Hollywood’s studio chiefs might not fear the unions. But they may yet be brought to their knees by re-runs of “Midsomer Murders”
that has brought Hollywood to a halt. The Writers Guild of America downed pens on May 2nd, complaining that the cutthroat economics of streaming had eroded writers’ pay and conditions. New scripts, and thus most new scripted productions, are on hold.
Though there is no strike in Britain, filming will be disrupted. American-made shows shot on British soil may continue only if their scripts are finalised—a tougher condition than it sounds, as big productions typically have writers on hand to fiddle with the script during filming. British-made shows commissioned by American firms can go ahead if contracts are already signed and under British law. But any new deals are off-limits—at least for anyone who wants to work in Hollywood again.
Amid the gloom, there are two ways in which British film-makers may benefit. First, production costs stand to fall. The content-commissioning frenzy of recent years has inflated the price of everything from studio space to hairdressing, as Apple, Amazon and co have arrived with their Silicon Valley-sized chequebooks. It has been a bonanza for the people who do those jobs, but excruciating for anyone else who needs their services.
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