The WGA and the SAG-AFTRA strike is now approaching the month mark, and in that time, the SAG issued over 100 agreements that allow independent studios to work.
While the WGA SAG-AFTRA strike enters its fourth week and big-name actors have already donated to the cause, there are still uncertainties that have been plaguing the industry. Mainly, the issuance of agreements towards independent studios such as A24 — which has received the green light to continue production for Death of a Unicorn and Mother Mary — or Hammerstone Studios — who also received a continuance for Flight Risk — and so on.
These agreements allow independent productions to continue work, under the conditions outlined by the SAG-AFTRA, in what they call “This approach maintains our strength, solidarity and upper hand with the AMPTP until they yield to the deal we deserve” in a post made to the Screen Actors Guild website, the guidelines for these agreements for independent studios can be found here.
Titus Kaphar, a painter working on his first film, Exhibiting Forgiveness, started production in June prior to the strike and only had five days left of shooting to finish production. This film was granted the Interim Agreement, to which Producer Jamie Patricof told The Hollywood Reporter, “If we hadn’t done it, the film would have just gone away,” with “We were desperate. I hope I didn’t agree to giving away my first born, but I might have.”
Interestingly, while some actors completely disagree with the strike, some actors do not agree with the interim agreements set forth by SAG-AFTRA. Actress Viola Davis voluntarily stepped away from G20, a film that has received the green light from SAG-AFTRA via an interim agreement. Davis said, “I love this movie, but I do not feel that it would be appropriate for this production to move forward during the strike,” to Deadline regarding her decision. Actress Sarah Silverman took to Instagram last week to express her frustration regarding the agreements and asked for clarity on the scenario, and promised she would take the video down if she got it. The video remains up.
On the flip side of the SAG-AFTRA strike, Warner Bros. Discovery CFO Gunnar Wiedenfels revealed their ‘assumed’ forecast for the strike to clear in a financial call with “While we are hoping for a fast resolution, our modelling assumes a return-to-work date in early September.” CEO David Zaslav merely remained hopeful negotiations would resume ‘soon.’
While the WGA SAG-AFTRA strike continues into its fourth week, there seems to be no end in sight for the strike, and while interim agreements are being granted, not everyone is happy about it.
