2023-07-14 02:05:00
Members of Hollywood’s largest union SAG-AFTRA demonstrate in solidarity with striking Writers Guild of America screenwriters outside the offices of Netflix on July 13, 2023, in Los Angeles. MARIO TAMA / AFP / GETTY IMAGES NORTH AMERICA
After the screenwriters on May 2, the American actors went on strike on Thursday July 13. Like their comrades in writing, they demand better income from streaming and guarantees against the irruption of artificial intelligence in the world of image and sound.
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The strike was announced after a vote by the board of SAG-AFTRA (Screen Actors Guild – American Federation of Television and Radio Artists), the union which represents 160,000 actors working in film, television and radio. At midnight, the American actors ceased their activities, whether filming or promoting works, including abroad.
Negotiations had been going on for more than four weeks with major studios to renew the actors’ contracts. In an angry press conference, SAG-AFTRA president Fran Drescher, the former star of the series The Nanny (in French, A nanny from hell), explained that the strike was “an instrument of last resort” but that the actors had no choice in the face of the intransigence of the studios. “The way they treat us is shocking, she protested. They cry misery, they say they are losing money and at the same time they hand out hundreds of millions of dollars to their CEOs. It’s disgusting. »
“You cannot exist without us”
The Alliance of Film and Television Producers (AMPTP), which brings together historic studios (Disney, NBCUniversal, Paramount, Warner Bros, Sony) and platforms (Netflix, Amazon, Apple…), regretted the claims “unrealistic” actors. A few hours before the breakdown of negotiations, the association had claimed to have made significant proposals, in particular an increase “historical” remuneration. “A strike is certainly not the result we were hoping for, said the AMPTP after the strike was announced. Studios cannot function without artists, who bring our films and shows to life. »
The production of films and television shows is expected to be at a standstill in the United States, except for independent productions not covered by labor contracts concluded under the aegis of unions. Already, the manufacture of several series, such as Stranger Things or The Handmaid’s Tale, was interrupted. Observers predict a long strike, with both sides confident they have the advantage. “You cannot exist without us”launched Fran Drescher, after recalling that the strike was approved by 98% of Guild members, the rate “the highest in the history of the union”.
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