By our entertainment editors
Jun 28, 2023 at 10:10am Update: 33 minutes ago
A group of more than three hundred actors threatens to go on strike soon to enforce better working conditions. Meryl Streep, Jennifer Lawrence, Neil Patrick Harris, Ben Stiller and Rami Malek, among others, have joined the possible strike.
Trade union SAG-AFTRA is currently negotiating with major Hollywood studios about, among other things, audition conditions, rewards and the use of artificial intelligence (AI).
The contract of the union, which represents the interests of radio and television stars, expires on Friday. In an open letter to the SAG-AFTRA negotiating committee, members write that they are “ready to strike when it comes down to it”.
“We feel our incomes, our craft, our creative freedom and the power of our alliance have been eroded in the last 10 years,” the actors’ letter reads.
The members are urging the negotiating committee not to give in to the big studios. “This is not the time to meet in the middle. We are not exaggerating when we say that all eyes from the past are now on us.”
Among other things, concerns about the use of AI in film technology are discussed in the letter. “We believe it is absolutely essential that these negotiations not only protect us, but also that we are properly compensated when our images are used for the practice of AI.”
Writers’ strike could last for months
The letter is an extension of the message that members of the Writers Guild of America, the union for writers and directors, also released in May. The American union wants better wages for screenwriters.
Writers are also demanding that studios negotiate rules regarding the use of AI in making films and series. Members of that union have been on strike ever since. Experts fear that the action could take months.
Many major film and television projects have had to postpone shooting because the scripts are not delivered on time. Among those projects are The Last of Usthe spin-off of Game of Thrones, Spider-Man 4 in Mission: Impossible 8.
2023-06-28 08:10:53
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