money that we are making off 172 00:09:54,600 --> 00:09:58,080 Speaker 1: of our work is reflective of how the work is doing. 173 00:09:58,559 --> 00:10:01,520 Speaker 1: Because if it takes it year and a half before 174 00:10:01,640 --> 00:10:04,680 Speaker 1: I get staffed on a show again, I should be 175 00:10:05,080 --> 00:10:07,320 Speaker 1: making a portion of the profits that the show that 176 00:10:07,360 --> 00:10:11,080 Speaker 1: I worked on is going to collect for the network 177 00:10:11,360 --> 00:10:14,680 Speaker 1: and the CEOs. And the reality is, I don't believe 178 00:10:14,760 --> 00:10:20,679 Speaker 1: any CEO deserves a twenty four million dollar salary when 179 00:10:20,720 --> 00:10:24,320 Speaker 1: the writers and actors on the show are struggling to 180 00:10:24,320 --> 00:10:27,880 Speaker 1: get qualified for their health insurance. Like, that's just the reality. 181 00:10:29,559 --> 00:10:32,480 Speaker 1: And so yes, it is frustrating that people have this 182 00:10:32,600 --> 00:10:36,320 Speaker 1: misconception about our industry. But that's the reason that you 183 00:10:36,360 --> 00:10:40,120 Speaker 1: and I are having this conversation, and so many writers 184 00:10:40,160 --> 00:10:43,480 Speaker 1: and performers are getting candid about the realities of our situation. 185 00:10:44,040 --> 00:10:46,800 Speaker 4: There's a level of expectation that they have that is 186 00:10:47,000 --> 00:10:50,640 Speaker 4: just not realistic, and they are adding to a set 187 00:10:50,640 --> 00:10:53,880 Speaker 4: of challenges that this business is already facing that is 188 00:10:54,000 --> 00:10:57,520 Speaker 4: quite frankly, very disruptive. I know they're not. 189 00:10:57,920 --> 00:11:00,880 Speaker 2: That's Bob Eiger, the CEO of Disney, and he's talking 190 00:11:00,920 --> 00:11:04,000 Speaker 2: about writers, you know, the actual people who do the 191 00:11:04,080 --> 00:11:06,400 Speaker 2: work to make the things that he sells that make 192 00:11:06,480 --> 00:11:09,800 Speaker 2: him rich, and frankly, I got to say, it sounds 193 00:11:09,800 --> 00:11:12,880 Speaker 2: like a pretty sweet grift to me. Bob iger, who 194 00:11:12,960 --> 00:11:15,840 Speaker 2: CNN reports is one of the highest paid CEOs in 195 00:11:15,960 --> 00:11:18,880 Speaker 2: all of entertainment, can tell the people whose work makes 196 00:11:18,960 --> 00:11:22,080 Speaker 2: him millions of dollars a year that they're the ones 197 00:11:22,080 --> 00:11:25,080 Speaker 2: who are being unrealistic when they ask for better treatment 198 00:11:25,120 --> 00:11:28,560 Speaker 2: and better pay. This is kind of a spicy take, 199 00:11:28,760 --> 00:11:32,480 Speaker 2: and I'm curious for your thoughts. It's gotta be some 200 00:11:32,600 --> 00:11:35,439 Speaker 2: kind of a scam, right, because I was watching that interview, 201 00:11:35,440 --> 00:11:38,320 Speaker 2: I think it was Ted Sarjono's the CEO from Netflix, 202 00:11:38,360 --> 00:11:41,400 Speaker 2: and he was like, the writers are just not being realistic. 203 00:11:42,000 --> 00:11:45,160 Speaker 1: Oh it was Bob Igerer. 204 00:11:44,160 --> 00:11:48,760 Speaker 2: Bob, and I was like, yeah, I'm sure the dynamic 205 00:11:48,800 --> 00:11:52,559 Speaker 2: where like you make fifty million dollars a year from 206 00:11:52,640 --> 00:11:55,960 Speaker 2: the labor and the creativity and the talent of other people, 207 00:11:56,400 --> 00:11:59,600 Speaker 2: Like maybe that is it possible that maybe that's not real. 208 00:12:00,200 --> 00:12:03,480 Speaker 1: But sir, you never hung a light, you never a script, 209 00:12:03,600 --> 00:12:06,240 Speaker 1: you never did a rewrite, you ain't learned no lines, 210 00:12:06,559 --> 00:12:08,600 Speaker 1: Like this is not a spicy take. Like what do 211 00:12:08,720 --> 00:12:13,600 Speaker 1: you do, sir? Like you quickly tell me what you do? Yeah, 212 00:12:13,640 --> 00:12:18,720 Speaker 1: it is. It's it is just so that that interview. 213 00:12:18,840 --> 00:12:21,480 Speaker 1: I made a video about that because it was so 214 00:12:22,400 --> 00:12:25,720 Speaker 1: like laughable and just showed how out of touch he 215 00:12:26,000 --> 00:12:29,040 Speaker 1: was to say those things. And I think that is 216 00:12:29,080 --> 00:12:31,480 Speaker 1: a big crux of this issue. And you're seeing this 217 00:12:32,160 --> 00:12:36,040 Speaker 1: with you know, labor across the country, whether you work 218 00:12:36,080 --> 00:12:38,640 Speaker 1: at ups or whether you're a teacher, or whether you're 219 00:12:38,920 --> 00:12:41,880 Speaker 1: in healthcare or oftentimes the people at the top don't 220 00:12:42,000 --> 00:12:46,120 Speaker 1: understand the realities of the work, blood, sweat and tears 221 00:12:46,160 --> 00:12:50,280 Speaker 1: that their workers are putting into the business that sustains them, 222 00:12:50,360 --> 00:12:53,319 Speaker 1: whether you are working on the assembly line at Amazon 223 00:12:53,840 --> 00:12:56,679 Speaker 1: or if you are staying up late doing rewrites on 224 00:12:56,720 --> 00:13:00,440 Speaker 1: a script because they shoot tomorrow, you know. And so 225 00:13:01,040 --> 00:13:03,400 Speaker 1: it's easy for the people at the top to say, oh, 226 00:13:03,440 --> 00:13:07,560 Speaker 1: it's not realistic. It's not realistic to wait nine months 227 00:13:07,600 --> 00:13:11,200 Speaker 1: between me getting paid for a job that I did successfully. 228 00:13:11,400 --> 00:13:13,760 Speaker 1: And when we asked the studios, hey, you guys are 229 00:13:13,960 --> 00:13:18,000 Speaker 1: historically late on payments, the studio's response was, well, we 230 00:13:18,120 --> 00:13:21,080 Speaker 1: think paying on time, would you know it wouldn't incentivize 231 00:13:21,120 --> 00:13:25,240 Speaker 1: the writers, sir. I got to pay my bills. 232 00:13:25,679 --> 00:13:27,640 Speaker 2: One of the things I saw that I like, I 233 00:13:27,720 --> 00:13:29,680 Speaker 2: like screenshotted it because I couldn't believe it was true 234 00:13:29,679 --> 00:13:32,200 Speaker 2: where it was like the studio is acknowledged that they 235 00:13:32,240 --> 00:13:34,480 Speaker 2: do not pay on time, and they also say that 236 00:13:34,880 --> 00:13:38,560 Speaker 2: having penalties to involved will also not make them pay 237 00:13:38,559 --> 00:13:39,600 Speaker 2: on time. So you're. 238 00:13:41,760 --> 00:13:45,040 Speaker 1: Not going to pay. It's just not going to happen. 239 00:13:45,160 --> 00:13:48,679 Speaker 1: And and again to your point about your friend, I 240 00:13:48,720 --> 00:13:51,040 Speaker 1: think people see the big numbers and they're like, oh 241 00:13:51,040 --> 00:13:53,840 Speaker 1: my gosh, this person got paid one hundred thousand dollars 242 00:13:53,880 --> 00:13:56,760 Speaker 1: for a script. Amazing. If the deal doesn't close for 243 00:13:56,800 --> 00:13:59,560 Speaker 1: a year or two years, that's two years that you 244 00:13:59,600 --> 00:14:02,040 Speaker 1: are way to get paid that money. And in that 245 00:14:02,160 --> 00:14:05,920 Speaker 1: time you still are having to pay your bills. Okay, great, 246 00:14:05,960 --> 00:14:07,920 Speaker 1: you made this money on a script. You don't get 247 00:14:07,920 --> 00:14:10,080 Speaker 1: paid it all at front. It gets paid to you 248 00:14:10,120 --> 00:14:12,640 Speaker 1: in thirds. You get a third when you start the job, 249 00:14:12,960 --> 00:14:14,960 Speaker 1: you get a third when you turn that first draft in, 250 00:14:15,200 --> 00:14:16,679 Speaker 1: and you get a third when you turn that last 251 00:14:16,760 --> 00:14:19,280 Speaker 1: draft in. One of the things that we are asking 252 00:14:19,360 --> 00:14:24,560 Speaker 1: for is hard timelines on that, because what happens is 253 00:14:24,640 --> 00:14:27,200 Speaker 1: you turn that script in and they go, we don't 254 00:14:27,200 --> 00:14:30,080 Speaker 1: really like it. You gotta do another draft. And you're like, okay, 255 00:14:30,160 --> 00:14:32,920 Speaker 1: do I get paid? No? No, no, you gotta do 256 00:14:32,960 --> 00:14:35,840 Speaker 1: another draft. We'll tell you when we're happy with the draft. 257 00:14:36,160 --> 00:14:39,400 Speaker 1: It can take you months to another year to write 258 00:14:39,400 --> 00:14:42,040 Speaker 1: that draft, and you are just hoping that on the 259 00:14:42,040 --> 00:14:44,680 Speaker 1: other end, they're going to decide that it's good enough 260 00:14:44,840 --> 00:14:47,040 Speaker 1: for you to get paid. And then you still have 261 00:14:47,120 --> 00:14:51,440 Speaker 1: to pay your agent, your manager, your lawyer, your business manager, 262 00:14:51,600 --> 00:14:55,160 Speaker 1: and you got to set aside money for taxes, and 263 00:14:55,200 --> 00:14:57,440 Speaker 1: you still have to pay all your other bills. And 264 00:14:57,480 --> 00:14:59,840 Speaker 1: then if the movie or show goes on to make 265 00:15:00,320 --> 00:15:03,640 Speaker 1: billions for the studio, you get nothing. I mean, the 266 00:15:04,480 --> 00:15:06,800 Speaker 1: math is literally not nothing for me. 267 00:15:08,480 --> 00:15:11,440 Speaker 2: I still think there's a grift happening because the fact 268 00:15:11,440 --> 00:15:15,320 Speaker 2: that the streaming model does not have transparency into the numbers. 269 00:15:15,560 --> 00:15:20,000 Speaker 2: I think any kind of situation where there's not transparency 270 00:15:20,080 --> 00:15:23,960 Speaker 2: around numbers, something someone is cheating, somebody, somebody's being scammed. 271 00:15:24,000 --> 00:15:24,760 Speaker 2: What's going on there? 272 00:15:24,800 --> 00:15:24,960 Speaker 3: Do you? 273 00:15:25,080 --> 00:15:28,960 Speaker 1: Oh? Oh, yes, one, I agree. I think it's one 274 00:15:29,000 --> 00:15:30,920 Speaker 1: of two things, or maybe a little bit of both. 275 00:15:31,600 --> 00:15:35,560 Speaker 1: I think that the streamers have realized that they shot 276 00:15:35,640 --> 00:15:38,440 Speaker 1: themselves in the foot by you know, the arms race 277 00:15:38,520 --> 00:15:41,600 Speaker 1: for everybody to have a platform. There are too many 278 00:15:41,680 --> 00:15:46,600 Speaker 1: places to watch content, and the reality is the numbers 279 00:15:46,720 --> 00:15:49,040 Speaker 1: I think on their end are not what they're saying 280 00:15:49,080 --> 00:15:53,000 Speaker 1: that they are, and so you know, every week Netflix 281 00:15:53,080 --> 00:15:56,200 Speaker 1: is like, this show is blown numbers out of the water. 282 00:15:56,280 --> 00:15:59,640 Speaker 1: It's them. Every week there's a new record being set, 283 00:16:00,160 --> 00:16:02,720 Speaker 1: like what is the record? Like, what's the record that's 284 00:16:02,720 --> 00:16:05,680 Speaker 1: actually being set? We don't know. On the other end, 285 00:16:06,080 --> 00:16:08,640 Speaker 1: I think that they don't potentially want to tell us 286 00:16:08,680 --> 00:16:10,960 Speaker 1: the numbers because if they did tell us the numbers, 287 00:16:11,000 --> 00:16:13,720 Speaker 1: we would know how much we were being screwed. So again, 288 00:16:13,760 --> 00:16:15,720 Speaker 1: I think it's a little bit of both, and that 289 00:16:15,760 --> 00:16:20,040 Speaker 1: if the shareholders, for example, knew how low the sign 290 00:16:20,160 --> 00:16:23,240 Speaker 1: ups were, knew how low the numbers were on some 291 00:16:23,280 --> 00:16:27,400 Speaker 1: of these shows, it would really potentially negatively affect these streamers. 