PRO Tip Sheet: 5 Insights From This Week

This week we reported on how contestants were treated on a reality show, how SAG-AFTRA members are likely to vote on their contract with studios, how a woman stalked filmmaker A.V. Rockwell and how AI will impact media & entertainment in 2024. [5 Insights From WrapPRO]( This week we delved into accusations of harsh treatment of contestants on reality show “Squid Game: The Challenge.” We also reported on how SAG-AFTRA members were unlikely to ratify their contract by a big margin because of AI concerns, revealed how a woman charged in the murder of a Hollywood activist also stalked filmmaker A.V. Rockwell, documented cable/satellite subscriber losses and live TV streamers’ gains, and looked at how AI will impact media & entertainment in 2024. 1. [The ‘Horrific’ Reality of ‘Squid Game: The Challenge’: Contestants Allege Harsh Conditions, Rigged Results]( By Cobb | Source: [WrapPRO]( - Participants on the reality show “Squid Game: The Challenge” described severe hardships, including starvation, freezing conditions, injuries, and emotional distress, contrasting sharply with the promised millionaire outcome. - Multiple contestants who were in the U.K. raised concerns about the transparency and integrity of the competition, alleging eliminations were unfair, accusing producers of rigging the initial challenge and expressing suspicions that the production had a predetermined finalist. - Contestants recounted chaotic experiences with unreliable meal services, freezing temperatures during the Red Light, Green Light challenge, and insufficiently provided clothing, challenging the adequacy of health and safety measures on set. - Some participants reported injuries, frostbite, and emotional trauma lasting weeks, emphasizing the toll the show took on their well-being and the need for better communication and preparation for extreme conditions. - The production team denied allegations, asserting health and safety measures were followed, but contestants expressed dissatisfaction with post-elimination conditions, including poor food arrangements, exacerbating the negative impact on their overall experience. [Keep Reading]( Cyber Week Sale: 50% off WrapPRO subscription. [Subscribe]( 2. [SAG-AFTRA Votes: Contract Unlikely To Win by Huge Margin]( By Jeremy Fuster | Source: [WrapPRO]( - Some SAG-AFTRA members are hesitant to ratify the proposed contract with Hollywood studios, citing concerns over AI protections, sparking a passionate debate within the guild and on social media (#SAGAFTRAVoteNo). - In contrast to the Writers Guild's overwhelming approval of their contract in October, SAG-AFTRA members' reservations about the 129-page agreement stem largely from uncertainties surrounding AI and its potential impact on actors. - Key disagreement centers on the absence of explicit language defining acting as human-exclusive work in the SAG-AFTRA contract, unlike the Writers Guild and Directors Guild contracts which secured such protections for their members. - SAG-AFTRA acknowledges the evolving role of AI in Hollywood and attempts to address it by requiring studios to give notice and negotiate in good faith if using "Synthetic Performers," but members express concerns about potential threats to human actors in the future. - Beyond AI, general distrust toward studios fuels objections to the contract, with members raising concerns about exclusivity periods, auditions, and the establishment of a new streaming fund, reflecting the ongoing struggle to rebuild trust between creatives and studio executives after the strikes. [Keep Reading]( 3. [Gifts, Suicide Letters and a Glock: Filmmaker A.V. Rockwell's Restraining Order Against Accused Killer]( By Mike Roe | Source:WrapPRO]( - The woman charged in the murder of Hollywood activist Michael Latt, Jameelah Michl, engaged in relentless stalking of filmmaker A.V. Rockwell, inundating her with gifts, threatening letters, and harassment on social media, culminating in a tragic incident at Latt's home. - An 85-page restraining order granted in September outlines Michl's escalating behavior, including sending gifts like an Aladdin necklace and a “best director ever” mug, along with threatening letters, leading Rockwell to seek legal protection. - A.V. Rockwell, a rising star in independent film with accolades from Tribeca Film Institute and Sundance Institute, faced disturbing incidents after her Sundance-winning film “A Thousand and One,” where Michl worked as an extra and later became obsessed with the filmmaker. - Michl's stalking tactics involved tracking down personal information, making threats of suicide, and delivering letters containing alarming statements about self-harm, posing a serious threat to Rockwell's well-being. - Michl's actions extended beyond personal threats, including false accusations on social media, disrupting Rockwell's professional relationships, causing severe anxiety, and ultimately leading to a granted restraining order just months before the tragic murder of Michael Latt. [Keep Reading]( 4. [Cable/Satellite Providers Run Risk of ‘Fading Into the Background Faster’ Than Expected]( By Lucas Manfredi | Source:WrapPRO]( - A J.D. Power survey highlights that cable and satellite customers are 21% more likely to switch services in the next year compared to live TV streaming (12%), with dissatisfaction linked to cost, performance, reliability, and customer care. - In Q3 2023, cable giants Comcast, Charter, and Altice lost a combined 896,400 pay TV subscribers, while virtual streaming services Hulu with Live TV, Sling TV, and Fubo gained 727,000 subscribers, emphasizing the shift from traditional to streaming platforms. - Despite Comcast's cable business growth, its total domestic video customers fell by 490,000, reflecting a 12.5% YoY decline, prompting efforts like the launch of Now TV to retain subscribers. Charter faced a similar fate, shedding 327,000 pay TV subscribers. - Verizon reported the loss of 79,000 Fios customers in Q3 2023, with residential Fios losses narrowing. The company launched Verizon+ Play to streamline subscriptions across various entertainment categories. - Fubo saw a 20% YoY growth in paid subscribers, reaching a record 1.48 million in North America, contributing to a total revenue of $313 million. Fubo raised its full-year guidance, expecting revenue between $1.319 billion and $1.324 billion, with paid subscribers ranging from 1.58 million to 1.60 million in 2023. [Keep Reading]( 5. [ChatGPT Turns One — Here’s How AI Will Impact Media & Entertainment in 2024]( By Peter Csathy | Source: [WrapPRO]( - OpenAI's ChatGPT, with 14 billion visits in its first year, has elevated AI to a central issue in the entertainment industry, leading to significant drama and uncertainty among industry players. - U.S. courts are set to define AI's place in copyright law, with ongoing cases, including comedian Sarah Silverman's lawsuits, challenging Big Tech's use of AI for "training" on copyrighted works. - Anticipated Supreme Court involvement will likely yield a nuanced legal test for AI creations, drawing on recent copyright infringement rulings, including Google v. Oracle and the Andy Warhol/Prince case. - Predictions include that Congress will pass AI legislation, inspired by President Biden's Executive Order, requiring transparency from Big Tech in training their language models, with potential impacts on the creative community. - OpenAI competitors like Alphabet plan to employ forensic AI tech like watermarking to quell the creative masses, while major studios, pressured by Wall Street, are expected to embrace generative AI for increased output and cost-cutting, signaling a transformative shift in the industry's business models. [Keep Reading]( With a focus on delivering actionable intelligence, the PRO Tip Sheet empowers readers to stay ahead of the game in the industry. Want to go deeper? [Explore WrapPRO today](. TheWrap | 2034 Armacost Ave Los Angeles, CA 90025 [Unsubscribe](