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Billboard Women in Music 2024
Will there be another actor's strike in Hollywood in the coming months?
After more than a year of negotiating with video game companies on a new interactive media agreement, SAG-AFTRA national executive director Duncan Crabtree-Ireland says the guild could soon walk away from the table, citing an impasse over artificial intelligence. he suggested.
“We have permission to strike on that contract and at the moment we can't get past those so there's at least a 50-50 chance of us going on strike within the next four to six weeks, if not more. “It's very likely that “fundamental problems with AI,'' he said in a conversation with magazine editor-in-chief Brendan Vaughan. fast companySXSW focused on the intersection of Hollywood and AI.
In September, members overwhelmingly approved authorization to strike under the current contract.
This comes on the heels of actors stopping work for 118 days last year to achieve the latest film and TV deals, which brought some gains when it came to the language regulating artificial intelligence. The story is that this occurred. Many of the issues between the two contracts are similar, such as wages and AI.
After the panel discussion, Crabtree-Ireland spoke to Deadline about the status of negotiations on the Interactive Media Agreement and how imminent a strike really is.
DEADLINE: You've said that some “fundamental AI issues” are the current sticking point in video game negotiations. Could you please elaborate on what those issues are?
Duncan Crabtree – Ireland: I think some of them are very similar. [to the film and TV contract issues]but I think what I mentioned is [that is different]applies AI protection to creature performers and other types of movement performers without dialogue. They don't speak, but they create a performance and are the real center of the game's action. I think that's an area where we haven't yet achieved the results we need. We have been in these negotiations for over a year. The outcome of last year's strike moved things a bit in the right direction. Some of the major video game companies are members of AMPTP, specifically Disney and Warner Brothers, for example. But what we have to recognize is that all performers should be entitled to the same kind of AI protection, and companies should be able to distinguish performers from others and say, “Only some performers are I think they are claiming that they will receive protection and that other performers will not. That's not something we can agree on.
DEADLINE: I know you were hoping that the Replica Studios deal would move things forward. Has there been any progress in these negotiations?
Crabtree-Ireland: So the movement that we're seeing is actually other legitimate companies in this space saying, “We can work with this, and we've signed an agreement to work with this.'' I think it's the pressure that comes from saying that. So I think that's the pressure. On the other hand, these are very large companies, companies that we are talking about in this bargaining group. So it's not necessarily as agile as you'd expect. And of course, the acquisition of Activision Blizzard by Microsoft, it remains to be seen how it will affect the situation.
Deadline: As you said, these negotiations have been going on for over a year. You have been authorized to strike since September. What is indicating to you right now that a strike could or should take place?
Crabtree-Ireland: So a strike is always a last resort for us. So when you see that there's progress, you see that there's movement, you always want to explore how far you can take it before you pull the trigger on the attack. It really feels like we're nearing the end of the road. It somehow stops moving. And if we're not where we're supposed to be, and we're not receiving any signals from companies that we're ready to move to where we're supposed to be, that pretty much tells us what we need to know. I'll give it to you.
DEADLINE: So what signs do you need to know that a company is serious about moving forward?
Crabtree-Ireland: If the negotiating team on the other side gives us some concrete indication of a new offer, or… if there is new movement on the offer on the table. That's the kind of thing we consider, but this took a very long process. Therefore, we have no intention of dragging it out forever. The reality is, if we don't take that step, companies won't get there, then we'll take that step.
DEADLINE: How many SAG-AFTRA members are affected by this strike?
Crabtree-Ireland: In total, it will affect thousands of people. Although obviously not as numerous as the film and television strikes, a significant number of our members work in production jobs at these companies, such as audio work and performance capture or on-camera performance work. So I expect it's going to impact a significant number of people fairly quickly.
DEADLINE: You'll be speaking on another panel soon about AI, and this panel is one of many you've participated in. How do these panels and conversations shape your perception of AI regulation as you look to the future of the SAG-AFTRA negotiations overall?
Crabtree-Ireland: I don't think everyone has the same experience of working with AI, so it's great to have the opportunity to hear from members around the world about their experiences. But we also believe that part of our role is to help foster dialogue within the industry about what AI should look like and how it should be implemented. We believe it is wrong for companies to monopolize this dialogue. There's already too much of that in the world of technology, and there's too much of that in our world. So I think what we need is a balance in that conversation. And whenever I have the opportunity to help balance that conversation, I'll take it. I think my colleagues in other unions are doing the same thing.
DEADLINE: Is there anything else you would like to add?
Crabtree-Ireland: New tiered deal for indie game developers [are] It's rapidly gaining traction in the indie industry because there's a perception that permits are very reasonable and not difficult to work with. I will be speaking on his GDC panel and will be working with him to ensure that the entire indie game community is fully aware of our tiered deal. To your point, I think this would provide our members with an opportunity to work if we went on strike. Because, as with last year's interim agreement, we are willing to accept our working conditions if companies are willing to provide fair conditions. Members can continue to collaborate during the process.
