You’ve seen it all over social media: A-list actors discussing on their Instagram stories why the Screen Actors Guild-American Federation of Television and Radio Artists (SAG-AFTRA) is on strike. The SAG strike was the second to hit Hollywood this year, following the Writer’s Guild of America (WGA) strike which began in May.
The main point of contention for both the SAG and WGA deals with the use of artificial intelligence (AI) in the entertainment industry, fair wages and residual payment in the streaming age. Residuals are long-term payments actors and writers receive each time a showor film is broadcast or purchased after its initial airing.
More and more, you’re either rich or struggling, and that’s become the truth of our industry. There are so many below the poverty line.” Michael Smallwood
The double strike may have felt distant to Charlestonians — until Wilmington casting agent Kimmie Stewart Casting announced that production for the Netflix series Outer Banks, which is filmed in Charleston, was halted last week.
President of the Carolina Film Alliance Linda Lee said she’s in the midst of trying to figure out how to keep folks employed while the industry is at an indefinite standstill.
