The writers strike finds Emmy campaigns bracing for major changes as the custom FYC space that regularly “employ(s) thousands of workers — caterers, stylists, drivers, production engineers, designers, security, florists” and more to host campaign season events has come up against new guidelines set by the XXX. As Variety pointed out following the recent Ted Lasso event at Apple TV+’s “pristine” new tented FYC space at Goya Studios, many of the stars on hand were creator-writers, complicating the prospect of future event investments for the FYC season.
With the WGA issuing guidelines to writers against festivals and FYC they “are prohibited from making these promotional appearances about your work until the strike concludes,” the organization perceptibly took out a secret weapon against streaming companies and media giants that had not been considered as millions were invested in a season coinciding with potential contract collapse. As the previous deal between the WGA and studios/producers expired in May, FYC was gearing up for June activations, with Apple TV+ at Goya and Amazon Studios/Prime Video at Citizen News in Hollywood– followed by Disney’s “FYC Fest” at the DGA Theater in June. The season will also include Netflix’s “FYSee” space at Red Studios, NBCUniversal at The Aster in Hollywood, and Paramount at the Hollywood Athletic Club.
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“I think everyone was surprised by that,” reported one of the awards executives at the TV Academy. “It does feel like it does maximum damage to the studios because of the twin timing of FYC and upfronts. If writers want to get attention, now’s a good time to get attention.” The impact has already been felt. Variety reports that Prime Video’s event for Swarm was split, with “ star Dominique Fishback [attending], but creator Janine Nabors bow[ing] out.” HBO Max’s FYC for The Other Two “kept the screening, but scrapped its Q&A.” The trends have continued with other Apple TV+ show events since Ted Lasso. John Mulaney and Jon Stewart, meanwhile, canceled entirely from FYC appearances for their own shows.
While it’s perceivable that TV Academy members will continue to attend FYCs for the Emmy season interest, free food and screenings, the outcome for FYC investors is unclear amidst so many cancelled panels and associated events. With showrunners bowing out, the talent that does attend is being more considered “…their way of honoring their showrunners,” rather than “crossing a picket line…” according to one Academy insider. “They’re getting out there and talking about their showrunners and the work that they’ve done. It’s past work. I don’t know that you’d get an actor to go to an upfront. But an actor to an FYC event and campaign for their show is a different thing.”
With the TV Academy unable or unwilling to cancel its own fees to register such events for investors in light of the WGA strike, it will remain to be seen how streaming companies will recoup on an Emmy campaign season reduced to screenings and receptions, or to scaled back originals for activations that can no longer be canceled or refunded.
This story originally appeared on Movieweb
