No interviews, no red carpet appearances: SAG-AFTRA releases strike rules for actors
Matt Damon, Emily Blunt, Cillian Murphy and Florence Pugh pose at UK premiere of Oppenheimer.
Hollywood performers' union SAG-AFTRA has listed out rules that members will follow during their strike - detailing if they can or cannot perform and what all activities will have to be stopped. The strike began at midnight on Thursday (July 13) and actors will take the picket line starting Friday morning. Shoots on major films are all expected to be immediately shut down. The London premiere of Christopher Nolan's Oppenheimer witnessed a walkout from actors Emily Blunt and Cillian Murphy on Thursday- hours after it was decided that the SAG-AFTRA would be joining the ongoing writers' strike.
A set of guidelines were released on Thursday which will prohibit the union's 160,000 members from all principal on-camera work— including acting, singing, dancing, and stunts — on top of off-camera work, such as voice-acting and narration. Also barred is background and stand-in work, negotiations for future services, and any ancillary work for a struck production, among other things.
Events, interviews, film festivals affected due to SAG-AFTRA strike
Under the guidelines set by the union, all promotional activities like interviews, award shows, and podcasts aren’t allowed for members to participate in. The strike will also likely affect the upcoming events such as Venice Film Festival and Toronto International Film Festival. Under the guidelines, top talent can’t walk the red carpets or take part in Emmy For Your Consideration campaigns.
According to reports, Universal Studios moved up the red carpet for the London premiere of Christopher Nolan’s Oppenheimer by an hour on Thursday evening in the hope to get the star-studded cast to participate in photocall and spot interviews ahead of the strike announcement. Lead actors Emily Blunt and Cillian Murphy exited the premiere after the strike was called.
Also read:Hollywood actor explains how economic hardships plague most actors, contrary to prevailing opinion
Industry experts also expect Galway Film Festival in Ireland to be affected which is already underway. Christopher Nolan's Oppenheimer is scheduled for a New York premiere on July 17 and the cast is scheduled to appear at Comic-Con later this month. The fate of both these events now remains uncertain thanks to the strike.
"The impact of this strike on the industry and events like ours cannot be denied,” a spokesperson for the Toronto Film Festival said in a statement. “We urge our partners and colleagues to resume an open dialogue. We will continue planning for this year’s festival with the hope of a swift resolution in the coming weeks."
What do actors want?
The core concerns revolve around two critical issues: fair compensation and the encroaching influence of AI.
The livelihood of many actors relies heavily on residual payments earned from their various projects, which are essential for meeting basic income requirements, such as the minimum threshold necessary to qualify for health insurance (e.g., $26,000 per year). Actors argue that the industry's revenue should be distributed in a manner that supports those who find themselves on the fringes.
Furthermore, actors are increasingly alarmed by the growing utilisation of AI to replace human performers with digitally created counterparts. This emerging trend poses a significant threat to job opportunities for actors and raises uncertainties about the future of their craft. Through their strike, actors seek to uphold the principles of equitable compensation and safeguard their positions in an industry that is increasingly exploring AI-driven alternatives.
Here's everything that Hollywood studios offered to the striking writers
SAG-AFTRA announced the work stoppage following negotiations with the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers faltering on Wednesday night.
Strike guidelines for members
The strike notice instructs SAG-AFTRA members to notify their agents to cease all negotiations for services and to inform the union of any strikebreaking activity.
Under the guidelines, members are barred from taking part in auditions, rehearsals and fittings, among other things.
In the bulletin, the union noted that “members may be able to work on projects produced by non-AMPTP-related production companies under these agreements if such projects qualify for an Interim Agreement.” A list of eligible projects will be posted on its website.
The notice also warns non-members that they won’t be admitted into the union in the future if they perform “covered services for a struck company during the strike.”
This is the first time in four decades that the actors' union announced a strike. Actors had last gone on strike in 1980 to get revenue sharing for home media releases and that work stoppage lasted for 95 days.
Under the rules, all covered services and performing work must be withheld.
Principal on camera work, such as:
– Acting
– Singing
– Dancing
– Performing stunts
– Piloting on-camera aircraft
– Puppeteering
– Performance capture or motion capture work
Principal off camera work, such as:
– ADR/Looping
– TV Trailers (promos) and Theatrical Trailers
– Voice Acting
– Singing
– Narration
– Stunt coordinating and related services
– Stand-in work
– Photo and/or body doubles
- Fittings, wardrobe tests, and makeup tests
– Rehearsals and camera tests
– Scanning
– Interviews and auditions
Promotion of/publicity services for work under the TV/Theatrical Contracts, such as:
– Tours
– Personal appearances
– Interviews
– Conventions
– Fan expos
– Festivals
– For your consideration events
– Panels
– Premieres/screenings
– Award shows
– Junkets
– Podcast appearances
– Social media
– Studio showcases
Negotiating and/or entering into and/or consenting to:
– An agreement to perform covered services in the future
– Any new agreement related to merchandising connected to a covered project
– The creation and use of digital replicas, including through the reuse of prior work
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