The summer of discontent in hollywood it could escalate this weekend, with actors set to join writers in a massive double walkout that could bring all US film and television production to a virtual halt.
The Actors Union (SAG-AFTRA) does not advance in negotiations with platforms such as netflix and disney with the deadline of Friday midnight (0700 GMT) just around the corner.
The union, which represents some 160,000 artists, from celebrities to extras, has pre-approved to take action if they don’t reach an agreement before then.
If the parties leave the table, it would be the first time that the writers and actors of hollywood They have been on strike simultaneously since 1960, when actor (and then-future US president) Ronald Reagan led a strike that eventually forced the studios to back down.
Like the scriptwriters, who have already been on the picket lines for nine weeks, the actors are demanding higher salaries to face inflation, as well as guarantees for their future.
Rebecca Metz, who starred in FX’s “Better Things” and Showtime’s “Shameless,” told AFP that it is “increasingly difficult” for actors, even established ones, to earn their daily bread in hollywood.
“People outside the industry, and even some inside the industry, overestimate how much actors make. People assume that if they see someone on TV, they must be rich,” Metz said.
“But this is completely far from reality in recent years.”
“I know a lot of people at my career level are taking other jobs to stay afloat until things get better.”
“Tiny Fraction”
In addition to salaries when they are performing, another income for artists is “residuals.” These payments made each time the networks air a movie or show in which they starred are particularly useful when actors are between projects.
But today, platforms like Netflix and Disney+ keep viewing statistics under lock and key, offering the same rate for everything they stream in their catalogues, regardless of popularity.
“I’ve seen my residuals drop over the last 10 to 15 years” to a “tiny fraction” of what they once were, Metz said.
“When we’re off work for a while, we suddenly worry about whether we’ll have health insurance.”
There are no clear clues as to whether the strike will happen, as both sides remain silent in front of the media.
On Friday, Fran Drescher, president of SAG-AFTRA, released a video in which she told members there were “extremely productive negotiations” and promised a “seminal agreement”.
But Duncan Crabtree-Ireland, the union’s chief negotiator, warned there was a “very narrow window” for a deal to be reached, fueling speculation that both sides could opt for a temporary extension of talks.
While the writers’ strike has dramatically reduced the number of movies and shows in production, an action by the actors could virtually bring everything to a standstill.
Some reality, animation and talk shows could continue, but even events like the Emmy Awards, scheduled for September 18, would be at risk.
Popular series that were supposed to return to television in the third quarter of the year would be postponed. And blockbuster movies could also be affected.
AI and auditions
Clouding the picture further is the issue of artificial intelligence (AI). The actors want guarantees that their future use will be regulated.
“Currently there is no protection against a producer taking our voice, our image, and asking us to do things we wouldn’t consent to do,” says Metz.
“Introducing our previous performances and building from them a performance that they don’t have to pay us for seems like far-fetched, fantastical things, but it’s very real.”
Another complaint from actors is the increase in self-recorded auditions, which the SAG-AFTRA union tries to regulate.
Used before the pandemic when in-person auditions were impossible, they became common in hollywood. They put the logistical and technological weight on the actors, and leave them without feedback from the casting directors.
Perhaps even more important: the performers don’t know if anyone saw their audition. “Acting is a collaborative art,” Metz said.
“Talking to a camera in your house knowing you won’t get a response is far from acting.”
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