What Issues Are There In The SAG-AFTRA Strike Besides AI? How Much Do Actors Actually Make?
Image Source: Entertainment Tonight
Hollywood is currently at a standstill. For the first time in many years, both the actors and the writers are on strike. The studios won’t pay their actors and writers fairly, which has caused them to go on strike. However, this is not the only issue. AI, higher pay, and residuals from streaming are the other big issues that have caused the strike
When people think of celebrities, they think of big names like Meryl Streep, Matt Damon, and Tom Hanks. However, a majority of SAG-AFTRA contains a variety of different actors, most of which don’t make a lot of money. One of the issues that has caused the strike, is the issue of residuals. Actors have taken to social media to show their dismal residual checks. Aisha Tyler who has been in shows like Criminal Minds and hosts the revival of Whose Line Is It Anyway? has shared how she has seen no residuals. The show is shown everywhere in the United States and at least 50 other countries, yet she has seen nothing from it. Kevin Sussman of The Big Bang Theory has said how he has seen his residuals tank due to streaming. He mentions how his residuals before and after streaming have been night and day, and he doesn’t know how any upcoming actors could make a living these days. Other actors have said that the calculations when it comes to residuals have changed as well. Since a lot of content has moved to streaming, and supposedly there's no way to know how much something is replayed, the residual amount is a lot less than it used to be.
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Another issue is pay. According to the US Bureau of Labor Statistics, the average pay for a California actor in 2022 was $27.73/hour. It was noted, however, that due to the nature of the job, the actors aren’t paid full-time year-round. Before the strike, SAG-AFTRA negotiated specific minimum rates for performers. Kellee Stewart, who has been in the business for more than 20 years and has been on shows such as All American and Black-ish says that performers don't typically take home what they see as their rate. Taxes, and commissions for an agent, manager, and a lawyer who negotiates the deal are typically taken out. The actor knows they’ll get about 35% less than what is shown. To get health insurance through SAG-AFTRA, an actor must make at least $26,470/year. Most members of the union do not qualify each year, and most struggle to meet the threshold.
The rise of AI has been scary for writers and artists, and now it could affect actors. According to SAG, studios have claimed that studios want to scan a background actor when they are hired for a role, pay them for one day, and then use their likeness forever.
Image Source: People Magazine
The strike will hopefully have a major impact on Hollywood and could end up costing Hollywood more than $ 4 billion in damages. Even studios in other countries could feel the impact. This however could have all been avoided if the studios listened to the WGA and SAG-AFTRA and gave them a fair deal.
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Source: The Guardian, CNN, Deadline
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