Your Home for Horror
Solidarity Statement
Morbidly Beautiful stands with performers and content creators who tirelessly work to bring us the films and shows that enrich our lives.
Morbidly Beautiful has always been fiercely loyal and dedicated to supporting the work of independent artists, filmmakers, and creators. It’s the foundation of our origin story and mission statement. As a result, the overwhelming majority of the work we cover on this site falls outside of the terms of the current SAG-AFTRA strike. According to the SAG-AFTRA website, all SAG work that isn’t theatrical, TV, or for streaming platforms like Netflix and Apple TV+ is fair game under the terms of this strike.
However, to quote the Freelance Solidarity Project (FSP):
“As critics, journalists, and editors who cover the entertainment industry, we understand better than most the tactics the studios are employing to undermine and devalue the human labor that creates the “content” on which their profits rely. We also know that it’s our responsibility to make those tactics clear to our readers and to show that TV and movies aren’t content but art — the fruit of human creativity and labor rather than assembly-line gruel. This is not only a matter of journalistic accuracy; it is a responsibility central to our role as critics.”
Thus, we are making the following commitments to stand in solidarity with the unions.
– As per the guidance delivered by the FSP, we will be adding the following disclaimer to all reviews during the strike beginning July 17, 2023:
This piece was written during the 2023 WGA and SAG-AFTRA strikes. Without the labor of the writers and actors currently on strike, the work being covered here wouldn’t exist.
– We pledge to include the names of all writers on every project we cover to emphasize that screenwriters are responsible for every series, special, and film we watch.
– We will continue to cover the strike and highlight that the studios stockpiled both scripts and completed works in advance of the strike, reminding our readers that the effects of the strike — while not glaringly obvious to viewers — are significant and may have devastating long-term effects on the industry.
– We will continue to weigh independent film and television coverage heavily and will not waver in our support of creatives working in this field.
– We are not part of a union, and our writers are all volunteers sharing their genuine passion for genre entertainment. We are a not-for-profit site that does not make money off of the content we produce or solicit ad revenue. However, we will strictly follow any and all guidelines set forth by the WGA and SAG-AFTRA relating to the promotion of work and the ways the unions would like journalists to support their efforts.
– We stand in solidarity with the WGAE’s (The Writers Guild of America, East) call for an immediate end to AI-generated articles on media sites. We pledge never to use AI to generate article content out of respect for both our writers and readers.
– Additionally, every article submitted by a staff writer, guest writer, or site sponsor is thoroughly reviewed and edited to ensure content quality and vetted for readability, reader engagement, accuracy, and originality (including a plagiarism check). No article is posted without a thorough editorial review.
– We also have not and never will engage in clickbait content. Writers do not work on assignments and are under no obligation to write content based on “hot” topics more likely to increase site traffic. Our writers drive their own content based on what they are passionate about and authentically excited to share with our readers.
Pledge from our editor-in-chief:
– As an editor, I pledge to publicize our availability and be receptive to pitches from striking WGA writers.
– I proudly signed the WGA Strike 2023: Critcs’ Solidarity Pledge.
– I will actively follow updates and statements from the unions and will work collaboratively with our valued PR and media partners to ensure we are supporting the unions’ efforts to the fullest extent possible.
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