Latest news with #SAG-AFTRANationalBoard
Yahoo
13-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
SAG-AFTRA's ‘Here's Looking At You L.A.' & Mayor Karen Bass Push For State & Federal Tax Incentives To Get Hollywood Working Again
In a soiree intersection of media, labor and real politick, SAG-AFTRA wants to pull the home of Hollywood together to get Tinseltown working again. 'Revitalizing California's most recognizable industry isn't just about making things better for show business, it's about making things better for everyone,' proclaimed Joely Fisher last week at a literal and figurative high level get-together in the penthouse of SAG-AFTRA's LA HQ. More from Deadline Jon Voight, Hollywood Studios And Unions Pen Letter To Donald Trump Calling For Expanded Incentives -- But They Do Not Mention Tariffs Chaos At The Copyright Office: Trump's Firing Of Register Shira Perlmutter Came After AI Report's Release, Leaving Industry Wondering What's Next Cannes Chief Thierry Frémaux Addresses Trump's Tariffs: "Cinema Always Finds A Way Of Existing & Reinventing Itself" As uncertainty rolls an industry already rocked by change and contraction, the words of the SAG-AFTRA Secretary-Treasurer and National Government Affairs and Public Policy Committee co-chair had an added resonance on May 8 with below-the-line workers and almost everyone else hurting hard as production and jobs are scarce. In the hopes of turning things around, California Governor Gavin Newsom's aim of pumping up the Golden State's film and TV tax incentives to $750 million annually is moving steadily through the Legislature in Sacramento with deep support. In DC, talk of a federal incentive has the attention of Donald Trump for now through a plan co-crafted by Special Ambassador to Hollywood Jon Voight. In fact, today, SAG-AFTRA joined Voight and fellow Special Ambassador Sylvester Stallone, plus the DGA, the WGA, the Teamsters, the PGA, the MPA and more in a letter the White House that 'applauds President Trump's focus on protecting American jobs and affirms its support for urgent federal action to combat the exodus of film and television production,' in the words of SAG-AFTRA national executive director Duncan Crabtree-Ireland. Speaking briefly and calling it 'a wonderful chance to reconnect,' Crabtree-Ireland was at the Here's Looking At You event last week. In a very clear case of the strange bedfellows coming together in hopes of saving the middle-class Hollywood dream, newly minted AMPTP boss and ex-SAG leader Greg Hessinger was there also. In a mix of players and interests in supporting the industry, Senator Lola Smallwood-Cuevas (CA Senate, District 28), Assemblymember Tina McKinnor, and Jodi Long (SAG-AFTRA LA Local President & National Vice-President, LA) showed up. Congresswoman Sydney Kamlager-Dove (Democrat, CA District 37) told the crowd of her SAG-AFTRA member mother and the need for even more money for tax incentive programs. Also in attendance were Shari Belafonte (SAG-AFTRA National VP, Actors), David Joliffe, Spencer Garrett, Alfred Molina and Jason George (SAG-AFTRA National Board). Star Trek: Picard alums and committed activists Michelle Hurd (SAG-AFTRA National Board), and Jeri Ryan (SAG-AFTRA LA Local Board) were on deck too. Among the elected representatives, LA Mayor Karen Bass spoke of her very personal commitment to better and bigger incentives on the state and even national level. 'Three generations in my family have been connected to the industry, and I think that a lot of education needs to happen in our city and in our state about all of the ancillary businesses, the caterers, the florists, the tailors, all of the people whose livelihoods depend on this industry,' the first term Mayor said. 'You have taken a major blow over these last few years, from COVID to strike and now this but we're going to turn it around,' Bass concluded, pledging to make it easier to film in the City of Angels with lower permit fees and a more streamlined process for productions. Just like the Rock The City event in NYC last month, Deadline was SAG-AFTRA's media partner for the May 8 event. Best of Deadline Everything We Know About Ari Aster's 'Eddington' So Far Everything We Know About 'Nobody Wants This' Season 2 So Far List Of Hollywood & Media Layoffs From Paramount To Warner Bros Discovery To CNN & More
Yahoo
12-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Jamie Lee Curtis Warns of AI Threat Over Fake Video: ‘How Is This Possible?'
Jamie Lee Curtis warned her fans about the potential threat of artificial intelligence on Monday after finding a fake AI video of herself floating online. 'THIS IS FAKE. AI. I haven't posted about it because I don't want to bring attention to it and yet even my lawyers and social media teams can't get it taken down,' she shared on Instagram. 'HOW IS THIS POSSIBLE? Just think about the threat of this, forgetting my 'career' but politicians or public servants saying things that they aren't saying. It's like the wild wild West.' Curtis continued, 'Very distressing and disappointing that with all the TECH and all the billions and trillions that are being made that there are no safeguards.' While she didn't share the video itself, it does appear to be 3:44 in length and feature the text 'I'd want everyone suffering from…' over an image of her likeness. Curtis' message came two weeks after the SAG-AFTRA National Board approved their commercials contracts that prevent AI and other digital replicas without actors' consent. Elsewhere, her fellow celebrities like Scarlett Johansson, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Ben Stiller and Aubrey Plaza have spoken out about the impact of AI on Hollywood. For instance, Johansson called out OpenAI last year when ChatGPT began offering a voice that sounded eerily similar to the actress'. However, Sam Altman's company insists it used a different voice actor for the 'Sky' voice model. The post Jamie Lee Curtis Warns of AI Threat Over Fake Video: 'How Is This Possible?' appeared first on TheWrap.
Yahoo
28-04-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
SAG-AFTRA National Board Approves Commercials Contracts That Prevent AI, Digital Replicas Without Consent
The SAG-AFTRA National Board approved the 2025 Commercials Contracts on Sunday in a deal that the negotiating committee says is worth $218.4 million in increased earnings and benefit plan contributions over the next three years. If ratified, the contracts would prevent performers' data and likeness from being used to train AI without consent, one-year streaming use fees would increase up to 33.33% and paid use would get a 12% increase over current Traditional Digital rates. Additionally, the agreements would see compounded increases in compensation at a rate of 5% in year one, 4% in year two and 3% in year three. 'A huge congratulations goes out to the commercials contracts negotiating committee for their diligent work in this agreement which is an important step forward for protecting the stability of performers' livelihoods during this time of major technological upheavals in the ad industry,' SAG-AFTRA president Fran Drescher said in a Sunday statement.' The committee was co-chaired by Katie Von Till and Erin Fritch who led with strength, wisdom, intellect and patience. Brava ladies! The commercials contracts are a real powerhouse when it comes to addressing tech with more AI protections than any contract so far! Well done!' 'This deal, hard-won thanks to an incredibly dedicated negotiating committee, achieves real wage growth and puts rules and a price tag on digital replica use — essential progress for a changing industry. I'm thrilled the National Board has approved this forward-thinking agreement and that members will now have a chance to review its many gains,' SAG-AFTRA national executive director and chief negotiator Duncan Crabtree-Ireland added. 'I also want to extend my deepest appreciation to our extraordinary and courageous negotiating committee, especially co-chairs Erin Fritch and Katie Von Till, and the best co-lead negotiator anyone could ask for, SAG-AFTRA chief contracts officer Ray Rodriguez.' Other tentative details from the deal include pension and health contribution rates raising from 20.5% to 23.5%, more forward disability accommodation, better protections for minor performers, first-day per diems, wage increases for singers' demos that don't air and 25% more for dancers who are asked to lip sync. Ratification votes are now due by 5 p.m. PT on May 2. The post SAG-AFTRA National Board Approves Commercials Contracts That Prevent AI, Digital Replicas Without Consent appeared first on TheWrap.
