Welcome to another edition of the Fred & Dan Blog! Our mission with Fred&Dan Productions and this blog has always been to make people think in ways they’ve never done before - to spark creativity and facilitate conversation in unconventional ways. A place where you can open up your email and have a bit of creativity to take with you into your day or week!  

One week short of this becoming the longest writers strike in history, it’s finally over! It’s done! Whew. Just last week we were thinking about what we would do if the strike continued in 2024 and now it’s finally done. Definitely feeling like Frodo after throwing the one ring into Mount Doom! 

Here are the key bullet points of what was reached in the strike agreement on Sunday night! 

• One of the main contentions between the writers and the AMPTP was the use of AI in tv shows and movies going forward in the industry. In the new contract AI generated material cannot be considered source material and it also cannot write or re-write any literary material. And a production company cannot require a writer to use AI! This is such a big win for writers and ensures that writers will not be replaced by technology, but hopefully we can use it as a tool in the industry in a conscious way. 

• Another major point that the writers were fighting for were residual payments on popular tv shows on streaming services. Under the new contract, writers will get bonuses if they are a part of highly streamed popular shows. In the past, Netflix has been cagey about releasing data on their shows but this will require them to be more transparent with their writers (and hopefully with the actors when they negotiate with them next week)! 

• The third major point was staffing requirements on shows. Under the new contract any show that is intended to run at least 13 episodes will have a requirement of 6 writers in the room, and staff on shows in initial development will be required to employ their writers for a minimum of 10 weeks! 

These were the major issues that writers were fighting for on the picket lines for 148 days, and we’ve come out on top! This is truly such a big win for the writers. The contract is good for three years but with these great gains, hopefully we won’t be facing another strike anytime in the near future. 

In celebration of the strike ending and this amazing contract, go back and listen to part one of our  amazing interview with writer Rose McAleese! Part two will be out soon! 

This has been a really tough past five months for so many people. Personally, we’ve felt like our career has been really stalled. Right before the strike we felt that we were in an amazing groove and while it’s been tough to stay optimistic, now that the strike is over, we’re ready to grind and have an amazing upcoming year and future. One that includes better pay and liveable wages and overall a greater quality of life as a writer. 

Thank you so much to everyone who has reached out to us during the strike and these past few days since the strike has ended!