The automation of creation: Michael Russell Gunn on what’s at stake in the Hollywood writers’ strike

In May 2023, Hollywood production ground to a halt as the Writers Guild of America, a union representing over 11,500 screenwriters, went on strike. One major contention these writers have is how they are compensated for the shows and movies people watch on streaming platforms. Underneath this issue, though, lies a bigger question, one that screenwriter Michael Russell Gunn explores in this essay: how do AI technologies threaten not just Hollywood but “the future of human work”?

Michael Russell Gunn, "I'm a Hollywood Screenwriter. This Is Why Our Strike Matters to You. BU Today, Boston University, 4 May 2023

 

1. What are two significant ways AI technologies could change the entertainment industry, according to Gunn? Whose jobs could AI technologies replace?
   
2. Locate where in his argument Gunn inserts a naysayer. Summarize this naysayer in your own words. How does Gunn use the strategies explained in Chapter 6 to name his naysayer, present their view, and respond to their argument?
3. What does Gunn mean when he says that Hollywood writers are “the canaries in the coal mine”? Why should people other than Hollywood writers care about the Hollywood writers’ strike that started in May 2023? How does he use metacommentary to steer his readers’ attention to this central point of his argument?
4. Watch the PBS NewsHour interview with Tom Hanks about the Hollywood writers’ strike that began in May 2023. Hanks explains that at the heart of the strike is how the public decides to pay for the entertainment they consume, what he calls “the contract the audience has with the storytellers” (4:48). Respond to his argument, and in your response, reflect on how you watch TV and movies. Do you feel like you have a “contract” with the storytellers who create TV and movies? What factors (i.e., cost, convenience, quality, representation) influence your decisions about what content to watch and how to watch it?

Comments

[Dashawn Griffin]

1. AI technologies could revolutionize content creation by automating the process of scripts and visuals. The author hints that AI has the potential to replace human involvement in writing scripts. AI generators have the ability to create realistic images and create deep fakes. The passage mentions the capability of AI to absorb scripts and generate visuals indicating that AI could replace roles involved in visual effects (VFX) and potentially alter or create images without human intervention.
2. The naysayer's point of view is driven by the belief that there will still be a market for human based content creation. They draw a parallel to how people appreciate and purchase craft beer and handmade jewelry suggesting that there will always be a niche for content created by humans despite the rise of AI-generated material. The author Nunn presents the naysayers point of view and states their claim, as well as responding to the claim presented.
3. When Gunn refers to Hollywood writers as "the canaries in the coal mine " he is using a metaphor to suggest that the challenges faced by writers in Hollywood are indicative of broader issues that will affect other industries and workers. Other people should also be concerned about the issue because it affects jobs in various other industries not just Hollywood. Gunn encourages readers beyond Hollywood writers to care about the strike by using metacommentary. Metacommentary is a technique where the writer comments on their own writing or argument.

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