This year in film news sees an event that’s not happened since 1960.
Both the WGA and SAG-AFTRA are currently on strike. The WGA has been picketing since May 2nd, while SAG-AFTRA began just days ago, on July 14th.
Both have a common endgame in mind, involving residuals and AI regulation, among other things. Actor John Cusack has taken to Twitter, sharing some of his own experiences with the aforementioned causes, Variety reports.
“One fun fact – when I was a youngin- I did a film (with a boom box) and somehow I got points – net not gross. Never expected to see any money – but the film became quite famous – so about 10 years ago – I looked again at the financial statements they were obligated to report – and to my shock – they claimed they had LOST 44 million dollars on the film.”
Cusack is referring to the film Say Anything, the 1989 romantic comedy from director Cameron Crowe. “The film cost about 13 million to make – and money spent to release was minimal at the time – 30 years in – that film lost millions every year! A neat accounting trick don’t ya think?”
While Cusack was vocal about his disdain in that area, he also didn’t shy away from bashing AI, which has been a contestant threat looming over all of Hollywood. Studios wanna have extras work one day, scan them – own their likeness forever – and eliminate them from the business. Cusack went on to say, “Do you think they will stop with extras? That’s what AI is – a giant Copyright identity theft.”
President of SAG-AFTRA, Fran Drescher, also spoke about the strike, building on the idea that the studios are supporting a “criminal enterprise,” as Cusack said. “I cannot believe it, quite frankly: How far apart we are on so many things. How [the studios] plead poverty, that they’re losing money left and right when giving hundreds of millions of dollars to their CEOs. It is disgusting. Shame on them.”
For news and updates on the strike as they come out, stay with us here.
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