292 00:16:28,280 --> 00:16:33,160 Speaker 1: I guess their reasoning is because they are operating as 293 00:16:33,320 --> 00:16:38,120 Speaker 1: tech companies in addition to studios. The numbers are proprietary information. 294 00:16:38,600 --> 00:16:42,680 Speaker 1: That's a that's such a grift. They're like, we can't 295 00:16:42,680 --> 00:16:45,160 Speaker 1: tell you how it works because then you might start 296 00:16:45,200 --> 00:16:47,480 Speaker 1: a streamer. Well, I don't want to start a streamer. 297 00:16:47,480 --> 00:16:48,480 Speaker 1: I just want to get paid. 298 00:16:50,000 --> 00:16:53,000 Speaker 2: Yeah, that Like, I mean, this is something that I 299 00:16:53,040 --> 00:16:55,800 Speaker 2: find frustrating but also confusing, is that it was the 300 00:16:55,880 --> 00:16:58,120 Speaker 2: networks who chose to sort of give it to this 301 00:16:58,200 --> 00:17:00,640 Speaker 2: streaming model, and now that is the same model that 302 00:17:00,640 --> 00:17:03,480 Speaker 2: they're blaming to be like, well, yes, we can't pay people, 303 00:17:03,640 --> 00:17:06,200 Speaker 2: we can't give you transparency because of this model that 304 00:17:06,520 --> 00:17:09,760 Speaker 2: we all pivoted to you, Like, it's a very frustrating. 305 00:17:09,280 --> 00:17:14,040 Speaker 1: Dynamic, right, but Bob Iger can still make twenty four 306 00:17:14,480 --> 00:17:18,320 Speaker 1: point two million dollars a year, Like why is it 307 00:17:18,400 --> 00:17:21,119 Speaker 1: that the people at the top can continue to profit? 308 00:17:21,200 --> 00:17:24,840 Speaker 1: And again, this is not just unique to the film 309 00:17:24,880 --> 00:17:29,040 Speaker 1: and television industry. We are seeing labor being taken advantage 310 00:17:29,080 --> 00:17:33,080 Speaker 1: of across all industries. And the thing that I keep 311 00:17:33,119 --> 00:17:36,720 Speaker 1: telling people is if you are seeing the writer's strike 312 00:17:36,720 --> 00:17:39,679 Speaker 1: and the actor strike and thinking I don't make as 313 00:17:39,760 --> 00:17:42,000 Speaker 1: much money, I should be making more money, I agree, 314 00:17:42,240 --> 00:17:46,000 Speaker 1: you should be making more money to your labor should 315 00:17:46,119 --> 00:17:50,399 Speaker 1: be respected. You should be able to purchase a home. 316 00:17:50,920 --> 00:17:53,840 Speaker 1: You know, after you've worked somewhere for X amount of years, 317 00:17:54,080 --> 00:17:56,240 Speaker 1: you should be able to afford rent in the city 318 00:17:56,240 --> 00:17:59,320 Speaker 1: that you live in off of the salary that you make. 319 00:17:59,600 --> 00:18:02,320 Speaker 1: I don't care if you work at a fast food restaurant, 320 00:18:02,600 --> 00:18:05,439 Speaker 1: or if you are a secretary, or if you wash cars, 321 00:18:05,800 --> 00:18:07,840 Speaker 1: you should be able to make a living off of 322 00:18:07,880 --> 00:18:10,680 Speaker 1: your work because somebody else is making a living off 323 00:18:10,680 --> 00:18:13,679 Speaker 1: of your work. The crabs in a barrel mentality is 324 00:18:13,720 --> 00:18:16,880 Speaker 1: helping none of us. My paycheck is not taking money 325 00:18:16,920 --> 00:18:21,199 Speaker 1: out of teachers pockets is not, and absolutely teachers should 326 00:18:21,200 --> 00:18:24,840 Speaker 1: be paid better. So my hope and I am taking 327 00:18:24,880 --> 00:18:28,879 Speaker 1: solace and seeing the solidarity that's happening across industries and 328 00:18:28,920 --> 00:18:34,000 Speaker 1: from people outside of the entertainment community, that it's creating 329 00:18:34,040 --> 00:18:38,960 Speaker 1: a level of class consciousness we haven't seen before, where 330 00:18:39,000 --> 00:18:43,520 Speaker 1: people are saying we deserve and demand more, and I 331 00:18:43,560 --> 00:18:45,439 Speaker 1: believe we should get it, and when it comes to 332 00:18:45,480 --> 00:18:47,440 Speaker 1: the writers and actors, I believe we will. 333 00:18:47,920 --> 00:18:50,000 Speaker 2: I think that that tide is kind of shifting a 334 00:18:50,040 --> 00:18:52,800 Speaker 2: little bit because in the beginning of the strike, the 335 00:18:52,840 --> 00:18:54,840 Speaker 2: sort of thing I heard so often was like, well, 336 00:18:54,880 --> 00:18:57,960 Speaker 2: teachers don't make that much. It's something we talk about 337 00:18:58,000 --> 00:19:00,600 Speaker 2: a lot on the show. Is like teaching. The same 338 00:19:00,720 --> 00:19:06,320 Speaker 2: forces are actively deprofessionalizing and demaialuing teaching as a career 339 00:19:06,400 --> 00:19:09,639 Speaker 2: and turning it into a gig commodity. So you're angry 340 00:19:09,640 --> 00:19:11,639 Speaker 2: about the teachers, you should be angry about the writers 341 00:19:11,680 --> 00:19:14,280 Speaker 2: as well, because it's the same dynamic that it's just 342 00:19:14,359 --> 00:19:16,320 Speaker 2: turning the work into a commodity. 343 00:19:16,200 --> 00:19:18,960 Speaker 1: One thousand percent. And I would also go a step 344 00:19:19,000 --> 00:19:22,320 Speaker 1: further to say when the teachers go on strike, y'all 345 00:19:22,359 --> 00:19:24,280 Speaker 1: do the same thing to them. You get the summer, 346 00:19:24,440 --> 00:19:26,840 Speaker 1: you get the summers off, and you get to end 347 00:19:26,840 --> 00:19:30,680 Speaker 1: work at two o'clock and you're just looking at coloring 348 00:19:30,680 --> 00:19:33,600 Speaker 1: books like they do the exact same thing. Well, you 349 00:19:33,720 --> 00:19:35,520 Speaker 1: chose to be a teacher, you could get another job. 350 00:19:36,280 --> 00:19:41,320 Speaker 1: You know it again, it's this false equivalency. And you 351 00:19:41,359 --> 00:19:44,359 Speaker 1: see it when we're talking about raising the minimum wage 352 00:19:44,440 --> 00:19:47,400 Speaker 1: so that people that work in the food industry, for example, 353 00:19:47,520 --> 00:19:50,959 Speaker 1: can keep a roof with their head. Well, you know, 354 00:19:51,160 --> 00:19:53,920 Speaker 1: working at McDonald's was never supposed to support a family. 355 00:19:53,960 --> 00:19:57,040 Speaker 1: That's supposed to be a job for teenagers. Okay, who 356 00:19:57,080 --> 00:19:59,240 Speaker 1: is supposed to be working at McDonald's when the teenagers 357 00:19:59,240 --> 00:19:59,720 Speaker 1: are at school? 358 00:20:00,119 --> 00:20:00,359 Speaker 2: Right? 359 00:20:02,440 --> 00:20:05,040 Speaker 1: Is the business just supposed to close between school hours? 360 00:20:05,240 --> 00:20:06,760 Speaker 1: Somebody has to do the job. 361 00:20:06,920 --> 00:20:07,119 Speaker 2: You know. 362 00:20:07,200 --> 00:20:10,280 Speaker 1: It's like that chicken or the egg thing where it's like, well, 363 00:20:10,320 --> 00:20:12,400 Speaker 1: go to college and then and then you'll be able 364 00:20:12,400 --> 00:20:14,679 Speaker 1: to get a good, good job. But then you go 365 00:20:14,720 --> 00:20:16,719 Speaker 1: to college and get student loans and then they're like, well, 366 00:20:16,760 --> 00:20:19,439 Speaker 1: nobody told you go to college, you get student loans, 367 00:20:19,560 --> 00:20:22,760 Speaker 1: you should go get you know, uh, you should go 368 00:20:22,800 --> 00:20:25,639 Speaker 1: get an industry job. It's like, you're damned if you do, 369 00:20:25,720 --> 00:20:28,760 Speaker 1: damned if you don't. And it ultimately comes down to 370 00:20:29,720 --> 00:20:33,600 Speaker 1: a number of people wanting to look down on somebody 371 00:20:33,600 --> 00:20:38,520 Speaker 1: else as if it secures their future, and the reality 372 00:20:38,720 --> 00:20:42,280 Speaker 1: is it doesn't. We all are struggling in the same 373 00:20:42,359 --> 00:20:45,280 Speaker 1: capitalistic society and we all deserve better. 374 00:20:48,920 --> 00:21:01,640 Speaker 3: Let's take a quick break at our back. 375 00:21:03,160 --> 00:21:06,280 Speaker 2: It feels like we're at this crossroads with so many 376 00:21:06,359 --> 00:21:11,239 Speaker 2: different industries where the question is should the powers that 377 00:21:11,320 --> 00:21:16,359 Speaker 2: be be able to squeeze and commodify every drop, every 378 00:21:16,520 --> 00:21:18,760 Speaker 2: ounce of the work that we do, the talent that 379 00:21:18,760 --> 00:21:20,679 Speaker 2: we have, the joy that we have in life to 380 00:21:20,760 --> 00:21:24,639 Speaker 2: make somebody else more money? And it feels like that 381 00:21:24,840 --> 00:21:28,440 Speaker 2: seems to be the like big existential question that we're 382 00:21:28,440 --> 00:21:30,960 Speaker 2: grappling with right now. Do you do feel that sense? 383 00:21:31,680 --> 00:21:36,239 Speaker 1: Absolutely? I mean, look, Twitter is a dumpster fire and 384 00:21:36,320 --> 00:21:39,479 Speaker 1: I cannot give it up. I will be there like 385 00:21:39,560 --> 00:21:42,639 Speaker 1: the last people in the Titanic, just watching it go down. 386 00:21:43,119 --> 00:21:46,760 Speaker 1: But what I love about Twitter is being able to 387 00:21:47,040 --> 00:21:50,840 Speaker 1: hear from people across so many different communities, that I 388 00:21:50,840 --> 00:21:54,080 Speaker 1: would never normally get to interact with. And there really 389 00:21:54,119 --> 00:21:57,560 Speaker 1: does seem to be a sentiment growing amongst people that 390 00:21:57,600 --> 00:22:00,400 Speaker 1: are like, wait a second, the actors and writers can't 391 00:22:00,440 --> 00:22:02,840 Speaker 1: earn a living, the teachers can't earn a living, the 392 00:22:02,960 --> 00:22:06,119 Speaker 1: nurses can't live earn a living, the people working in 393 00:22:06,160 --> 00:22:09,520 Speaker 1: the restaurant are earning a living. Who is earning a living? 394 00:22:11,040 --> 00:22:13,320 Speaker 1: People were like, I can't afford to put gas in 395 00:22:13,359 --> 00:22:17,240 Speaker 1: my car, It's really expensive to buy groceries. I don't 396 00:22:17,240 --> 00:22:22,040 Speaker 1: have no healthcare. What is going on? And again to 397 00:22:22,119 --> 00:22:26,560 Speaker 1: your question, a lot of people are connecting the dots. 398 00:22:27,680 --> 00:22:34,480 Speaker 1: This is a universal struggle across all industries, and a 399 00:22:34,520 --> 00:22:36,719 Speaker 1: lot of times we are looking at each other and 400 00:22:36,760 --> 00:22:40,720 Speaker 1: counting each other's coins, when the reality is many of 401 00:22:40,800 --> 00:22:44,640 Speaker 1: us are not able to make a living wage, and 402 00:22:44,680 --> 00:22:48,399 Speaker 1: that's what we're asking for. I don't need to be 403 00:22:48,480 --> 00:22:52,080 Speaker 1: a millionaire. I don't need multiple homes. I just need 404 00:22:52,119 --> 00:22:54,280 Speaker 1: to be able to keep the lights on where I live, 405 00:22:54,560 --> 00:22:59,119 Speaker 1: you know, maybe go on vacation once a year. And 406 00:22:59,160 --> 00:23:01,439 Speaker 1: I think that those are that should be afforded again 407 00:23:01,520 --> 00:23:05,760 Speaker 1: to everyone, And it really does seem like many people 408 00:23:05,880 --> 00:23:10,760 Speaker 1: are awakening to the fact that by your own words, 409 00:23:10,760 --> 00:23:12,760 Speaker 1: it's a scam. We are being scammed. 