As chief contracts officer for SAG-AFTRA, Ray Rodriguez has served as either lead negotiator or second chair at all major negotiations (other than broadcast news) since taking on his role at the merged union, including negotiations covering theatrical motion pictures, television, commercials, corporate and educational videos, and video games. He is also a trustee and former chair of the Screen Actors Guild-Producers Industry Advancement & Cooperative Fund and a trustee of the Screen Actors Guild-Producers Pension & Health Plans. Rodriguez previously served as deputy general counsel for Screen Actors Guild in its New York office, where he managed the union’s legal function for New York and the Eastern states. He came to the union with experience as a labor and employment lawyer for O’Melveny & Myers LLP and Wilson Sonsini Goodrich & Rosati and also served as a law clerk to the Honorable Vaughn R. Walker of the Northern District of California. Rodriguez is a graduate of Harvard College and the Columbia University School of Law, where he was an executive editor of the Columbia Law Review.
As technology rapidly advances, it has become clear that AI is leading the way and transforming the way we view and create content. A recent strike among SAG-AFTRA members eventually led to an agreement with the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers aiming to safeguard performers’ rights in relation to AI. Though confined to the entertainment industry, this agreement nevertheless serves as an outline for potential future discussions as companies utilizing generative AI for content creation start to equip themselves with the necessary tools to limit infringement on IP and ensure compliance.
Check out the incredible speaker line-up to see who will be joining Ray.
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