Image from Entertainment Weekly. Courtesy of Getty Images. Aaron Paul and Bryan Cranston on the SAG-AFTRA picket line
On July 14, 2023, the highly-anticipated double feature of Greta Gerwig’s Barbie and Christopher Nolan’s Oppenheimer, dubbed “Barbenheimer” by fans, was finally released in theaters. Barbenheimer garnered audiences of all genres back into theaters after a period where the conventional in-person movie experience was seemingly non-existent due to the COVID-19 pandemic. It had been years since such a culturally significant film had been released, so these films were said to have the capacity to revive the film industry. However, the excitement of the day was halted by the Screen Actors Guild-American Federation of Television and Radio Artists (SAG-AFTRA)’s decision to go on strike after months of failed negotiations. When the news broke in London, the stars of Oppenheimer left the red carpet to join picketers and, since then, the strike has been ongoing. The SAG-AFTRA strike is the culmination of years of strife between actors and studio executives that could not be settled through negotiations. This union’s strike is the second major entertainment industry strike of the year, following the Writer’s Guild of America (WGA) strike that recently ended. SAG-AFTRA is striking because they seek fair compensation, especially from streaming services, and protections against the use of artificial intelligence.
The entertainment industry is notoriously laborious despite the glitz and glamor that accompanies the job. For an average two-hour film, principal photography takes four to eight weeks. Television series can take anywhere from three months to twelve months to produce. Shooting days are characterized by call times before dawn and long hours. Since its creation in 1933, SAG-AFTRA has successfully improved working conditions with its protections against sexual assault, and child exploitation, and also by guaranteeing fair pay and reasonable turnarounds during filming. Nevertheless, it is on strike now to improve residual payments from streaming platforms, similar to why the WGA and SAG went on the last “double strike” in 1960.
Stars that perform everywhere from the silver screen to social media advertisements are not being adequately compensated for their labor. The residual payments that film actors receive are small when compared to the revenue that the studios receive. The same idea applies to network television shows as well. This is a source of conflict between actors and studios because shows can still maintain their popularity on streaming platforms even after they end, yet the actors and writers might not reap the benefits of their labor in the same manner. Many stars who were thought to be the most well off due to their extensive work in the entertainment industry have come out saying that they receive very little residual income from their previous work. During a picket outside Sony Studios in Culver City, California, Aaron Paul, actor in the show Breaking Bad, revealed that he “doesn’t get a piece” of Netflix’s profits from carrying the hit series. Although Breaking Bad ended a decade ago, it has maintained its popularity and left a legacy of excellence, winning awards namely for its performances by the actors. Paul won the Emmy for Best Supporting Actor in 2010, 2012, and 2014 respectively. Netflix is not the only target of criticism from members of the union. Disney’s CEO Bob Iger has received much criticism from the union and individual members alike for not being amenable to their suggestions. He stated that the unions were not being “realistic about the business environment” of the entertainment industry. Iger has the potential to earn $27 million annually which eclipses the $0.81 residual checks that some actors receive monthly so his comments and attitude are seen as unsympathetic.
Another pressing issue of the strike is the use of artificial intelligence (AI) in film and television production. WGA and SAG-AFTRA both argued that advanced AI programs threaten the livelihoods of their careers. ChatGPT is powerful enough to generate screenplays without the associated costs of a fully-staffed writers’ room. Streaming platforms like Netflix, Hulu, Max, and Disney+ already shifted away from the traditional labor model for writers adopted during the dominance of network television. Now, writers’ rooms are much smaller, only feature experienced writers, and have shorter contracts. In conjunction, actors have fewer, less stable work opportunities given the nature of the streaming economy. AI has only exacerbated the tension between studios and labor unions. Other programs can generate images and sounds without filming or post-production personnel. Studios have already used them to make Harrison Ford and Mark Hamill, the stars of older film franchises, appear younger. Although this may seem innocuous, studios have more exploitative ways to use AI for their benefit. According to a SAG-AFTRA, the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers (AMPTP), a trade association that represents the interests of studios, stated that they seek “to scan a background performer’s image, pay them for a half a day’s labor, and then use an individual’s likeness for any purpose forever without their consent”. Although AMPTP calls this allegation a distortion, it holds some truth. Academy Award winner Tom Hanks alleged that his likeness was used without consent for a dental advertisement. A key term of the WGA agreement was for studios to control the use of AI during the writing process and SAG-AFTRA has a similar condition in their proposed agreement.
Image from Variety. Artificial Intelligence used on Harrison Ford in Indiana Jones 5
SAG-AFTRA does not only include the most famous actors, but also the many extras, voice-over artists, DJs, and dancers that audiences see every day. Its 160,000 members are on strike for better compensation for their labor and job security in the era of artificial intelligence. Until that goal is realized, beloved series, highly anticipated films, and award shows are postponed. For instance, the third season of the popular HBO show Euphoria, which was greenlit in early 2022, will not come out until at least 2025. Given the delay, studios have lost over $6 billion in revenue and this figure is only projected to increase. Although the strike of its sibling union has concluded, SAG-AFTRA’s strike will carry on as long as studio executives continue to reject the demands of the actors and performers who generate revenue for them.