Hollywood unions are facing an uphill battle against Trump, AI and the slowdown

As someone who has spent decades in the dynamic world of entertainment, I find myself deeply moved by the ongoing struggle between the creative workforce and the studios. Having witnessed the evolution of this industry firsthand, I can attest to the resilience and talent that characterizes its workers.

Video game performers. Visual effects artists. Animation workers. Intimacy coordinators.

A year and a half since simultaneous strikes by Hollywood writers and actors disrupted the entertainment sector, various behind-the-scenes workers are now advocating for improved conditions in their contracts.

The ongoing turmoil amongst those working in entertainment has further fueled the instability that currently affects an industry of films and television, which is still grappling with the aftermath of the pandemic, past work disputes, and ongoing shrinkage within the sector.

Tensions in the workforce have been amplified due to multiple factors such as escalating costs of living in Southern California, relocation of positions to different regions and nations, and the proliferation of artificial intelligence which is perceived as a potential job-killer by many.

It’s not yet clear how major entertainment companies will react to these demands, given the financial pressures they face and the fast-paced changes in the market. The election of Donald Trump may provide some flexibility for media executives when negotiating, as his administration is expected to be business-friendly.

David Smith, an economics professor at the Pepperdine Graziadio Business School, stated that it appears there will be fewer safeguards for workers and reduced business regulation in the future,” he said. “Whether this takes effect and if it becomes a focus of the new Trump administration are still uncertain questions.

A significant factor fueling labor strife is the apprehension about artificial intelligence, viewed by many studio executives as an essential means to cut costs and maintain technological superiority.

The main concern in the current dispute between video game companies and actors represented by SAG-AFTRA (Screen Actors Guild – American Federation of Television and Radio Artists), who have been on strike since July, is AI (Artificial Intelligence).

SAG-AFTRA aims to negotiate an agreement under which video game creators must acquire explicit approval and remuneration from voice actors, motion capture artists, or any other talent whose digital representations are utilized in games.

Game developers have stated that the AI they propose includes strong safeguards, ensuring that employers must first obtain permission and compensate performers adequately if they duplicate an actor’s performance.

However, the union asserts that the suggested language lacks potency to safeguard on-screen actors, whose role frequently involves immersion into the personas they breathe life into.

Audrey Cooling, representing the gaming firms, stated earlier this year that we’ve made an effort to put forth proposals with fair conditions that safeguard the performers’ rights and simultaneously allow us to harness cutting-edge technology to generate exceptional entertainment encounters for fans.

More recently, the union and the game developers held a series of negotiations in late October, yet the strike persists.

Duncan Crabtree-Ireland, national executive director and chief negotiator of the Screen Actors Guild-American Federation of Television and Radio Artists, stated that all artists should have safeguards against AI. He emphasized that this risk affects everyone, and it’s not fair to exclude a certain group of performers from these AI protections.

Entertainment worker unions, encompassing actors, scriptwriters, directors, and crew personnel, are pushing for AI regulations in their recent agreements. They aim to protect their members by preventing job displacement due to artificial intelligence, before it becomes irreversible.

Sarah Odenkirk, an attorney and educator specializing in artists, stated that these recent innovations in creative content have significantly altered our perception of work and those who perform it. She noted that unions, tasked with safeguarding their members, face a complex challenge when dealing with technological advancements and shifts in content distribution.

Debates on AI safeguards have added to the friction within the tight-knit animation industry in Hollywood. This matter continues to be a significant concern for the Animation Guild, as they reopened contract discussions with the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers last week. The union’s previous agreement, which was due to expire on July 31, has been temporarily extended to December 2, to allow for further negotiations.

Over the past several years, animations have been a significant part of many blockbuster movies’ success. However, there is a growing concern among animators that they are particularly at risk from artificial intelligence. In fact, some recent protests by animation professionals characterize AI as a potential catastrophic threat to their field.

Allison Smartt, a representative from the animation guild, stated that the creations of entertainment professionals could be easily accessed by machine learning systems for learning purposes,” said she. “Consider how such a situation might affect you emotionally.

The people responsible for creating visual effects, who are crucial in making movies and television programs appear lifelike, have similarly been advocating for change.

Over the last several years, Visual Effects (VFX) artists have been quickly forming unions under the International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees (IATSE). Workers at firms like Disney and Marvel Studios have initiated negotiations to establish their first labor agreements.

In simpler terms, according to Scott Ross, who managed Industrial Light & Magic in the 1980s and co-founded Digital Domain, it’s the feeling among contemporary VFX workers that they are not receiving the recognition or fair treatment they deserve within the Hollywood industry that is driving them to unionize.

For quite some time now, and I’m repeating it once more, the real stars of the new film are the special effects, not the actors,” Ross stated. “It’s these visual wonders that draw people to the cinema. That’s the focus of the promotional efforts.

This month, the most recent workforce to join a union is a group known as intimacy coordinators. These professionals help actors navigate through delicate content while working on film and television sets. They all agreed and approved their decision to become part of SAG-AFTRA this month.

On union film sets, it’s common to find Erin Tillman, a sex educator and intimacy coordinator, as one of the few non-union staff members. She has contributed her expertise to shows like “Yellowstone” and “Days of Our Lives.

Tillman questioned, “Why can’t we receive the same benefits as other roles when we’re essentially safeguarding the safety and wellness of performers during their most exposed moments? We aim for an equal level of safety assurance and remuneration that matches other crew members on sets.

The labor disquiet has been further fueled by a bleak jobs market.

As a resident of California, home to a significant portion of the unionized entertainment industry, I’ve felt the brunt of the struggles acutely. For over a year now, I’ve found myself among the ranks of the unemployed in this field.

In recent times, production for entertainment firms has been progressively handed over to foreign countries such as the United Kingdom, Central Europe, and others. This is largely due to attractive tax benefits they offer. California Governor Gavin Newsom has suggested an increase in state tax incentives as a solution to this issue.

Previously, Tony Vinciquerra, the departing CEO of Sony Pictures, partially attributed the stricter terms in recent labor contracts and increased wages for roles behind the camera to a trend of moving productions out of the U.S. This assertion was made during Mipcom, a convention for the television industry held in Cannes. Vinciquerra stated at the event that the impact of these strikes has been “much greater… than most people realize.

He stated that they had made efforts to persuade the unions, discussed potential outcomes with them, and now those events are unfolding as anticipated. Similarly, other figures in the entertainment industry have shared similar sentiments in private conversations.

However, Crabtree-Ireland countered Vinciquerra’s statements as a “manipulative ploy to mislead workers, concealing the industry’s own shortcomings.” He shared with The Times that numerous executives from competing studios contacted him in disapproval of Vinciquerra’s remarks.

During a recent programming talk held in West Hollywood, HBO’s CEO Casey Bloys stated that contractual agreements won’t significantly alter their strategy for creating shows. He admitted, though, that factors like production expenses and tax benefits play a role in determining if a project should be filmed in Atlanta, Los Angeles, or Canada.

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2024-11-25 14:31