The latest data from the U.S. Department of Labour shows that in August this year, the U.S. film, television, and music industries lost a total of 17,000 jobs. This data also reflects the impact of the recent Hollywood strike.
The Writers Guild of America, which represents screenwriters, and the Screen Actors Guild and the Federation of Television and Radio Artists, which represent entertainers, began strikes in May and mid-July of this year, respectively. The impact of the strikes is becoming more and more obvious, which caused the United States to Against the backdrop of overall job growth, the film, television, and music industries have lost a large number of jobs.
The last major strike by the Writers Guild of America dates back to 2007. At that time, the 100-day strike resulted in the unemployment of more than 37,000 people and caused economic losses of US$2.1 billion. This year, the Writers Union’s strike has exceeded 100 days. Todd Holmes, a professor of entertainment industry management at California State University, Northridge, concluded based on 2007 data, plus inflation and other factors, that so far, the Writers Guild strike alone could cost California approximately $3 billion.
And if you include the entertainers’ strike, this number may be even higher. The short-term impact of the strike is that even if many movies are completed this year, their release will be postponed because actors cannot attend the red carpet. The long-term impact is that next summer, we may not see as many Hollywood blockbusters.
Belloni, a founding partner of an American media company
As the strike continues into the fall, the film schedule in the summer of 2024 will face serious challenges. Many films have either not yet completed filming or are still in post-production.
Not only was the film and television industry affected by the strike, but businesses in all walks of life in Los Angeles were affected. For example, in Burbank, a city in central Los Angeles, the film and television industries dominate the local economy. With the suspension of film and television production, almost all companies that provide catering for cast and crew props. And scenery providers, florists, coffee shops, and grocery stores have also shut down.
