There were six months with no American actor working or even promoting any film due to the strike, the first in more than 60 years, apart from the months of the scriptwriters’ paralization too. There was no doubt that the fight would have to come to a conclusion, and, in November 2023, it effectively ended. With 86% of the union board’s vote, the actors are officially back to work. And the rules have been readjusted.

There were those who wanted to suggest that it was a defeat against the Studios, who remained intransigent for a long time, but, approaching the end of the hours forcibly replanned to cover the practically stopped year, the tone of the conversation changed. The terms of the agreement reached will still be ratified by December 5th, but the agreement was celebrated by everyone, even if one of the most important items – the portion of the streaming revenue – was excluded.

“This is a living, ongoing thing — a contract,” said Fran Drescher, the president of the Actors Guild. “And we’re not done yet. We are just getting started.”

What has been disclosed is that both parties agreed to include a 7% increase in most minimums, a percentage that “breaks the industry standard,” more than $1 billion in new salaries and benefit plan funding over the course of three years, plus a new residual bonus of 40 million dollars. Although of this amount the initial desire was to create a fund for a larger number of artists, negotiations, one of the most stuck points in the studios, would only allow 25% of the total (close to 10 million dollars) to go to the fund, leaving the rest for streaming content that reaches a certain success benchmark. The metrics for this account were not clear.

And what about the issue of Artificial Intelligence? Well, some criteria have been established. AI will be allowed to create “digital replicas”, but only if the actors are paid and given permission. It seems simple, but there was no clarity on the limit or remuneration.

An 11% increase was also included for secondary actors, who will see their daily rate increase from 187 to 207 dollars, and equality between union terms throughout the United States was also agreed upon, for example, on a TV program on the Coast West, only the first 22 secondary actors were covered by the contract compared to 25 that was in effect on the east coast and now they will have the same. The new agreement will increase that number to the New York level of 25.

Of course, there are more details of the negotiation, but other interesting ones were: creating rules for self-recorded tests, such as limiting a first audition to eight pages and 12 pages if they are returns, in addition to requiring at least 48 hours prior to the registration deadline, also creating provisions requiring hair and makeup for various performers and intimacy coordinators for scenes involving nudity or simulated sex, and other details involving film and series production.

The 2023 Strike is already the longest in Hollywood History and very significant given the technological and cultural changes in the Industry. And we, consumers, are doubly happy with the end of the conflict. After all, the hiatus will be felt in the “holes” of hours not recorded this year, and ready-made productions were frozen to cover this space. Nobody deserves it, right? As long as everything is fair. And it seems that, at least now, it is less unbalanced. Yay!

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