Topline:
FilmLA’s forthcoming report reveals that not only are the number of productions down but the decline in cast-and-crew hiring is even more pronounced.
Why it matters: Hollywood being slow to restart after the work stoppages last year has significant ripple effects that have been felt by everyone from prop masters and soundstage operators to local business owners who provide film and TV productions with vehicles, such as fire trucks and Ferraris. These often family-owned businesses are reporting work to be down to just 25% to 30% of what they consider to be normal.
Fewer permits, fewer hires: According to Paul Adley, the president of FilmLA, the number of on-location filming permits issued is down 26% from last year, but cast and crew hiring has dropped 30%, outpacing the decline in permits. Translation: Productions are returning with smaller casts and crews.
Survival of the fittest: According to the career professionals who have supplied entertainment productions, this moment feels different compared with previous lulls. “This is a Darwin sort of event,” says Greg Bilson, the head of ISS, the largest prop house in the U.S. “Our business always goes through a bit of a purge every 10, 15, 20 years. The strongest come out of it. Those that aren’t ready for it, don’t.”
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This story is published in partnership with The Ankler, a paid subscription publication about the entertainment industry.
