SAG-AFTRA will produce a vertical contract

SAG-AFTRA has become the latest Hollywood union to recognize the rise of verticals.

The performers’ union said Monday that a contract specifically tailored to the booming microdrama format would be concluded by the end of the month. This “vertical deal” will cover projects with budgets under $300,000, in keeping with the typically small budgets and tight turnaround times of these designed-for-mobile titles.

SAG-AFTRA President Sean Astin called verticals an “exciting new space” in a statement. “This rapidly evolving format is catching on and we are here to support our artists as they pursue their craft and engage in this new business model,” Astin said. “By offering a contract tailored to the unique needs of these projects, our union is responding to the moment. As the verticals sector experiences substantial growth, our relationships with producers will also experience substantial growth.”

Filmed in portrait mode, “verticals” are serialized stories often divided into one- to three-minute increments. The most popular vertical platforms at the moment, like DramaBox and ReelShort, mostly offer rather soapy and melodramatic love stories – with titles like Fake meeting with my rich people Nemesis And Requested by my ex’s Alpha brother.

Project budgets on ReelShort tend to be under $300,000, because The Hollywood Reporter has already reported.

As underemployed Hollywood workers increasingly turn to these microdramas in the absence of traditional entertainment opportunities, unions have begun to take an interest in this space. The IATSE crew union is exploring possibilities. Also listed is the Writers Guild of America West, which told its members in September that the projects could be covered by its contract.

For burgeoning actors, verticals have recently offered the opportunity to gain on-camera experience in a tight job market.

“This agreement accommodates the realities of these productions – their pace, their budgets and their creative ambitions, while respecting the union’s core standards for actor protections,” said Duncan Crabtree-Ireland, national executive director of SAG-AFTRA, in a statement. “This agreement adapts to the realities of these productions: their pace, their budgets and their creative ambitions, while respecting the union’s fundamental standards for actor protection. »

The new deal comes as traditional Hollywood attempts to make inroads into the format. Last week, Fox Entertainment announced that it had taken a stake in vertical company Holywater, which integrates AI into its production process. Former ABC and WME media executive Lloyd Braun has entered the space with new company MicroCo.