How the nationwide writer’s strike could affect Louisiana production

BATON ROUGE, La. (WAFB) - Writers nationwide are on strike for better pay and less usage of artificial intelligence after negotiations between the writer’s guild and production companies fell short.

“Over the last two decades with our technology and streaming video and video on as we call it in our contracts. We need to make sure that our contracts are keeping up to date with technology,” Assistant Director at Celtic Studios Kevin O’Neal said.

O’Neal says the strike will not immediately impact the production of movies or tv shows in the Capital City, but if writers are not selling their scripts there is no content to produce.

“We wait for them to come back to an agreement. The good thing is that I think a lot of people want to get back to work, so I think we’re all very positive that it is not going to last a long time,” O’Neal said.

Outside the strike, leaders in Hollywood South are still pushing for support of their industry on a state level. Lawmakers in the state house passed a bill extending the Motion Picture Tax Credit Program for another ten years. The incentive would give $150 million a year to film tax breaks.

Film industry professionals hope writers and producers can come up with an agreement so the creators can get back to work.

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