SAG-AFTRA is taking legal action against a production company for violating the collective bargaining agreement by filming a movie outside the United States in Romania.
The guild, in a lawsuit filed in California federal court on Monday, sued UFO Pictures to enforce payment of a $163,000 arbitration award intended to pay talent additional compensation on Beyond the Law.
UFO Pictures founder Micah Brandt denied the claims. “It wasn’t my production company at fault, nor does my company owe them money,” he says. “It wasn’t my company funding the project — it was a subsidiary.” He declined to name other parties involved in the matter.
In 2019, UFO Pictures signed onto SAG-AFTRA’s so-called “Ultra Low Budget Project Agreement,” which is intended for films shooting entirely in the U.S. with a maximum budget of $300,000. The contract waives and relaxes certain terms of the CBA, including minimum rates.
SAG-AFTRA alleged in an arbitration it brought in 2020 that Beyond the Law, which stars Steven Seagal, Johnny Messner and Earl Simmons (also known as DMX), shot in Romania, triggering minimum payment terms outlined in the CBA. After UFO Pictures failed to defend itself, an arbitrator found in favor of the guild.
“Producer is hereby ordered to pay SAG-AFTRA … the compensation due to Affected Performers appearing in the Picture, late payment liquidated damages, pension and health contributions (“P&H”), and an estimate of employer side taxes and payroll house expenses totaling $163,665.67,” state court filings citing the arbitration.
SAG-AFTRA, which didn’t immediately respond to a request for comment, filed Monday’s lawsuit because UFO Pictures has refused to pay. Other titles the company has produced include Verotika, Captors and Blood Heart.
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