SAG’s situation

Re “The next act,” editorial, July 9

The Screen Actors Guild is digging in its heels about DVD residuals, but it is not trying to get “more” than the other unions did, as your editorial alleges. It’s just that DVD sales are far more important to SAG members than they are to members of other unions.

Most American Federation of Television and Radio Artists contracts cover shows, often reality shows, that have no life in the DVD market, so the majority of AFTRA actors don’t care about DVD money.

But SAG members act in scripted shows and movies that often generate significant DVD sales and rentals. SAG is rightly drawing the line on this crucial issue because without healthy residuals from DVD sales, which they are not currently getting, supporting actors can’t exist in Hollywood.

James Hanes

Los Angeles