If you follow film and television news, you’ve probably heard that a writers strike may be looming. And if you remember the TV season that followed the last writers strike, you’ll know why this is a scary thing. But The Writers Guild of America is prepared to strike if certain demands aren’t met, and with a deadline coming up swiftly, we could be in for the first major production shutdown since 2007.

So, here’s what you need to know about what the guild striking means for the fate of your favorite shows and upcoming movies: