It’s already been a tough year for cinemas, with box office revenues in North America down about 20 percent from last year. And that was when actors could promote their movies.
With the actor’s union, SAG-AFTRA, on strike as of Friday, its 160,000 members are not only appearing in projects involving Hollywood’s big studios, but also in films and television that have already been shown. Participation in promotional activities for the program was also officially prohibited. It was completed.
This means no more online or in-person appearances, including upcoming Comic-Con International in San Diego, many fall film festivals, film premieres and TV promotional events. Earlier this week, SAG-AFTRA officials held a conference call with top Hollywood agencies and publicists to explain strike rules for both the production and promotion of upcoming projects. And on Thursday, after announcing the strike, the union released rules for its members.
“The only way to make up for the lack of publicity is to buy more noise, so it’s going to cost,” said Terry Press, top Hollywood marketer. “If you don’t have some form of publicity, it’s somewhat free, but you have to try to make up for the noise. You can get a group.”
That would be a hassle too. This was clear even before the Actors Guild announced Thursday that it had approved the strike. Hours earlier, Christopher Nolan’s Oppenheimer had premiered in London.
‘Oppenheimer’ is one of the summer’s most anticipated movies, alongside Greta Gerwig’s ‘Barbie’ and the latest installment of Tom Cruise’s ‘Mission: Impossible’ in theaters that are in dire straits. Managers point to the potential to bring life to the film. struggling business.
But at the premiere at the Odeon Theater in Leicester Square, it was clear that the strike would have an impact. First, the show time was moved up an hour so that the bold-faced name-filled cast, including Matt Damon, Emily Blunt, Robert Downey Jr., Florence Pugh, and Cillian Murphy, could walk the red carpet. And in solidarity with the union, everyone left before the screening started.
“They’re going to write picket signs,” Nolan quipped to a crowd of 800.
Universal Pictures will hold the New York premiere of Oppenheimer on Monday, but has announced that none of the actors will be attending.
The absence of the bustling premieres and the usual promotions for the films is a troubling prospect for the movie theater industry, which was hoping for a boost in the second half of the year.
The strike is also concerning for the fall film festival circuit, which expects actors to appear in person to promote prestigious films heading into awards season. “For the festival as a whole, these films are nothing more than promotional,” Press said.
Usually, the Oscar-winners make the pilgrimage to Italy at the end of August for the Venice Film Festival, then Colorado for the Telluride Film Festival, and Canada for the Toronto International Film Festival. campaign trajectory.
“We need a festival circuit to release these films,” Press said. “I think that’s when you start encountering serious repercussions.”
Television is also affected. Despite Emmy nominations announced Wednesday, none of the nominated actors can promote their work. Duncan Crabtree, the union’s chief negotiator, was asked how the strike would affect the awards ceremony, which is scheduled for September but is likely to be postponed if the strike is prolonged. Mr Ireland said: A form of promotion for television series or streaming series produced under these agreements. My hope is that this will end the actor’s participation in the Emmy Awards campaign. “
