SAG-AFTRA

SAG-AFTRA, the union representing Hollywood actors, is pushing for legislation that would require detailed consent for the use of “digital replicas.” In a separate bill, the union also wants to prevent studios from putting dead performers in movies without the consent of their heirs. Underscoring the contentiousness around AI, the Motion Picture Association has come out against the digital replicas bill.

The writers and actors strikes crippled scripted television and the movie industry last summer. However, reality shows, variety series and game shows were able to continue filming thanks to operating under a different contract – the Network Television Code Contract. SAG-AFTRA is now setting the stage for renewal talks over its 2024 contract.

SAG-AFTRA members on Friday ratified the 2023 Television Animation Agreement and the 2023 Basic Cable Animation Agreement with the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers. The new three-year contracts were overwhelmingly approved by a vote of 95.52% to 4.48%.

The industry saw the gains in the motion picture and sound recording sectors.

TV and film production in Los Angeles was slow to recover from the industry-wide strikes last fall, according to new data released by FilmLA. Scripted TV production ticked up slightly in the fourth quarter compared with the prior three-month period, but still remained far below historic levels. And feature film production continued to decline even after the strikes ended. The WGA strike ended on September 27 after nearly five months, and the SAG-AFTRA strike concluded six weeks later, on November 9.

There was a time when streamers — led by Netflix, burning a hole in its balance sheet with annual negative cash flow in the billions — were banking on double-digit subscriber growth. And they were spending on content like there was no tomorrow. Well, tomorrow came.

The approval of the three-year contract from the members of the Screen Actors Guild-American Federation of Television and Radio Artists announced Tuesday night by union leaders was no certainty, with some prominent members voicing dissent on the deal their negotiators bargained for. (Chris Pizzello/AP)

The long-awaited clearing in the industry’s stormiest season in decades comes as a deal was reached late Wednesday to end what was, at nearly four months, the longest strike ever for film and television actors. The three-year contract must be approved by the board of the Screen Actors Guild-American Federation of Television and Radio Artists and its members in the coming days. But union leadership declared that the strike will end at 12:01 a.m. on Thursday, putting all of the parts of production back into action for the first time since spring.

After 118 days of the actors guild being out on strike, SAG-AFTRA and the studios have reached a tentative deal on a new contract that could see Hollywood up and running again within weeks. The strike will be over as of 12:01 a.m. PT Nov. 9, we hear. Culminating a very dramatic day of studio earnings results and deadlines, the actors guild’s 17-member negotiating committee unanimously voted to recommend a tentative agreement to the SAG-AFTRA board.

TV’s favorite nanny has morphed into an improbable Norma Rae, hailed by SAG-AFTRA’s rank and file even as she’s dismissed as a plushie-toting neophyte by some studio brass. Will she be remembered as an eccentric scene-stealer or a fiery labor iconoclast?

After a long day of negotiations Tuesday, the sides are still grappling with several stubborn issues including AI protections, we hear. After going over the topic repeatedly and consulting with lawyers and others throughout the evening, the guild negotiating committee and the AMPTP have now penciled in another session for Wednesday, we’re told.

The lead negotiators for SAG-AFTRA and the studios are set to meet later Tuesday in what could be the final phase to sealing a new deal and the end to the 117-day actors guild strike. With the AMPTP and SAG-AFTRA having achieved a breakthrough late last night on the contentious topic of AI, Duncan Crabtree-Ireland and AMPTP President Carol Lombardini are scheduled to talk this afternoon. “We are very close,” a guild source said. “Not done yet, but very close with strong protection language in place,” the source added of AI guardrails long sought by the guild even before they went on strike in mid-July.

As the back and forth between SAG-AFTRA and the studio continues Monday, an end to the 116-day actors strike may not be imminent. “There are several essential items on which we still do not have an agreement, including AI,” the guild said in a letter to members Monday afternoon Pacific Time. “We will keep you informed as events unfold.”

Sunday did not see a lot of action between SAG-AFTRA and the studios as the actors guild strike hit its 115th day. “The guild is still reviewing the proposals,” a well-positioned SAG-AFTRA member said. Following a brief virtual meeting with CEOs on Saturday, guild leaders continued today to look over the so-called “last, best and final offer” the studios put on the table Friday. For now, there are no official meetings between the parties scheduled for Monday or later this week.

Saturday’s meeting between SAG-AFTRA and an expanded group of studio CEOs has just ended as the guild scrutinizes the AMPTP‘s long awaited response to their last comprehensive counter. On this 114th day of the actors strike, the top brass from Netflix, Disney, NBCUniversal, Paramount, Amazon, Sony, Warner Bros Discovery and more spoke with SAG-AFTRA leaders by zoom for approximately an hour to discuss the new document. Whether that will result in further discussions later today or tomorrow, Nov. 5, is unclear at the moment. “We’ve all come a long way, so taking the time to go over the guts of this [the proposal] and the fine print is the only responsible way to approach this now,” a well-positioned guild member said.

The strike isn’t over yet, but on Friday night the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers presented SAG-AFTRA with a new contract offer, and talks between the groups will continue through the weekend.

SAG-AFTRA negotiators spent Thursday afternoon in a holding pattern as the union waited for a response from management to its most recent counterproposal. The union confirmed late Thursday that talks would resume on Friday. Agreements around AI remain elusive and frustrating to both sides of the table.

SAG-AFTRA advised its members Monday night that negotiations will resume on Tuesday, but warned that the two sides remain “far apart” on key issues. The union and the major studios have been bargaining for a week, focusing on issues like increases in minimum payments, a new residual model in streaming, and artificial intelligence.

SAG-AFTRA leadership continued to bargain with the major studios on Sunday, but despite growing optimism around the industry, no deal was reached. On Sunday night, SAG-AFTRA told its members that both sides would work independently on Monday, and would connect at the end of the day about scheduling further meetings.

SAG-AFTRA delivered its response Thursday to the latest proposal from the major studios, as the two sides appeared to be making progress toward ending the actors strike. The sides are expected to pick up negotiations again on Friday. Both sides are trying to avoid another breakdown in talks, and each one has a strong incentive to get to a deal.

Talks between the studios and SAG-AFTRA didn’t go so well Tuesday, but the Guild last night confirmed the two sides will be back at it Wednesday for another attempt to end the 100-plus day strike. “Today, the CEOs came back to the table,” SAG-AFTRA told members in an email after negotiations had wrapped for the day. “We are scheduled to continue talks with them tomorrow.”

After over a week of silence, the actors union and the AMPTP are now set to return to negotiations on Tuesday, Oct. 24. “SAG-AFTRA and the AMPTP will meet for bargaining on Tuesday, Oct. 24 at SAG-AFTRA Plaza. Several executives from AMPTP member companies will be in attendance,” read a statement Saturday from SAG-AFTRA and the AMPTP.

In her two years as SAG-AFTRA President Fran Drescher has worked assiduously to bridge the factional divides that have long beset the union. “Member unity will be my greatest legacy,” she promised in her campaign statement this summer, and she sought reelection. (She was reelected with more than 80% of the vote.) But as the SAG-AFTRA strike nears the 100-day mark, Drescher is facing her most challenging leadership test so far: Can she hold the union together long enough to deliver the “seminal” deal she has promised members?

While screenwriters are busy back at work, film and TV actors remain on picket lines, with the longest strike in their history set to hit 100 days on Saturday after talks broke off with studios. Here’s a look at where things stand, how their stretched-out standoff compares to past strikes, and what happens next.

Talks broke down last week between the major studios and SAG-AFTRA, with the studios saying that the gap between the two sides is “too great” to continue productive negotiations. Until they can bridge the gap, SAG-AFTRA will remain on strike and the entertainment industry will remain shut down. So how big is that gap? About $480 million a year.

SAG-AFTRA president Fran Drescher made an appearance on NBC’s Today Friday morning to share her perspective on why the union’s talks with the AMPTP broke down. “It really came as a shock to me because what does that exactly mean and why would you walk away from the table? It’s not like we’re asking for anything that’s so outrageous,” Drescher said. “It’s so wrong. And it’s so unfair that they walked out of the meeting, and so disrespectful … I mean, they talk at you. They really don’t want to hear what you have to say or why you’re saying it.”

Amid calls for a day of protest by Islamic leaders, SAG-AFTRA has canceled plans to picket on Friday in Los Angeles and New York. Federal and local law enforcement officials have warned the public to be wary after Hamas has urged its supporters to create a day of action in the streets on Friday. What form that takes is unclear, but law enforcement is stepping up its watches.

The studios, represented by the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers, announced that they had suspended contract negotiations, saying the gap between the two sides was too great to make continuing worth it, despite an offer as good as the one that recently ended the writers strike. The actors union decried their opponents’ “bullying tactics” and said they were wildly mischaracterizing their offers.

The film and TV sector lost 7,000 jobs in September alone.

SAG-AFTRA and the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers wrapped their second day of renewed talks over a new three-year contract with a plan to meet again on Friday and even further down the line. “SAG-AFTRA and the AMPTP met for a full day bargaining session and have concluded,” the parties said in a joint statement Wednesday night. “Negotiations will continue Friday, Oct. 6, with the parties working internally over the weekend, resuming Monday, Oct. 9.”

One down, and more to come. That’s the word from SAG-AFTRA and studio CEOS after meeting officially Monday for the first time since the 160,000-strong guild went out of strike on July 14 – they plan to do it again. “SAG-AFTRA and the AMPTP met for a full day bargaining session and have concluded. Negotiations will resume Wednesday, Oct. 4,” the two sides said Monday evening in a joint statement, reminiscent of the communication sent out from the WGA and the studios in their successful final round of negotiations last month.