July 3 (UPI) — The actors’ union SAG-AFTRA has issued a “Do Not Work” order to the cast of the new pandemic drama, “Songbird.”
“Please be advised that On A Lark Productions, LLC, the producer of the picture entitled ‘Songbird,’ has failed to complete the signatory process and is therefore not signed to any applicable SAG-AFTRA agreement,” the union said in a press release Thursday.
“As such, SAG-AFTRA members are hereby instructed to withhold any acting services or perform any covered work for this production until further notice from the union. Please note, accepting employment or rendering services on ‘Songbird’ may be considered a violation of Global Rule One. Violating this order may result in disciplinary action in accordance with the SAG-AFTRA Constitution.”
Starring Demi Moore, Craig Robinson, Paul Walter Hauser and Peter Stormare, the film will be directed by Adam Mason, who co-wrote the script with Simon Boyes.
Michael Bay is producing the project.
The movie is about a society locked down because of a deadly virus. At the heart of the story is the one delivery man immune to the illness and how he helps the people on his routes.
“Songbird” was to be among the first TV/film productions to start or resume after the entertainment industry was shut down for months due to the real-life coronavirus pandemic.
The producers announced the project late last month and said filming would “utilize strict social distancing practices and innovative techniques that will allow for shooting to begin imminently.”
But a SAG-AFTRA representative told Deadline Thursday: “The producers have not been transparent about their safety protocols and that is something we obviously take very seriously. Also, as noted in the Do Not Work order, the producers have not yet become signatory to our agreement. We have no further comment.”
The movie is about a society locked down because of a deadly virus. At the heart of the story is the one delivery man immune to the illness and how he helps the people on his routes.
“Songbird” was to be among the first TV/film productions to start or resume after the entertainment industry was shut down for months due to the real-life coronavirus pandemic.
The producers announced the project late last month and said filming would “utilize strict social distancing practices and innovative techniques that will allow for shooting to begin imminently.”
But a SAG-AFTRA representative told Deadline Thursday: “The producers have not been transparent about their safety protocols and that is something we obviously take very seriously. Also, as noted in the Do Not Work order, the producers have not yet become signatory to our agreement. We have no further comment.”
