The end of the SAG-AFTRA Strike has been long awaited, but also very supported. The strike started on July 14th, and ended on November 9th, robbing 45,000 people of their jobs. The strike also stood with the WGA (Writers Guild) strike, which ended at the end of September. While there are still details under review, it is expected that everything will go smoothly from here on out. This strike went on for 118 whole days before it finally drew to a conclusion, taking its place as the longest Hollywood strike in history. 

Why Did it Happen? 

The strike took place due to poor pay of writers and actors in Hollywood, along with the threat of AI replacements for numerous roles in the industry. Many people were concerned that they had lost proper compensation due to the role that AI had been playing in movie/show making recently. One example of this is the intro of Secret Invasion, a recent Marvel series, which is made up of entirely AI generated imagery rather than actual scenes of the actors, or even art from hired artists on the show. Another issue that was addressed in the strike was how streaming and production companies would receive compensation as the show or movie gained popularity, and many actors, writers, or other contributors would not. 

Over the course of the strike, some executives and managers had hoped that the efforts would die out, and that those participating would be forced back into their work due to lack of pay or support. A few quotes were taken, claiming how some of these executives believed that the strike would only last a month or two before dying out or losing traction. Although after four months of picket lines and redrawing deals, the actors and writers were able to claim a fair price for their work. 

What Does this Mean for the Future?

This strike was to make a deal in order to help actors and writers be protected from AI, as well as providing them with a historic pay increase, making their situations a lot more fair than in the past. This pay increase includes a streaming pension, as well as increased health benefits. This streaming bonus is able to properly compensate writers and actors when they participate in a popular show that gains a lot of profit. Despite the overwhelming success of the strike, it did indeed take a lot of sacrifice from the actors and writers over the course of the strike. Many of the participants went without pay for prolonged periods of time, and were pushed to their limits when it came to pay. 

Thanks to the success of the strike, writers and actors have a much better situation, and are prepared to continue work as usual. According to a statement from the SAG-AFTRA community, they had “arrived at a contract that will enable SAG-AFTRA members from every category to build sustainable careers. Many thousands of performers now and into the future will benefit from this work.”