For a full month now, the ongoing actors’ strike has brought the illustrious film and TV industry of Hollywood to a standstill. The strike, initiated by members of SAG-AFTRA (Screen Actors Guild – American Federation of Television and Radio Artists), commenced on July 14th. This action follows the Writers Guild of America’s (WGA) picketing for over 100 days.
Remarkably, this is the first instance in 63 years where both SAG-AFTRA and WGA, two organizations sharing concerns regarding compensation and the utilization of artificial intelligence (AI), have simultaneously gone on strike. The impact isn’t limited to just US productions; even some UK projects have experienced disruptions. Filming for a Formula 1 movie featuring Brad Pitt, as well as for Deadpool 3 and the musical film Wicked, has been temporarily halted due to the strike.
What was the reason for the strike?
After more than six decades, a unique occurrence has taken place in Hollywood, where both writers and actors have initiated a strike simultaneously. This development emerges in the midst of the industry’s efforts to come to terms with the transformative effects of technology on the creation and consumption of films and TV shows.
Fran Drescher, who holds the position of president within the US actors’ union, has highlighted the extensive impact this walkout will have, potentially affecting “thousands if not millions of people.”
Furthermore, the strike’s consequences will lead to the postponement of this year’s Emmy Awards. Initially slated for September 18th, the event will now likely be rescheduled, possibly to January.
Coordinated by the Screen Actors Guild – American Federation of Television and Radio Artists (SAG-AFTRA), this strike’s repercussions are expected to extend far beyond the sunny avenues of Los Angeles.
This situation also coincides with Hollywood’s struggle to adapt to the swift evolution of technology, which is fundamentally reshaping the processes of creating and consuming visual entertainment.
The actors’ strike raises questions about its reasons and objectives. Primarily, actors are demanding improved compensation and measures to prevent unauthorized utilization of their likenesses via artificial intelligence (AI).
Actors perceive their roles as particularly susceptible to the influence of new technology. Generative AI possesses the capability to meticulously replicate facial expressions, body gestures, and vocalizations with remarkable precision. This level of replication has heightened concerns among performers about the potential impact on their profession.
A significant concern for many actors is securing a commitment that artificial intelligence (AI) won’t replace their roles, a development that could potentially render them obsolete. Notable figures like Tom Cruise and Keanu Reeves have experienced unauthorized deepfake videos, highly realistic yet falsified clips created by AI algorithms, drawing attention to the issue.
The surge in streaming platforms, which constitutes a major portion of TV actors’ work, is also a pivotal factor in contract negotiations. TV series have become shorter in length, interspersed with longer breaks between seasons. Despite rising budgets for these series, actors’ share of the revenue isn’t proportionally increasing, according to the unions.
Residual payments, remuneration for the reuse of credited work, are notably smaller for streaming platforms compared to traditional broadcast TV rates.
Additionally, actors have raised concerns about the financial burden of “self-taped auditions,” wherein actors are responsible for filming their own auditions and submitting them directly to casting directors. This practice has shifted the expenses that were once managed by casting and production teams.
Moreover, health and pension benefits are areas of discussion during negotiations.
In the UK, similar concerns are expected to play a significant role in forthcoming negotiations, including AI’s impact, payment rates for streaming, and the practice of self-taped auditions.
To address these challenges, a “framework” is being sought to define the scope of AI use and protect performers. Equity, the UK’s trade union for entertainment professionals, is already engaged in discussions with ITV regarding AI clauses in their agreements.
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