410 00:23:13,359 --> 00:23:15,359 Speaker 2: And when you look at the kind of things that 411 00:23:15,400 --> 00:23:18,160 Speaker 2: the WJA is asking for, there's it's so reasonable. 412 00:23:18,280 --> 00:23:18,919 Speaker 1: Oh my gosh. 413 00:23:18,960 --> 00:23:21,639 Speaker 2: Clearly nobody is asking for like I want a private 414 00:23:21,680 --> 00:23:24,320 Speaker 2: jet every year and a million dollars. Like No, it's 415 00:23:24,400 --> 00:23:27,920 Speaker 2: just the ability to to like live to just like 416 00:23:28,440 --> 00:23:34,120 Speaker 2: it shouldn't. It shouldn't be a precarious, such a precarious situation, 417 00:23:34,480 --> 00:23:37,320 Speaker 2: just to live. You're you're you're wanting to work and 418 00:23:37,400 --> 00:23:39,639 Speaker 2: be able to like exist from that work Like that 419 00:23:39,680 --> 00:23:41,000 Speaker 2: shouldn't be asking that much. 420 00:23:41,920 --> 00:23:46,200 Speaker 1: No, No, it really really shouldn't. It's And again I 421 00:23:46,280 --> 00:23:51,960 Speaker 1: really encourage anyone who is confused about what we're asking 422 00:23:52,000 --> 00:23:55,160 Speaker 1: for with the w GA or with sag UH. All 423 00:23:55,160 --> 00:23:59,400 Speaker 1: of our proposals are outlined very clearly on the website 424 00:23:59,480 --> 00:24:04,399 Speaker 1: SAGA or strike dot org, WGA Contract twenty three dot org, 425 00:24:04,680 --> 00:24:06,600 Speaker 1: and you can see what we asked for and you 426 00:24:06,640 --> 00:24:11,760 Speaker 1: can see how the studios countered. And I really appreciate 427 00:24:11,880 --> 00:24:14,840 Speaker 1: both of my unions because they have been so clear 428 00:24:15,359 --> 00:24:19,280 Speaker 1: and transparent with the asks. They're written in plain English. 429 00:24:19,280 --> 00:24:21,280 Speaker 1: Sometimes they might be a little confusing, like if you're 430 00:24:21,320 --> 00:24:24,400 Speaker 1: not really up to date on some of the things 431 00:24:24,400 --> 00:24:27,679 Speaker 1: we're asking for. But for the most part it's pretty clear, 432 00:24:28,320 --> 00:24:31,360 Speaker 1: and I would hope that any normal person could read 433 00:24:31,400 --> 00:24:34,639 Speaker 1: them and say, yeah, that makes sense to me. You know. 434 00:24:34,720 --> 00:24:38,400 Speaker 1: One of the things for SAG, for example, is oftentimes 435 00:24:38,400 --> 00:24:40,920 Speaker 1: when you book an acting job, you have to move 436 00:24:40,960 --> 00:24:42,960 Speaker 1: to a different state, or you might have to go 437 00:24:43,000 --> 00:24:45,040 Speaker 1: to another country, might have to go to Canada, might 438 00:24:45,119 --> 00:24:48,240 Speaker 1: have to go to UK to film something. And what 439 00:24:48,440 --> 00:24:52,760 Speaker 1: happens is once you move to that place, the studios 440 00:24:52,800 --> 00:24:55,160 Speaker 1: consider you to be a resident of the new place 441 00:24:55,200 --> 00:24:57,560 Speaker 1: that you are living, so they do not have to 442 00:24:57,720 --> 00:25:02,359 Speaker 1: pay for accommodations, They don't have to pay for you 443 00:25:02,440 --> 00:25:05,639 Speaker 1: to drive around for example. That's all supposed to come 444 00:25:05,640 --> 00:25:08,880 Speaker 1: out of your own check. In the meantime, you still 445 00:25:08,960 --> 00:25:11,880 Speaker 1: might have to be paying rent in your home where 446 00:25:11,880 --> 00:25:15,080 Speaker 1: you actually normally live. You might still be paying for 447 00:25:15,119 --> 00:25:17,280 Speaker 1: your car payment for a car you are not driving. 448 00:25:17,880 --> 00:25:20,520 Speaker 1: And we said, hey, if I have to move to 449 00:25:20,640 --> 00:25:23,639 Speaker 1: Canada for six months to film your little TV show, 450 00:25:23,880 --> 00:25:25,639 Speaker 1: can you pay me a little extra money? In the 451 00:25:25,640 --> 00:25:28,159 Speaker 1: studio was like, nah, I know, I don't think we 452 00:25:28,160 --> 00:25:34,280 Speaker 1: can do that. The answer is no, what what are 453 00:25:34,280 --> 00:25:39,879 Speaker 1: you talking about that is that's basic. That's again it 454 00:25:39,960 --> 00:25:42,800 Speaker 1: is I've been in that situation. I've had to pick 455 00:25:42,880 --> 00:25:45,640 Speaker 1: up and move for a job, and it's very exciting, 456 00:25:45,680 --> 00:25:50,320 Speaker 1: but it's also stressful. And this is not an uncommon experience. 457 00:25:51,080 --> 00:25:55,520 Speaker 1: And again it's not We're not asking for a lot. 458 00:25:55,920 --> 00:25:57,399 Speaker 1: It's all very reasonable. 459 00:25:58,000 --> 00:26:00,920 Speaker 2: It's all very reasonable. And then when you add in 460 00:26:01,160 --> 00:26:05,440 Speaker 2: like the salaries these CEOs make, and you're like, oh, well, 461 00:26:05,720 --> 00:26:09,800 Speaker 2: could Bob could like ten saradonos just like buy one 462 00:26:09,880 --> 00:26:11,879 Speaker 2: less car, Like I feel like I feel like that 463 00:26:11,960 --> 00:26:13,360 Speaker 2: might cut it, Like just. 464 00:26:14,119 --> 00:26:17,280 Speaker 1: Hold off on buying a third boat. Just do you 465 00:26:17,320 --> 00:26:20,760 Speaker 1: know I got two boats? Do you need another boat? 466 00:26:21,160 --> 00:26:25,000 Speaker 1: Probably not? Can your airb and be in the Hamptons? 467 00:26:26,119 --> 00:26:28,800 Speaker 1: Do you need to go to the Maldives? How about 468 00:26:29,600 --> 00:26:32,560 Speaker 1: how about you stay in the US this summer? Just 469 00:26:33,040 --> 00:26:33,800 Speaker 1: just this summer. 470 00:26:35,880 --> 00:26:37,800 Speaker 2: I know. One of the big things that WGA is 471 00:26:37,800 --> 00:26:41,520 Speaker 2: striking for our stipulations around how AI will be used 472 00:26:41,560 --> 00:26:44,800 Speaker 2: in writers' rooms. WGA wants AI to be used only 473 00:26:44,840 --> 00:26:47,760 Speaker 2: as a tool that can help with research or facilitate 474 00:26:47,800 --> 00:26:51,280 Speaker 2: script ideas, but not as a tool to like replace 475 00:26:51,400 --> 00:26:54,720 Speaker 2: a human writer. So this is something like a bit 476 00:26:54,760 --> 00:26:58,600 Speaker 2: of a pet peeve of mine, And I'm curious what 477 00:26:58,640 --> 00:27:01,800 Speaker 2: you think. I don't think that we're in a place 478 00:27:02,280 --> 00:27:07,600 Speaker 2: where AI fully replacing human creatives and writers is a 479 00:27:07,640 --> 00:27:10,639 Speaker 2: real possibility. I think that studios would perhaps love it 480 00:27:10,680 --> 00:27:12,639 Speaker 2: if that were the way that it was, But I 481 00:27:12,640 --> 00:27:16,320 Speaker 2: think that that's like a fantas, like a fantasy that 482 00:27:16,440 --> 00:27:18,399 Speaker 2: is not here. And so I think this idea that 483 00:27:18,400 --> 00:27:20,480 Speaker 2: we're gonna that, like it would even be possible to 484 00:27:20,560 --> 00:27:24,120 Speaker 2: phase in AI in this way to replace human writers, 485 00:27:24,160 --> 00:27:26,400 Speaker 2: You're still gonna need human creatives. Like, that's just how 486 00:27:26,520 --> 00:27:29,080 Speaker 2: stuff gets made. And I wonder, like, what do what 487 00:27:29,119 --> 00:27:31,440 Speaker 2: do you think about the way that the threat that 488 00:27:31,920 --> 00:27:36,320 Speaker 2: of AI impacting the way that things get made? Like 489 00:27:36,359 --> 00:27:37,560 Speaker 2: what do you what do you how do you see 490 00:27:37,600 --> 00:27:38,000 Speaker 2: that threat? 491 00:27:38,800 --> 00:27:43,040 Speaker 1: Yeah, so our contract comes up for negotiation every three years, 492 00:27:43,600 --> 00:27:46,440 Speaker 1: and so what we're asking for in terms of AI 493 00:27:46,560 --> 00:27:50,080 Speaker 1: regulation To your point, we might not have the ability 494 00:27:50,119 --> 00:27:53,080 Speaker 1: for AI to write a script today, but in two 495 00:27:53,200 --> 00:27:58,800 Speaker 1: years it might, in three years it might, and so 496 00:27:59,400 --> 00:28:02,120 Speaker 1: you know, but again, AI is a tool the same 497 00:28:02,119 --> 00:28:04,800 Speaker 1: way a car is a tool, or final draft is 498 00:28:04,800 --> 00:28:08,160 Speaker 1: a tool. Right, the car is not what is getting 499 00:28:08,240 --> 00:28:11,000 Speaker 1: you to the destination. You still have to drive the 500 00:28:11,000 --> 00:28:13,880 Speaker 1: car like someone needs to still be there to operate 501 00:28:13,960 --> 00:28:18,440 Speaker 1: the machinery. And by the same token, with artificial intelligence, 502 00:28:18,800 --> 00:28:22,359 Speaker 1: we are asking that AI is not learning how to 503 00:28:22,440 --> 00:28:25,360 Speaker 1: write scripts based off of our work. So the way 504 00:28:25,400 --> 00:28:28,760 Speaker 1: the AI works is that it learns based on whatever 505 00:28:28,840 --> 00:28:31,879 Speaker 1: is inputed into it. And there is a world in 506 00:28:31,920 --> 00:28:36,840 Speaker 1: which the studio could have a studio specific AI built 507 00:28:37,119 --> 00:28:39,960 Speaker 1: for sole purpose of writing scripts, and the way that 508 00:28:40,000 --> 00:28:41,560 Speaker 1: it would learn how to do that is you would 509 00:28:41,640 --> 00:28:44,920 Speaker 1: feed its scripts and the AI could say, all right, 510 00:28:44,960 --> 00:28:48,240 Speaker 1: the cold open is ten pages, and Act one is 511 00:28:48,320 --> 00:28:51,720 Speaker 1: thirty pages, and then Act two ends on page forty five, 512 00:28:51,880 --> 00:28:55,240 Speaker 1: and then the whole script ends on one ten And 513 00:28:55,320 --> 00:28:57,320 Speaker 1: you want this to be about a mother and a 514 00:28:57,400 --> 00:29:00,320 Speaker 1: daughter who go to California and on the way they 515 00:29:00,360 --> 00:29:03,040 Speaker 1: learn blah blah blah blah blah, and the AI could 516 00:29:03,520 --> 00:29:06,600 Speaker 1: spit out like a bad first draft is not going 517 00:29:06,680 --> 00:29:10,760 Speaker 1: to be good. It's gonna have the skeleton of a story, 518 00:29:11,400 --> 00:29:13,719 Speaker 1: and it's going to probably need somebody to go in 519 00:29:13,800 --> 00:29:16,160 Speaker 1: and tweak it. To your point, it's not going to 520 00:29:16,200 --> 00:29:21,960 Speaker 1: be an award winning film. But because our contract says 521 00:29:22,000 --> 00:29:24,400 Speaker 1: that you get paid for a first draft and a 522 00:29:24,440 --> 00:29:26,800 Speaker 1: second draft. In the third draft, there is a world 523 00:29:26,800 --> 00:29:29,040 Speaker 1: in which the studio could say, well, AI wrote the 524 00:29:29,040 --> 00:29:32,080 Speaker 1: first draft, so you don't get paid for the first draft. 525 00:29:32,280 --> 00:29:35,600 Speaker 1: You get paid for what's called a punch pass, which 526 00:29:35,640 --> 00:29:38,200 Speaker 1: is essentially just going in and making small little tweaks. 