SAG-AFTRA Rescinds ‘Do Not Work’ Order on Pandemic Thriller ‘Songbird’

SAG-AFTRA has rescinded its “do not work” order for the pandemic thriller “Songbird,” produced by Michael Bay.

The performers union made the announcement Friday on its web site, a day after telling its members not work on the project: “SAG-AFTRA has rescinded its Do Not Work order for the feature film ‘Songbird, produced by On a Lark Productions, LLC, and members are free to work on this production effective immediately.”

SAG-AFTRA did not elaborate. “Songbird” had been announced in mid-May as a low-budget production that would shoot in Los Angeles. SAG-AFTRA had said on Thursday the company had failed to complete the signatory process and was not signed to any applicable SAG-AFTRA agreement and a spokesperson had asserted that he producers had not been transparent about their safety protocols, adding,  “That is something we obviously take very seriously.”

SAG-AFTRA had also warned members Thursday that they could be disciplined if they worked on “Songbird.”

“Songbird” is a near-future narrative produced by Bay with Adam Goodman’s Invisible Narratives and Catchlight Studios. Adam Mason is directing from a script he wrote with Simon Boyes. The story is set two years in a future in which the pandemic has not gone away as the virus continues to mutate. ICM Partners and Endeavor were teaming to sell “Songbird” at last month’s Virtual Cannes Market.

The producers have not responded to a request for comment regarding the SAG-AFTRA announcement. “Songbird” is one of the first titles to go into production in Los Angeles since the COVID-19 crisis shut down production in March.