SAG-AFTRA Sets Verticals Agreement for Micro-Dramas

SAG-AFTRA has launched its Verticals Agreement covering productions under $300,000 and designed for vertical storytelling.

A new media contract created for mobile-first content will be available later this month. It aims to deliver protection to the union’s 160,000 members.

“Our members are always on the lookout for good work opportunities. As technology develops and our industry looks for creative ways to engage audiences, new formats emerge. SAG-AFTRA perceives the advent of so-called “verticals” as an exciting new space. This fast-evolving format is catching on and we are here to support our performers as they pursue their craft and engage this new business model. By offering a contract that is tailored to the unique needs of these projects, our union is meeting the moment. As the business of verticals experiences substantial growth, so too will our relationship with the producers,” said SAG-AFTRA president Sean Astin.

“We’re thrilled to introduce an agreement that reflects the way today’s audiences consume content while ensuring performers are protected and supported. This agreement works for the realities of these productions — their pace, their budgets, and their creative ambitions, while upholding the union’s core standards of actor protections,” said chief negotiator and national executive director Duncan Crabtree-Ireland. “Verticals are more than just a new format; they open up more opportunities for new stories to be told, reaching new audiences every single day.”