SAG-AFTRA plans to invite influencers into its ranks

SAG-AFTRA has taken a big step forward that will make it more inclusive of digital content creators. During a recent meeting, the union’s board unanimously approved a recommendation to establish a committee for digital influencers and their ilk.

The new committee will consist of individuals who are “actively engaged in digital creator work,” who will be available to make use of professional support that addresses their “unique needs.” With the move, SAG-AFTRA is looking to move into the digital space “beyond branded content,” according to The Hollywood Reporter.

“The Board also received a recommendation regarding the establishment of an influencer and digital creator committee,” reads a release published on the SAG-AFTRA website. “The Board approved the recommendation unanimously moving to provide crucial protections, support, and representation for the influencer community by establishing the National Influencer and Digital Creator Committee, which will be chaired by creator Patrick Janelle.”

Janelle is a photographer with close to 500,000 followers on Instagram. On LinkedIn, he wrote that he was “honored” to serve as the chair of the new committee.

Since its formation out of a 2012 merger between two major Hollywood trade organizations, SAG-AFTRA has kept an eye on the burgeoning world of creator content. In 2018, the union’s National Director championed protections for creators, citing the existence of an “unfair and unbalanced” industry. Three years later, SAG-AFTRA’s “influencer agreement” established new guidelines for creator-led branded content deals.

The latest approval will take SAG-AFTRA one step closer to full-fledged representation for creators, but there are still burning questions about what that collective bargaining would look like. In the past, there have been numerous attempts to establish creator-led trade organizations, but most of those efforts have struggled to gain traction. There’s no question that creators could benefit from a unit that advocates on their behalves, but the needs different creator groups may be too diverse to ever be grouped under a single umbrella.

SAG-AFTRA is arguably best equipped to take on that challenge. Many of the stipulations in its latest contract — including increased rates for branded YouTube content and added protections against AI deepfakes — address issues that also plague digital-native creators.

At the same time, the recent SAG-AFTRA reminded creators that they operate in a gray area between the Hollywood establishment and independent work. The previous SAG work stoppage, in 2007, arguably catalyzed the first golden age of YouTube content. The next time around, many creators chose to follow SAG-AFTRA’s strike guidelines by engaging in practices that put “labor over likes.”

SAG-AFTRA is hoping to see that collaborative spirit extend to its influencer committee. It’s up to Janelle and his lieutenants to recruit a diverse coalition of creators who can be represented by the new bargaining body.