SAG-AFTRA Reveals Do’s and Don’ts for Upcoming SAG Awards Submissions and Campaigning

On Tuesday morning, one day after SAG-AFTRA and the AMPTP returned to the table for contract negotiations, the Screen Actors Guild Awards shared details on the submission and FYC processes for the upcoming SAG Awards campaigning, detailing the do’s and don’ts during the ongoing strike in an email sent to publicists and awards consultants.

SAG Awards submissions, which normally would have been in full swing, will open Wednesday, October 4 at 10am PT, and will remain open through November 6 at 5pm PT. Rules and regulations governing this season’s SAG Awards (currently set to take place on February 24, 2024) will be posted tomorrow morning and the union noted that submission fees will be deferred until the strike has been resolved.

While actors may submit themselves for awards consideration, they will not be allowed any type of promotion on struck material, including FYC events and posting about their work in awards season projects this season. These are the same rules the guild has been living by since the beginning of the strike on July 13. Also noted was that even though the SAG nominating committee was formed before the strike began, SAG-AFTRA has paused all FYC and marketing materials, even if the films have an interim agreement. All e-blasts and screeners for consideration will remain on pause until further notice, putting the advertising of film and television projects on hold.

Speaking of interim agreements, the union detailed that actors in films and television that have received agreements are exempt. Just as some A24 and NEON films, like Sofia Coppola’s Priscilla and Michael Mann’s Ferrari, allowed its performers to appear at the Venice Film Festival to promote the films, those with agreements may promote their work during this period. Said SAG-AFTRA: “These are the films made by producers who were happy to accept all of our last demands rejected by the AMPTP. Our strike rules therefore do not apply to these productions. You can promote Interim Agreement projects, submit and accept awards for these projects, and attend FYC and any other promotional events related to these projects.”

The 30th Screen Actors Guild Awards will air live on Netflix for the first time in a new brand deal after 25 years on TNT and TBS on February 24, 2024.

Here is the full message from SAG-AFTRA, which also includes the key dates and deadlines for the SAG Awards season.

Hello All,

We are heartened by the news of a deal between the WGA and AMPTP and hope that a fair deal for SAG-AFTRA is around the corner. That being said, we would like to share some updates regarding SAG Awards submissions and the strike order policy on general awards submissions for members.

SAG Awards Submissions

Actor submissions for award show categories, by themselves, are not considered promotional under the strike order. This includes submissions for any awards show, including the SAG Awards.

Submissions for the 30th Annual Screen Actors Guild Awards will open tomorrow, Wednesday, October 4, 2023, at 10 am PT at sagawards.org/awards. We will release our updated Rules and Regulations at the same time. The submission deadline is Monday, November 6, 2023, at 5 pm PT.

Submission payment will be deferred until the TV/Theatrical strike has ended. You can complete submissions, but the payment portal for invoicing and credit card payments will not be open. All submitters will receive an email notification once payment options are available.

FYC Campaigns

FYC events, e-blasts, and screeners for SAG Awards consideration will remain on pause until further notice. We will provide more information as soon as we are able.

General Awards Submissions

To provide clarity on general awards submissions during the SAG-AFTRA strike order, the following award-focused FAQs have recently been added to SAGAFTRAStrike.org under Members/Promotions:

How should we handle award show submissions based on performances in struck content? 

Submissions for award show categories, by themselves, are not considered promotional under the strike order. This means you can submit yourself for such awards and/or consent to studios or producers submitting your performances for such awards. You may not, however, participate in For Your Consideration events or any other promotional activities that discuss, tag, reference, or feature struck content. You may publicize the award show and the fact that you have been nominated, or submitted for nomination, for an award, so long as you do not tag, reference, discuss, or feature the struck content as part of the publication. As a reminder, projects covered by a SAG-AFTRA Interim Agreement are not struck content.

Can I participate in the selection of the clip(s) and/or images used in connection with my submission?

You may participate in the selection of clips and images used in connection with your submission for nomination only. You may not grant the studio any additional permission to use clips and/or images outside of the submission (such as at FYC events) beyond that which they may already have for struck content. As a reminder, projects covered by a SAG-AFTRA Interim Agreement are not struck content.

How should we handle award shows for productions covered by a SAG-AFTRA Interim Agreement?

Productions covered by our Interim Agreement are not struck! These are the films made by producers who were happy to accept all of our last demands rejected by the AMPTP. Our strike rules therefore do not apply to these productions. You can promote Interim Agreement projects, submit and accept awards for these projects, and attend FYC and any other promotional events related to these projects.

Questions: As always, we’re here for any questions you may have. For submission or eligibility questions please email submissions@sagawards.org. For any strike-related questions please email sagaftrastrike@sagaftra.org.

SAG Awards Key Dates and Deadlines

October 4, 2023 — Submissions Open at sagawards.org/submissions

November 6, 2023 — Submissions Close at 5pm (PT)

December 4, 2023 — Nominations Voting Opens

January 7, 2024 — Nominations Voting Closes at 5pm (PT)

January 10, 2024 — Nominations Announced

January 17, 2024 — Final voting opens

February 23, 2024 — Final voting closes at 12:00pm PST

February 24, 2024 — 30th Annual Screen Actors Guild Awards® Live on Netflix