527 00:29:38,680 --> 00:29:41,880 Speaker 1: And so what the WJA is asking for is to 528 00:29:41,920 --> 00:29:45,360 Speaker 1: have some guidelines in place. But if we were to 529 00:29:45,520 --> 00:29:49,640 Speaker 1: use AI for research, I need to know the name 530 00:29:49,680 --> 00:29:52,080 Speaker 1: of every small town in California because I'm writing a 531 00:29:52,120 --> 00:29:54,200 Speaker 1: script that takes place in a small town in California, 532 00:29:54,240 --> 00:29:56,240 Speaker 1: and I want to make sure that I'm using the 533 00:29:56,320 --> 00:29:58,880 Speaker 1: right information. AI is gonna spit it out and I'm 534 00:29:58,880 --> 00:30:03,120 Speaker 1: gonna go, okay, cool, that's okay. We're not going to 535 00:30:03,160 --> 00:30:06,800 Speaker 1: be okay with it learning how to write scripts. And again, 536 00:30:07,400 --> 00:30:11,880 Speaker 1: AI is calling the Internet. It's not coming up with 537 00:30:11,920 --> 00:30:14,920 Speaker 1: this on its own. It's essentially plagiarizing. And so that's 538 00:30:14,920 --> 00:30:18,360 Speaker 1: what we're asking it not to do with our work. 539 00:30:20,040 --> 00:30:24,240 Speaker 1: And the reality is, when you are negotiating a contract, 540 00:30:24,960 --> 00:30:26,959 Speaker 1: one side says here's what I want, and the other 541 00:30:27,040 --> 00:30:29,000 Speaker 1: side says here's what I want, and you go back 542 00:30:29,000 --> 00:30:31,640 Speaker 1: and forth and eventually you meet in the middle. The 543 00:30:31,720 --> 00:30:36,240 Speaker 1: AMPTP refused to counter on certain things. They just said 544 00:30:36,480 --> 00:30:42,320 Speaker 1: no outright. So, whether it's AI, or whether it's residuals 545 00:30:42,440 --> 00:30:46,400 Speaker 1: or whether it's relocation fees, there are always going to 546 00:30:46,440 --> 00:30:50,440 Speaker 1: be terms that are going to be adjusted because that's 547 00:30:50,480 --> 00:30:53,960 Speaker 1: the nature of contract negotiation. You offer up some things 548 00:30:53,960 --> 00:30:56,040 Speaker 1: that you think, we're never going to get this, but 549 00:30:56,040 --> 00:30:58,040 Speaker 1: we're going to use it as leverage for other things 550 00:30:58,080 --> 00:31:01,880 Speaker 1: because this thing is really important to us, and both 551 00:31:02,000 --> 00:31:08,920 Speaker 1: sides have to make concessions. That's shows what happens. And again, 552 00:31:09,200 --> 00:31:12,760 Speaker 1: I really believe that the AI stuff is important. But 553 00:31:13,560 --> 00:31:17,560 Speaker 1: my hope, in our belief in the negotiations process is 554 00:31:17,600 --> 00:31:20,200 Speaker 1: that we'll come to an agreement that is suitable for 555 00:31:20,280 --> 00:31:25,560 Speaker 1: both parties. And as is, no regulations on AI is 556 00:31:25,600 --> 00:31:28,720 Speaker 1: not okay for writers, and it's definitely not okay for actors. 557 00:31:29,240 --> 00:31:33,880 Speaker 2: And yes, and we are in a time right now 558 00:31:33,920 --> 00:31:38,600 Speaker 2: where more and more writers Sarah Silverman just recently joined 559 00:31:38,600 --> 00:31:42,840 Speaker 2: this group, are suing like chat GBT and Open AI 560 00:31:43,160 --> 00:31:47,720 Speaker 2: for copyright infringement for just like taking their intellectual property 561 00:31:47,920 --> 00:31:50,960 Speaker 2: and being like, oh, it's mine now. So the idea 562 00:31:51,000 --> 00:31:55,160 Speaker 2: that you don't need any guardrails concurrently, happening while people 563 00:31:55,240 --> 00:31:58,800 Speaker 2: are literally in court talking about actually AI stole my 564 00:31:59,280 --> 00:32:02,959 Speaker 2: copyrighted material. It doesn't work. It's like, obviously there need 565 00:32:03,000 --> 00:32:05,400 Speaker 2: to be some guardrails. That's why these people are in 566 00:32:05,440 --> 00:32:08,880 Speaker 2: court right now, like the real it's just like obvious. 567 00:32:09,320 --> 00:32:12,040 Speaker 1: Yeah. And the fact that they didn't want to counter 568 00:32:12,160 --> 00:32:15,280 Speaker 1: in any meaningful way to me, that says that they 569 00:32:15,440 --> 00:32:20,320 Speaker 1: have plans to use this technology. For example, the two 570 00:32:20,360 --> 00:32:25,479 Speaker 1: thousand and seven strike was largely around the usage of 571 00:32:25,520 --> 00:32:28,760 Speaker 1: our work with the internet. You know, YouTube was pretty new, 572 00:32:29,360 --> 00:32:32,640 Speaker 1: and the WGA was like, oh, we see this internet 573 00:32:32,680 --> 00:32:34,600 Speaker 1: thing happening. Are you going to put our work on 574 00:32:34,600 --> 00:32:36,440 Speaker 1: the Internet and if you do, or are we gonna 575 00:32:36,440 --> 00:32:38,760 Speaker 1: get any money for this? This is really important to us. 576 00:32:39,040 --> 00:32:41,440 Speaker 1: And the studios were like, no, you don't have to 577 00:32:41,480 --> 00:32:45,200 Speaker 1: worry about that at all. Internet, this is nothing. Girl, 578 00:32:46,080 --> 00:32:50,959 Speaker 1: that it happened, so like what so now here we 579 00:32:51,000 --> 00:32:54,120 Speaker 1: are in twenty twenty three and we said, hey, this 580 00:32:54,240 --> 00:32:57,840 Speaker 1: AI thing is a little scary. Can we have some regulations? 581 00:32:57,920 --> 00:33:01,880 Speaker 1: And the studio said, what AI, you ain't go nothing 582 00:33:01,960 --> 00:33:06,760 Speaker 1: to worry about. They're lying, they are lying. I do 583 00:33:06,800 --> 00:33:07,640 Speaker 1: not believe you. 584 00:33:11,960 --> 00:33:24,560 Speaker 2: More. After a quick break, let's get right back into it. 585 00:33:25,680 --> 00:33:29,360 Speaker 2: Earlier this year, actor Kimiko Glenn shared the residuals that 586 00:33:29,440 --> 00:33:31,800 Speaker 2: she made from the hit Netflix show Or Just the 587 00:33:31,840 --> 00:33:34,560 Speaker 2: New Black, that explored life in a women's prison. The 588 00:33:34,600 --> 00:33:38,160 Speaker 2: amounts were just a few cents per episode, adding up 589 00:33:38,200 --> 00:33:42,400 Speaker 2: to a whopping twenty seven dollars. She wasn't alone. Her 590 00:33:42,400 --> 00:33:45,400 Speaker 2: fellow castmates shared just how little they made from the show. 591 00:33:45,800 --> 00:33:48,880 Speaker 2: Beth Dover, who played one of the prison's owners, said 592 00:33:48,920 --> 00:33:52,080 Speaker 2: that in the end, she really didn't make anything because 593 00:33:52,080 --> 00:33:54,400 Speaker 2: she didn't live where the show was filmed, so she 594 00:33:54,440 --> 00:33:56,800 Speaker 2: had to spend what little money she did make paying 595 00:33:56,840 --> 00:34:00,200 Speaker 2: to fly herself out to shoot. So back in the day, 596 00:34:00,320 --> 00:34:03,800 Speaker 2: Netflix was just a DVD rental company. They'd send you 597 00:34:04,040 --> 00:34:06,960 Speaker 2: loose DVDs slipped into these red and white sleeves in 598 00:34:07,000 --> 00:34:09,360 Speaker 2: the mail, and maybe you'd never get around to watching 599 00:34:09,400 --> 00:34:11,640 Speaker 2: the movie, but also you'd forget to send it back, 600 00:34:11,680 --> 00:34:13,640 Speaker 2: so you'd just be paying to keep a copy of 601 00:34:13,640 --> 00:34:17,000 Speaker 2: Scott Pilgrim Versus the World on loan. But when Netflix 602 00:34:17,040 --> 00:34:19,360 Speaker 2: announced they were going to start making their own content 603 00:34:19,640 --> 00:34:23,439 Speaker 2: and introduced streaming, they were onto something big, and Orange 604 00:34:23,520 --> 00:34:25,120 Speaker 2: Is the New Black was the show that helped them 605 00:34:25,120 --> 00:34:28,800 Speaker 2: do it and helped them compete with cable giants. Orange 606 00:34:28,800 --> 00:34:32,239 Speaker 2: Just the New Black was a runaway smash success. You 607 00:34:32,400 --> 00:34:34,759 Speaker 2: just kind of had to be there to understand how 608 00:34:34,800 --> 00:34:38,400 Speaker 2: big of a cultural phenomena it was. Hackers stole the 609 00:34:38,440 --> 00:34:41,840 Speaker 2: first few episodes of season five and made ransom demands 610 00:34:41,840 --> 00:34:45,200 Speaker 2: of Netflix. I remember waiting up until midnight for the 611 00:34:45,239 --> 00:34:48,359 Speaker 2: new season to drop, realizing that it actually dropped at 612 00:34:48,400 --> 00:34:52,480 Speaker 2: midnight Pacific time, so waiting up for three more hours 613 00:34:52,600 --> 00:34:54,680 Speaker 2: just to try to watch it. It was nominated for 614 00:34:54,800 --> 00:34:57,960 Speaker 2: all the awards and introduced a new way to watch television, 615 00:34:58,200 --> 00:35:02,080 Speaker 2: the binge model. This show was also a harbinger for 616 00:35:02,160 --> 00:35:05,360 Speaker 2: how broken the streaming model is and how the CEOs 617 00:35:05,400 --> 00:35:08,120 Speaker 2: at the top make tons of money while the folks 618 00:35:08,160 --> 00:35:11,680 Speaker 2: who actually make the show not so much. The actors 619 00:35:11,680 --> 00:35:14,680 Speaker 2: on Orange of the New Black became overnight celebrities, but 620 00:35:14,719 --> 00:35:16,840 Speaker 2: they weren't even making enough money from the show to 621 00:35:16,880 --> 00:35:19,319 Speaker 2: afford to be able to just get to set. Part 622 00:35:19,320 --> 00:35:22,240 Speaker 2: of the issue is SAG's twenty twelve New Media Agreement, 623 00:35:22,520 --> 00:35:26,280 Speaker 2: which covers shows and movies quote produced for initial exhibition 624 00:35:26,400 --> 00:35:29,839 Speaker 2: via the Internet, mobile devices, or any other platform known 625 00:35:30,000 --> 00:35:34,200 Speaker 2: or which hereafter may be adopted, so basically streaming platforms. 