It’s been weeks since the Writers Guild of America had closed down on their deal with the AMPTP and while a lot of people thought that the ongoing Screen Actors Guild Strike was going to end soon, it seems that they are still trying to get a fair deal.
In a recent update from the official SAG-AFTRA page, they’ve confirmed that the AMPTP and SAG still can’t agree on ‘several essential items’ particularly pointing out AI. Here’s the post:
Dear #SagAftraMembers:
This morning our negotiators formally responded to the AMPTP’s “Last, Best & Final” offer.
Please know every member of our TV/Theatrical Negotiating Committee is determined to secure the right deal and thereby bring this strike to an end responsibly. 1/2 pic.twitter.com/1PwqaoNXAJ
— SAG-AFTRA (@sagaftra) November 6, 2023
We don’t know specifically where the studios and the guild are disagreeing when it comes to AI, but it has been said that the studios are trying to make it so that actors can sign off their likeness so studios can replicate them in AI and use them in their projects in perpetuity.
There is also the case of residuals. Though residuals may have been good for actors when broadcast media was still the norm, the new streaming model has now led to several actors not earning enough for work, regardless of a series or film’s success.
It’s unclear what’s stopping the AMPTP from coming to a fair deal, but there have been shakedown tactics employed before, as well as some purposefully deceptive language in proposals that SAG has shot down.
Hopefully we can come to a fair deal soon, because with productions not being able to continue without actors, we’ll just have to say good-bye to some of the most anticipated projects of the next two years. Dune: Part Two already took the hit; so who’s next? Deadpool 3?
As of the time of writing, SAG-AFTRA has been on strike for 116 days.
