In Hollywood, the picket line has been joined by the cool kids. As a writer, I mean no offense to the screenwriters who have been on strike against film and TV studios for over two months. However, it’s important to acknowledge that writers are the words, not the faces. The attention-focusing power of Margot Robbie or Matt Damon easily surpasses even the cleverest picket sign joke.
SAG-AFTRA, the union representing TV and film actors, has also joined the writers in their walkout. The strike addresses issues related to how Hollywood distributes cash in the streaming era and how humans can thrive in the era of artificial intelligence. It’s tempting to take a cheap shot at these privileged elites whining about their dream job, but amidst the focus on big names, it’s worth considering the plight of “background actors”.
Background actors are usually overlooked, living on the periphery of the screen. They fill the margins, making the settings of Gotham City, King’s Landing, or the beaches of Normandy feel authentic and inhabited. Surprisingly, you may have more in common with them than you think.
The lower-paid actors, who make up the bulk of the profession, are facing significant threats to their livelihoods. They struggle to maintain their income as streaming shortens TV seasons and destroys the syndication model, resulting in the disappearance of residual payments. Additionally, they are fighting against the encroachment of artificial intelligence on their jobs.
There’s also a chilling question that arises: Who owns a performer’s face? Background actors seek protection and fair compensation when it comes to the use of their scanned images for digital reuse.
During a news conference about the strike, a union negotiator mentioned that studios were seeking eternal rights to scan and use an actor’s image in exchange for just one day’s pay. While the studios argue that they are offering groundbreaking protections against the misuse of actors’ images and claim that their proposal would only allow the “digital replica” to be used on the specific project the background actor was hired for, the implications of this practice are unsettling.
The potential long-term consequences, reminiscent of a “Black Mirror” episode, cannot be ignored. If a digital replica can do the job without the hassle of financial demands and the need for a personal life, where does that leave real actors?
One could argue that if someone is replaceable by software, they may have chosen the wrong profession. However, background work and small roles are often stepping stones to a successful career in Hollywood. Many talented artists build their entire careers upon a series of small jobs. It’s essential to recognize that Hollywood’s fight mirrors the threats faced by many in today’s economy. Fran Drescher, the actors’ guild president, stated that we are all at risk of being replaced by machines.
No matter how much we consider ourselves the protagonists of our own stories, in reality, most of us are background players. We share the same vulnerability when companies leverage technological or cultural shifts to rewrite the terms of employment in their favor while paying their top executives exorbitant amounts.
It may seem unfair that the exploitation of a union that includes Meryl Streep receives more attention. However, if a strike by blue-collar labor, such as UPS, were to occur, it would likely steal the spotlight. There’s a legitimate critique of white-collar workers who disregarded automation until their own jobs were jeopardized by AI.
In the end, work is work, and certain dynamics are universal. As entertainment reporter and critic Maureen Ryan reveals in “Burn It Down,” her investigation of workplace abuses in Hollywood, the most important entities in the commercial entertainment industry do not prioritize valuing the people who create their products.
If you doubt Ryan’s statement, listen to the anonymous studio executive who stated in Deadline, regarding the writers’ strike, that their intention is to drag things out until union members start losing their homes and apartments. Hollywood creatives may be seen as a privileged class, but if their employers view them this way, can you be sure that yours thinks any differently of you? Whether in Hollywood or outside of it, we all face a common question: Can we create a working world where survival is possible without being a star?
Background actors may go unnoticed when they excel at their roles, but they make all the difference between a lifeless scene and a vibrant, believable one. They create the illusion that beyond the focus on beautiful leads, there exists a complete, full universe, whether it’s the expansive “Star Wars” galaxy or the mundane reality in which we live. They represent the presence of ordinary individuals who contribute to making the world what it is, deserving at least their small places in the corner of the screen.
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