SAG-AFTRA Strikes, Interim Agreements Keep Hollywood Rolling

UNDER STRICT EMBARGO - For immediate release

SAG-AFTRA, the major union representing actors and performers in the United States, has been striking against the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers (AMPTP) since July 14 over a new film and television contract. In a recent development, the union has introduced an interim agreements program so independent projects without direct links to AMPTP members can continue production during the strike.

Since the inception of the strike, the guild has approved numerous projects under different terms, allowing specific productions to carry on with activities ranging from casting to film festival promotions without violating the strike order.

On July 27, SAG-AFTRA began offering casting-specific agreements, permitting union members to participate in auditions and negotiations around casting. However, performers are still unable to travel, rehearse, or render services for the production under these terms. Notable projects utilizing these agreements so far include Angel Studios’ Bible-based series The Chosen; the A24 films Mother Mary and I Dream of Unicorns and Apple TV+’s Tehran. Actors such as Anne Hathaway, Dakota Fanning, Glenn Close, and others are able to continue working under these agreements.

Meanwhile, other agreements have enabled movies to participate in promotions at film festivals, even during the strike. A prime example is Michael Mann’s Ferrari, which is heading towards a global premiere at the Venice Film Festival later this month.

On August 14, SAG-AFTRA altered its agreements policy going forward to exclude WGA-covered projects shot in the U.S., following their meetings with the Writers Guild. Additionally, the union stated the next day that distributors keen on acquiring films with interim agreements at festivals must abide by these terms to strike a deal.

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When you think Hollywood, you might think stardom, glitz, and glamour, but beneath the shiny veneer, the industry is a complex machine powered by contracts, negotiations, and, on occasion, disagreements that could bring the entire apparatus to an abrupt halt. And the strike by SAG-AFTRA is just that - a spanner thrown into the Hollywood gears that's being handled with a degree of tactility usually reserved for a film noir heist.

In many ways, the interim agreements program is like a cinematic band-aid, or a temporary bridge till the negotiations are sorted out. This could very well be the Hollywood equivalent of the Berlin Airlift, sustaining the industry while the powers that be hammer out their differences on the negotiation tables.

There's an undercurrent of irony here as well - actors being allowed to audition and negotiate, but not rehearse or perform. It's somewhat like a chef allowed in the kitchen - but they're only allowed to season the dishes, not cook them. It's a testament to the nerve-wracking intricacies of Hollywood union politics.

On the upside, imagine being a part of the independent projects that now share a unique spotlight. It's their time to shine, not with a red carpet premiere, but with the clear stage provided by the strike. Think of it as an unexpected power outage, with the independent projects serving as the emergency backup generators.

As for the films making their way into the festival circuit during this turbulent period - carve another notch down for resilience in entertainment. Picture Michael Mann’s Ferrari, not just racing towards its premiere at the Venice Film Festival, but doing so with the tenacity of the vehicle it represents.

In conclusion, Hollywood may be dealing with a setback, but it's far from lights out. Everything seems to be running, albeit with a bit of an asterisk. So, as they say, "the show must go on", even if the conductor is wrangling with the orchestra.