According to a survey by the Inevitable Foundation, writers with disabilities are expected to lose career prospects and motivation, as well as potential earnings of $2 million.
The Disabled Writers Strike Impact Report, not affiliated with the guild, but under investigation 28 Professionally Disabled Screenwriters (67 Percentage is WGA
member), for an insight into how a group of historically underrepresented creatives are coping with the immediate impact of the shutdown as a result of WGA and AMPTP talks ended Monday night with no deal . Loss of jobs, income and earnings, and career prospects, are all on the table, but some scribes stress the need to support the strike, even as they share the “mini rooms” and shortened seasons that make it difficult to fill staff at full-time.
According to the report, 67 % of respondents said they would lose their job or income and 47% faced loss of career prospects or motivation. Additionally, 43% of survey respondents believed that as much as 2020 A percentage of their potential income associated with “robust” job prospects (defined as having multiple conversations with a single network or streamer about a particular project) will be lost during the downtime. Between them, more than $2 million in contractually promised revenue would be lost — not including potential job opportunities.
Still, one writer responded to the survey saying they were “emotionally prepared to bite the bullet for a few more months” doing what they loved “for a few more years,” while another Bit said that “people at the bottom like me are the most vulnerable” as they go up the picket line, “but these setbacks are a small price to pay for fairness to all writers.”
“I have nothing to lose and everything to gain from the WGA strike,” said another respondent. “I’ve been actively trying to recruit staff for eight years, and I still haven’t been able to get that last brass ring.”
Several interviewees noted that if the strike continues, the last Losing health care near the end of summer. “I would have to deal with high insurance costs, or high out-of-pocket costs without insurance,” said another anonymous writer. “Either way, without insurance, I can’t afford to go for more than a few months.”
One respondent stated that their current show’s “production schedule[ may] be compressed and we may receive shortened episode orders”, which may result in a loss of $47, to $92,. Meanwhile, a budding writer said the strike could delay “future access to employment” by preventing them from forming the connections and representation necessary to pursue their next position.
If the current lockout is similar to the last WGA strike of 2007, lasting three months, 50 Percentage of WGA Writers Strike survey participants said they Will have to find other work outside of the entertainment industry. This is partly due to how much savings they currently have, with 43% of working disabled screenwriters responding to surveys showing they Less than three months of savings, and 67% have six months or less.
“In addition to the loss of revenue, the loss of momentum will be challenging. All meetings and relationships will be harder to rebuild after a prolonged strike. But I also feel that the strike It could end up being extremely positive,” another writer said in response to the Inevitable Foundation’s inquiry. “The average income of writers is down, while career instability is up. The industry is changing, and if writers don’t fight for what they’re worth, then it’s not going to be a viable career. I’m not sure what the guild is proposing specifically The perfect solution, but writers have to do something.”
Fewer than 1 percent of all employed TV writers are disabled, according to the foundation Fewer than 0.5 percent of WGA West members consider themselves disabled, according to the report. (Nonprofits did not provide WGA East data.) Also, only 0.5 percent of screenwriting jobs in 2007 go to writers with disabilities. Already facing a gap in job opportunities, the strike helps provide protections and benefits for writers, but also threatens what terrestrial disabled TV writers have gained in the room, historically92 Based on data provided by Unavoidable on Disability Representation Gap, percent is the only disabled person on staff.
“Writers with disabilities face enormous economic challenges due to high living costs (40 higher average percentages) and people with disabilities are twice as likely to live in poverty than non-disabled people,” Inevitable Foundation co-founder Rich Siegel told The Hollywood Reporter . “Boosting their earnings and providing them with greater workplace equity is critical to helping them succeed. These writers must receive adequate and fair support during the strike, including picket lines and measures to minimize The financial impact that an extended shutdown may have on their careers.”
May 3, 4: 43 pm updated to include survey not affiliated with WGA, and updated to state WGA West percentage of disabled writers.
2007
