fight news
Actors' And Writers' Strikes Bring Chicago's Film Industry To A Halt … – Block Club Chicago
Become a member
Learn more
Become a member
Learn more
Cinespace is a "ghost town" with productions shut down. SAG-AFTRA and WGA are striking over low pay, a lack of transparency for residuals and the rise of artificial intelligence.
CHICAGO — Actors and writers striking over low pay, a lack of transparency for residuals and streaming content and the looming specter of artificial intelligence have brought Chicago’s film and TV productions to a standstill.
Late last week, SAG-AFTRA, the union representing film and TV actors, announced they would join the Writer’s Guild of America in a joint strike against the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers. It’s the first joint strike between both guilds in 60 years.
While Los Angeles and New York are the epicenters of these labor movements, cities like Chicago are affected as well, as productions like “Chicago Med,” “Chicago PD,” and “The Chi” have stopped filming until the strike is resolved. “The Chi” was the last production in Chicago to be picketed, toward the beginning of the WGA strike, according to WGA captain Brett Neveu.
Both writers’ and actors’ guilds are demanding fairer compensation for their work, further protections for creatives in a landscape where streaming shows work on shorter seasons over longer periods of time and protections against the use of AI writing and likeness capture to supplant or completely replace their work.
“The studio execs have just made it really difficult to make a living in this industry,” said local actor Courtney Rioux, a SAG-AFTRA member since 2010 who’s now training to become a strike captain. “The whole business model has changed, and the contract has not pivoted with that change.
Rioux said people who worked on shows now streaming “aren’t able to pay their bills, their rent.”
“I’m fortunate to work on a network TV show, which is different than streaming. But any moment, my show could move over to streaming, and I wouldn’t get compensated in the same way,” she said.
SAG-AFTRA will host a solidarity walk and rally noon-3 p.m. Thursday Downtown. Union members and supporters will walk from Wrigley Square at Millennium Park, 201 E. Randolph St., starting at noon, to Buckingham Fountain, 301 S. Columbus Drive in Grant Park, where the rally is expected to begin at around 1:30 p.m.
No one knows quite when the strike will end, but SAG-AFTRA President Fran Drescher has indicated that the union is prepared for a months-long standstill, perhaps into 2024.
“The overwhelming sense is that this is a long time coming,” said Michael B. Woods, a Chicago actor who has appeared on shows like FX’s “The Bear” and “Power,” in an interview with Block Club.
Fearing directors will bring in actors from New York and L.A., many actors in Chicago feel grateful to get any film or television work. Because of that, they don’t feel emboldened to speak up about conditions: “You feel like, if you say that treating us this way is unjustified, you’ll be pushed aside for somebody who won’t bring that up.”
The joint strike provides an opportunity to effectively advocate for better conditions, especially financial resources that actors need to perform their craft.
“It shouldn’t be a big ask for the studios to provide that,” Woods said.
But the strike isn’t just affecting Chicago actors and writers; film and TV productions in the city also rely on tradespeople to build sets, rig lighting and do the day-to-day technical work required for filming.
One source told Block Club Cinespace, where many of the Dick Wolf Chicago TV series are filmed, is currently a “ghost town” and workers like the mechanics’ union are having to find employment elsewhere. The Chicago Film Office could not be reached for comment.
“As of [the beginning of the WGA strike], there isn’t work in Chicago for us,” said one anonymous tradesperson who has worked on numerous Chicago film and TV productions, including FX’s “The Bear.” “The work coming in has all been pushed back because no one wants to rent stages and build, and then WGA pickets so they can’t film.”
This has led to complicated feelings about the strike for Chicago tradespeople, he said.
“Obviously we stand with the workers wanting more money and benefits from production,” he said. “[Executives] make billions ever year and we should see it make its way down the line.”
But there is some tension over a perceived lack of solidarity between actors/writers and tradespeople, especially as the latter lose out on work and productions hire smaller crews in the aftermath.
“Unions should stand together to get what we feel we deserve,” he said. “But [some tradespeople] think we never get anything out of these deals down the road, and we just lose out on a bunch of money we could be making.”
Nonetheless, as the strike continues, various legs of Chicago labor are showing up in solidarity, Neveu said. For example, unions like SAG-AFTRA, the Teamsters, the International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees, the Chicago Teachers Union and the Chicago Federation of Labor have been turning out for WGA pickets and strike events.
“Labor stands as one in its negotiations with the [AMPTP] and all union members are hoping for a resolution,” Neveu said. “We love to work and very much want to get back to our projects! We first must be able to earn a fair share.”
