After 118 days of striking, the actors strike is over. The Screen Actors Guild – American Federation of Television and Radio Artists (SAG-AFTRA) has reached an agreement with Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers (AMPTP).
The strike officially ended on Nov. 8, when the Hollywood actors reached a tentative agreement with studios and streamers.
“We have arrived at a contract that will enable SAG-AFTRA members from every category to build sustainable careers,” the TV/Theatrical Negotiating Committee said in a message to SAG-AFTRA members on Nov. 8. “Many thousands of performers now and into the future will benefit from this work.”
The contract with the AMPTP covers many aspects of actors’ jobs.
One of the main pieces of the agreement is an increase in basic wages for a variety of projects across film and television. Beyond that, the actors will be receiving streaming residual and bonuses for hit shows and movies.
The main part of the deal is protection against artificial intelligence (AI).
According to president of the actors union Fran Drescher in an interview with the Washington Post, the issues of artificial intelligence were the last and most difficult to resolve.
“AI was also a dealbreaker,” Drescher said. “If we didn’t get that package, then what are we doing? We’re not really able to protect our members in the way that they needed to be protected. Because in the world of AI, three months is equivalent to a year.” However, many actors are still afraid of artificial intelligence even with these agreements that have come from the tentative deal.
There are many questions and concerns, such as how the union will make sure that performers’ digital likenesses are not used without consent and compensation.
Erik Passoja, a SAGAFTRA member and union conference delegate, told LAist using technology to digitally watermark and fingerprint performers’ likenesses so they can be tracked and identified downstream is one way to prevent artificial intelligence from copying someone’s likeness without their consent. Now that the strike is over, there will be more actors promoting their upcoming film or television productions and movie and television award shows will start back up again.
Amanda Rotigliano can be contacted at
arotigliano@kscequinox.com
