The two Hollywood strikes tested the dreams of actors and writers already struggling to get by.
via: Deadline
“It’s so f*cking hard out there. There is so little work. It’s a brutal time in the business. There are no jobs,” I hear consistently from agents, managers and actors.
On top of fewer shows and virtually no pilots, the available acting gigs pay less than they used to amid rising cost of living, talent sources say, making it hard for many working actors to afford their rent or mortgage and support their families.
As Deadline reported in September, accelerated contraction and reeled-in budgets made for a bumpy re-entry into the TV marketplace post-strike. Things only got worse by November when tens of thousands of SAG-AFTRA members started looking for jobs after the actors union reached an agreement with the studios.
The wave of series cancellations during the dual Hollywood strikes has continued amid sweeping cost-cutting, including layoffs and content removal, by traditional media companies and some belt-tightening among the tech-based streamers too as their once sky-high series budgets have come down to earth.
What’s more, the strikes resulted in a pipeline backlog, with a number of streaming series originally intended for 2024 being pushed to 2025. That has led to fewer greenlights as platforms’ 2025 slates are largely filled. The same goes for the broadcast networks, with most of the new scripted series for 2023-24 being delayed to next season.
For more on the story head over to Deadline.
