Last Thursday, September 21st, I interviewed writer and producer Marqui Jackson to discuss the Hollywood Writers strike. Marqui mentioned he had a gut feeling that they were close to the end of the strike after hearing that the CEOs had a productive meeting discussing negotiations. In hindsight, Marqui was right. As of this week, the Writer’s strike has been resolved. May we all look at this event and be reminded that there is power in your voice and unity. Without the picketing and campaigning for change, this may have never happened. Regardless, there is always progress to be made, and I wanted to get Marqui’s perspective. 

Marqui, a FWISD graduate of Poly High School, has written and produced for shows ranging from All American: Homecoming, MacGyver, and Rosewood, to name a few. I thank him for allowing me to spread awareness about the situation in the Paschal atmosphere. As an aspiring Hollywood Creative myself, I asked Marqui for some advice regarding my plans; 

Me: “It seems like right now is the worst time possible for someone to enter the film industry. What advice would you give me and others who are interested in this path?”

Marqui: “There is no “easy” time to break into Hollywood. There are always new challenges, and it is just tough in general. If anything, I would argue that it is probably a good time. I say that because the work we are doing for writers and actors is not just about us. It is about making sure that there is a career and there is a future in this industry that can be a proper career.”

Marqui completely changed my perspective with such wisdom. I am thankful to those creators making a change that can provide opportunities for the next generation. 

Now, for those who may not know what prompted this strike, you are not alone. The two letters, AI, are powerful in turning people away from a conversation due to their complex nature. I would like to first let you know that the human race is not, in fact, at risk of being overtaken by robots (yet). Marqui is here to help explain.

Marqui says: “AI has the ability to write a full script if you give it a prompt. The script might not be good, but the fear is that, rather than have six human beings brainstorming, why not just have one writer there to edit the script written by AI? However, that is not how the creative process should be.” 

Another point made by Marqui is that a lot of the beauty in film and TV is embedded in those moments and scenes inspired by the true stories of the writer’s own lives. Those are the things we, as audience members, connect with the most because they were created with emotion and experience. A computer does not have the same ability to show emotion.

Long story short: AI eliminates jobs, not only in the entertainment industry. Snapchat recently added an AI feature that can answer any question on our homework. So yes, there is some merit to the benefits and opportunities provided by AI, but we must refrain from letting it hinder our creativity.

I asked Marqui if he had picked up any new hobbies during the strike, and he responded that he has still been writing, amongst other things. Even if he is not being paid or asked to write something, he continues doing it. Scriptwriting is a demanding job requiring commitment on and off the payroll; he advised students who aren’t absolutely set on a film career to pursue alternative interests. Marqui is a true example of someone with a dedicated passion for his craft. We can all learn something from him.