SAG-AFTRA has issued a statement to its membership defending the interim agreements it has issued to allow independent productions to keep cameras rolling during the strike called by the US actors’ union.
In a letter addressed to its membership, SAG-AFTRA stated the interim agreement is a “vital part of our strategic approach to these negotiations and to the strike” and emphasised that the “Interim Agreement is not a waiver. To be clear, it is a contract that includes all terms and conditions for producers looking to employ our members on their specific independent productions.”
Interim agreements allow production companies that are independent of the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers (AMPTP) to keep working during the strike, which was called on July 14.
The statement comes after US star Viola Davis withdrew from shooting action thriller G20, despite the production being granted a strike. She said in a statement: “I love this movie, but I do not feel that it would be appropriate for this production to move forward during the strike.” The project had been granted permission to shoot by SAG-AFTRA, even though struck company Amazon Studios is the distributor. The film hails from the non-AMPTP-affiliated studio MRC, thus was granted an interim agreement.
Further projects that have been given interim agreements despite attachment to struck distributors include Apple TV+ series Tehran, an Israeli series shot in Greece, which SAG-AFTRA’s statement says was justified on “extraordinary circumstances mandated by legal considerations”.
Ishana Night Shyamalan’s Dakota Fanning-led The Watchers has also been allowed to keep shooting in Ireland, in spite of Warner Bros Discovery-owned New Line Pictures being involved. Reports suggest that while New Line is on board to distribute, the deal had not been signed, enabling an interim agreement to be granted.
“Leverage”
US actor and writer Sarah Silverman has been a vocal critic of the use of interim agreements, describing allowing movie stars to make films as “scabbing” in a video on Instagram, and suggesting it will prolong the strike, as indie projects could down the line be sold to struck streamers.
However, SAG-AFTRA insisted the interim agreements create “leverage” by “increasing competitive pressure on the AMPTP and denying them what they want most”.
“The Interim Agreement gives many of our journeyman performers and crews the opportunity to pay their rent and feed their families,” argued SAG-AFTRA’s statement.
It continued: “The union thoroughly vets and approves each and every project seeking an Interim Agreement. Regardless of the size of the budget or the renown of the cast, these projects have been confirmed to be separate from the AMPTP and entirely independent, except for in extraordinary circumstances mandated by legal considerations, such as Tehran.
“It is important to note that the terms of the Interim Agreement have been designed by our Negotiating Committee and the Contracts Department to reflect the terms we are bargaining for in negotiations. The independent producers must agree to all of the terms, without exception, including the very proposals that the AMPTP rejected.”
Producers must agree to the terms of the agreement which will materialise once SAG-AFTRA and AMPTP make a deal. These terms will cover base pay, benefits, and residuals.
The statement also insisted: “Working with these independent producers proves that the wage increases and other terms, which the AMPTP has so far rejected, are in fact reasonable and appropriate.
“If and when an Interim Agreement project is distributed during the strike, the members will receive the full benefit of the improved terms of our agreement.
“Prior to a ratified deal with the AMPTP stemming from our negotiations, the agreement will demonstrate that our proposed residuals formulas, including the streaming revenue-sharing, are economically viable within our industry.
“After a ratified deal with the AMPTP, the Interim Agreement will conform to our final terms, terms which will fairly compensate and protect our members.
“The Interim Agreement encourages production budgets to be directed to union-covered projects employing union members rather than fueling a pipeline of non-union foreign productions.”
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