Amidst growing concerns from prominent members regarding SAG-AFTRA‘s interim agreements, the union leadership has come forward to justify granting these pacts. These agreements allow the continuation of film and TV productions during the ongoing performers’ strike, specifically for independent productions.
In a message sent to its members on Sunday evening, the union’s TV/theatrical negotiating committee emphasized that these agreements are a “crucial part of our strategic approach” during the 2023 negotiations and strike. They clarified that most projects granted interim contracts are independent of the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers (AMPTP) member companies, whose unresolved negotiations with the union led to the current strike. However, some exceptions are being made for projects with “extraordinary circumstances mandated by legal considerations, such as Tehran.” (SAG-AFTRA’s national executive director, Duncan Crabtree-Ireland, previously explained that Tehran, an Apple TV+-distributed series produced by an Israeli company and filmed in Greece, is subject to “multiple national laws” on striking, which influenced the decision to grant the waiver.)
According to the negotiating committee, the terms and conditions of these interim agreements “reflect” what SAG-AFTRA is seeking to achieve in its ongoing TV/theatrical contract negotiations with the AMPTP. Thus, these agreements enable members to work for companies not affiliated with the AMPTP and demonstrate that “the wage increases and other terms, which the AMPTP has so far rejected, are indeed reasonable and appropriate.” (However, if SAG-AFTRA reaches a deal with significant entertainment companies before distributing projects with waivers, the terms and conditions of these interim agreements will ultimately align with the final words of the eventual sale with the AMPTP.)
Moreover, the negotiating committee argues that these pacts are essential in directing production budgets toward union-covered projects that employ union members rather than supporting non-union foreign productions. As a result, they encourage independent producers to apply for these interim agreements and urge SAG-AFTRA members to work on projects that obtain such contracts, along with other permissible work.
The message comes shortly after Viola Davis announced her decision to step away from the MRC film G20, which was set to be distributed by Amazon (MRC is not an AMPTP member, but Amazon, as the producer, is). SAG-AFTRA granted the film an interim agreement, but Davis said, “I do not feel that it would be appropriate for this production to move forward during the strike.”
Previously, Sarah Silverman had also expressed concerns about interim agreements, highlighting that these independent projects could be sold to companies like Netflix or Apple, whose production subsidiaries belong to the AMPTP. She argued that “the strike ends when they come to the table, and we make a deal in agreement.”
Addressing this concern, SAG-AFTRA’s negotiating committee reassured members that they understand the potential issue of interim agreement content being distributed by struck companies. However, they are confident that the terms of these agreements, particularly the streaming revenue share, will render distribution through AMPTP platforms unfeasible once an industrywide deal is reached. (One of SAG-AFTRA’s proposals for companies this year was for streaming films or TV shows’ casts to receive a portion of streaming subscription revenue based on the title’s success.)
The negotiating committee further emphasized that these agreements would not “prolong” the strike but instead exert “competitive pressure” on AMPTP companies.
As of now, SAG-AFTRA has granted interim agreements to various projects, including A24’s Death of a Unicorn, starring Paul Rudd and Jenna Ortega, Mother Mary, featuring Anne Hathaway and Michaela Coel, as well as Hammerstone Studios’ Flight Risk, with Mark Wahlberg. The television series The Chosen from Out of Order Studios and Balcony 9 Productions’ Bride Hard, starring Rebel Wilson, have also received waivers.
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