Dozens of Equity members who work in film and TV assembled in Central London on Monday evening to demand better from PACT contracts. Current negotiations include issues of pay, royalties and residuals, AI, casting (including self-tapes), hair and make-up, and more. Following the rally, an open letter was launched calling on PACT to prioritise securing protections on AI for performers.
For the first time in Equity’s history, the claim submitted to PACT (the Producers Alliance for Film and Television – the umbrella body representing UK producers) has been compiled with direct input from Equity members who regularly work in film and TV. “For the first time, Equity members have determined our negotiating priorities and for the first time, members who work on the film and TV agreement will get a vote on it”, said Equity general secretary Paul W Fleming.
Addressing the assembled Equity membership, which included actors, choreographers, movement directors and stunt performers, actor and Equity Councillor Sam Swann said that “changes in the industry - from the rise of streamers, to the hordes of American studios making productions in the UK, not to mention the rise of AI - means there has never been a more important time to stand together to demand that we have protections and rights.”
It's the workers - us - that get squeezed. TV production companies are buying and selling us, swapping us like toys across terrestrial channels and streaming platforms without paying us fairly for the work we created.
Jackie Clune, Equity Vice President
Leading a chant of “I believe that we will win”, Sam referred to the American union SAG-AFTRA strike that took place over 120 days in 2023 and resulted in significant improvements in pay and conditions for film and TV. “What those members fought for is exactly what we’re fighting for now – so what will YOU do?” Sam asked the assembled members.
Equity vice president and actor Jackie Clune explained the experience of performers and why each element of Equity’s claim is of material importance. “In a capitalist structure, the workers – that’s us – will always be the most squeezable part of the chain. We need a big rise to the minimum fees to meet the rising cost of living”, she said. Going on to describe buy-outs as “insultingly low”, Jackie laid out how “TV production companies are buying and selling us, swapping us like toys across terrestrial channels and streaming platforms without paying us fairly for the work we created – too often I see something I was in repeated, only to get a residuals cheque for £27.50. The days when residuals could keep us afloat between jobs are gone.”
A key element of the Equity claim relates to securing protections against Generative Artificial Intelligence (Gen AI) abuse, with the principles of informed consent and remuneration central. “PACT needs to recognise the clear and present danger and get strong terms and conditions to protect us from ID theft and intellectual property theft” declared Jackie. Moving to an issue affecting many Equity members, Jackie explained the “burden” that self-taping in casting has placed on performers, with many being asked to drop everything to rig a home studio, learn lines and record an audition in lightning quick turnaround. Her comment of “we all hope our tapes are watched and appreciated” drew peals of laughter from the audience of actors, who all too often never receive a reply or even acknowledgement after spending many hours compiling a self-taped audition.
Jackie ran through specialist areas also being addressed in the current PACT negotiations, with appendices for choreographers and movement directors, stunt performers, and the Green Rider initiative. She championed the role of Equity Deps (union reps) and called on members present to recruit colleagues when next on set to further strengthen the union’s negotiating power with bosses.
Hair and make-up get a specific focus in the current negotiations, with the call for appropriate provision of hair and make-up for all ethnicities. Jackie recounted a colleagues’ experience of a make-up artist using powdered cocoa as foundation and pretending it was real make-up, despite the obvious chocolate aroma. Speaking from direct experience, Equity member and TV actor Dawn Hope said her experience was established as a ten- year old child on a film where the hair and make-up team didn’t know what to do when her half-afro bob became unruly. “The message was loud and clear to me: my hair isn’t for you, my skin isn’t for you, even the lighting doesn’t work. But those excuses should not be used all these years later when black make-up is widely available in high street stores; Rhianna is a billionaire from her make-up business – this is the mainstream!”
Returning to the subject of self-tapes, and with the audience of both experienced and early career actors nodding along with her, Dawn said: “For a long time, Casting Directors have blamed Producers, Producers have blamed Casting Directors, and no one has been able to successfully regulate and improve some of the awful practice that we’ve been seeing. In these negotiations, we’ve decided enough is enough. Whilst Casting Directors aren’t answerable to us, Producers are, and who do we have collective agreements with? Producers. Who engages the Casting Directors? Producers. Who should be responsible for the regulation and the enforcement of proper self-tape provisions? That’s right – Producers.”
The evening ended with members signing pledge cards and sharing their stories of ridiculous self-tape requests, including one who had to dress up as an animal and perform a children’s song for a two-line part, another having to submit an audition tape of herself roller-skating and delivering a line, and an actor being required to both translate and record lines in an overnight turnaround.
Equity has now launched an open-letter calling for new protections in contracts for AI training and creating AI-generated performance. Equity will be meeting PACT for further negotiations in the coming weeks.
Sign the open letter!
