During a press conference at the Venice Film Festival, actor Adam Driver drew attention to streaming platforms. Netflix and Amazon for failing to comply with the demands of the SAG-AFTRA union.
Driver expressed his happiness to be a part of the movie “Ferrari”, saying:
“I’m very proud to be here to be a visual representation of a non-AMPTP film and to promote the SAG directive, which is an effective tactic, which is the interim agreement.”
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The actor also highlighted the disparity between big streaming companies like Netflix and Amazon, which have refused to comply with SAG-AFTRA’s demands, and smaller distributors like Neon and STX International, which have accepted the union’s proposed conditions. .
Driver questioned why these big companies can’t meet SAG-AFTRA’s dream aspirations saying:
”The other goal is obviously to say, why is a smaller distribution company like Neon and STX International able to meet the dream demands of what SAG is asking for — this is pre-negotiations — the dream version of SAG’s wish list, but a big company like Netflix and Amazon can’t?”, questioned the actor.
He continued: ”And every time the SAG people go and support a film that has met the terms of the tentative agreement, it just makes it more apparent that these people are willing to support the people they’re collaborating with, and the others aren’t.” ‘
SAG-AFTRA, prior to the festival, agreed to grant provisional agreements to certain productions (such as Neon and STX) to allow them to promote their films.
These agreements require producers and distributors to operate independently of AMPTP member companies and agree to the terms proposed by SAG-AFTRA in negotiations.
Movies like “Ferrari” and “Priscilla,” which premiered in Venice, are not produced or distributed by streaming services.
Adam Driver, great standard bearer of SAG-AFTRA
The actor, despite having a collaboration with Netflix in the award-winning film “Marriage Story” expressed his support for SAG-AFTRA and his desire that the big streaming companies comply with the union’s demands.
Adam mentioned that his participation in “Ferrari” was possible thanks to the efforts of the people involved in the production, who agreed to reduce their salaries.
In addition, he stressed that the film did not receive financing from large studios and became a reality due to the mutual support and solidarity between the team.
This intervention by Driver at the Venice Film Festival has generated a debate on the role of streaming platforms and their relationship with unions and labor equity and the rights of actors and workers in the film industry.