"Writers are facing the most comprehensive assault on compensation and working conditions that we have seen in a generation," Bob Hopkinson, a spokesperson for WGA West, told Insider in an email."In this negotiation, we are fighting for a contract that increases writer pay and makes writing a sustainable career again. When the studios invest millions into producing a certain film or series, they can find it in their budgets to pay us for the value we create.
In an emailed statement to Insider, AMPTP spokesperson Scott Rowe said the association is trying to"reach a fair and reasonable agreement." "The AMPTP companies have approached these negotiations with the long-term health and stability of the industry as our priority. We are all partners in charting the future of our business together and we are fully committed to reaching a mutually-beneficial deal," Rowe wrote.
O'Keefe told The New Yorker that his compensation does not add up to much after accounting for representative fees and taxes. Agents or representatives who help clients obtain work and negotiate contracts typically take a percentage of a writer's check.. A showrunner told Insider that first-time and newer writers could make around $40,000 to 60,000 for ten weeks of work.