After enduring weeks of intense criticism, Warner Bros. Discovery has finally yielded to the mounting pressure and undertaken a humbling retreat. The company’s decision to amalgamate film directors and writers under a single “creators” umbrella had sparked widespread condemnation, fueling strong dissent from filmmakers, Hollywood’s directors and writers guilds. However, in response to the outcry, Warner Bros. Discovery has now conceded and announced the restoration of the original presentation on HBO Max, citing a technical oversight as the cause. Curiously, one might ponder why they did not attribute it to a cyberattack.
COLLIDER VIDEO OF THE DAY
Lesli Linka Glatter, the President of the DGA, currently engaged in fruitful contract negotiations with studios, reaffirmed the Guild’s unwavering dedication to safeguarding the well-deserved credit and recognition of directors for their creative endeavors. Glatter remarked on May 24, “For nearly 90 years, the Directors Guild has ardently fought to defend the credit and acknowledgment that directors rightfully earn for their work.”
Furthermore, Glatter vehemently condemned Warner Bros. Discovery’s unilateral decision to consolidate directors, writers, producers, and others under the generic “creators” category during the Max rollout, implemented without any prior notice or consultation. She viewed this action as a profound insult to DGA members and the entire union, as it undermines the distinctive contributions of individual artists. Expressing concern over this troubling trend, Glatter asserted that the DGA would not tolerate such behavior, stating, “In solidarity with the WGA, we intend to take the strongest possible actions to ensure every artist receives the individual credit they deserve.”
Image via Max
RELATED:
A Month Since Launch, Max Still Neglects to Rectify Its Controversial Creators Label
A Month Spent on a Simple Fix
Acknowledging that the talent behind Max’s content deserves proper recognition, a Max spokesperson issued a statement on May 24, which was reported by Variety. The spokesperson stated, “We acknowledge the need to rectify the credits, which were mistakenly altered during the technical transition from HBO Max to Max, and we apologize for this error.” Nonetheless, one must question why it took them over a month to address this matter.
According to Deadline, the purported “explanation” was that rectifying the chaos caused by corporate arrogance and ignorance required a platform-by-platform remedy. An insider was quoted as saying, “There are literally thousands of films, TV shows, and specials that need to be corrected and reviewed. It simply took time.” As time ticks away, today marks the 58th day of the ongoing Writers’ strike, while the current contract between SAG-AFTRA and the AMPTP expires on June 30, with no signs of a reached agreement. What would Max offer on its platform without actors or writers? For a more comprehensive understanding of the implications of the writer’s strike, FilmSweep’s Therese Lacson and Mike Muney have meticulously explored the topic.
Tick, tock.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) about creators label controversy
Q: What was the controversy surrounding Warner Bros. Discovery’s “creators” label?
A: Warner Bros. Discovery faced backlash and criticism for their decision to consolidate film directors and writers under a single “creators” label. This move was seen as devaluing the individual contributions of artists and sparked outrage from Hollywood’s directors and writers guilds.
5 comments
hbo max had this silly creators thing for directors and writers, but they got bashed for it and now they’re fixing it. why did it take them so long tho? should’ve done it earlier. but at least they’re trying to make things right.
directors guild prez is not happy with warner bros discovery. she’s standing up for directors and saying they deserve credit for their work. good for her! hope they don’t do this kind of nonsense again.
warner bros discovery finally admitted their mistake after weeks of criticism and put the creators label back to normal. it was about time they listened to the filmmakers and hollywoods directors and writers guilds. hope they learn their lesson!
so, warner bros discovery messed up with the whole creators thing. they put everyone together like it’s no big deal. but it is a big deal! writers and directors do different things, hello?! glad they’re changing it back, but it’s still a mess.
about time warner bros discovery got their act together and fixed the creators mess. it was disrespectful to filmmakers and writers. hope they learn their lesson and give credit where it’s due.