626 00:35:34,680 --> 00:35:37,880 Speaker 2: But back when that agreement was negotiated, shows developed for 627 00:35:37,960 --> 00:35:41,480 Speaker 2: the Internet on streamers like Netflix were not a thing 628 00:35:41,520 --> 00:35:44,319 Speaker 2: that they are today. So the actors just didn't and 629 00:35:44,440 --> 00:35:47,280 Speaker 2: don't have an agreement that reflects where we are today 630 00:35:47,320 --> 00:35:50,400 Speaker 2: with regard to streaming. Add to that fact that streamers 631 00:35:50,440 --> 00:35:54,680 Speaker 2: are notoriously cagy about transparency around numbers. In a piece 632 00:35:54,760 --> 00:35:57,480 Speaker 2: called Orange Is the New Black Signaled the Rot Inside 633 00:35:57,480 --> 00:36:00,640 Speaker 2: the Streaming Economy for The New Yorker by my Michael Schulman, 634 00:36:01,000 --> 00:36:04,319 Speaker 2: the Orange Is the New Black cast, recalls Ted Sardonos, now, 635 00:36:04,400 --> 00:36:07,760 Speaker 2: Netflix's CEO, was giving a toast at a SAG Awards dinner, 636 00:36:08,000 --> 00:36:10,399 Speaker 2: a dinner, by the way, that the entire cast would 637 00:36:10,400 --> 00:36:12,799 Speaker 2: have been expected to attend, but have to pay for 638 00:36:12,840 --> 00:36:16,680 Speaker 2: their own travel and own clothing. So during the toast, 639 00:36:17,040 --> 00:36:20,680 Speaker 2: Ted Sardonos raises his glass and brags about how Orange 640 00:36:20,680 --> 00:36:24,280 Speaker 2: Is the New Black is beating Game of Thrones in viewers, 641 00:36:24,800 --> 00:36:28,040 Speaker 2: and that was the first little glimpse of transparency around 642 00:36:28,200 --> 00:36:31,200 Speaker 2: just how many viewers were watching Orange Is the New Black, 643 00:36:31,920 --> 00:36:35,640 Speaker 2: Shulman writes, one actor called it a whoops moment, but 644 00:36:35,719 --> 00:36:39,040 Speaker 2: the cast found the line less uplifting than galling. If 645 00:36:39,040 --> 00:36:41,360 Speaker 2: the show was really more popular than Game of Thrones, 646 00:36:41,560 --> 00:36:43,680 Speaker 2: whose top cast members have been said to make more 647 00:36:43,680 --> 00:36:46,319 Speaker 2: than a million per episode by the end, why are 648 00:36:46,360 --> 00:36:49,839 Speaker 2: the salaries for Orange so paltry? And just to quick 649 00:36:49,880 --> 00:36:52,200 Speaker 2: heads up, there will be an Orange is the New 650 00:36:52,200 --> 00:36:56,040 Speaker 2: Black spoiler in this section. It's so clearly a lie, 651 00:36:56,200 --> 00:37:00,120 Speaker 2: so clearly a scam. And when streaming became the thing, 652 00:37:00,719 --> 00:37:04,799 Speaker 2: there was a time where creatives thought like, this is 653 00:37:04,840 --> 00:37:08,000 Speaker 2: going to be great for me, and then they realized, like, 654 00:37:08,120 --> 00:37:10,000 Speaker 2: oh wait, this is just going to be another way 655 00:37:10,080 --> 00:37:14,600 Speaker 2: to chip away at what I make. Because I remember 656 00:37:14,600 --> 00:37:17,839 Speaker 2: reading about the show Oranges the New Black, and how 657 00:37:17,920 --> 00:37:21,280 Speaker 2: like that show was like if you weren't watching Orange 658 00:37:21,280 --> 00:37:23,400 Speaker 2: the New Black back on when it first premiered on Netflix, 659 00:37:23,440 --> 00:37:27,520 Speaker 2: Like it was like the fucking show everybody watched it. 660 00:37:27,680 --> 00:37:30,759 Speaker 2: Whenuse died, it was like like everybody, it. 661 00:37:30,719 --> 00:37:36,880 Speaker 1: Was like, I'm kidding, I'm kidding, Well if you know, 662 00:37:37,160 --> 00:37:40,680 Speaker 1: if you didn't know that she died, where have you been? Right? 663 00:37:41,440 --> 00:37:41,919 Speaker 1: But like. 664 00:37:43,320 --> 00:37:46,600 Speaker 2: Reading about how the people in that show had to 665 00:37:46,680 --> 00:37:50,280 Speaker 2: have jobs at bar, second, third, fourth jobs, how little 666 00:37:50,360 --> 00:37:53,799 Speaker 2: they made. One of the actors showed their residual check 667 00:37:53,800 --> 00:37:58,719 Speaker 2: and it was like too small for It's like I 668 00:37:58,760 --> 00:38:02,680 Speaker 2: think that I almost wonder if, like we got caught 669 00:38:02,760 --> 00:38:05,680 Speaker 2: up in a positive hype cycle about a new model 670 00:38:05,719 --> 00:38:08,440 Speaker 2: and a new show without peeking behind the curtains and 671 00:38:08,880 --> 00:38:11,080 Speaker 2: just asking the questions of like, how are the people 672 00:38:11,080 --> 00:38:12,880 Speaker 2: who are making this thing that we love that is 673 00:38:12,880 --> 00:38:15,719 Speaker 2: bringing us so much joy? How are they being compensated? 674 00:38:15,719 --> 00:38:16,560 Speaker 2: What are their lives? 675 00:38:16,680 --> 00:38:16,759 Speaker 3: Like? 676 00:38:17,480 --> 00:38:20,600 Speaker 1: Yeah, I mean I think that that is just emblematic 677 00:38:20,640 --> 00:38:25,160 Speaker 1: of the industry as a whole, and not just entertainment. 678 00:38:25,360 --> 00:38:28,719 Speaker 1: I mean, we go to the store and we buy 679 00:38:28,800 --> 00:38:31,480 Speaker 1: clothes and we don't think about how much the person 680 00:38:31,480 --> 00:38:34,200 Speaker 1: who made the clothes getting paid, you know, whether it's 681 00:38:34,239 --> 00:38:39,080 Speaker 1: fast fashion, and we're learning about the extreme abuses and 682 00:38:39,400 --> 00:38:42,120 Speaker 1: unfair working conditions, and people are like, but I love 683 00:38:42,160 --> 00:38:45,560 Speaker 1: Forever twenty one. It's like, Okay, the people doing the 684 00:38:45,640 --> 00:38:49,319 Speaker 1: job are not being treated fairly. And when it comes 685 00:38:49,360 --> 00:38:55,280 Speaker 1: to Hollywood again, people assume. People often conflate visibility with wealth. 686 00:38:55,840 --> 00:38:58,720 Speaker 1: I see you everywhere, it must mean you are wealthy, 687 00:38:58,960 --> 00:39:02,040 Speaker 1: but that's just not the case. To your earlier question 688 00:39:02,160 --> 00:39:06,359 Speaker 1: about you know, how excited we were about streaming, I 689 00:39:06,480 --> 00:39:10,560 Speaker 1: think that at face value streaming and being able to 690 00:39:10,960 --> 00:39:15,760 Speaker 1: have content reach people in many different ways is absolutely exciting. 691 00:39:16,200 --> 00:39:19,480 Speaker 1: You could watch, you know. I remember getting my first 692 00:39:19,520 --> 00:39:22,880 Speaker 1: iPhone and being able to watch movies on the train 693 00:39:23,520 --> 00:39:26,680 Speaker 1: and just thinking like, this is so cool. I can 694 00:39:26,800 --> 00:39:31,200 Speaker 1: watch a show on my thirty minute commute to work 695 00:39:31,239 --> 00:39:33,680 Speaker 1: and I hadn't been able to do that before. 696 00:39:35,040 --> 00:39:35,120 Speaker 2: That. 697 00:39:35,200 --> 00:39:38,680 Speaker 1: There were more places for people to get work, you know, 698 00:39:38,760 --> 00:39:42,600 Speaker 1: it wasn't just the big networks. Now. You could be 699 00:39:42,760 --> 00:39:45,760 Speaker 1: in a web series, you could be on a show 700 00:39:45,840 --> 00:39:49,600 Speaker 1: on Netflix, and you know, more people were getting to 701 00:39:49,640 --> 00:39:53,319 Speaker 1: see it. So I think it makes sense that people 702 00:39:53,360 --> 00:39:55,239 Speaker 1: were excited about that. And a show like Orange Is 703 00:39:55,280 --> 00:40:00,600 Speaker 1: the New Black specifically was employing such a diverse cat 704 00:40:00,800 --> 00:40:05,600 Speaker 1: you know, from Laverne Cox to Danielle Brooks and all 705 00:40:05,640 --> 00:40:08,040 Speaker 1: of these black women and all these women of color 706 00:40:08,120 --> 00:40:11,759 Speaker 1: and women of different ages, right like women that you 707 00:40:11,840 --> 00:40:15,560 Speaker 1: didn't necessarily get to see on TV. So I think 708 00:40:15,600 --> 00:40:19,320 Speaker 1: we were all excited about that. But when it comes 709 00:40:19,360 --> 00:40:24,000 Speaker 1: to the residual model and the low pay rates, I 710 00:40:24,040 --> 00:40:27,400 Speaker 1: often remind people that if someone wants to take advantage 711 00:40:27,440 --> 00:40:29,640 Speaker 1: of someone, they're gonna find a way to do it. 712 00:40:30,719 --> 00:40:34,759 Speaker 1: And I don't think that way, So I go from 713 00:40:34,760 --> 00:40:36,560 Speaker 1: a place of like, oh, yeah, we're all starting on 714 00:40:36,560 --> 00:40:38,520 Speaker 1: the same page. We're all going to treat each other fairly. 715 00:40:38,880 --> 00:40:41,440 Speaker 1: But that's because I don't seek to take advantage of people. 716 00:40:42,120 --> 00:40:45,520 Speaker 1: And essentially what happened is there were certain things that 717 00:40:45,560 --> 00:40:48,719 Speaker 1: our contract did not account for because we could not 718 00:40:48,800 --> 00:40:53,040 Speaker 1: have anticipated where we're at with streaming, and like I said, 719 00:40:53,080 --> 00:40:55,879 Speaker 1: our contract comes up for negotiation every three years. These 720 00:40:55,920 --> 00:40:58,240 Speaker 1: are things that we wanted to address in twenty twenty, 721 00:40:58,280 --> 00:41:01,279 Speaker 1: but because of the pandemic, everything was already shut down. 722 00:41:01,400 --> 00:41:05,160 Speaker 1: We had no leverage, we couldn't threaten to strike, we 723 00:41:05,160 --> 00:41:08,719 Speaker 1: were effectively already on strike. Everybody was at home. So 724 00:41:08,960 --> 00:41:12,280 Speaker 1: these are concerns that we've had for some quite some time. 725 00:41:12,840 --> 00:41:16,879 Speaker 1: And again, when you negotiate, you lose certain things. So 726 00:41:17,400 --> 00:41:22,759 Speaker 1: I remember in twenty seventeen we fired our agents over packaging, 727 00:41:22,920 --> 00:41:25,120 Speaker 1: which is the idea that when you sell a show, 728 00:41:25,719 --> 00:41:30,719 Speaker 1: your agent could essentially give the studio a deal and say, 729 00:41:30,719 --> 00:41:32,560 Speaker 1: we're giving you the show, and we're also going to 730 00:41:32,560 --> 00:41:35,040 Speaker 1: give you a bunch of writers from our agency at 731 00:41:35,040 --> 00:41:39,319 Speaker 1: a discounted right at discounted rate, and the WGA said 732 00:41:39,400 --> 00:41:42,600 Speaker 1: that's not fair. So you're making money off of my show, 733 00:41:42,719 --> 00:41:45,920 Speaker 1: and you're making some money off of all these writers. 734 00:41:46,480 --> 00:41:49,160 Speaker 1: This is not okay. We couldn't come to a resolution. 735 00:41:49,560 --> 00:41:52,359 Speaker 1: We all had to fire our agents. We fired our 736 00:41:52,400 --> 00:41:56,760 Speaker 1: agents for like nine months. They came back. We figured 737 00:41:56,800 --> 00:42:02,400 Speaker 1: it out. So the WGA and SAY similarly have to prioritize. 738 00:42:02,640 --> 00:42:04,960 Speaker 1: They're like, well, we got this thing that we don't like, 739 00:42:05,000 --> 00:42:07,280 Speaker 1: we got this thing we don't like. What's the one 740 00:42:07,320 --> 00:42:11,360 Speaker 1: that we're gonna get the most headway on. What's the 741 00:42:11,360 --> 00:42:13,080 Speaker 1: one we're probably gonna have to say, let's do this 742 00:42:13,120 --> 00:42:18,080 Speaker 1: one next year. We've been asking for script fees for 743 00:42:18,160 --> 00:42:21,000 Speaker 1: staff writers for years, meaning if you are the if 744 00:42:21,040 --> 00:42:23,920 Speaker 1: you're a first time writer on a show and you 745 00:42:23,960 --> 00:42:26,120 Speaker 1: get to write an episode of the show, you do 746 00:42:26,160 --> 00:42:29,440 Speaker 1: not get paid for it. You don't get paid. Anybody 747 00:42:29,440 --> 00:42:33,560 Speaker 1: else that gets a script assignment gets paid. Wait, we 748 00:42:33,680 --> 00:42:36,879 Speaker 1: have been asking just don't get paid, Well, you don't 749 00:42:36,880 --> 00:42:39,120 Speaker 1: get paid a fee. So you get paid, you get 750 00:42:39,200 --> 00:42:41,520 Speaker 1: paid a weekly fee as a writer, and then there's 751 00:42:41,520 --> 00:42:45,520 Speaker 1: what's called a script fee. And so again, not everybody 752 00:42:45,520 --> 00:42:48,680 Speaker 1: gets assigned a script. Sometimes you don't have there's too 753 00:42:48,719 --> 00:42:51,000 Speaker 1: many or there's not enough episodes, and there's too many 754 00:42:51,000 --> 00:42:54,760 Speaker 1: writers or the showrunners like I want to write the finale, 755 00:42:55,560 --> 00:42:58,120 Speaker 1: or you know, two people pair up and they write 756 00:42:58,120 --> 00:43:01,480 Speaker 1: an episode or whatever. So we've been asking for the 757 00:43:01,480 --> 00:43:05,319 Speaker 1: staff writer, which is the very first staff position, to 758 00:43:05,400 --> 00:43:08,480 Speaker 1: get that script fee. We've been asking for this for years. 