As an unusual Fall Film Festival climate rolls out, there’s been one key question up in the air- will those productions which have benefited from an interim agreement with SAG-AFTRA be allowed full red carpet promotion? And if so, will the actors involved want the optics of pursuing it? This week, we’ve seen a strong push from SAG-AFTRA itself to do exactly that, citing said promotion as part of their strategic approach to their strike. Blake & Wang P.A entertainment lawyer Los Angeles, Brandon Blake, looks deeper into the matter.
SAG-AFTRA Go-Ahead
While it always should have been a given that a SAG-AFTRA waiver meant business as usual for red carpet promotions, it is easy to see why some stars still feel a little uncomfortable with the idea. Crossing an active picket line is always something to be carefully considered, especially in a time of sometimes-savage social media blowback, even if you technically have the permission to do so.
SAG-AFTRA have now fully clarified that actors involved with productions which have been granted an interim agreement have the green light to promote them on the Fall Festival circuit. They’ve been crystal-clear that they consider working within the terms of the interim agreement (or other permissible and non-struck contracts) is allowable under the terms of these agreements.
Moving Forward Under Agreements
Hopefully, this clarified stance will make the limbo the early Fall Festivals (notably Toronto and Venice) have found themselves in entirely clearer for those operating in this space currently. Until this week, we’ve seen many of the usual details- from publicity to planning travel- left frustratingly unclear.
Of course, and inevitably, the interim agreements themselves leave a lot of gray areas. What happens, for example, in cases where non-AMPTP pictures are hoping for distribution and interest comes from an AMPTP studio? Currently, the expectation is that the interim agreements will be adhered to by buyers. This is highly likely to turn away AMPTP companies, of course.
So there can be little surprise that the entire interim agreement process has been a rather controversial tactic from SAG-AFTRA. They, of course, maintain that they demonstrate their desired terms are both reasonable and realizable. And there’s always something to be said for a tactic that keeps people working through trying times. But there will be some fallout from the process no matter how carefully it is managed, and these issues are likely to raise their heads again at a later point, especially once the strike itself is resolved- possibly with different terms.
However, these worries must remain in the future– and one where concrete and universal terms have been reached. At least with the added clarity on the matter, the Fall Film Festival circuit is likely to be a little more star-studded than was originally predicted. That will have to do for now. Let’s hope we can see a full resolution to the matter as soon as possible, and let business get back to normal for all parties.
