Their likeness deserves to be protected.
Their voice deserves to be protected.
Their movement and their performance deserves to be protected.
SAG Chief Contracts Officer Ray RodriguezGetty Images
It belongs to them.
DEADLINE: Youve been negotiating this deal for more than 18 months.
What was the final straw that led the union to finally call a strike?
But like you said, negotiations have been going on for 18 months.
So we just got to the point where that had to be.
Nobody ever wants to go on strike.
So thats why we spent 18 months not trying to go on strike, and it just didnt work.
DEADLINE: Youve said AI is the big sticking point.
But, can you go into more detail about what, specifically, youre looking for in this contract?
Those have been the guiding principles.
Thats what we need.
DEADLINE: Comic-Con is exempt from the strike rules.
Why make that decision to let performers continue to talk about and promote their work this weekend?
RODRIGUEZ:Yes, that is a decision that the committee made.
I think it was the right decision for two reasons.
So we didnt want to put people in that position.
Those were the two reasons why we decided to carve Comic-Con out.
Did you attempt to use that to move the needle at all on the Interactive Media Agreement?
All the deals that weve made in AI, we have attempted to use in other negotiations.
DEADLINE: Theres been some rising interest in video game adaptations in film and TV lately.
If you are in a creative business, that sucks for you.
You dont want to have a bad relationship with the creative community.
