Will the WGA Help Make Sure Animation Writers Share the Benefits of a Better Deal?
Applause for animation!
The dire state of the entertainment industry is impossible to ignore right now. Creatives in the U.S. are currently striking and demanding better pay, working conditions, and overall treatment from the companies that make millions off their hard work. The WGA writers’ and SAG-AFTRA actors’ strikes are why many projects are on hold right now—although, let’s be clear, the blame lies on the studios refusing to agree to fair working conditions, not those on strike over it—and there is no telling when the strikes will end. So buckle up, everyone.
However, not all writers are even included in this strike. It may come as a surprise, but not all animation writers are part of the union, and while some animation studios use WGA writers, many opt for writers covered by The Animation Guild instead—a choice the studio gets to make, leaving writers on the project with lower compensation than WGA writers are entitled to. But according to Cartoon Brew, once the WGA is done securing its members a fair deal from the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers, they’ve got animation writers in mind next.
WGA East animation caucus co-chair Susan Kim said at a strike event last week that, after the strike, they are “circling back to animation.” It’s hard to know what will come of that, but it’s just one more step in a growing movement, after many prominent figures in the entertainment world signed a pledge to ensure that animation projects they worked on were covered by the WGA.
Animation is just as significant as live-action in terms of entertainment and the hard work that goes into making shows that delight in fantasy. The writers on these projects deserve the same compensation terms as those who work on live-action properties.
Big shows like The Simpsons, Family Guy, Rick & Morty shouldn’t be the only types of shows that fall into the WGA pool. Plenty of animated series have various levels of popularity, but that doesn’t mean they aren’t worth support. Under 50 animated series are represented by the WGA, and if you consider how animated series exist, that’s like holding a small bag of pennies. Fingers crossed for animation writers and the folks who are striking and helping change the landscape of the entertainment industry.
(featured image: Cartoon Network)
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