Film and television writers have gone on strike for the first time in 15 years. The strike started at 12:01 pm on Tuesday, May 2, 2023, after failed negotiations with several popular streaming services over better working conditions and pay. The news has left many wondering about its consequences for the industry.The Writers Guild of America (WGA) announced the news on their official Twitter account, @WGAWest, stating:"The Board of Directors of the @WGAwest and the Council of the @WGAeast, acting upon the authority granted to them by their memberships, have voted unanimously to call a strike, effective 12:01 AM, Tuesday, May 2."Writers Guild of America West@WGAWestThe Board of Directors of the @WGAwest and the Council of the @WGAeast, acting upon the authority granted to them by their memberships, have voted unanimously to call a strike, effective 12:01 AM, Tuesday, May 2.4948316791The Board of Directors of the @WGAwest and the Council of the @WGAeast, acting upon the authority granted to them by their memberships, have voted unanimously to call a strike, effective 12:01 AM, Tuesday, May 2.The WGA added that the decision was based on six weeks of negotiations with the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers (AMPTP), an umbrella collective of over 350 film studios and production companies. The talks were focused on streaming-based ventures like Netflix, Disney+, and Amazon Prime.With streaming services becoming a dominating force in the film and television industry, writers have been asking for better pay and a greater share of profits (or residuals) from such platforms.According to the guild, the studio's responses were "wholly insufficient given the existential crisis writers are facing." They added that picketing was scheduled for Tuesday afternoon.Demands explored as strike receives unanimous support from membersAdam Conover@adamconoverI'm incredibly proud of how transparent our union is. In the @WGAWest's strike announcement, we included a list of our proposals, and the AMPTP's responses. Read it for yourself: it explains in black and white we're forced to go on strike.243108447I'm incredibly proud of how transparent our union is. In the @WGAWest's strike announcement, we included a list of our proposals, and the AMPTP's responses. Read it for yourself: it explains in black and white we're forced to go on strike. https://t.co/U2FLsv9DobThe strike could have a significant impact on the television and film sector, as WGA, boasting over 11,000 members, make up a considerable portion of the industry.Writers earn residuals, from both broadcast and streaming. However, the broadcast follows a "reward-for-success" model where they can earn more residuals if a show is a hit. Streaming platforms, on the other hand, pay a set amount to writers regardless of the show or film being a hit.This makes up a key argument by the WGA, which explains that success is not factored in by streaming platforms, and as a result, writers' labor is not recognized, leading to stagnating wages. Additionally, shorter seasons, frequently dropping old shows, and a general decrease in focus on labor has also affected their remuneration.The guild remarked that several studios have recently started replacing pilot episodes - which help gauge a show's potential before it is given a green light - with mini rooms. Mini rooms are condensed versions of writers' rooms, where writers pitch, brainstorm, and refine ideas and scripts for a show.In addition to better pay, the strike is also demanding regulations to curb the use of artificial intelligence generated content.A whopping 97.85% of WGA members voted in favor of the strike. Here are tweets in support of the protest.Neil Gaiman@neilhimselfI'm in the Writers Guild of America. I wish this wasn't happening and support it absolutely. When I wake up tomorrow I'll be on strike. (To forestall the inevitable questions, Good Omens 2 is completed and handed in. Although I may not be able to promote it as I had hoped.) twitter.com/WGAWest/status…Writers Guild of America West@WGAWestThe Board of Directors of the @WGAwest and the Council of the @WGAeast, acting upon the authority granted to them by their memberships, have voted unanimously to call a strike, effective 12:01 AM, Tuesday, May 2.266692789The Board of Directors of the @WGAwest and the Council of the @WGAeast, acting upon the authority granted to them by their memberships, have voted unanimously to call a strike, effective 12:01 AM, Tuesday, May 2.I'm in the Writers Guild of America. I wish this wasn't happening and support it absolutely. When I wake up tomorrow I'll be on strike. (To forestall the inevitable questions, Good Omens 2 is completed and handed in. Although I may not be able to promote it as I had hoped.) twitter.com/WGAWest/status…Stephanie Aly@latenightist | More from @sethmeyers on being #WGAstrong: "I think it's a very reasonable demand that is being set out by the Guild, and I support those demands. I also believe that everybody at the table right now ... knows that the future of this business is dependent on storytellers."5012‼️ | More from @sethmeyers on being #WGAstrong: "I think it's a very reasonable demand that is being set out by the Guild, and I support those demands. I also believe that everybody at the table right now ... knows that the future of this business is dependent on storytellers." https://t.co/ENO7zJpvl8Producers Guild of America@producersguildProducers Guild statement regarding the Writers Guild strike:1054297Producers Guild statement regarding the Writers Guild strike: https://t.co/coNdJz7uhzWanda Sykes@iamwandasykesHere we go again! #wgastrong337003209Here we go again! #wgastrong https://t.co/9hCG61CHj0David Slack@slack2thefutureThe Writers Guild has existed for 90 years. We’ve negotiated contracts with studios roughly every 3 years. With or without a strike, we’ve made a deal every time.If they could do without us, they would. If they could break us, they would. They can’t. They won’t. #WGAStrong147652637The Writers Guild has existed for 90 years. We’ve negotiated contracts with studios roughly every 3 years. With or without a strike, we’ve made a deal every time.If they could do without us, they would. If they could break us, they would. They can’t. They won’t. #WGAStrongMark Hamill@MarkHamillI stand with @WGAWest and @WGAEast and fully support them in their strike."If it ain't on the page, it ain't on the stage."#WGAStrong111601485I stand with @WGAWest and @WGAEast and fully support them in their strike."If it ain't on the page, it ain't on the stage."#WGAStrongThe WGA has issued several rules for its members, which include no writing, revising, pitching, or negotiating for any company with the AMPTP and compulsory picketing unless there is a medical emergency.Late-night shows such as Jimmy Kimmel Live, Saturday Night Live, and The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon, which require writers to pen topical jokes for each episode, will immediately stop production. As the strike continues, any fall release shows will follow next.However, film releases will not be affected immediately, as most studies have films in the pipeline that have been written or shot previously.AMAPT is yet to comment on the situation.