Source: AFP
Hollywood on Tuesday was anxiously waiting to hear whether actors have approved their union’s tough deal with the studios or whether an entertainment industry still reeling from months-long strikes could be plunged back into turmoil.
While the Screen Actors Guild (SAG-AFTRA) deal is widely expected to pass, criticism — mostly over the perceived lack of protections against artificial intelligence — has swelled in recent weeks, raising concern about a potential, if unlikely, rollback in the bargain lines.
Members have until 5:00 p.m. Pacific time (01:00 Wednesday GMT) to vote, with a simple majority needed to finally seal the deal.
Jonathan Handel, an entertainment lawyer and analyst, said an approval rating between 75 percent and 85 percent is “a realistic expectation.”
However, if ratification fails, SAG-AFTRA would likely need to reopen talks with the studios — which could withdraw previously offered terms — and it could be a return to industrial action.
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“The contract sucks,” said actor Michael Vaccaro, one of dozens of artists who spoke out publicly against the terms.
“I voted no. And I am fully prepared to go back on strike. Absolutely 100 percent,” he told AFP. “By signing this thing, we’re not winning anything. If we go back on strike, there’s a chance we’ll win quite a bit.”
A tentative deal between SAG-AFTRA and Hollywood studios to end the 118-day actors’ strike was agreed last month.
It featured higher pay, better bonuses for stars in hit shows or movies, and the first protection against the use of artificial intelligence to replace human actors.
It was endorsed by union leadership two days later, though not unanimously.
Union leaders have since held meetings and sent emails and social media posts to members urging them to approve the deal.
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“It’s the most profitable, innovative and protective contract in entertainment union history,” SAG-AFTRA President Fran Dresser said in a recent Instagram post.
But as details of the deal emerged, warnings began to circulate online about its shortcomings, particularly on the subject of artificial intelligence.
The performers fear they could soon be replaced by entirely synthetic “actors”, created by artificial intelligence using the body parts of many different people, whose likenesses have been scraped from the film archives.
The agreement does not prevent studios from using genetic artificial intelligence, but it does have a clause requiring them to notify the union whenever the technology is used.
SAG-AFTRA would then have the right to negotiate for compensation on behalf of the actors involved — although critics say it would be difficult to determine who they are.
Actors also say the sheer number of viewers a show or movie needs to attract to trigger bonuses for its performers is too high for all but the top tier of blockbusters.
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The results of the vote are expected by late Tuesday local time.
“Because of the opposition, people are naturally wondering ‘will it pass?’ and that leads to some nervousness and concern,” Handel told AFP.
“But I think it’s very likely that this will pass. It would be very impressive if it didn’t.”
Source: AFP