Why Some Productions Are Still Rolling During SAG-AFTRA’s Strike
What do the religious drama The Chosen and the Rebel Wilson action-comedy Bride Hard have in common? Both productions will reportedly resume filming in spite of the Hollywood actors strike—but not because they’re breaking SAG-AFTRA’s rules.
Last week, SAG-AFTRA joined the Writers Guild of America on the picket line against Hollywood’s major studios, which are represented by the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers (AMPTP). The union’s strike rules mandate that its members cease work on studio-backed productions worldwide. But some independent productions are eligible for exemption.
SAG-AFTRA’s website includes an FAQ page for independent producers that spells out some of the rules. For “independently produced content that comes within the scope of a strike order,” the organization writes, “...the producer may qualify for an ‘Interim Agreement’ that would allow such productions to continue working during a strike.” A representative for SAG-AFTRA did not immediately respond to The Daily Beast’s request for further comment.