The Screen Actors Guild has issued guidelines for online influencers in an effort to avoid confusion and foster solidarity during the actors’ strike against Hollywood studios.
The union’s guidelines encouraged online content creators to finish their work for studios that they have already contracted but do not actively seek more work from studios. The guidelines acknowledge there may be gray areas and advise influencers to consult a local strike captain for confirmation.
While many influencers are not part of the union, they still might have an interest in playing by the union’s rules. Influencers who are caught promoting films or television from studios risk being blacklisted, meaning they might not ever get to be union members.
“Any non-union member seeking future membership in SAG-AFTRA who performs covered work or services for a struck company during the strike will not be admitted into membership in SAG-AFTRA,” the guidelines read.
Many influencers are expected to put their content on hold while the strike plays out. Others, however, don’t see themselves as connected to the wider entertainment industry and plan on making more content.
Some of Hollywood’s most famous actors joined the striking Writers Guild of America on the picket line last Thursday, after nearly a month of negotiations failed to produce a contract, putting an additional 160,000 workers on strike.
Both the actors’ and writer’s unions are asking for increased pay from residuals, better workplace conditions and regulations on artificial intelligence.
• Vaughn Cockayne can be reached at vcockayne@washingtontimes.com.
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