Influencers And Digital Creators Are One Step Closer To Major Industry Acceptance

Influencers and digital creators are one step closer to establishing their mainstream place in the entertainment industry. That's because SAG-AFTRA, the preeminent union for actors of all kinds, just voted to create an influencer and digital creator committee. 

What Is SAG-AFTRA?

SAG-AFTRA stands for Screen Actors Guild-American Federation Of Television and Radio. It represents the 2012 merger of two separate unions, and it's the largest labor union for actors in the United States — and among the largest in the world, representing more than 170,000 members.

SAG membership, as it's often called, is seen as a major step towards a "legitimate" career in the traditional entertainment industry. The union is open to a wide variety of performers, including actors, announcers, broadcast journalists, dancers, DJs, news writers and editors, program hosts, puppeteers, recording artists, singers, stunt performers, and voiceover artists.

Notably, though, influencers and digital creators don't fit the requirements for membership — unless they've also performed in a SAG-approved production. This severely limits a huge number of professional creators who command audiences in the millions across platforms like YouTube, Instagram, and TikTok. 

Of course, not being a member of SAG-AFTRA hasn't stopped these creators from building successful careers in entertainment. But the option to become a member opens up plenty of important benefits and protections. 

Why Does It Matter If Influencers And Content Creators Can Join?

Being eligible to join SAG-AFTRA has historically been seen as a significant career step for performers. That's because SAG-approved productions are typically seen as more "legitimate" thanks to their ability to attract higher levels of production and talent. But the reality is, more and more people are getting their entertainment from less traditional means. There are YouTubers with audiences, influence, and income that dwarf that of many SAG-AFTRA members.

However, the work SAG-AFTRA does is still incredibly important, especially when it comes to representing creators as a whole. Along with the Writer's Guild of America, SAG-AFTRA was at the forefront of the 2023 Hollywood strikes that led to notable protections against AI. The union has also been at the forefront of health and safety initiatives, created safety nets that keep members on their feet during hard times, and been a leading voice in equality initiatives in an industry ripe with issues. 

As entertainment and audiences continually expand beyond the typical film and TV industry, it makes sense to strengthen SAG-AFTRA membership with creators who achieve their success outside traditional industry machinations like stage and screen. A stronger, more representative union can extend its influence into corners of the entertainment industry that continue to flex their commercial power. 

And for their part, influencers and creators who join SAG can better represent the union's overall mission in ways they may not have been as vocal about before. A lot of the truth about the Hollywood strikes was spread on platforms like TikTok and YouTube by both members and non-members.

The Recent Strikes Were A Catalyst

While the SAG-AFTRA National Board's decision to create an influencer and digital creator committee is certainly a big step towards opening up membership to more types of performers, the momentum for the change has been a long time in the making. One of the biggest steps came in 2021, when SAG introduced "the influencer agreement," a contract that allowed a pathway to membership through branded content work. 

It was an important agreement, but it notably excluded original content, meaning various creators making high quality original content for social platforms still didn't have a path to membership. 

Creators and influencers stepped up in a big way during the 2023 Hollywood strikes. Despite not being allowed membership into the two largest unions on strike, influencers and digital creators sided with the creatives and refused to cross the picket line, despite studios and companies trying to lure them in to work that would replace striking members.

The "labor over likes" movement included things like following the strike guidelines, avoiding red carpet and other appearances at struck events, and refusing work for struck companies — even going so far as to avoid doing cosplay for characters owned by struck companies. All of this despite not having a typical path to union membership or the protections afforded to union members solidified the link between more traditional members and the growing class of entertainers building careers on digital platforms. 

SAG-AFTRA national executive director Duncan Crabtree-Ireland confirmed as much when discussing the new digital creator committee with The Hollywood Reporter. “During the theatrical strike, creators of influencers stepped up in big ways to stand by our members on strike,” he told the outlet. “I think [the labor over likes movement] just really cemented for us the obvious connection and nexus there.”

The closer SAG-AFTRA gets to approving high quality digital creators and influencers, the closer the union is to future-proofing its ranks and strengthening its mission.