The contract includes wage increases, higher residuals, streaming bonuses, and protections against the use of artificial intelligence.
The contract is estimated to generate over a billion dollars in new compensation, health benefits, and pensions.
The SAG-AFTRA union has ratified a new three-year contract with Hollywood studios, ending the longest ever work stoppage for US film and television actors.
The Screen Actors Guild‐American Federation of Television and Radio Artists (SAG-AFTRA) union has ratified a new three-year contract with Hollywood studios, marking the end of the longest ever work stoppage for US film and television actors. The contract was approved by a vote of 78.33% to 21.67%, with a voter turnout of 38.15%. The deal includes wage increases, higher residuals, streaming bonuses, and protections against the use of artificial intelligence. It also establishes a $40 million fund for performers for future viewings of their work on streaming platforms and introduces requirements for intimacy coordinators and proper hair and makeup for all performers.
The contract includes improved healthcare funding, better hair and makeup services, concessions on self-taped auditions, and a requirement for intimacy coordinators for sex scenes. While the contract guarantees that studios will not use AI tools to create digital replicas of performers without payment or approval, it does not prevent the use of AI to create entirely fabricated characters. This has led to some members expressing concerns about potential loopholes and the use of synthetic performers. However, the union's national executive director stated that the union will continue monitoring the situation and negotiating further protections in the next contract.
The contract is estimated to generate over a billion dollars in new compensation, health benefits, and pensions. Despite the ratification of the contract, the industry is expected to take time to recover from the prolonged production shutdown caused by the strike.
The contract also introduces consent and compensation guardrails for AI and protects background performers from the use of their digital replica without consent.
The contract includes improved healthcare funding, better hair and makeup services, concessions on self-taped auditions, and a requirement for intimacy coordinators for sex scenes.
While the contract guarantees that studios will not use AI tools to create digital replicas of performers without payment or approval, it does not prevent the use of AI to create entirely fabricated characters.
The contract is estimated to generate over a billion dollars in new compensation, health benefits, and pensions.
While some members expressed concerns about potential loopholes and the use of synthetic performers, the union's national executive director stated that the union will continue monitoring the situation and negotiating further protections in the next contract.
It also establishes a $40 million fund for performers for future viewings of their work on streaming platforms and introduces requirements for intimacy coordinators and proper hair and makeup for all performers.
The strike was the longest ever work stoppage for US film and television actors.