SAG-AFTRA’s strict rules for actors: What is and isn’t allowed during Hollywood’s biggest strike in decades

On July 14, Screen Actors Guild – American Federation of Television and Radio Artists (SAG-AFTRA) officially declared a strike against studios and streamers. The actors’ union, which reportedly represents around 160,000 performers, including film and television actors, worldwide, also issued an order laying out the rules its members must follow. During the strike, SAG-AFTRA members cannot participate in a number of activities – film tours and promotions to festivals, premieres and award shows. Also read: Hollywood actors unite with screenwriters in historic strike against wages, AI threat

According to the strike order, all SAG-AFTRA members were instructed to not participate in any production covered by theatrical contracts. This means not only no on-camera work for film and TV, but also prohibition from doing background work and any promotion for projects made under the contract, including interviews, red carpets, promotional social media, premieres and fan conventions. Pre-production work, including auditions, are also not allowed.

Things actors cannot do during SAG-AFTRA strike

As per a report by Variety, all covered services and performing work under the TV/ theatrical contracts must be withheld, including but not limited to on-camera work such as acting, singing, dancing, performing stunts and puppeteering, among others.

Off-camera work, such as, TV trailers (promos) and theatrical trailers, voice acting, singing, narration, stunt coordinating and related services are also not allowed. Moreover, background work, such as fittings, wardrobe tests, and makeup tests, as well as rehearsals and camera tests, interviews and auditions (including via self-tape) are prohibited.

Actors must not promote projects on social media

Perhaps most potentially damaging to upcoming events involving SAG-AFTRA actors, the strike order also forbids promotion and publicity work covered under the contracts. The actors must not promote their projects via social media, tours, personal appearances, interviews, conventions, fan expos, festivals, panels, premieres/screenings, award shows, junkets and podcast appearances.

The order further said that negotiating or entering into or consenting to an agreement to perform covered services in the future or any new agreement related to merchandising connected to a covered project and the creation and use of digital replicas, including through the reuse of prior work were not allowed.

About SAG-AFTRA strike

Last month, SAG-AFTRA had postponed their initial strike deadline, in the hope of making a deal with the likes of Netflix and Disney over demands for better pay and more protection against artificial intelligence (AI). That extension failed to yield any progress in talks, which collapsed on Thursday. In what has now become the biggest Hollywood labour fight in decades, the SAG-AFTRA declared a strike, effective just after midnight on July 14.

SAG-AFTRA president Fran Drescher during Thursday’s press conference slammed Hollywood executives. She said, “They plead poverty, that they’re losing money left and right, when giving hundreds of millions of dollars to their CEOs. It is disgusting – shame on them.” She added, “We are being victimised by a very greedy enterprise… At some point you have to say, ‘No, we’re not going to take this anymore.’”