759 00:43:08,560 --> 00:43:10,440 Speaker 1: We've never been able to get it. This is the 760 00:43:10,480 --> 00:43:13,719 Speaker 1: first year that the studios were like, we'll give it 761 00:43:13,719 --> 00:43:15,600 Speaker 1: to you. We're like, yeah, but you won't give us 762 00:43:15,640 --> 00:43:18,200 Speaker 1: anything else. Yeah, but we'll give you this one thing 763 00:43:18,280 --> 00:43:23,040 Speaker 1: you've asked for for twenty years. So again, who knows 764 00:43:23,040 --> 00:43:26,920 Speaker 1: if we'll get to keep it, because today actually the 765 00:43:26,960 --> 00:43:32,600 Speaker 1: AMPTP is officially resuming talks with WGA. Who knows how 766 00:43:32,680 --> 00:43:34,560 Speaker 1: that will turn out or how long that will take. 767 00:43:34,880 --> 00:43:38,000 Speaker 1: But again, the point of negotiations is you say, we 768 00:43:38,080 --> 00:43:40,560 Speaker 1: really want this thing, so we're willing to give up 769 00:43:40,600 --> 00:43:44,560 Speaker 1: this thing. Will we keep the script fee for staff writers? 770 00:43:45,200 --> 00:43:48,560 Speaker 1: I hope? So that money could be life changing for 771 00:43:48,640 --> 00:43:52,960 Speaker 1: some people. But it's all a matter of what else 772 00:43:53,040 --> 00:43:55,239 Speaker 1: is on the table and what's most important. And I 773 00:43:55,280 --> 00:43:58,799 Speaker 1: really think the residuals and AI are our biggest core 774 00:43:58,880 --> 00:43:59,840 Speaker 1: issues for both of you. 775 00:44:00,840 --> 00:44:04,480 Speaker 2: Obviously, the demands that you will have their like race. 776 00:44:04,560 --> 00:44:07,400 Speaker 2: They seem race neutral, but I can only imagine that 777 00:44:08,160 --> 00:44:12,439 Speaker 2: they will deeply impact who gets in rooms, gets who 778 00:44:12,480 --> 00:44:15,759 Speaker 2: gets platforms, who gets legs up? And like, you know, 779 00:44:16,480 --> 00:44:20,240 Speaker 2: how do you see these demands impacting the playing field 780 00:44:20,239 --> 00:44:23,120 Speaker 2: and the entertainment industry more broadly? Like if you don't 781 00:44:23,160 --> 00:44:26,000 Speaker 2: have a famous name to fall back on, or you're 782 00:44:26,040 --> 00:44:29,279 Speaker 2: not connected to somebody famous, or you're a marginalized person, 783 00:44:29,280 --> 00:44:31,359 Speaker 2: a person of color, Like, how do you see these 784 00:44:31,400 --> 00:44:34,279 Speaker 2: demands connecting to the kind of industry or space that 785 00:44:34,560 --> 00:44:35,520 Speaker 2: you hope to see? 786 00:44:36,120 --> 00:44:38,240 Speaker 1: Yeah, I mean you hit the nail on the head 787 00:44:38,280 --> 00:44:41,960 Speaker 1: by talking about nepotism, right, Like, nepotism is not exclusive 788 00:44:42,040 --> 00:44:45,959 Speaker 1: to this industry. But the reality is, if you have 789 00:44:46,480 --> 00:44:51,799 Speaker 1: familial connections, if you have money to lean back on, 790 00:44:52,440 --> 00:44:54,640 Speaker 1: you can wait nine months to get paid for a job. 791 00:44:55,560 --> 00:45:00,080 Speaker 1: You can take an extremely low rate. You can break 792 00:45:00,080 --> 00:45:03,279 Speaker 1: into the industry because your mom has an agent, and 793 00:45:03,320 --> 00:45:05,319 Speaker 1: you can say, Mom, I want to work in TV. 794 00:45:05,440 --> 00:45:08,960 Speaker 1: Can you get me an agent. You already live in 795 00:45:09,000 --> 00:45:12,560 Speaker 1: Los Angeles, You already you know, have a home, a 796 00:45:12,640 --> 00:45:15,680 Speaker 1: roof over your head. So the things that we're asking 797 00:45:15,719 --> 00:45:19,480 Speaker 1: for are going to make the industry more equitable for everyone, 798 00:45:20,040 --> 00:45:23,520 Speaker 1: But to your question, it will be especially helpful for 799 00:45:23,640 --> 00:45:27,800 Speaker 1: folks from marginalized identities who are already facing so many 800 00:45:28,200 --> 00:45:32,160 Speaker 1: hurdles in order to get into the industry if you 801 00:45:32,160 --> 00:45:35,040 Speaker 1: don't live in New York or LA for example, there 802 00:45:35,080 --> 00:45:39,280 Speaker 1: are some things in the SAG contract where we're asking 803 00:45:39,360 --> 00:45:44,120 Speaker 1: for opportunities for actors that don't live here. If you 804 00:45:44,160 --> 00:45:47,160 Speaker 1: are an actor in Atlanta and you are super talented, 805 00:45:47,560 --> 00:45:49,759 Speaker 1: you should be able to audition for a show, and 806 00:45:49,840 --> 00:45:52,360 Speaker 1: if you book the job, you should not be barred 807 00:45:52,360 --> 00:45:54,480 Speaker 1: from the job because you can't afford to come to 808 00:45:54,680 --> 00:45:58,200 Speaker 1: LA on short notice and get an apartment and you know, 809 00:45:58,520 --> 00:46:01,520 Speaker 1: get that plane ticket and the show. If you're the 810 00:46:01,520 --> 00:46:04,360 Speaker 1: best person of the job, you living in Atlanta should 811 00:46:04,360 --> 00:46:09,240 Speaker 1: not keep you from getting the job. Right. So, another 812 00:46:09,280 --> 00:46:13,799 Speaker 1: thing that SAG has been asking for is hair and 813 00:46:13,920 --> 00:46:17,600 Speaker 1: makeup equity, and those are things that are things that 814 00:46:17,840 --> 00:46:20,799 Speaker 1: pertain to people of color. Making sure that when I 815 00:46:20,880 --> 00:46:23,560 Speaker 1: come to set, they have the foundation that's going to 816 00:46:23,600 --> 00:46:26,040 Speaker 1: match my skin tone, but they have somebody who's going 817 00:46:26,080 --> 00:46:28,000 Speaker 1: to be able to cut my hair, that they have 818 00:46:28,080 --> 00:46:30,640 Speaker 1: somebody who's gonna be able to lay those baby hairs. 819 00:46:31,200 --> 00:46:34,440 Speaker 1: That is not the norm. And it's not saying that, 820 00:46:34,560 --> 00:46:37,200 Speaker 1: you know, we need to make sure we know we 821 00:46:37,239 --> 00:46:40,000 Speaker 1: have a a we can dictate who's the makeup, art is, 822 00:46:40,040 --> 00:46:42,279 Speaker 1: who's the hairstyles. We're just saying we want to be 823 00:46:42,320 --> 00:46:46,600 Speaker 1: part of the conversation that's going to ensure that marginalized 824 00:46:46,640 --> 00:46:49,760 Speaker 1: folks who are on set. If you're a plus sized person, 825 00:46:50,400 --> 00:46:51,920 Speaker 1: we got to make sure we have the clothes that 826 00:46:52,000 --> 00:46:53,759 Speaker 1: are going to fit you and are going to make 827 00:46:53,840 --> 00:46:58,640 Speaker 1: you look good and feel comfortable on set. So while 828 00:46:58,800 --> 00:47:03,359 Speaker 1: the so to speak, are neutral and that they are 829 00:47:03,400 --> 00:47:09,080 Speaker 1: not specific to race and gender and sexuality, oftentimes the 830 00:47:09,120 --> 00:47:13,280 Speaker 1: people who need those specific accommodations, who need that access 831 00:47:13,320 --> 00:47:17,040 Speaker 1: because they don't already have it, are folks from marginalized identities. 832 00:47:18,120 --> 00:47:20,759 Speaker 2: You don't want a situation where it's like, oh, for 833 00:47:20,920 --> 00:47:23,399 Speaker 2: black women, they just pay for their own hair out 834 00:47:23,400 --> 00:47:25,279 Speaker 2: of pocket if they want their hair to not look 835 00:47:25,320 --> 00:47:27,439 Speaker 2: a mess, right, Like that's. 836 00:47:26,920 --> 00:47:30,480 Speaker 1: Like yeah, like that's yes, yeah, no, it's I mean, 837 00:47:30,520 --> 00:47:34,920 Speaker 1: I know when I've been on shows, I have taken 838 00:47:34,920 --> 00:47:38,200 Speaker 1: care of my own hair, either waking up super early 839 00:47:38,280 --> 00:47:41,520 Speaker 1: and getting a haircut or getting a haircut the day before, 840 00:47:41,840 --> 00:47:44,000 Speaker 1: or you know, when I had locks doing my own 841 00:47:44,040 --> 00:47:46,839 Speaker 1: hair going to the hair salon because I had had 842 00:47:46,960 --> 00:47:50,319 Speaker 1: enough situations where the people on set did not know 843 00:47:50,360 --> 00:47:54,040 Speaker 1: how to take care of me, and it is it's 844 00:47:54,040 --> 00:47:56,360 Speaker 1: a harsh reality. I even learned how to do my 845 00:47:56,400 --> 00:47:59,560 Speaker 1: own makeup for that reason. I hired a makeup artist 846 00:47:59,600 --> 00:48:01,799 Speaker 1: to teach me how to do my own makeup so 847 00:48:01,840 --> 00:48:05,320 Speaker 1: that I could have the right foundation, because it's different 848 00:48:05,360 --> 00:48:08,680 Speaker 1: makeup on camera than it is for, you know, a 849 00:48:08,680 --> 00:48:12,279 Speaker 1: weekend out on the town. So I spent my own 850 00:48:12,320 --> 00:48:15,399 Speaker 1: money to do that because I'd had enough times where 851 00:48:15,440 --> 00:48:17,560 Speaker 1: I had come to set and they said, oh, your 852 00:48:17,600 --> 00:48:19,760 Speaker 1: skin is beautiful, you don't need anything. 853 00:48:20,080 --> 00:48:22,440 Speaker 2: Oh my god, I've been told the same things. 854 00:48:22,600 --> 00:48:24,759 Speaker 1: Listen, I know what I'm working with, But when you're 855 00:48:24,800 --> 00:48:29,640 Speaker 1: on camera with those h D four K camera, you 856 00:48:29,640 --> 00:48:31,320 Speaker 1: don't want to see my pores. You don't want to 857 00:48:31,320 --> 00:48:35,320 Speaker 1: see my shiny forehead. I need foundation, I need powder. 858 00:48:35,840 --> 00:48:39,120 Speaker 1: You don't go on TV bear face. You look like 859 00:48:39,160 --> 00:48:41,600 Speaker 1: a mole rat. I don't care what your skin looks like. 860 00:48:41,680 --> 00:48:45,239 Speaker 1: You need something under all those lights. But the fact 861 00:48:45,280 --> 00:48:48,520 Speaker 1: that you've heard it tells me that this is again 862 00:48:48,800 --> 00:48:52,319 Speaker 1: a systemic problem. How are you a makeup artist, and 863 00:48:52,400 --> 00:48:57,480 Speaker 1: you don't have foundation to match every shade of the rainbow. 864 00:48:58,040 --> 00:49:00,840 Speaker 1: You should be able to do everybody's makeup up. Again, 865 00:49:01,280 --> 00:49:06,160 Speaker 1: this is not an extraordinary ask. This is basic. How 866 00:49:06,160 --> 00:49:08,560 Speaker 1: about you coming to work prepared to do your job. 867 00:49:10,000 --> 00:49:13,600 Speaker 1: That sounds that sounds like something that you should be 868 00:49:13,640 --> 00:49:18,160 Speaker 1: able to do your job, your job. You are the 869 00:49:18,160 --> 00:49:20,839 Speaker 1: makeup artist, mama. You should be able to do this. 870 00:49:21,760 --> 00:49:26,080 Speaker 1: I can't tell you how. And again, I know how 871 00:49:26,080 --> 00:49:28,560 Speaker 1: to do my makeup now because I invested in learning 872 00:49:28,600 --> 00:49:30,200 Speaker 1: how to do it. But I've never worn a lot 873 00:49:30,239 --> 00:49:33,520 Speaker 1: of makeup. I've always been a lesson more girly. And 874 00:49:33,600 --> 00:49:36,000 Speaker 1: I've had too many times where the makeup artist is like, 875 00:49:36,040 --> 00:49:37,160 Speaker 1: what color do you like? 876 00:49:37,800 --> 00:49:37,960 Speaker 3: What? 877 00:49:38,160 --> 00:49:40,960 Speaker 1: I don't know? You tell me what color? I'm supposed 878 00:49:41,000 --> 00:49:43,640 Speaker 1: to be worried? Why am I going on TV looking 879 00:49:43,680 --> 00:49:48,440 Speaker 1: casket ready? This is not this is not acceptable. 