Part 4/11:
Drawing a parallel to rental shops like Blockbuster, the argument suggests that watching a streamed show is akin to renting a movie. In the past, residuals were paid to actors when movies or shows remained in circulation. Today, streaming effectively acts as a continuous rental, but the infrastructure for residual payments hasn't kept pace with technology.
So, should actors get residuals every time a streaming platform airs their work? Legally, only if contracts specify this. Currently, most contracts do not account for streaming residuals, particularly for older shows that predate the streaming era. This leaves many artists potentially missing out on revenue.