Issue link: https://digital.copcomm.com/i/1506201
8 SAG-AFTRA | Summer 2023 | sagaftra.org A Letter from the National Executive Director Dear Member, A s I write this, SAG-AFTRA is on strike and the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers remains unwilling to come to the table to discuss fair compensation for performers in our TV/Theatrical and streaming contracts. The companies' refusal to even engage us on the issues that are most important to our members reflects a profound disrespect for the immense and essential contributions SAG-AFTRA members make to this industry. Make no mistake — these issues are existential to whether acting can be a viable career path for this generation of performers and the next. The studios' blatant disregard and downright contempt for the creative people who make the entertainment on which their media empires are built is repugnant and offensive. From the dismissive statements to the press to the disrespect of members during the negotiating process to the now-infamous tree-trimming and ripping up of sidewalks in front of Universal Studios to make picketing harder and less safe, studio bosses have been behaving like petty tyrants rather than partners in creating great entertainment. Actors want to act, and they would much rather be on set practicing their craft than on a picket line. But that's not even an option, because, with eroding residuals, inflation and greater professional expenses — such as self-taping and a pay-to-play casting framework — it is becoming ever more difficult for actors to simply make a living. Business models have changed. In a frenzy to get a slice of the streaming pie, studios rushed in to create their own competitors to Netflix, without thinking through its impact on the industry or those who create the shows. Now they are diving headlong into artificial intelligence (AI) technology, imagining a world where they can replace actors and writers with algorithms. Perhaps it's time to focus on the one thing that actually does make them money and is the source of value for these companies: their creative talent. The TV/Theatrical contracts evolved over decades, before streaming services existed. Those were the days of 20-plus episodes per season and syndication, where actors could rely on residuals to hold them over between jobs. These days, many of the actors in successful shows need side hustles. The contracts need to be modernized, and actors must share in the value they help create. Without you, the studios have no business. When it comes to this dispute, studios are fighting to keep our contracts in the past, while actors are fighting for your future and your very existence. We must prevail, and we will prevail with the truly extraordinary commitment, courage, and unity that I have seen every day on our pickets, in our rallies, and in our meeting rooms. I know that when our members stand together, they win. And I will be out there with you on the picket lines until we do. Stronger together, Duncan Crabtree-Ireland D U N C A N C R A B T R E E - I R E L A N D "I know that when our members stand together, they win."