Television and movie actors in Hollywood have voted to ratify a new four-year contract with major studios and streaming services, bringing to an end a period of significant industrial action. The agreement, approved by members of the Screen Actors Guild – American Federation of Television and Radio Artists (SAG-AFTRA), includes what the union describes as 'groundbreaking' protections regarding the use of artificial intelligence (AI) in film and television production.
The ratification follows a 118-day strike by SAG-AFTRA, which brought much of Hollywood to a standstill and had knock-on effects for UK production companies and talent working on international projects. The dispute primarily centred on concerns over fair compensation in the streaming era and, crucially, safeguards against the unregulated deployment of AI technology, which actors feared could replicate their likenesses without consent or adequate payment.
A key aspect of the new contract addresses the contentious issue of AI. It establishes specific protocols and consent requirements for the use of digital replicas of actors, ensuring that performers have a say in how their images and voices are utilised by studios. This marks a significant precedent in the entertainment industry, potentially influencing future negotiations across creative sectors globally, including within the UK's vibrant film and TV landscape.
Beyond AI, the agreement also includes substantial improvements to minimum salaries and a new 'streaming participation' bonus, designed to provide actors with a greater share of the revenue generated by successful shows and films on streaming platforms. This addresses a long-standing grievance that the previous residual system, designed for traditional broadcast television, did not adequately compensate performers for content distributed via subscription services like Netflix, Disney+, and Amazon Prime Video, all widely available to UK audiences.
The resolution of the strike allows for the resumption of numerous film and television productions that were paused, impacting release schedules and the livelihoods of crew members and associated industries both in the US and internationally. Many British actors and crew work on Hollywood-financed projects, meaning the strike's end will allow them to return to work, potentially speeding up the delivery of new content to UK screens.