Jan 14, 2025
The devastation wrought by the wildfires in Southern California will loom for years. Some 12,000 buildings have burned down or are damaged so far. Most of those are homes. Some of those were once occupied by people who work in TV and film. Celebrities have been affected, including Jeff Bridges, Billy Crystal and others. But many more who have lost their homes are workaday, middle-class people who are actors, writers, VFX artists, crew members and more. The fires come five years into a uniquely difficult time for this group, who first saw their livelihoods cut off during the early days of COVID when filming was paused for months. That was followed by a six-month strike by actors and writers in 2023, with a focus on negotiating for fair pay when industry minimums and streaming’s shorter TV seasons weren’t keeping pace with the cost of living. That put another halt to filming and incomes at a dangerously vulnerable moment for many. A year after the strikes, many have reported a struggle to get enough work. The streaming boom is over and there aren’t as many jobs to be had. The threat of artificial intelligence replacing human labor has only worsened concerns. The hopeful mantra became “Stay alive until 2025.” So many people have been struggling financially. And now here we are, in the first few weeks of 2025, and for the people of Southern California, a sucker punch like no other. Often as viewers, we watch TV and film and don’t think too deeply about the thousands of people who are employed behind the scenes who help bring these projects to life. But they are as vital to the process as the household names who get most of the publicity. How does Hollywood, now dominated by media companies with a single-minded focus on Wall Street, recover after so much destruction? Can this industry even exist without a population of essential middle-class workers? I used to think of Hollywood as a bulwark. Even as other industries left the U.S., the entertainment industry seemed pretty resilient. We are always drawn to stars and the fantasy of Hollywood itself. But the foundations began eroding in earnest once streaming changed the business model. I’m worried that the factors listed above will only have a compounding effect. We often see reports about different sectors being at risk and the potential job losses involved. The question is an important one: What happens when jobs just no longer exist? I think it’s a mistake to disregard what TV and film workers are experiencing as well. These are human beings with talent and a work ethic, and they provide us, the audience, with hours of entertainment in a world where escapism from current events is at a premium. We assume more movies and TV shows will keep coming because they always have, but you need a functioning industry for that to happen. I don’t know what the answers are. But the very least we can do, as viewers, is to be aware of what TV and film professionals are going through as we tune in or press play at the end of a long day. Hollywood’s chronic aversion or fear of even acknowledging middle-class problems may have just met its Waterloo. “The Studio” is a forthcoming satire of the industry starring Seth Rogen that is set to debut on Apple TV+ in March. It’s about a guy with good intentions who is hired to run a studio and is ground down in the process. It’s a dog-eat-dog business. That’s the tone provided by the teaser trailer, which is an age-old trope we’ve seen on screen before. We’ll have to wait until it premieres to weigh in. But Hollywood, I worry, is trapped by a reflective image of itself that may no longer exist. To be sure, it’s a cutthroat industry. And it’s never been more so for the vast middle class who make it happen, many of whom are now picking up the literal pieces of their lives. Nina Metz is a Tribune critic.
Respond, make new discussions, see other discussions and customize your news...

To add this website to your home screen:

1. Tap tutorialsPoint

2. Select 'Add to Home screen' or 'Install app'.

3. Follow the on-scrren instructions.

Feedback
FAQ
Privacy Policy
Terms of Service