Hollywood stuck in limbo as writers, talent agents clash
- Sara Fischer, author of Axios Media Trends
Photo: RB/Bauer-Griffin/GC Images
There is still no sign of relief in Hollywood, where writers have waged war against talent agents for what they say is unfair representation.
Why it matters: Without a deal between the two groups, Hollywood is stuck in a messy limbo that could leave thousands of writers without work and could put hundreds of studio projects on hold.
Details: Writers Guild of America told its 13,000 members to fire their talent agents at midnight last Saturday, unless their agents sign a new "Code of Conduct" agreement that promises they will do away with packaging fees and their stakes in production companies. (Writers think those new business ventures create a conflict of interest for talent agents.)
How it's playing out: Most of the Guild's writers agree with the Code of Conduct, but most of the agents who represent them don't, leaving many writers without representation.
Yes, but: Even for the agents that have signed the code, Deadline reports that they aren't getting calls from writers looking for representation.
The bottom line: The hope was that the two sides would come up with a compromise before the current negotiations expired last Friday. Writers like Stephen King have already expressed their frustration with the situation.
Go deeper: Thousands of writers told to axe agents at midnight