Hollywood actors are taking a stand against a proposal that would allow studios to use their digital copies without consent and only provide a one-time reward. The actors, represented by the Sag-AFTRA Union, announced their plans to organize a strike at a press conference yesterday. Duncan Crabry-Airland, the chief negotiator for the union, revealed the details of the proposal from Hollywood producers, which he described as something out of an episode of “Black Mirror”.
The Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers (AMPTP), in response to news about the strike, stated that their conditions included a “breakthrough proposal for artificial intelligence” that would preserve the digital images of Sag-AFTRA actors.
During the press conference, Crabry-Airland explained the controversial proposal they received: actors in mass roles would be scanned and receive payment for one day of work, but the production companies would own the scan and could use it in any project without consent or additional compensation. This use of generative artificial intelligence is one of the main points of contention in the negotiations and is also a reason for the ongoing WGA strike involving scriptwriters. Sag-Aftra President Fran Dresher emphasized the importance of taking action, stating, “If we do not fight now, we will all be in trouble, we all risk being replaced by cars.”
The strike officially began at midnight, and actors from major media companies such as Amazon, Disney, Fox, Netflix, Paramount, Sony, Universal, and Warner Bros., among others, are refusing to participate in filming, premieres, and ceremonies.
The Sag-AFTRA Union represents thousands of actors and performers from various genres, totaling around 160,000 individuals. Crab Eillend, a member of the union, stated that they did everything possible to reach an agreement, but the AMPTP showed no interest in negotiating. “Due to high inflation, members of our union are barely making ends meet,” he said. “And now actors also face a threat from generative artificial intelligence. We proposed contract amendments to address the issue, but the AMPTP rejected our proposals.”