The Life and Death of Hollywood

Jacobin contributing editor Daniel Bessner reports on the current state of the screenwriting business in Hollywood—tracing the history of its value in the film and television industries through company consolidations, labor movements, streamers’ strategies, “mini-rooms,” executives’ predisposition toward intellectual property-driven content, and more. Discussing compensation trends for entertainment writers, Bessner presents a risk-averse atmosphere, where big companies focus on short-term results over long-term plans, writers are less inclined to speculate original ideas, and longevity in the industry is discouraged through burnout and fewer training opportunities for advancement. Bessner suggests change through more government regulation of antitrust laws, public media funding, and copyright ownership.