The Writers Guild of America strike began on May 2, and as of yesterday, the union has reached a tentative deal with the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers (AMPTP). But, this doesn’t necessarily mean your favorite shows are coming back.
Today, we’re re-airing our episode from last month about how the SAG-AFTRA and WGA strikes are hitting Nashville. It’s easy to think of these strikes as a Hollywood problem, but Nashville’s creatives are also feeling the impact.
With no writers and no actors, scripted television and most of the film industry came to a complete halt. With the writers headed back to work, there are a lot of questions about what this will mean for television, film, and streaming going forward. Without actors, there is still no reason to expect that production will resume any time soon.
When we think about TV and film, we often direct our attention to LA, NYC, and maybe Atlanta, Georgia. But what about Nashville? Music videos, corporate shoots, and even narrative work happens all over our city, and the strikes are happening in our own backyard. What do Nashville creatives want to see?
This episode was produced by Elizabeth Burton and Laura Boach. Special thanks to Peter Kurland and Richard Van Syckle.
Guests
- Carla Christina Contreras, president of Nashville SAG-AFTRA local and member of the SAG-AFTRA national negotiating committee
- Rod Blackhurst, local WGA member
- Darryl Wilson, president of IATSE Local 492
- Mike Montgomery, former president of Nashville SAG-AFTRA local
- Bob Raines, executive director of the Tennessee Entertainment Commission
- Julie Lighty, production coordinator and supervisor
On Air - 90.3 WPLN-FM