SAG-AFTRA Strikes Greenlight for Indie Projects Amidst Hollywood Standstill
The ongoing SAG-AFTRA strike, which has brought most of Hollywood to a standstill, seems to be making some exceptions for independent projects. In recent developments, SAG-AFTRA granted waivers to a series of indie projects, allowing them to continue shooting even amidst the strike. Included in these exemptions is the independent movie The Summer Book starring veteran actress Glenn Close and the TV series Underdeveloped and Sight Unseen.
According to the guild, a total of 68 projects have been given the green light during the strike. This list also features a couple of A24 films - Mother Mary and I Dream of Unicorns - as also the Apple TV+ series Tehran. Also noteworthy is the Bible-based series The Chosen, declared as the first series to benefit from the SAG-AFTRA exemption on July 16.
Waiver applications became available on the first day of the strike, which was July 14, with hundreds of applications immediately pouring in. Executive Director and chief negotiator of SAG-AFTRA, Duncan Crabtree-Ireland hinted at the guild's aim of scrutinizing every application, with particular focus on ensuring no projects had “any AMPTP fingerprints on them.”
The narrative we'll be following closely is that of The Summer Book, directed by Charlie McDowell. The movie paints an inspiring picture of a young girl and her grandmother spending an unforgettable summer on a small, unpopulated island in the Gulf of Finland.
At the recently held Comic-Con, Duncan Crabtree-Ireland shed some light on the guild's somewhat surprising move of granting interim agreements to certain projects that may have ties with major studios. "This is a reflection of the complexity and the business relationships and structures in this industry," he explained. However, exemptions would typically not be handed out to projects with connections to AMPTP, and each project needs a thorough investigation and individual assessment.
Now, to the unfiltered truth of the matter, folks: did someone say "business as usual" during a strike? I think not. But as they say, the show must go on. And by the looks of it, that's precisely what Hollywood is trying to do - mask on, waivers in hand.
The exceptions though - they paint a curious picture. Projects with "AMPTP fingerprints" clearly aren’t the bell of this ball. Indie flicks, on the other hand, seem to be playing the proverbial Cinderella. Not sure if this is more a case of David versus Goliath or the little engine that could. Either way, it’s some serious drama, and I, for one, am not missing this show.
As for The Summer Book, I might just catch it when it comes out - after all, who doesn't love a good Glenn Close film? And as this whole strike debacle unfolds, remember, in the world of the silver screen, often the most intriguing stories are told off-camera.
