International
WGA strike effects could ripple worldwide
Mumbai: The Writers Guild of America (WGA), has voted overwhelmingly to authorize a strike if no new labor agreement is reached by 1 May. The WGA represents writers for movies, television and streaming services and a potential strike could bring the production of many shows and films to a halt affecting audiences worldwide.
The vote showed an overwhelming majority, with 97.9 per cent of participating union members voting to approve a potential strike.
The union said that it needs to make substantial changes to the way writers are compensated, given the shift towards streaming services. Writers have suffered during the streaming boom due to shorter seasons and smaller residuals. The Guild is calling for additional compensation and residuals from features on streaming platforms and increasing contributions to pension and health funds.
“Over the past decade, the companies embraced business practices that slashed our compensation and undermined our working conditions,” the Guild wrote on 3 April on Twitter. “We are asking to restore writer pay and conditions to reflect our value to this industry. The survival of our profession is at stake.”
The Guild is also asking studios to establish standards around the use of artificial intelligence (AI). It wants the use of AI regulated, in terms of material created for the studios. With the rise of AI technology, the WGA wants to ensure that writers are properly compensated for their contributions and that their intellectual property rights are protected.
“A strike authorization vote has always been part of the WGA’s plan, announced before the parties even exchanged proposals,” in a statement from the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers (AMPTP), which is negotiating on behalf of management. “Its inevitable ratification should come as no surprise to anyone.” The AMPTP is calling for writers to make concessions, saying that the entertainment industry has changed in recent years.
AMPTP represents Amazon, Apple, CBS, Disney, NBCU, Netflix, Paramount Global, Sony, and CNN’s parent company, Warner Bros. Discovery.
The strike, if it proceeds, would be the first in the industry since 2007, when a strike lasted 100 days and cost the California economy an estimated $2.1 billion.
In addition, if the strike lasted for an extended period, it could lead to significant delays in the release of new content. In turn, this could have a ripple effect on other parts of the industry, such as advertising revenue, which is often tied to the release of new programming. As a result, networks and studios may be less inclined to take risks on new shows, which could ultimately limit the diversity and creativity of the content available to audiences. This could lead to layoffs, reduced budgets and ultimately, a reduction in the number of shows and films produced each year.
Such cuts could have lasting effects on the industry, leading to a decline in the quality and quantity of content available to audiences worldwide.
For global audiences, a WGA strike could mean that they may not have access to their favorite American shows and movies for an extended period. This could be particularly frustrating for those who rely on American content to learn English or to stay connected to American culture.
Additionally, streaming services, such as Netflix, Amazon and Disney, may have to rely on content from other countries to fill the gaps left by the strike. While this could be an opportunity to promote international programming, it could also lead to a lack of access to American content, which has traditionally been popular among global audiences.
“Three weeks is plenty of time to hammer out a deal, negotiations in 2017 went right down to the wire,” the industry insider commented on the looming 1 May deadline.
The WGA-AMPTP negotiation is the first of three contract negotiations with entertainment unions. The Directors Guild of America will start negotiations on 10 May ahead of their contract expiration on 30 June. The Screen Actors Guild contract also expires 30 June.
The author of this article is John Scholz
International
Moskino and Bollywood: Moscow Film Cluster and Film City Mumbai signed a cooperation agreement
Moscow Film Cluster has signed a cooperation agreement with Film City Mumbai. The parties agreed to cooperate in developing the film industry, promoting shooting locations and supporting filmmakers.
The memorandum was signed on the sidelines of the India International Film Tourism (IIFTC) Conclave in Mumbai. At this forum, the Moscow Film Cluster presented Moscow’s opportunities for film shooting, including infrastructure projects such as Film City Moskino and Film Factory. Special attention was paid to the Moscow rebate system – up to 45% – and the co-production development.
Memorandum of Understanding between the Film City and Moscow Film Cluster provides for the establishment and development of mutually beneficial cooperation in the film industry development, including joint promotion of shooting locations, support for filmmakers, implementation of marketing and industry events, development of incentive support measures and strengthening of economic and cultural interaction between India and Moscow.
The parties also intend to promote the development of the audiovisual sector through the exchange of experience, joint initiatives and the search for opportunities to create new industry partnerships and clusters.
Moscow Film Cluster is a major city initiative led by Moscow Mayor Sergei Sobyanin to develop the capital into a global cinema hub. It brings together key production infrastructure – such as the Moskino Film Сity, Film Factory and Gorky Film Studio – along with the Film Commission, digital platform and cinema chain to streamline shooting, support productions and attract international filmmaking to Moscow.
Also, Moscow offers a rebate of up to 45%: 30% as direct production cost compensation, up to 15% for visa and accommodation support. The Moscow Image Grant provides up to $255,000 for films showcasing iconic city views.
The Moscow Film Cluster booth attracted considerable attention from Indian producers and studios. Over 80 business meetings were held, including those with major Indian companies.
One of the booth guests was the famous Indian actress Khushboo Sundar, known to Soviet and Russian audiences for her role in My Soul and considered the leading star of Tamil cinema, in whose honor one of the local temples was even built. Prithul Kumar, representative of the Indian Ministry of Information and Broadcasting and one of the officials responsible for regulating the film industry in the country, also expressed interest in the development of the Moscow Film Cluster.
One of the highlights of the India International Film Tourism Conclave was the awarding of The Greatest of All Time in the For Cinematic Excellence category. The movie was shot in Moscow. The jury members noted the project’s contribution to the development of tourism.
The shooting of The Greatest of All Time AGS by Entertainment was organized with the assistance of the Moscow Film Cluster and the Moscow Film Commission and took place in April 2024 on the streets of Moscow. The scenes were shot in such famous locations as Patriarch Bridge, Teatralnaya Square, Manezhnaya Square, Kazarmenny Lane, Podsosensky Lane, Nikolskaya Street and one of the festival venues of Moscow Seasons.
The Greatest of All Time became a landmark event in Indian box office history. It ranked fourth in box office earnings among all movies released in India in 2024 and is one of the most successful Tamil-language movies in history.
At the same time, the shooting of another joint Russian-Indian movie started at the Moskino Film City in Moscow. A film project dedicated to badminton became one of the first participants in the Moscow rebate program.
A project by Smena & WISH Media (Russia) and Kartina Entertainment And Sports Private Limited (India) will tell the story of a badminton player who travels to India with the Russian national team to compete in a tournament. Russian viewers will see for the first time the scale of sporting competitions in Asia, where badminton is a cult sport and draws packed stands of fans.
The agreement on the joint production of the Smash movie was signed st the Moscow International Film Week in August 2025. And as Moscow Mayor Sergei Sobyanin said, a rebate application was also submitted at that time to reimburse part of the costs incurred during the shooting process in the Russian capital.
