The Hollywood Strike: A Breakdown Of The Actors' And Writers' Demands

Hugo van Dijk

5 min read

Post on May 23, 2025

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SAG-AFTRA's Key Demands in the Hollywood Strike

The Hollywood strike has brought the concerns of SAG-AFTRA, representing actors, into sharp focus. Their demands highlight systemic issues within the industry, particularly concerning the changing landscape of media consumption and the rise of AI.

Fair Compensation and Residuals

The shift to streaming services has dramatically altered how actors are compensated. Traditional residual payments, which provided a crucial safety net for actors' long-term financial security, have significantly diminished. This has created financial instability for many performers, leading to a push for significant reform.

• Demand for increased minimum salaries: SAG-AFTRA is demanding substantial increases in minimum salaries to reflect the cost of living and the value actors bring to productions.
• Demand for fairer residual payments from streaming platforms: The union seeks a fair share of streaming revenue, mirroring the compensation models of traditional broadcast and cable television. This includes a more transparent system for calculating residuals.
• Fight against exploitative "pay-or-play" contracts: These contracts often require actors to be paid regardless of whether their scenes are used, leading to situations where actors are compensated minimally even if their work is crucial to the success of the project.
• Seeking transparency in streaming revenue data: SAG-AFTRA is pushing for greater transparency from streaming platforms regarding their revenue streams to ensure fair compensation calculations.

Protecting Actors Against AI

The rapid advancement of AI technology presents a significant threat to actors' livelihoods. SAG-AFTRA is actively seeking protections to prevent the unauthorized use of actors' likenesses and performances.

• Negotiating strong protections against AI-generated content using actors’ likenesses: The union aims to prevent the creation of AI-generated content that mimics actors' appearances and performances without their consent or compensation.
• Ensuring actors are compensated for AI usage of their performances: SAG-AFTRA seeks mechanisms to ensure that actors receive fair compensation if their performances are used to train or create AI-generated content.
• Preventing the replacement of actors with AI technology: The union is fighting to safeguard actors' jobs from being replaced by AI technology. This includes establishing clear guidelines on the ethical use of AI in the industry.

Improved Working Conditions

Long working hours, demanding schedules, and inadequate safety measures remain prevalent issues for actors. SAG-AFTRA is striving for improved working conditions that prioritize actors' well-being.

• Shorter working days and mandatory rest periods: The union advocates for regulations that limit working hours and mandate sufficient rest periods to prevent burnout and ensure actor safety.
• Improved on-set safety protocols: SAG-AFTRA is pushing for enhanced safety measures on film and television sets to protect actors from injury and harm.
• Fair compensation for overtime and travel: The union seeks fair compensation for actors who work overtime or incur travel expenses.

The Writers Guild of America (WGA)'s Key Demands in the Hollywood Strike

The WGA's demands mirror many of SAG-AFTRA's concerns, particularly regarding fair compensation in the streaming era and the impact of AI. However, their specific demands address the unique challenges faced by writers.

Fair Compensation and Streaming Revenue

Similar to actors, writers have experienced reduced compensation in the streaming era. The WGA seeks to address this disparity through increased residuals and minimum pay.

• Demand for higher minimum pay: The WGA is demanding significant increases in minimum pay to reflect the cost of living and the value writers bring to productions.
• Increased residuals for streaming viewership: The union seeks a fairer share of streaming revenue, tied to viewership numbers, ensuring writers are compensated for the success of their work on streaming platforms.
• Improved writer's room minimums: The WGA is advocating for increased staffing in writers' rooms, ensuring fair compensation for all writers involved in a project.

Addressing the Impact of AI

The WGA also highlights the potential for AI to replace human writers, demanding protections against this threat.

• Preventing the use of AI-generated scripts: The union is fighting to ensure that AI is not used to generate scripts or replace the creative input of human writers.
• Ensuring human writers retain creative control over their work: The WGA seeks to maintain writers' creative control and authorship over their work.
• Establishing guidelines for the ethical use of AI in screenwriting: The union advocates for the development of clear guidelines on the ethical use of AI in the screenwriting process.

Maintaining Writer's Room Standards

The WGA is committed to maintaining fair working conditions and creative input within writers' rooms.

• Increased staff in writer's rooms: The union seeks to increase the number of writers in writers' rooms, ensuring adequate support for the creative process.
• Protecting writer’s rights and creative control: The WGA aims to safeguard writers' rights and ensure they retain creative control over their work.
• Ensuring writers are fairly compensated for their work: The union is committed to ensuring fair and equitable compensation for all writers, reflecting the value of their contributions.

Conclusion

The Hollywood strike, fueled by the combined demands of SAG-AFTRA and the WGA, represents a pivotal moment in the entertainment industry. The core issues—fair compensation in the streaming era, the existential threat of AI, and the need for improved working conditions—are fundamental to the future of creative labor. Understanding the specific demands within this Hollywood strike is crucial for grasping the gravity of the situation and its profound impact on the industry. To remain updated on the ongoing developments and potential resolutions of this critical Hollywood strike, consistently follow reputable news outlets and stay informed on the evolving negotiations.