SAG-AFTRA (Screen Actors Guild‐American Federation of Television and Radio Artists) and the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers (AMPTP) have recently completed their second day of renewed negotiations for a new three-year contract. They have planned to reconvene for further discussions on Friday and have outlined a schedule for the upcoming sessions.
In a joint statement, the parties stated, “SAG-AFTRA and the AMPTP met for a full day bargaining session and have concluded. Negotiations will continue Friday, October 6, with the parties working internally over the weekend, resuming Monday, October 9.”
Following a similar pattern to their discussions on Monday, SAG-AFTRA leadership engaged in negotiations. And with studio CEOs and AMPTP head Carol Lombardini on Wednesday. And they strive to reach a resolution to end the actors’ strike, which will enter its 85th day tomorrow. It’s worth noting that talks on Wednesday experienced a delayed start, according to one source.
An industry insider has described Wednesday’s negotiations as a constructive process, stating, “This is senior people sitting down together, and the deliberations are going well. Everyone is conducting themselves calmly.” Alliance of Motion
The parties have outlined their plan to meet again at SAG-AFTRA headquarters on the Miracle Mile on Friday.And with the CEO Gang of Four expected to be present during this session.
Following this meeting, there will be internal discussions among the respective principals over the weekend, with formal talks between both sides set to resume on October 9. Interestingly, this date coincides with the end of the Writers Guild of America’s (WGA) vote on ratifying their tentative agreement with the studios. After nearly five months on strike and several days of final negotiations last month, the WGA vote is widely anticipated to pass with overwhelming support from the writers’ community.
The issue of revenue sharing remains a challenging point of contention in the ongoing negotiations between SAG-AFTRA and the AMPTP. SAG-AFTRA has maintained its proposal for the casts of successful streaming shows to receive 2% of profits, a demand that has persisted since the initial round of negotiations in July. However, the AMPTP has consistently rejected this proposal. And citing disparities in analytics and differences in their understanding of the streaming business model as the primary reasons for their opposition. This issue continues to be a significant hurdle in the current negotiations.
The negotiations at SAG-AFTRA’s Wilshire headquarters saw the presence of the CEO Gang of Four.And which includes Donna Langley from NBCUniversal, David Zaslav from Warner Bros Discovery, Ted Sarandos from Netflix, and Bob Iger from Disney. Additionally, Carol Lombardini and SAG-AFTRA National Executive Director and Chief Negotiator Duncan Crabtree-Ireland were in attendance. Ray Rodriguez, who has served as SAG-AFTRA’s Chief Contracts Officer for an extended period, also participated in the discussions. Alliance of Motion
As members continued their presence on the picket lines, SAG-AFTRA shared a message on Tuesday afternoon from Duncan Crabtree-Ireland. And the TV/theatrical negotiating committee, strike captains, and lot coordinators at the Warner Bros pickets in Burbank. The message expressed celebration for the resumption of talks and emphasized the union’s strength.
Crabtree-Ireland conveyed optimism, stating. “We’re going to bring this home,” and encouraged members to maintain their participation in the pickets and solidarity events. And reinforcing the union’s resolve.
Earlier today, SAG-AFTRA announced that Duncan Crabtree-Ireland would be traveling to New York. And Comic Con to participate in a panel titled “AI in Entertainment: The Performer’s Perspective,” scheduled for October 14. The panel will delve into how existing legal frameworks can be applied in some instances. And how new standards must be developed to facilitate collaboration between performers and producers while safeguarding individual rights to performance and publicity.
During the panel, Crabtree-Ireland will discuss how SAG-AFTRA is approaching this issue. And the relevant legal aspects of technology. Its role in the ongoing strike, as well as the recent strike authorization vote pertaining to the Interactive Media Agreement. And which covers members’ work in video games.
Crabtree-Ireland’s remarks at the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) hearing on AI, held on Wednesday. And likely to intersect with the discussions during the NYCC panel. In his testimony, he criticized what he referred to as the “double standard” of tech companies. And echoing concerns related to AI in the entertainment industry.
Duncan Crabtree-Ireland temporarily stepped away from the negotiations with the AMPTP to underscore a significant contradiction. He highlighted how corporations often freely utilize intellectual property for training AI algorithms. And yet they would strongly object if similar practices were applied to their own content and assets.
Following his statements at the FTC hearing on Wednesday. And the union official subsequently returned to the in-person negotiations in Los Angeles. And her discussions with the AMPTP continued. This contrast underscores the complex and evolving issues surrounding AI and intellectual property rights in the entertainment industry.
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