“A strike is always a somber moment,” Rioux agreed. “But people are ready to fight, and people are rallying together … We are fighting for the survival of our profession.”
You can read more about the WGA’s full list of demands here, as well as an update on the status of negotiations here.
Subscribe to Block Club Chicago, an independent, 501(c)(3), journalist-run newsroom. Every dime we make funds reporting from Chicago’s neighborhoods.
Click here to support Block Club with a tax-deductible donation.
Thanks for subscribing to Block Club Chicago, an independent, 501(c)(3), journalist-run newsroom. Every dime we make funds reporting from Chicago’s neighborhoods. Click here to support Block Club with a tax-deductible donation.
Watch our “On The Block” TV show on The U, CW26 and MeTV.
Listen to “It’s All Good: A Block Club Chicago Podcast”:
West Woodlawn nonprofit Blacks in Green will honor what would have been Emmett Till's 82nd birthday with an ice cream social, art exhibition and groundbreaking to turn his childhood home into a museum.
Drag brunch? Trivia? Roller-skating? Take your Barbie love beyond the movie theater this weekend and beyond.
The popular Howard Street coffee shop is shutting down after struggling with crime and floods. A GoFundMe is live to support Sol Cafe employees.
Small Cheval, the casual burger chain wtih “elevated” diner fare spun off from Au Cheval, is opening near Montrose and Lincoln.
By Brad Snyder at ringside
In a lightweight special feature, 19-year-old southpaw Abdullah Mason (9-0, 8 KOs) impressively knocked out Alex de Oliveira (20-5, 14 KOs) in the second round. Time was 2:18.
Unbeaten junior wlterweight Tiger Johnson (9-0, 5 KOs) defeated Jonathan Montrel (15-2, 10 KOs) by UD (80-72, 80-72, 80-72) over eight rounds.
Dante Benjamin Jr. (7-0, 5 KOs) exploded out of the gate to score a knockdown, then get a stoppage right after his opponent, Mirady Zola got up. The light heavyweight contest ended with the TKO at the 1:56 mark of the first round. The loss drops Zola to (4-3, 1 KO).
Super middleweight DeAndre Ware (16-4-2, 9 KOs) won by six round unanimous decision (58-56, 59-55, 59-55) over Decarlo Perez (19-9-1, 6 KOs).
Rance Ward touched leather to the face of fellow junior middleweight Husam Al Mashhadi, often, over six rounds. Ward appeared fresh and was able to walk Mashhadi down during the six rounds to take the majority decision (57-57, 58-56, 59-55) victory and improve to (8-5-1, 2 KOs). Meanwhile, it’s back to the drawing board for Mashhadi (6-1, 6 KOs), who suffered his first loss.
Junior Middleweight Nicklaus Flaz (11-2, 7 KOs) won a close fight by majority decision (76-76, 78-74, 77-75) over previously unbeaten Jahi Tucker (10-1, 5 KOs). The fight, which went all eight rounds, had moments where both fighters showed some ability to throw combinations.
Junior Lightweight Tyler McCreary (18-2-1, 8KOs) got the hometown crowd excited by landing strong left hooks to the body, left hooks to the head, and a strong right cross to his opponent, Deivi Julio (26-14, 16 KOs). Julio, who fought hard, did not have enough to sway the judges. The judges all saw the fight in favor of McCreary (59-54, 57-56, 57-56).
Why isnt this garbage on TV anywhere??
It’s on ESPN+
de Oliveira was embarrassing. Just stood there smiling and waiting to be hit. The ref literally had to tell him to fight back in round 1.
As boxing fans we’re all used to shocking mismatches… but ESPN take it to a new level.
I will keep an eye on Mason and see what develops for him.
Session expired
Please log in again. The login page will open in a new tab. After logging in you can close it and return to this page.
Light heavyweight Umar Dzambekov (4-0, 3 KOs) returns against Dodzi Kemeh, (25-2, 23 KOs) in the eight-round co-feature on the next ‘Hollywood Fight Nights’ event set for Friday, June 9 at the Commerce Casino and broadcast live internationally by UFC Fightpass.
The event is headlined by a ten-round super welterweight clash between ‘King’ Callum Walsh, (6-0, 5 KOs) and veteran Carson Jones, (43-15-3, 31 KOs).
Callum Walsh is a good club fighter but will never be a world champion.
Session expired
Please log in again. The login page will open in a new tab. After logging in you can close it and return to this page.
Boxing Hall of Famer and undefeated legend Floyd “Money” Mayweather (50-0, 27 KOs) will hold a press conference this week to announce his latest exhibition fight as he prepares to take on professional boxer and mixed martial artist John Gotti III (2-0, 1 KO), the grandson of famous mob boss John Gotti.