880 00:49:50,040 --> 00:49:51,160 Speaker 2: Not casket ready? 881 00:49:51,440 --> 00:49:54,160 Speaker 1: I mean, you know who did the body? She looks 882 00:49:54,200 --> 00:49:58,440 Speaker 1: so good. It looks like she's sleeping. I am alive, 883 00:50:00,080 --> 00:50:01,520 Speaker 1: don't This is not okay. 884 00:50:05,360 --> 00:50:18,239 Speaker 3: Let's take a quick break at our back. 885 00:50:20,080 --> 00:50:23,320 Speaker 2: I've seen a lot of inaccurate information about the strike. 886 00:50:24,080 --> 00:50:27,200 Speaker 2: Some fans who are supportive of the strike, suggested that 887 00:50:27,239 --> 00:50:30,880 Speaker 2: supporters should cancel their streaming accounts to stand in solidarity 888 00:50:30,880 --> 00:50:33,799 Speaker 2: with striking workers, even though that is not something that 889 00:50:33,880 --> 00:50:37,880 Speaker 2: either union is asked for. More importantly is the question 890 00:50:37,960 --> 00:50:40,440 Speaker 2: of who can and can't work right now. This has 891 00:50:40,480 --> 00:50:44,880 Speaker 2: been particularly tricky for influencers with writers and actors on strike, 892 00:50:45,200 --> 00:50:48,920 Speaker 2: with studios approach influencers to make movie and TV content instead. 893 00:50:49,400 --> 00:50:52,520 Speaker 2: Francesca has kind of become a one woman truth teller 894 00:50:52,800 --> 00:50:56,520 Speaker 2: combating misinformation about the strikes on social media. So you 895 00:50:56,680 --> 00:51:00,439 Speaker 2: have this very interesting response to a content creator who 896 00:51:00,640 --> 00:51:03,239 Speaker 2: was en voice actor who basically was saying that like 897 00:51:04,080 --> 00:51:06,719 Speaker 2: making projects if you are like an influencer or a 898 00:51:06,719 --> 00:51:09,560 Speaker 2: content creator or for whatever reason, don't consider yourself like 899 00:51:09,800 --> 00:51:13,120 Speaker 2: an actor and you're not in the union. Now, they 900 00:51:13,120 --> 00:51:15,440 Speaker 2: were like, oh, well, here's why it's like, actually fine, 901 00:51:15,440 --> 00:51:19,800 Speaker 2: I'm not scabbing. I've seen so much incorrect information floating 902 00:51:19,840 --> 00:51:22,319 Speaker 2: around the internet, like some people saying like, oh, if 903 00:51:22,360 --> 00:51:27,600 Speaker 2: you like you shouldn't cosplay, Like, I've just seen so 904 00:51:27,680 --> 00:51:29,840 Speaker 2: much information that is not correct, And I guess my 905 00:51:29,880 --> 00:51:33,400 Speaker 2: first question is can you set the record straight? But 906 00:51:33,440 --> 00:51:37,160 Speaker 2: then my second question is, on top of everything else 907 00:51:37,200 --> 00:51:39,760 Speaker 2: that you personally are dealing with right now with this strike? 908 00:51:40,160 --> 00:51:42,040 Speaker 2: How does it like, how did you become the person 909 00:51:42,040 --> 00:51:43,960 Speaker 2: who was like and on top of everything else, I 910 00:51:44,000 --> 00:51:48,640 Speaker 2: also have to like correct people's misinformation about what isn't scabbing, 911 00:51:48,680 --> 00:51:51,600 Speaker 2: Like aren't you doing enough right now? You know what 912 00:51:51,640 --> 00:51:51,920 Speaker 2: I mean? 913 00:51:51,960 --> 00:51:54,480 Speaker 1: Wow, I feel so seen. Thank you, thank you for 914 00:51:54,560 --> 00:51:59,600 Speaker 1: saying that. It's really interesting because the WGA has been 915 00:51:59,640 --> 00:52:03,160 Speaker 1: on stre for a little over ninety days and SAG 916 00:52:03,200 --> 00:52:05,440 Speaker 1: has been on strike for three weeks, and I'm a 917 00:52:05,440 --> 00:52:09,160 Speaker 1: member of both. So when the WGA strike was called, 918 00:52:09,160 --> 00:52:11,920 Speaker 1: I had to cease working on projects. I wasn't really 919 00:52:11,960 --> 00:52:16,320 Speaker 1: acting in anything. But when the SAG strike was called, 920 00:52:17,080 --> 00:52:19,239 Speaker 1: some of the things that they're asking for is a 921 00:52:19,320 --> 00:52:23,319 Speaker 1: pause on promoting struck work, meaning any work that is 922 00:52:23,360 --> 00:52:28,400 Speaker 1: produced by the studios. And it was really disheartening to 923 00:52:28,520 --> 00:52:32,560 Speaker 1: see so many people again three weeks now, but this 924 00:52:32,719 --> 00:52:35,480 Speaker 1: was like week one, It was maybe three days. There 925 00:52:35,480 --> 00:52:38,760 Speaker 1: were people that were like, I can't talk about these movies. 926 00:52:39,400 --> 00:52:42,880 Speaker 1: I'm like, it has been three days, Like calm down. 927 00:52:43,000 --> 00:52:47,000 Speaker 1: I haven't been able to work for months months. I 928 00:52:47,040 --> 00:52:50,640 Speaker 1: had to stop working. And again, no one is being 929 00:52:50,719 --> 00:52:53,360 Speaker 1: forced to do anything. People could do whatever they want, 930 00:52:53,840 --> 00:52:57,719 Speaker 1: but our reunion rules state for both SAG and WGA 931 00:52:58,040 --> 00:53:02,239 Speaker 1: that anyone who is potentially seen making future membership is 932 00:53:02,280 --> 00:53:05,680 Speaker 1: being asked to join us in solidarity and not promoting 933 00:53:05,760 --> 00:53:09,160 Speaker 1: or engaging and struck work. What does that mean? That 934 00:53:09,239 --> 00:53:12,239 Speaker 1: means a movie is coming out, You're not talking about it, 935 00:53:12,320 --> 00:53:14,480 Speaker 1: you're not sharing it, You're not doing the work that 936 00:53:14,520 --> 00:53:17,040 Speaker 1: the studios would be asking the actors and writers to do. 937 00:53:17,320 --> 00:53:20,520 Speaker 1: When the strike was called, the actors walked off the 938 00:53:20,560 --> 00:53:24,480 Speaker 1: red carpet, they stopped doing the press tour, I stopped 939 00:53:24,680 --> 00:53:27,719 Speaker 1: promoting on social media. The studios are like, we still 940 00:53:27,719 --> 00:53:29,960 Speaker 1: need people to watch these movies. So who are we 941 00:53:30,000 --> 00:53:32,439 Speaker 1: going to go to. Let's go to the influencers. Hey 942 00:53:32,480 --> 00:53:34,160 Speaker 1: can you do reviews? Hey can you be on the 943 00:53:34,200 --> 00:53:36,200 Speaker 1: red carpet? Hey, We're going to send you a box 944 00:53:36,200 --> 00:53:38,680 Speaker 1: of goodies so that you can talk about it. You 945 00:53:38,760 --> 00:53:42,960 Speaker 1: are essentially replacing the role of the writers and actors. 946 00:53:43,400 --> 00:53:46,080 Speaker 1: Whether or not you have aspirations to be an actor 947 00:53:46,080 --> 00:53:49,640 Speaker 1: a writer in the future, that's what's happening. You are 948 00:53:50,080 --> 00:53:53,560 Speaker 1: doing the work that normally we would be contracted to do. 949 00:53:54,360 --> 00:53:57,960 Speaker 1: And what was again very frustrating to me, was this 950 00:53:58,080 --> 00:54:03,480 Speaker 1: insistence that well, I'm gonna get mine, absolutely get yours 951 00:54:04,040 --> 00:54:06,160 Speaker 1: when and if you want to join the union, you 952 00:54:06,200 --> 00:54:08,040 Speaker 1: are not someone that we are going to want to 953 00:54:08,040 --> 00:54:12,080 Speaker 1: be in community with because you want to work with 954 00:54:12,160 --> 00:54:16,480 Speaker 1: people that have your back when you are spending twelve 955 00:54:16,600 --> 00:54:19,400 Speaker 1: thirteen hours on set, you want to be surrounded by 956 00:54:19,400 --> 00:54:24,160 Speaker 1: people that you trust and that are of high caliber 957 00:54:24,640 --> 00:54:29,239 Speaker 1: and are ethical and honest. And if you see the 958 00:54:29,280 --> 00:54:32,799 Speaker 1: strike as an opportunity to get paid again, do what 959 00:54:32,840 --> 00:54:36,640 Speaker 1: you gotta do. But the reality is people in this 960 00:54:36,760 --> 00:54:40,200 Speaker 1: business are not going to trust you, and so you 961 00:54:40,520 --> 00:54:44,240 Speaker 1: are essentially saying, well, I now want to join the union. 962 00:54:44,360 --> 00:54:47,040 Speaker 1: But like when it was time to really buckle down 963 00:54:47,040 --> 00:54:48,920 Speaker 1: and support us, you couldn't do it. 964 00:54:49,000 --> 00:54:50,680 Speaker 2: Do it fourth, it's we. 965 00:54:50,680 --> 00:54:56,080 Speaker 1: Own Week three, Week three, and again, this was like 966 00:54:56,239 --> 00:54:58,800 Speaker 1: three days into the strike when it happened. You know 967 00:54:58,840 --> 00:55:01,520 Speaker 1: what it reminded me of. It reminded me of when 968 00:55:01,560 --> 00:55:04,760 Speaker 1: the pandemic started and all those celebrities were singing imagine 969 00:55:04,800 --> 00:55:09,400 Speaker 1: and it was like day three, Like it was day 970 00:55:09,480 --> 00:55:11,359 Speaker 1: three of a strike, and it was like, what if 971 00:55:11,400 --> 00:55:16,320 Speaker 1: there was no moon, nothing has happened. You're in a mansion, 972 00:55:17,840 --> 00:55:23,560 Speaker 1: You're fine. So if you you know, and again, maybe 973 00:55:23,560 --> 00:55:25,879 Speaker 1: you don't want to be an actor, but we also 974 00:55:25,960 --> 00:55:30,760 Speaker 1: represent host We also represent podcasters and influencers and snap 975 00:55:30,840 --> 00:55:36,080 Speaker 1: people and radio DJs and dancers and singers. There are 976 00:55:36,120 --> 00:55:40,640 Speaker 1: so many different types of people audiobook performers. And I've 977 00:55:40,680 --> 00:55:44,960 Speaker 1: said this many a time. I was an influencer. I 978 00:55:45,080 --> 00:55:48,400 Speaker 1: know how those checks are. They don't always be checking. 