ICYMI: DGA Deal; Execs' Awkward Summer

Catch up on our recent best

(Illustration by The Ankler/ Fiordaliso)

One down, two to go. Elaine Low reports today on the deal struck by the DGA last night over at Strikegeist, our free newsletter about Hollywood’s so-called Hot Labor Summer.

Meanwhile, other dust clouds swirl as The Ankler published three terrific stories this week about the volatile state of Hollywood 2023:

1. Business Affairs: Good Cop/Bad Cop of the Streaming Wars

Entertainment Strategy Guy looks at the shadowy, rarely-discussed world of studio business affairs, maybe the least glamorous corner of Hollywood and perhaps its most consequential. Who are these people? And what is it they really do? Do they deserve blame — but also credit as the last great hope to remake Hollywood deals? ESG lays it all out in a fascinating read.

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2. Execs on Eggshells

A lot of people are in awkward places these days, but perhaps none more so than the mid-level studio exec. Miles away from the big decisions about the strike, they often privately sympathize with the writers, and feel frustrated by how much the C-suite is paid (while they are nonetheless bound to uphold the company line). Nicole LaPorte and Peter Kiefer have the story.

“When you see Ted Sarandos’ $50 million or whatever, to me, that’s gross. Even the Bela Bajaria salaries. Those are too high. They’re not justified in this world. So a lot of us are in a weird place.” - a senior Hollywood executive

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3. The Rube Goldberg Nightmare of 2023

The deeper you go into unraveling a way out of the strike, the more you get lost in a net of inter-dependent alliances and arrangements, making any movement on either side difficult. But Richard thinks we might yet stumble into a way out, based on conversations around town. And perhaps, even, in not that long either.

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ALSO ON THE ANKLER

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🪧 Strikegeist

Our FREE strike newsletter from Elaine Low continues to deliver daily coverage of all things labor unrest.

Join us! And reach out to elaine@theankler.com.

• AI’s Impact as the DGA Cuts a Deal One down, two to go, as AMPTP concludes its first union negotiation of the summer

• AMPTP ‘Too Busy to Talk to Us’: WGA negotiating committee co-chair Chris Keyser has choice words one month in

• Carey, Garner Feed Writers as Fave Studio Restaurants Take a Hit Plus, Drew Carey drops $10k a week on Big Boy's meals

• Ouch. Productions Sunk 62.8% Last Week Plus, the current awkward state of affairs between studio execs and writers

• An Actress on 'Three Things' That Are 'Non-Negotiable' Better Things star Rebecca Metz on the possible SAG-AFTRA strike

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☀️This Week in The Wakeup

• UNI sets The Rock for a new FAST & FURIOUS pic before FAST X 2

• Streaming Ad Tiers Can't Keep Up with Linear TV Ad Losses

• NETFLIX doubles down on Over-40 Female-led action pic muscle

• MERMAID shows Int'l trouble, but hits US expectations (mostly)

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🔎 The Optionist

• IP Picks🔎: The Crazy True Story of First Spelling Bee Plus, a wilderness survival thriller and two rom-coms with Ted Lasso charm

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