Lol. Dude, I actually WORK in entertainment. So I’m not “living in a fantasy.” I’m actually involved in it and I really don’t need to be lectured about the realities of the business. I know the motivations of actors and creatives a lot better than you do. And trust me when I say: the ones who stick around are the ones who genuinely love acting. The ones who get into it for fame and fortune only almost never last because, like you said, only a SLIM minority of actors actually make a living by acting full-time. It’s actually only about 1% of SAG membership that can sustain themselves on their acting income. Ninety-nine percent (including some celebrities you see on TV) have other revenue streams. So I’ve seen a lot of those actors who are JUST looking for attention and fame come and go in my time in the industry.
So, no most actors DO NOT want to only do the bare minimum. Because most actors want to, you know, act out the parts themselves. That’s why they’re there to begin with.
Also, you do know what the contracts process for working on a TV show is like right?? I do. Because I’ve been part of that process. They’re boilerplate agreements negotiated by SAG and the AMPTP based on the level of project. And whatever is in those terms is what the actors agree to because an INDIVIDUAL actor doesn’t have much leverage to negotiate for special terms. They’re not in a position where they have a lot of bargaining power so studios take advantage of them if they can. I mean, that is literally the reason there IS a union in the first place. To ensure that those terms are fair. So that is where the sticking point is. Because the union MADE UP OF PROFESSIONAL ACTORS doesn’t want to agree to terms that would sign away their members’ likenesses whenever they did a project. Because bottom line: actors are still people who want to control their likeness just as you’d want to control yours. So please tell me how you’ve gotten this notion that actors are somehow lining up to have their faces scanned by AI because “hey, it doesn’t matter to me as long as I’m famous” when their own union is advocating against it.
Pretty much everyone in my circle I’ve talked to—actors, writers, casting directors, agents, managers, entertainment lawyers, etc.—are very anti-AI. A lot of reps I know have warned their clients to stay away from non-union projects that would ask them to scan their likeness. Everyone I know who is in SAG voted for the strike authorization, in large part, because of AI. Because THEY want to be the ones acting. Not a computer.
And again, you do not have to tell me about residuals. Do you know how many anecdotes I have about dwindling residuals?? A lot. But the residuals and streaming, while one of the big issues in this strike, is still not the only issue. The other is AI. Fran Drescher even named it as one of the main issues they’re striking about.
So again, idk where you’re getting this idea that actors are willing to sign their likeness away.
Where did I say stunt performers were not actors? Pretty sure I’m advocating for their continued ability to ply their craft. What I said was that they are different from AI because they are still performers being hired for their skills.
And I’m sorry but no: AI could never write for TV like humans can. Because for something to be art, it has to be an actual reflection of human experience. That may be “fantasy” to some but when you’re in the arts, you understand it. AI can mimic formulaic speech and can do stuff like legal briefs or academic papers because those follow a mandatory pattern. But writing things like speech and dialogue and behavior (or at least doing it well) requires that the writer is actually familiar with human behavior. And again, AI can never really duplicate that because it’s not human.
And the point of this strike is to LIMIT the amount to which AI can replace as much as possible. Because if AI can come for actors and writers, it’s absolutely coming for your industry. And in this case, it’s not about whether the studios would be “dumb” for passing on AI. We know that their motivations make AI very attractive for their bottom line. We’re not stupid. But the issue is that their motivations here are not lining up with fairness and equity in this business. And yes, we know that fairness and equity aren’t on the top of their list of considerations. But that is why we DO have organized labor in this country. Because the TPTB a lot of the time have to be forced to take fairness and equity into account for the well-being of the workers that make them their millions.
But…that’s my take. So sorry for the detraction, but as you can probably tell, this is an issue I’m very passionate about.