Hollywood Unions Call on Studios to Resume Talks With SAG-AFTRA

EXCLUSIVE: There’s real movement in talks between SAG-AFTRA and the studios for a new three-year contract,

Gene Maddaus Senior Media Writer SAG-AFTRA is set to meet again on Wednesday with the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers after a “productive” day of talks on Tuesday. The sides continue to project “cautious optimism” about resolving the strike, which is now on Day 110. The studios have warned that they must get a deal this week in order to be able to produce partial seasons of scripted network TV series.

There’s real optimism in Hollywood that the actors and the studios are inching closer to a deal that would end the strike.

EXCLUSIVE: Sunday will not be a day of rest for SAG-AFTRA leadership and the studios this weekend.

A group of high-profile actors have signed a public letter declaring that they would rather stay on strike rather than accept a bad deal.

Negotiations scheduled Wednesday between SAG-AFTRA and the studios didn’t happen after all — and everyone’s good with that.

BreAnna Bell After the AMPTP walked away from the negotiating table over a week ago, Ted Sarandos is hopeful that the upcoming conversations with SAG-AFTRA on Tuesday will lead to a suitable agreement for both parties. “I’m an optimist. I’m an eternal optimist.

#SagAftraMembers:As we mark the 100th day of our strike, we are pleased to confirm the company executives have asked us to return to the table. Official Negotiations will resume on Tuesday, October 24th. (1/5) pic.twitter.com/m5llCsTqxq— SAG-AFTRA (@sagaftra) October 21, 2023The strike began on July 14, when SAG-AFTRA – the Screen Actors Guild-American Federation of Television and Radio Artists – failed to come to an agreement with the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers (AMPTP) over increased pay, a share of streaming revenues and protection against actors’ images and voices being replicated by AI.Talks between the two parties broke down on October 11, in a move that senior figures in SAG-AFTRA described as a “surprise move”.“It is clear that the strength and solidarity shown by our members has sent an unmistakable message to the CEOs,” continued SAG-AFTRA’s statement.

SAG-AFTRA’s first industry-wide strike in more than 40 years hit the 100-day mark. “SAG-AFTRA and the AMPTP will meet for bargaining on Tuesday, Oct. 24 at SAG-AFTRA Plaza.

After over a week of silence, the actors union and the AMPTP are set to return to negotiations on Tuesday, Oct. 24.

The actor’s strike has reached Day 100, as talks between SAG-AFTRA and the AMPTP remain halted.

Concerned that a prolonged actors strike would bring long-term, irreparable harm to the industry, Hollywood’s biggest stars on a Zoom call this week with SAG-AFTRA leaders pledged to commit $150 million over three years to remove a cap on union dues to bring more coin to guild coffers, and they suggested a streamer residual structure that would put actors on the bottom of the call sheet before them, in hopes that getting money faster would help more struggling actors qualify for benefits.

Gene Maddaus Senior Media Writer On the first day of the SAG-AFTRA strike in July, union president Fran Drescher was asked how long she expected it to last. “We’re set up to go six months if we have to,” Drescher said. It hasn’t been that long yet.

Elsa Keslassy International Correspondent While at the Lumiere Film Festival in Lyon, German film master Wim Wenders said he shares Martin Scorsese’s deep concern over Hollywood’s obsession with sequels, and worries about AI in line with U.S. actors who are still on strike.

SAG-AFTRA has rules around Halloween!

EXCLUSIVE: Some of Hollywood’s biggest names met with the leadership of SAG-AFTRA today to get the lowdown on the breakdown of talks with the studios and streamers last week.

This is Day 96 of the SAG-AFTRA strike.

The American Cinematheque announced on Tuesday that its 2023 American Cinematheque Awards have been pushed from their November 4th date due to the ongoing SAG-AFTRA strike, with a new date for the annual ceremony to be announced in the coming weeks.

The Hollywood labor unions are standing in collective solidarity with SAG-AFTRA after the guild’s latest negotiations with the studios went south this week.

Netflix’s Ted Sarandos has claimed that SAG-AFTRA asked for a levy on every subscriber to streaming service, which led to the breakdown in talks to end the actors strike.