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Thursday, August 31, 2023
Hollywood’s behind-the-scenes workers: ‘I just don't want to be forgotten’
www.kcrw.com: Each time union camera assistant Kelly Simpson hears that successful Hollywood actors and writers have made another big cash donation to their guilds’ emergency strike funds, she feels conflicted.
I found this article really interesting and eye opening. I have always known that behind the scenes crew members were less represented and less well known then their in front of the camera counterparts, but I had never considered the financial strain that the strike has put on them. Listening to these people’s stories made their situation real and heard. I obviously have always hoped that the studios would come to an agreement soon for the sake of the writers and actors; but now, after reading this, I realize the true urgency that is needed to resolve this strike quickly and effectively. I also hope that California, and other states, can amend their unemployment checks in order to better support this industry and its people that make it function. Without the behind the scenes people, this industry would work and I hope that people realize that and act on it to help resolve this issue quickly.
This article is incredibly important. The nature of behind the scenes work is going “uncredited.” In films and playbills the crew gets credited, but let’s be honest, no one looks at who did the makeup or who sewed the costumes. People look at the actors, the directors, and in plays the writer is on the front of the playbill. In movies people look at the writer and in tv shows people sometimes look at the writers. Occasionally people look at the designers. I don’t think anyone goes into behind the scenes work to have their name known by anyone outside of the business, but the consequences of that are in a crisis people forget about them. However, without these people films wouldn’t get made and shows wouldn’t be put on. Behind the scenes work is the foundation of entertainment. It is important to remember everyone, but if you forget the scaffolding then you can’t have a building.
Something I hadn’t considered with the strikes is how many people from all different professions are impacted and how skewed the support is. As the article mentioned, members of WGA and SAG-AFTRA have donated over 15 million to their own emergency funds. Of course that is great news for the recipients of the support, but that kind of support is not reaching the other thousands who are also out of work. As one crew worker did the math, crews won’t get hired onto productions until at least early 2024 if the strike ended today. So how will the industry handle hundreds of people who had to move or find other jobs to support themselves and can’t come back to production work. As another on this page quoeted, executives of these major production companies are simply waiting on union members to start losing housing to end the strike. I guess I’m naive in my belief that companies should care more about the people they employ.
3 comments:
I found this article really interesting and eye opening. I have always known that behind the scenes crew members were less represented and less well known then their in front of the camera counterparts, but I had never considered the financial strain that the strike has put on them. Listening to these people’s stories made their situation real and heard. I obviously have always hoped that the studios would come to an agreement soon for the sake of the writers and actors; but now, after reading this, I realize the true urgency that is needed to resolve this strike quickly and effectively. I also hope that California, and other states, can amend their unemployment checks in order to better support this industry and its people that make it function. Without the behind the scenes people, this industry would work and I hope that people realize that and act on it to help resolve this issue quickly.
This article is incredibly important. The nature of behind the scenes work is going “uncredited.” In films and playbills the crew gets credited, but let’s be honest, no one looks at who did the makeup or who sewed the costumes. People look at the actors, the directors, and in plays the writer is on the front of the playbill. In movies people look at the writer and in tv shows people sometimes look at the writers. Occasionally people look at the designers. I don’t think anyone goes into behind the scenes work to have their name known by anyone outside of the business, but the consequences of that are in a crisis people forget about them. However, without these people films wouldn’t get made and shows wouldn’t be put on. Behind the scenes work is the foundation of entertainment. It is important to remember everyone, but if you forget the scaffolding then you can’t have a building.
Something I hadn’t considered with the strikes is how many people from all different professions are impacted and how skewed the support is. As the article mentioned, members of WGA and SAG-AFTRA have donated over 15 million to their own emergency funds. Of course that is great news for the recipients of the support, but that kind of support is not reaching the other thousands who are also out of work. As one crew worker did the math, crews won’t get hired onto productions until at least early 2024 if the strike ended today. So how will the industry handle hundreds of people who had to move or find other jobs to support themselves and can’t come back to production work. As another on this page quoeted, executives of these major production companies are simply waiting on union members to start losing housing to end the strike. I guess I’m naive in my belief that companies should care more about the people they employ.
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