SAG-AFTRA members vote to ratify landmark treaty

Hollywood Shatters the Norm: SAG-AFTRA Approves Game-Changing Agreement

In an unprecedented move, SAG-AFTRA members voted resoundingly (78%) in favor of approving a revolutionary contract. With around 38% of the union's 160,000 members participating in the ballot, this significant agreement marks the end of a compelling narrative that included a month-long vote and a nearly four-month strike that shook the entertainment industry to its core, prompting existential questions about the future of showbiz.

Following a year of intense negotiations, Hollywood's talents and producers reached a preliminary agreement on November 8th. With an 86% approval from the National Council, this initial accord paved the way for the eventual acceptance by the membership.

The ratification process took SAG about three weeks to complete.

Euphoria pervaded this preliminary agreement. SAG President Fran Drescher hailed it as "historic" while the studios celebrated it as heralding "a new era for Hollywood, television, and actors."

The strike by SAG members, which began at midnight upon the arrival of a preliminary agreement, ended one of the most grueling work stoppages in Hollywood history.

AMPTP expressed delight with the preliminary agreement, expressing their hope to resume production and share captivating tales with the world. They shared, "We are thrilled to have reached an initial accord, and we are eager to restart production and produce captivating stories."

The agreement's specifics remain controversial. Some SAG members have voiced concerns, particularly regarding AI protection. These concerns have been echoed on social media using the hashtag #SAGAFTRAVOTENO, as actors voice their dissatisfaction with what they perceive as insufficient protection against new technologies.

Strikingly contrasting this, WGA members voted nearly unanimously (99%) in favor of approval.

On December 12th, the union released an official statement, with member Bryan Cranston accompanying it on February 2nd. Cranston urged members to vote "yes" for the "hotly contested contract proposal."

"No party will receive everything they desire or hope for. That is the obvious truth in every labor dispute," Cranston penned.

Post-Thanksgiving, the union unveiled the full 128-page contract for members' perusal.

Further Reading:

This groundbreaking agreement tackles critical issues, particularly those concerning actor remuneration in the digital age. Implementing this agreement could reshape Hollywood's future and serve as a blueprint for the broader entertainment industry.

Source:

This monumental agreement tackles a plethora of essential problems related to actor remuneration in the digital age. Among its key components are:

1. Actor Consent for Digital Replicas:
2. Explicit Consent: Studio executives cannot employ digital images, voices, or performances without obtaining prior explicit consent from actors[1][4].
3. Digital Doubles and Synthesized Voices: A fair compensation framework has been established for the employment of digital doubles or synthesized voices, ensuring that actors receive compensation for the utilization of their likeness and voice[1].
4. AI-Generated Scripts:
5. Human Involvement: AI-generated scripts cannot supersede human screenwriters during the creative process. If AI-generated scripts are used, writers must be adequately compensated for their revisions and edits, acknowledging their active involvement and role as authors of the final work[1].
6. AI Monitoring Committee:
7. Annual Assessments: A dedicated AI monitoring committee has been created to carry out annual evaluations of AI technologies' impacts on the industry. The committee consists of union and studio representatives responsible for proposing updates to the collective bargaining agreement in line with technological advancements[1].
8. Transparency and Copyright Protection:
9. Actor Involvement in Content Personalization: Performers will remain informed about their contributions' use within content personalization systems on streaming platforms, ensuring greater transparency and safeguarding copyright[1].
10. Compensation Models:
11. Bonus Payments: New agreements with streaming platforms include bonuses of $40 million per year for top-performing shows[2].
12. Writer Bonuses: Minimum staffing rules have been implemented, requiring a minimum of six writers for pre-greenlight rooms, as well as bonus payments ranging from $9,000 to $16,400 per TV episode for writers[2].
13. Foreign Streaming Residuals:
14. Increased Residuals: The Directors Guild achieved an agreement regarding foreign streaming residuals, boosting foreign residuals from leading streaming services by 76%, marking a significant stride in the quest for fair streaming-era compensation[2].
15. SAG-AFTRA's AI Guidelines:
16. Informed Consent and Control Over Digital Replicas: The union has outlined guidelines for AI use, including the right of actors to grant or deny consent for the creation of a digital replica, negotiate limits on the uses of a digital replica, guarantee secure storage and protection of digital replicas, and appropriate compensation for using AI content[4].

These provisions collectively strive to safeguard actors' rights and livelihoods in face of emerging AI technologies, setting a precedent for other industries to follow while addressing the integration of AI and its implications on workers.

Enrichment Data:

The SAG-AFTRA agreement addresses actor compensation and digital rights in the following specific ways:

1. Consent for Digital Replicas:
2. Explicit Informed Consent: Actors must grant explicit informed consent before the creation or editing of digital replicas of their performances[1][5].
3. Right to Consent or Prohibit: Performers enjoy the right to consent to or prohibit the creation of a digital replica of their likeness or performance[2].
4. AI-Generated Scripts:
5. Human Screenwriters: AI-generated scripts cannot replace human screenwriters during the creative process. If an AI-generated script is used, writers must be compensated for their revisions and edits, ensuring their active involvement and recognition as authors of the final work[1].
6. Transparency in Content Personalization for Streaming Platforms:
   • Informed Use of Contributions: Creative workers will be informed about how their contributions are utilized within content personalization systems on streaming platforms, ensuring greater transparency and protecting copyright[1].
7. Compensation for AI Content Use:
   • Fair Compensation: Performers are entitled to appropriate compensation for the use of AI-generated content, including digital replicas and AI-generated scripts[2][5].
8. Monitoring Committee:
   • AI Monitoring Committee: An AI monitoring committee has been established to conduct annual evaluations of AI technologies' impacts on the industry. This committee, comprised of representatives from both unions and studios, will propose updates to the collective bargaining agreement to keep pace with technological advancements[1].

These provisions aim to ensure that actors are fairly compensated and have control over their likenesses and creative contributions in the digital age.