This showdown will headline “Last Names Matter” taking place Sunday, June 11 from FLA Live Arena in Sunrise, Florida in an event that will also feature musical performances from Ozuna and more. The event is dedicated to the loving memory of Marikit “Kitchie” Laurico, Mayweather’s longtime assistant who passed away suddenly in April.
Come on mayweather fight a tougher dude than that. Maybe Rosie O’Donnell.
In June 2005 it was Mayweather vs Gatti! Maybe this one will be more competitive! LOL! Loved Gatti but Mayweather was all wrong for him! Gotti best not look at the ref in the first round!!!
He’s retired, he can fight whomever he pleases. His days of proving himself are over. 50-0 against HOFers and world champions.
Wait, that can’t be the same son that took over The Gambino family when John Gotti went to prison. That guy has got to be 55 years old and was a fat fuck that didn’t look like he worked out a day in his life. John Gotti III has to be his son? Regardless, never heard of him and this is going to be a ridiculous fight.
Gotti III is not junior. He is one of Junior’s sons. I said one. JG3’s brother (Charles) is a made guy, and from what I believe, could be doing time as I type. JG3 wanted to live a normal life. That took great courage. I have nothing but love & respect for JG3.
May might need to take a dive with this one 🙂
John Gotti is 5-1 as an MMA fighter and thank God this is an exhibition boxing match because if it was an MMA fight, Mayweather would get pummelled…
Boxing or MMA, Gotti III would get whacked by Money Mayweather. Even at this point.
Damn straight.
We need to hear what Lucy, the resident boxing expert thinks about this.
“We need to hear what Lucy, the resident boxing expert thinks about this.”
– It’s Lucie, not Lucy.
– Lucie knows boxing, and backs up a lot of posts w/BoxRec stats and facts.
– Seriously??
– April Fools on 4/26??
Best outcome would be a bomb falling on the stadium.
Geez this clown at it again?!
Get a life now little Floyd! Find a hobby or just take a walk now on a short pier..
Most OVERRATED fighter ever little Floyd Mayweather. At least his uncle Roger had balls with a wicked right hand.
I’m not really sure how mayweather can convince himself that people aren’t laughing at him these days. That last event in Britain was virtually empty and who would actually pay to go see something like this. If Floyd wants attention like this why not go back to WWE and be an entertainment feature there?
John Gotti III by ko
“John Gotti III by ko”
– John Gotti III by assassination…..
It’s an exhibition folks, Floyd has already earned his stripes years ago calm down. He can fight whomever he wants. Stop whining and don’t watch if you’re not interested. I guess the appeal is fighting John Gotti’s grandson and the mob possibly telling Floyd to sit down or lay down. A smart selection that his previous fight. We all know John Gotti but the last dude I had no idea who he was. Lets see if more than 50 people show up this time.
this is true??? ahhhh
Let me explain how this work. Gotti’s family is still in the mob. Gotti III elected to live and lead a clean life.
John Gotti III is one of Junior’s kids. JG3’s brother (Charles) is in the mob, and from what I understand, is doing time. TIME. Something Delaware Joe needs to start doing. Anyhow, let’s get back to Gotti III.
The very fact he is out of the mob makes him a real winner in my eyes. I wish him all the best.
John Jr. & Kimberly have 6 kids.
They are Charles Herbert Gotti (mob), Frankie, Gianna, Angel, Nicolette and John III.
John III, of course, is Mayweather’s opponent.
WHO cares!!!
I wonder if Gotti makes Floyd an offer he can’t refuse…
Session expired
Please log in again. The login page will open in a new tab. After logging in you can close it and return to this page.
-
fight news2 weeks ago
10 Facts You Probably Didn't Know About “Fight Club” (1999) – High On Films
-
fight news Canada4 months ago
Fight News 2023: Exciting Matchups
-
fight news3 weeks ago
Movies in North Texas theaters on Sept. 1 and coming soon – The Dallas Morning News
-
fight news3 months ago
Kota Miura vs. Joker Fight Club: Date, start time, TV channel and live … – dazn.com
-
fight news3 months ago
2023 Detroit Lions Name Bracket Tournament: Round 1, Part 3 – Pride Of Detroit
-
fight news Canada3 months ago
Get the Inside Scoop on Canadian Boxing with Fightnews.ca
-
fight news3 months ago
Boxing News, Results, Schedule, Rankings » Fightnews.com™ – Fight News
-
fight news Canada4 months ago
Get the Latest Scoop on Fight News