[Australia] AI and wages present ongoing ‘concern’ for film industry

The longest writers and actors' strike in Hollywood history may have come to an end but in Australia, a union continues to fight for the same wage increases and protections, ABC News reports.

Film productions are scheduled to return to Queensland in coming months after Hollywood struck a tentative deal for actors earlier this month.

In July, tens of thousands of actors took to picket lines, together with writers, over pay demands and concerns they could be replaced by AI copies in what became Hollywood's longest-ever actors' strike.

The deal has ended the six-month-long stand-off between actors' unions and studios, it offers wage compensation for actors and protection against AI.

Michelle Rae from the Media, Entertainment and Arts Alliance has stated that AI is a "concern" affecting Australia's film industry too.

Speaking to ABC Radio Brisbane, Ms Rae said, "Artificial intelligence is absolutely booming and it's something we can embrace and use in real life."

Australian film contracts will reportedly include clauses to allow studios to capture the voice and images of an actor.

But Ms Rae says studios are increasingly including clauses that will allow them to sell actors' voices and image recordings to third parties.

She told ABC that third-party technology companies can then use the captured images and voices to make AI-generated virtual avatars that look and sound like the actor or even replace the actor.

"[Actors are concerned that] 'I mightn't even get my next job, because my AI-interpretive one might get it'," Ms Rae said.

Australian actors can’t strike

The Hollywood actors-studio deal is reportedly worth more than $1 million. It includes compensation increases, protections for actors' likenesses and a new "streaming participation bonus".

However, the deal does not cover actors or crew employed by Australian studios.

Ms Rae said, "Australian industrial action isn't set up for industry strikes. You have to be negotiating directly with your employer to gain the protections to get an industry strike.

"[Australian performers] can't do what the Americans have just done because we don't have that ability."

She added that local Australian performers had been negotiating for a dollar-based increase to live performance wages for the past ten months.

According to Ms Rae, 70 per cent of Australian performers earn less than $29,000 a year and, in some cases, have had wages cut compared to 2018 and 2019 rates.

"In Australia, because we're negotiating an industry agreement [not an employee agreement], the only option available to actors is to talk to the community about what their struggles look like," she said.

"Next week in Sydney, performers are going to take their stories to the audience, because they're not feeling heard."

Source: ABC News

(link and quote via original reporting)

The longest writers and actors' strike in Hollywood history may have come to an end but in Australia, a union continues to fight for the same wage increases and protections, ABC News reports.

Film productions are scheduled to return to Queensland in coming months after Hollywood struck a tentative deal for actors earlier this month.

In July, tens of thousands of actors took to picket lines, together with writers, over pay demands and concerns they could be replaced by AI copies in what became Hollywood's longest-ever actors' strike.

The deal has ended the six-month-long stand-off between actors' unions and studios, it offers wage compensation for actors and protection against AI.

Michelle Rae from the Media, Entertainment and Arts Alliance has stated that AI is a "concern" affecting Australia's film industry too.

Speaking to ABC Radio Brisbane, Ms Rae said, "Artificial intelligence is absolutely booming and it's something we can embrace and use in real life."

Australian film contracts will reportedly include clauses to allow studios to capture the voice and images of an actor.

But Ms Rae says studios are increasingly including clauses that will allow them to sell actors' voices and image recordings to third parties.

She told ABC that third-party technology companies can then use the captured images and voices to make AI-generated virtual avatars that look and sound like the actor or even replace the actor.

"[Actors are concerned that] 'I mightn't even get my next job, because my AI-interpretive one might get it'," Ms Rae said.

Australian actors can’t strike

The Hollywood actors-studio deal is reportedly worth more than $1 million. It includes compensation increases, protections for actors' likenesses and a new "streaming participation bonus".

However, the deal does not cover actors or crew employed by Australian studios.

Ms Rae said, "Australian industrial action isn't set up for industry strikes. You have to be negotiating directly with your employer to gain the protections to get an industry strike.

"[Australian performers] can't do what the Americans have just done because we don't have that ability."

She added that local Australian performers had been negotiating for a dollar-based increase to live performance wages for the past ten months.

According to Ms Rae, 70 per cent of Australian performers earn less than $29,000 a year and, in some cases, have had wages cut compared to 2018 and 2019 rates.

"In Australia, because we're negotiating an industry agreement [not an employee agreement], the only option available to actors is to talk to the community about what their struggles look like," she said.

"Next week in Sydney, performers are going to take their stories to the audience, because they're not feeling heard."

Source: ABC News

(link and quote via original reporting)