The Actors’ Strike comes to an End

For 118 days, actors across the U.S. have been fighting for their right to fair compensation and prevention of AI use that impersonates actors. The Screen Actors Guild – American Federation of Television and Radio Artists (SAG-AFTRA) and the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers (AMTP) reached a tentative agreement on Nov. 9 to end the strike, and the movement was approved on Nov. 10.  According to apnews.com, “The union valued the deal at over a billion dollars. Crabtree-Ireland said the deal includes boosts to minimum payments to actors, a greater share of streaming revenue going to performers, a bolstering of benefit plans and protections against the unfettered use of artificial intelligence in recreating performances.” . 

With the rapidly changing entertainment industry in recent years came a new decrease in actors’ rights. Streaming has become vastly popular and the advancement of Artificial Intelligence (AI) has left many unanswered questions about the entertainment industry. The use of streaming services has reduced actors’ compensation for the use of movies/shows they’re in.

AI uses machine learning in order to mimic human intelligence. AI takes resources from the internet and combines them in order to “learn” about the subject. This can cause an issue because such actions could be classified as copyright (in terms of creating art and music), or in the case of imitating actors, impersonation. AI could make a simulation of an actor and make it perform roles without the actual actor ever knowing. In fear of AI stealing many actors’ jobs and identities, along with other pre-existing issues, actors went on strike. According to apnews.com, the CEO of Walt Disney Studios, Bob Iger, said that the strike came at “the worst time in the world”, since it added to the pre-existing issues in the industry.  

Art and theater teacher, Ms. Erin Allen, is very passionate about the strike.

“I’m not surprised that the actors went on strike, since a lot of the scales for pay and regulations that were put in place were antiquated. They were for a time when technology hadn’t crested as it has,” said Allen. 

“If writers’ and actors’ works that they’re a part of are being sold and streamed more, then they need to be getting some of the benefits as well. This compensation was trickling down to them from the studios and people on the top down to the base, where the writers and actors are.”

On July 14, the actors went on strike. The SAG-AFTRA restricted actors participating in the strike from making appearances at publicized events promoting shows/movies they’re in, such as red carpet events and award shows. Many famous actors went on strike with SAG-AFTRA, such as George Cloony, Sean Astin, Laura Linny, ect.. 

At a rally, Astin stated, “Any background actors out there, any stunt performers, singers and dancers and puppeteers and pilots? We represent all of you! I invoke the name of my mother Patty Duke, former president of the Screen Actors Guild, mama come down here right now and look at these people!”