The Big Picture
- Animation writers are hopeful that the current strike will result in their inclusion under WGA protection. Over 1,500 WGA members have pledged to welcome them into the union.
- Notable animated shows, such as Family Guy and The Simpsons, already enjoy WGA protection, and their writers are participating in the strike alongside other union members.
- Despite previous conflicts, the WGA, animation writers, and TAG share a common enemy in the studios and are likely to set aside their differences for the benefit of the industry’s future.
As the studios stubbornly refuse to meet the reasonable demands of the WGA and SAG-AFTRA, the unions persist in their fight for fairness, despite sweltering summer temperatures on the picket lines. The animation writers involved in the strike hope that this historic moment will secure their future inclusion under WGA protection. The movement gained momentum when over 1,500 WGA members committed to welcoming the animation writers into the union last August, and the ongoing strike is laying the groundwork to turn that promise into a reality.
While some animated shows continue business as usual since their writers are not union members, others, including 20th Animation’s Family Guy, Bob’s Burgers, The Simpsons, and American Dad!, along with Netflix’s Big Mouth and Disenchantment, enjoy the protection of the WGA. Consequently, these writers have taken a stand by stepping away from their desks and joining their fellow strikers on the picket lines.
During a recent gathering in New York City outside the Warner Bros. Discovery offices, Susan Kim, the co-chair of the WGA East animation caucus, addressed a growing crowd and assured them that after concluding the ongoing battle with the WGA, “we are circling back to animation.” Kim further encouraged the animation writers present to register their names, ensuring that the union would reach out to them later in the year.
Not Always Pals
While the current issues with Hollywood’s major studios have brought together the entertainment industry, the relationship between the WGA and animation writers hasn’t always been harmonious. The tension between TAG (The Animation Guild) and the WGA dates back to the 1970s, where a territorial dispute erupted, and another clash occurred during the WGA’s strike in 2007-2008. More recently, the WGA sparked controversy within TAG when it suggested that live-action writers affected by the COVID-19 pandemic should transition to animation instead.
However, with SAG-AFTRA, the WGA, and TAG uniting against the studios and striving for the industry’s future, there is a strong possibility that they will set aside their differences and achieve a monumental crossover.
Denial of responsibility! TechCodex is an automatic aggregator of the all world’s media. In each content, the hyperlink to the primary source is specified. All trademarks belong to their rightful owners, and all materials to their authors. For any complaint, please reach us at – [email protected]. We will take necessary action within 24 hours.
Khushi Patel is a science fiction author who lives in Austin, Texas. She has published three novels, and her work has been praised for its originality and imagination. Khushi is a graduate of Rice University, and she has worked as a software engineer. She is a member of the Science Fiction Writers of America, and her books have been nominated for several awards.
