SAG-AFTRA Slays VidCon

Every year, content creators, their fans and stakeholders from the world of digital entertainment come together in Anaheim, California, for one of the largest digital creator conferences on earth: VidCon. This year, SAG-AFTRA joined in the fun and proudly hosted the VIP lounge of the eighth annual VidCon pre-party on June 20, organized by the L.A.-based news and entertainment platform Tubefilter. 

Nearly 1,000 content creators, industry execs and professional representatives mixed and mingled at the event, which was a collaborative effort between SAG-AFTRA’s #AdsGoUnion campaign, the NextGen Performers subcommittee, the Commercial Performers Committee and the National EEO & Diversity Department. SAG-AFTRA President Gabrielle Carteris and Secretary-Treasurer and L.A. Local President Jane Austin were also present, along with several NGP and CPC Committee members, to meet with creators and represent the union.

The event follows the exciting announcement from earlier in June that the soon-to-debut, creator-owned Zeus Network signed on as a signatory to a new media contract. In celebration of this groundbreaking development, Zeus co-branded a candy buffet at the SAG-AFTRA VIP Lounge and brought many of its acclaimed entertainers to the event.

Google, Amazon, AT&T, Univision, Viacom and Disney were just some of the brands rubbing shoulders with performers at VidCon. Advertisers spent more than $1 billion dollars on influencer marketing in 2017. As the entertainment and ad industries increasingly rely on content creators, many of these professional performers are looking to SAG-AFTRA to provide protections and help develop industry standards. 

As the world of entertainment evolves, SAG-AFTRA stays strong in its commitment to ensuring all professional performers are protected and receive fair compensation, no matter how or where their work is distributed.

Photo: SAG-AFTRA President Gabrielle Carteris and SAG-AFTRA Secretary-Treasurer and L.A. Local President Jane Austin are joined by several local NGP and Commercials Committee members in representing the union at the SAG-AFTRA VIP Lounge at the eighth annual VidCon pre-party on June 20.