Amid the runoff of the actors’ contract negotiations in Hollywood, the intense pressure and vocal criticism from within the entertainment industry have created an uncertain outcome for the vote. With contracts set to expire in 2021, the negotiations have been filled with passionate debates about provisions on compensation and the ability for actors to access new technology.
The current negotiations are focused on reducing the income inequality between the most- and least-paid actors, as well as employing safeguards to protect fee splits when deals are made with streaming services. Other provisions address union access to new media technology, including streaming and virtual production, and an effort to reduce gender and race-based payment disparities
The significance of this contract negotiations has been further emphasized due to the need for actors to be able to negotiate fair revenue from streaming services who continue to take market share away from traditional media. With streaming platforms like Netflix and Disney+ investing heavily in content, actors are hoping to ensure that they can still earn an adequate return on their work.
Clearly there are two sides of the negotiating table, and boisterous disagreements have surfaced over some of the issues that are not usually heavily discussed within contract negotiations. The contentious debate has already shifted some of the language and the current version of the contract far closer to the actor’s goals and interests.
The strong support of the Screen Actors Guild—American Federation of Television and Radio Artists (SAG-AFTRA) union for a contract that better adapt to streaming services has put the debate under the microscope of the entire entertainment industry. Even non-members have voiced their opinions on the vote, including many film stars and other actors. There is a possibility of the vote being extremely close if the debate continues to minutes before the end.
Whichever way the vote goes, it is guaranteed to be a major catalyst in how the Hollywood landscape will look in the future. This contract negotiation not only affects current members, but all emerging actors and projects, which is why the entire entertainment industry is watching the situation with bated breath.
