Well, it makes no sense until you dig into the recent history of the industry.
- First we had Netflix rent DVD's over the mail.
- Then video on demand started displacing them, so they were focusing more on directly delivering content over the Internet, as the Internet was becoming fast enough for this, and they were installing caching servers at major ISPs to reduce their complaints on wasted bandwidth.
- Other studios saw Netflix may become a huge monopolistic platform for distributing content, that'll replace to a large degree other networks, so they created Hulu, then HBO GO (then HBO MAX, now MAX), Amazon made theirs, Disney made their, everyone was in on streaming wars.
- In these wars, exclusivity was one of the most important weapons. HBO have always had their own content, so now Netflix and others felt like they need to have theirs. Exclusive to them.
- So everyone started shooting shows, to fill out their library of exclusive content. Movies, series, from bargain basement B movies to top notch blockbusters, even Scorsese made movies for streaming.
- In the aftermath of COVID, everyone saw cooling down of home entertainment demand, and inflation also further cut into their userbase and revenue stream. But they had no choice, they had to keep making content, because everyone was making content and no one wanted to be left behind.
- Eventually they were starting to cozy up to the idea of "cease fire" where all the major stream vendors will slow down production or otherwise they'd all lose even more money. But there was no way to do this. How do you slow down production evenly? How do you measure it? How do you verify it? Who is first? On top of that existing long-term contracts on shows meant they had to keep production running out of legal obligation.
- Enter the WGA strike. A forced cease fire on all streamers to stop production. Force majeure means you can pause or cancel contracts. Blessing in disguise.
They don't want to shoot shows now. They want that strike. And this is why while writers have some fair demands (and some frankly absurd ones), they won't get what they want. Writers are screwed.
- First we had Netflix rent DVD's over the mail.
- Then video on demand started displacing them, so they were focusing more on directly delivering content over the Internet, as the Internet was becoming fast enough for this, and they were installing caching servers at major ISPs to reduce their complaints on wasted bandwidth.
- Other studios saw Netflix may become a huge monopolistic platform for distributing content, that'll replace to a large degree other networks, so they created Hulu, then HBO GO (then HBO MAX, now MAX), Amazon made theirs, Disney made their, everyone was in on streaming wars.
- In these wars, exclusivity was one of the most important weapons. HBO have always had their own content, so now Netflix and others felt like they need to have theirs. Exclusive to them.
- So everyone started shooting shows, to fill out their library of exclusive content. Movies, series, from bargain basement B movies to top notch blockbusters, even Scorsese made movies for streaming.
- In the aftermath of COVID, everyone saw cooling down of home entertainment demand, and inflation also further cut into their userbase and revenue stream. But they had no choice, they had to keep making content, because everyone was making content and no one wanted to be left behind.
- Eventually they were starting to cozy up to the idea of "cease fire" where all the major stream vendors will slow down production or otherwise they'd all lose even more money. But there was no way to do this. How do you slow down production evenly? How do you measure it? How do you verify it? Who is first? On top of that existing long-term contracts on shows meant they had to keep production running out of legal obligation.
- Enter the WGA strike. A forced cease fire on all streamers to stop production. Force majeure means you can pause or cancel contracts. Blessing in disguise.
They don't want to shoot shows now. They want that strike. And this is why while writers have some fair demands (and some frankly absurd ones), they won't get what they want. Writers are screwed.