It turns out the SAG-AFTRA strike isn’t pausing the entire entertainment industry. The faith-based series The Chosen and A24’s Mother Mary are among many projects that have obtained a SAG-AFTRA waiver. Many projects granted SAG-AFTRA waivers include the Rebel Wilson comedy Bride Hard and another A24 project, Death of a Unicorn. These waivers will allow these projects to continue to film despite the SAG-AFTRA strike. Most of the projects that have received these waivers are independent shows. While distribution rights for The Chosen are owned by Lionsgate, the fourth season (currently filming) is still crowd-funded and still considered separate. Therefore, the series can complete filming the season without violating the SAG-AFTRA strike.
How Does a Project Obtain a SAG-AFTRA Waiver?
For a project to obtain a SAG-AFTRA waiver, the production team must sign an agreement that would be conformed to the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers agreement “on a going-forward basis once the membership ratifies successor agreements.” Actors are also permitted to work on short films that cost less than $50,000, live-action “micro-budget” productions under $20,000, independent new media productions costing less than $50,000, and student films. In addition, actors may work on commercials and audio productions such as audiobooks, video games, and independent podcasts.
The SAG-AFTRA strike has certainly taken a toll on the movie and TV industry. Projects put on hold include Deadpool 3, Gladiator 2, and Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning Part Two. However, since these more independent projects are from filmmakers and actors still getting off the ground, shutting down production was hardly an option.
This will be good news for fans of The Chosen, which recently had its premiere on the CW with an average of 520,000 viewers. That is a much higher audience than other CW shows like Riverdale, Nancy Drew, and The Rising have seen this summer. However, once season four halts production, The Chosen be forced to shut down per the SAG-AFTRA strike rules.