979 00:55:49,120 --> 00:55:53,120 Speaker 1: And I while this industry is not perfect, the reason 980 00:55:53,120 --> 00:55:55,360 Speaker 1: that we are striking is to make it better. The 981 00:55:55,400 --> 00:55:57,719 Speaker 1: strike is not going to last forever and when the 982 00:55:57,840 --> 00:56:01,799 Speaker 1: industry comes back, to be better for it. And so 983 00:56:02,480 --> 00:56:05,240 Speaker 1: if you have aspirations to be a part of this industry, 984 00:56:05,600 --> 00:56:09,640 Speaker 1: and or you just believe that we deserve fair pay, 985 00:56:10,320 --> 00:56:13,960 Speaker 1: we're asking you to support us. And I know it's hard. Again, 986 00:56:14,440 --> 00:56:16,320 Speaker 1: I had to stop working on something that I was 987 00:56:16,360 --> 00:56:19,359 Speaker 1: working on for three years. Three years I've been working 988 00:56:19,360 --> 00:56:21,680 Speaker 1: on this project and I just had to stop. And 989 00:56:21,719 --> 00:56:23,400 Speaker 1: I don't know when I'll get to go back. I 990 00:56:23,400 --> 00:56:25,279 Speaker 1: don't know if the project is dead. I don't know 991 00:56:25,320 --> 00:56:29,000 Speaker 1: if I'll ever get paid. I don't know. It sucks, 992 00:56:29,120 --> 00:56:32,440 Speaker 1: it's not fun. The strike is not meant to be fun. 993 00:56:32,520 --> 00:56:35,440 Speaker 1: It's meant to be disruptive and in order to do that, 994 00:56:35,480 --> 00:56:39,640 Speaker 1: we need as much support as possible. So again, if 995 00:56:39,680 --> 00:56:42,600 Speaker 1: you don't want to do it, don't do it. If 996 00:56:42,600 --> 00:56:45,200 Speaker 1: you're interested in doing it the right way, we just 997 00:56:45,239 --> 00:56:47,759 Speaker 1: asked you go to the website zag afterstrike dot org. 998 00:56:48,000 --> 00:56:51,400 Speaker 1: All the rules are laid out there for journalists, for influencers, 999 00:56:51,840 --> 00:56:57,600 Speaker 1: for fans, and again I appreciate the support. Again, I 1000 00:56:57,680 --> 00:57:01,879 Speaker 1: know it's really hard, but you do things because they're 1001 00:57:01,920 --> 00:57:03,880 Speaker 1: the right things to do, not because they're the easy 1002 00:57:03,880 --> 00:57:04,400 Speaker 1: things to do. 1003 00:57:05,800 --> 00:57:08,680 Speaker 2: Fran Jessica, how can people listening, even if they're not 1004 00:57:09,840 --> 00:57:13,080 Speaker 2: entertainment folks, they just they're inspired by your words and 1005 00:57:13,120 --> 00:57:14,440 Speaker 2: they want to support. What can they do? 1006 00:57:15,480 --> 00:57:17,640 Speaker 1: If you're in New York or Los Angeles, we would 1007 00:57:17,640 --> 00:57:19,440 Speaker 1: love to see you on the picket lines. You do 1008 00:57:19,480 --> 00:57:21,720 Speaker 1: not have to be in the industry. You can go 1009 00:57:21,760 --> 00:57:26,000 Speaker 1: to the websites WGA Strike twenty twenty three or WGA 1010 00:57:26,080 --> 00:57:29,439 Speaker 1: Contract twenty twenty three, dot org, zag after astrike dot 1011 00:57:29,560 --> 00:57:31,520 Speaker 1: org to join us on the picket lines. You can 1012 00:57:31,520 --> 00:57:35,800 Speaker 1: also donate to the Entertainment Fund. The Entertainment Fund provides 1013 00:57:35,920 --> 00:57:41,440 Speaker 1: financial assistance for writers, actors, crew members that includes assistants 1014 00:57:41,520 --> 00:57:45,400 Speaker 1: and makeup artists and hairstylists and anybody who is being 1015 00:57:45,720 --> 00:57:49,400 Speaker 1: financially impacted by the strike, so you can donate there. 1016 00:57:50,040 --> 00:57:52,640 Speaker 1: Sag After also has a strike fund that you can 1017 00:57:52,680 --> 00:57:56,560 Speaker 1: donate to via their website. And also just continuing to 1018 00:57:56,600 --> 00:58:01,240 Speaker 1: amplify our message. I think often people want an easy 1019 00:58:01,280 --> 00:58:04,440 Speaker 1: solution and seeing lots of people being like, well, should 1020 00:58:04,480 --> 00:58:07,000 Speaker 1: I cancel my subscriptions? No, we're not asking me to 1021 00:58:07,000 --> 00:58:09,640 Speaker 1: do that. We're not asking We know you want to help. 1022 00:58:09,960 --> 00:58:13,080 Speaker 1: But what you can do is amplify our message, dispell 1023 00:58:13,120 --> 00:58:18,200 Speaker 1: the misinformation that people might be sharing or digesting about 1024 00:58:18,240 --> 00:58:23,160 Speaker 1: the strike. Share this podcast episode for example. All of 1025 00:58:23,160 --> 00:58:27,960 Speaker 1: that helps, And again I appreciate anybody that is standing 1026 00:58:27,960 --> 00:58:30,000 Speaker 1: in solidarity with us. It really means a lot. 1027 00:58:30,680 --> 00:58:33,520 Speaker 2: And I have to say you, individually, Francesca, have been 1028 00:58:33,760 --> 00:58:37,640 Speaker 2: such a clear voice. I've listened to you on multiple 1029 00:58:37,680 --> 00:58:41,440 Speaker 2: podcasts in preparation for this, I've read multiple interviews like 1030 00:58:41,640 --> 00:58:44,520 Speaker 2: you are out here doing the work of helping folks 1031 00:58:44,640 --> 00:58:47,680 Speaker 2: understand what people are asking for the stakes, how they 1032 00:58:47,680 --> 00:58:49,800 Speaker 2: can get involved, and I just really appreciate that you're 1033 00:58:49,800 --> 00:58:53,520 Speaker 2: doing that, like you have been kicking ass at this strike. 1034 00:58:54,040 --> 00:58:56,200 Speaker 1: Thank you so much. I've joked many a time that 1035 00:58:56,240 --> 00:58:58,120 Speaker 1: the studio is really fucked up because I ain't got 1036 00:58:58,120 --> 00:59:00,760 Speaker 1: no job now, so my job is strike. 1037 00:59:01,280 --> 00:59:03,240 Speaker 2: And you can and you make videos that you like. 1038 00:59:03,280 --> 00:59:05,280 Speaker 2: Something will happen on at ten o'clock in the morning. 1039 00:59:05,320 --> 00:59:07,440 Speaker 2: By eleven, I see your TikTok. I'm like, she's on it. 1040 00:59:08,800 --> 00:59:11,280 Speaker 1: Yeah, you know again, this is a weird time, but 1041 00:59:11,560 --> 00:59:15,960 Speaker 1: it has been a creatively inspiring time for me. And 1042 00:59:16,000 --> 00:59:19,560 Speaker 1: I think that's really been a silver lining is that 1043 00:59:20,160 --> 00:59:24,800 Speaker 1: when you turn your creative passion to a job, it's 1044 00:59:24,840 --> 00:59:27,520 Speaker 1: a double edged sword because you love what you do, 1045 00:59:27,600 --> 00:59:30,280 Speaker 1: but now you're creating by committee. It's like we gotta 1046 00:59:30,280 --> 00:59:33,240 Speaker 1: get on a zoom to talk about you know whatever, 1047 00:59:33,720 --> 00:59:38,680 Speaker 1: whatever you submitted, And so there's something really freeing about Yeah, 1048 00:59:38,720 --> 00:59:40,480 Speaker 1: something happens at ten and I'm like, oh, I have 1049 00:59:40,520 --> 00:59:42,400 Speaker 1: an idea for this, and I'm just gonna make it 1050 00:59:42,480 --> 00:59:46,000 Speaker 1: and I don't have to get approval from anybody, and 1051 00:59:46,040 --> 00:59:48,880 Speaker 1: I don't have to wait, And the success is not 1052 00:59:49,160 --> 00:59:51,600 Speaker 1: tied to how many views it gets, Like it doesn't 1053 00:59:51,600 --> 00:59:54,320 Speaker 1: matter if it does a million views or ten views. Like, 1054 00:59:54,400 --> 00:59:56,560 Speaker 1: I liked it. I had a good time making it. 1055 00:59:56,760 --> 00:59:59,080 Speaker 1: People enjoyed it, and so it's a success for me, 1056 01:00:00,040 --> 01:00:02,360 Speaker 1: and I have to admit that that was kind of 1057 01:00:02,360 --> 01:00:06,680 Speaker 1: missing from my work in years past, and so it 1058 01:00:06,720 --> 01:00:09,400 Speaker 1: has been really nice to just like create with reckless 1059 01:00:09,440 --> 01:00:13,280 Speaker 1: abandon And my hope is that when the strike is over, 1060 01:00:13,400 --> 01:00:16,120 Speaker 1: I can kind of sustain that and infuse that in 1061 01:00:16,160 --> 01:00:18,760 Speaker 1: my in my paid work, because it has been really 1062 01:00:18,840 --> 01:00:19,920 Speaker 1: it's been really fulfilling. 1063 01:00:20,640 --> 01:00:23,160 Speaker 2: Well that's beautiful, Like what a what a good what 1064 01:00:23,200 --> 01:00:24,000 Speaker 2: a silver lighting? 1065 01:00:24,320 --> 01:00:24,640 Speaker 4: Yeah? 1066 01:00:25,120 --> 01:00:27,600 Speaker 1: Yeah, I try shout out to my therapist because she's 1067 01:00:27,640 --> 01:00:31,200 Speaker 1: real good at being like sounds like something positive happened, 1068 01:00:31,240 --> 01:00:33,840 Speaker 1: and I'm like, okay, Shannie, okay, okay. 1069 01:00:35,120 --> 01:00:38,200 Speaker 2: Well Ran Jessica. You know, I firmly believe that TV 1070 01:00:38,440 --> 01:00:41,080 Speaker 2: and movies are like one of the last things we 1071 01:00:41,200 --> 01:00:43,600 Speaker 2: have that are just purely good, and that we should 1072 01:00:43,600 --> 01:00:46,880 Speaker 2: get to have good stories and also have the people 1073 01:00:46,960 --> 01:00:50,360 Speaker 2: that make them being treated like human beings and being 1074 01:00:50,360 --> 01:00:52,400 Speaker 2: fairly compensated for what they give us, because like, we 1075 01:00:52,400 --> 01:00:54,240 Speaker 2: don't have a lot of things that are just purely 1076 01:00:54,280 --> 01:00:57,000 Speaker 2: good anymore, and that's that's like one thing that we have. 1077 01:00:57,960 --> 01:01:02,320 Speaker 1: Yeah, It's it's true. I there's so many times that 1078 01:01:02,360 --> 01:01:04,400 Speaker 1: you come home from like a long day and you 1079 01:01:04,480 --> 01:01:06,960 Speaker 1: turn on the TV and you get to enjoy like 1080 01:01:07,000 --> 01:01:09,800 Speaker 1: a story and immerse yourself in it and feel seen, 1081 01:01:10,920 --> 01:01:13,240 Speaker 1: or just like turn your brain off and forget all 1082 01:01:13,280 --> 01:01:15,240 Speaker 1: the things that are stressing you out and just laugh. 1083 01:01:15,520 --> 01:01:18,960 Speaker 1: And I feel really fortunate that I've been able to 1084 01:01:19,120 --> 01:01:21,880 Speaker 1: do that, and I've been able to work in this 1085 01:01:21,920 --> 01:01:24,880 Speaker 1: business for a little over a decade, and I've met 1086 01:01:24,880 --> 01:01:27,920 Speaker 1: so many incredible people, and I just I'm excited to 1087 01:01:27,960 --> 01:01:32,400 Speaker 1: continue doing it, and I'm really excited about the potential 1088 01:01:32,480 --> 01:01:35,440 Speaker 1: to create a pathway for more people to join this 1089 01:01:35,520 --> 01:01:38,960 Speaker 1: industry because I think it's really, really, really beautiful, and 1090 01:01:39,080 --> 01:01:42,680 Speaker 1: especially as someone who came from the Internet and now 1091 01:01:42,720 --> 01:01:45,120 Speaker 1: has gotten to make my dreams come true, I want 1092 01:01:45,160 --> 01:01:46,240 Speaker 1: that for anybody. 1093 01:01:45,880 --> 01:01:46,680 Speaker 3: Who wants it. 1094 01:01:46,800 --> 01:01:50,800 Speaker 1: And so that's what we're fighting for. And again, I've 1095 01:01:50,840 --> 01:01:53,320 Speaker 1: said it so many times, but we're fighting because I 1096 01:01:53,360 --> 01:01:54,160 Speaker 1: know that we will win. 1097 01:02:00,040 --> 01:02:01,960 Speaker 2: Got a story about an interesting thing in tech or 1098 01:02:02,080 --> 01:02:03,920 Speaker 2: just want to say hi. You can reach us at 1099 01:02:03,920 --> 01:02:06,640 Speaker 2: Hello at tangody dot com. You can also find transcripts 1100 01:02:06,640 --> 01:02:09,120 Speaker 2: for today's episode at tenggody dot com. There Are No 1101 01:02:09,160 --> 01:02:11,240 Speaker 2: Girls on the Internet was created by me Bridget tod 1102 01:02:11,600 --> 01:02:15,040 Speaker 2: It's a production of iHeartRadio. An unbossed creative. Jonathan Strickland 1103 01:02:15,080 --> 01:02:17,800 Speaker 2: is our executive producer. Tarry Harrison is our producer and 1104 01:02:17,880 --> 01:02:21,640 Speaker 2: sound engineer. Michael Almato is our contributing producer. I'm your host, 1105 01:02:21,640 --> 01:02:24,440 Speaker 2: Bridget Todd. If you want to help us grow, rate 1106 01:02:24,480 --> 01:02:25,120 Speaker 2: and review. 1107 01:02:24,880 --> 01:02:26,040 Speaker 3: Us on Apple Podcasts. 1108 01:02:26,680 --> 01:02:29,520 Speaker 2: For more podcasts from iHeartRadio, check out the iHeartRadio app, 1109 01:02:29,560 --> 01:02:31,600 Speaker 2: Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.