2023-08-26
21 分钟Across Hollywood right now, writers and actors are picketing in front of studio lots. They're walking back and forth, holding up signs demanding concessions on things like pay, how many writers work on projects, and the use of AI in TV and movies. But, on some of these lots, there are these strange alternate entrances where there are no picketers. Here drivers can come and go as they please without ever encountering any sign of a strike. Behold the neutral gate. An entrance intended for people who work at these lots but don't work for production companies that are involved with these particular strikes. (Usually that means things like game shows or TV commercials.) But, as one group of picketers recently experienced, it's hard to know if these entrances are, in fact, only being used by neutral parties or if the entrances might be being abused. On today's episode, the question of whether one Hollywood production was taking advantage of the neutral gate, and what the fight over a driveway can teach us about the broader labor battles in Hollywood and across the country. This episode was hosted by Dave Blanchard and Alexi Horowitz-Ghazi, with reporting from Kenny Malone. It was produced by James Sneed and engineered by James Willetts. It was fact checked by Sierra Juarez and edited by Keith Romer. Alex Goldmark is our executive producer. Help support Planet Money and get bonus episodes by subscribing to Planet Money+ in Apple Podcasts or at plus.npr.org/planetmoney. Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoices NPR Privacy Policy
Two notes before we start.
This episode is about unions going on strike.
Full disclosure, we are members of the SAG AFTRA union, part of which is on strike.
But broadcasters are covered by a different contract, so we are not on strike.
Also, somebody swears in this episode.
This is Planet Money from NPR.
Back in May, members of the Writers Guild of America walked off the job.
They were trying to get tv and film studios that they work for to make concessions on things like pay and how many writers work on projects and not using AI to replace them.
On day 93 of that strike, we headed to Los Angeles.
About 15 writers are holding signs, walking back and forth in front of this giant filming lot called Television City.
How do you tell the difference between a friendly honk and an unfriendly honk?
When somebody yells out and shouts at us, get back to work.
That's pretty clear.
Yeah.
That is tv writer Bill Wolkoff.
In the before times, he wrote on the new Star Trek show, but now.
He'S one of the strike captains here at Television City in charge of organizing the picketers, making sure they're out blocking the entrance to the studio when they're allowed to be, and that they get out of the way of cars when they have to.
As Bill talks to us, a car starts to pull out of the studio parking lot.
You can see there's a black convertible that's trying to leave the lot right now.
And as long as we have pedestrians with picket signs moving back and forth, cars can't come or go, and it slows down the company a little bit.