Negotiators from the striking actors’ union met with representatives of the studios for more than three hours Wednesday to “present and review our revised proposal,” the Screen Actors Guild-American Federation of Television and Radio Artists announced.
“We continue to await the AMPTP’s response to our comprehensive counter proposal package which we gave them on Saturday, addressing outstanding issues,” a statement from the union said, referring to the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers.
There was no immediate response to an email sent to the AMPTP after the close of usual business hours Wednesday night.
A source close to the studios who was not authorized to comment told the Los Angeles Times that the entertainment companies saw a clear path to a deal and were optimistic that a tentative resolution could be reached soon to end the strike which has reached 111 days.
Duncan Crabtree-Ireland, SAG-AFTRA’s national executive director and chief negotiator, struck a more cautious tone, telling The Times that while recent discussions have been productive and “things are moving in the right direction,” the parties are “still far from an agreement.”
Crabtree-Ireland told The Times that if studios come to the table with “the kind of mind-set” that would satisfy the union’s wishes, a settlement could be easily reached “in a matter of days.”
“Whether that will happen is hard to say,” Crabtree-Ireland told The Times, noting key disagreements remain over the use of artificial intelligence in filmmaking, among other issues.
The union is seeking to place limitations on the use of AI to re-create actors’ likenesses and performances, while the AMPTP has advocated for informed consent and fair pay in situations where performers are digitally replicated, according to The Times.
The entertainment trade newspaper Variety described Wednesday’s talks as productive and reported the two sides will meet again Thursday.
The studios have warned that unless a deal is reached this week, it will be impossible for the broadcasters to salvage half a season of scripted television, according to Variety. The 2024 summer movie season is also increasingly in peril, as more and more films have been delayed to 2025, Variety reported.
The union’s other demands include general wage increases, boosts in compensation for successful streaming programs and improvements in health and retirement benefits.