SAG-AFTRA, the union representing actors, broadcast journalists, dancers, and other creative professionals, has reached a “tentative agreement” for its 2023 TV/Theatrical contracts. If approved by members, it will end the actors’ strike that began earlier this year.
Why is Music Ally writing about this? We think a couple of elements of the agreement will be of firm interest to the music industry and its creators.
First, there’s “a new compensation stream for performers working in streaming… a substantial bonus on top of existing residuals structures”.
Most of this will be paid to actors on programs “meeting certain viewership requirements” with the rest going into a distribution fund to be shared among other actors.
Second, there is agreement on how to deal with the use of AI technologies in the TV and film industry.
“Meaningful protections around the use of artificial intelligence, including informed consent and compensation for the creation and use of digital replicas of our members, living and deceased, whether created on set or licensed for use,” as SAG-AFTRA put it.
You can read about those in detail here. They may well influence the kind of protections musicians will be seeking from their rightsholders – albeit through private contract negotiations rather than union bargaining agreements.
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