Michael Bay's Pandemic Thriller SONGBIRD Receives Do Not Work Order

Michael Bay and producer Adam Goodman were preparing to start production on a new pandemic thriller titled Songbird in the next week or two. But, with California going on lockdown again for another few weeks and business order to shut down, SAG-AFTRA has issued a “Do Not Work” order to the film’s production. They have told its members to refuse work on the movie.

The film is described as a thriller in the spirit of Paranormal Activity and Cloverfield. The story “takes place two years in the future. The pandemic has not gone away. Lockdowns have been rolled back and then reinstated and it becomes even more serious as the virus continues to mutate.”

It’s said that there are no supernatural elements involved, but there “is governmental conspiracy and paranoia and how it impacts the cast of characters who remain in lockdown.”

The low-budget production was set to shoot in Los Angeles, but the production company “had failed to complete the signatory process and is therefore not signed to any applicable SAG-AFTRA agreement. SAG-AFTRA warned members that they could be disciplined if they work on Songbird.” SAG-AFTRA said in a statement:

“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.”

A SAG-AFTRA spokesperson also added, “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.”

Well, I guess if Bay and the film’s crew want to get this movie made, they better take the proper steps to get it into production.

Source: Variety