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For Hollywood Writers In A Changing Landscape, The Struggle Is Real
Picket signs during the Hollywood strike pointed to possible scenarios.
(
Mandalit del Barco
/
NPR
)
Topline:
The phrase “Survive ‘til ’25” has been a mantra for people who work in Hollywood, with production and jobs slower to return after the end of last year’s dual strikes. This is how the landscape is changing and how TV writers in particular are coping with it.
Why it matters: Los Angeles is a company town, after all, and the industry’s conservative turn to tighter budgets and relying on “people they know can deliver” translates to fewer opportunities for emerging talent. Indeed, there’s a larger ripple effect as a result of these decisions. Although some believe that the traditional ladder of working your way up is returning, the pipeline has been broken so there are people who are stuck in place if they can even get a lower-level role.
The struggle is real: “Some people in a decade of script coordinating or writers assisting have yet to make it in their career,” says an aspiring writer who has had a hard time finding work since the strikes. “Getting your hopes up about something you feel like you would be right for has you questioning: What am I doing here?” As Arrowverse co-creator and showrunner Marc Guggenheim says, “Most everyone I know, at every level, is looking for work.”
Survival strategy: Agents and writers who have lived through other downturns, such as the one in 2007-2008, offer encouragement that this, too, is cyclical. Their advice ranges from continuing to write to developing direct relationships that could create future opportunities.
For more . . . read the full story on The Ankler.
This story is published in partnership with The Ankler, a paid subscription publication about the entertainment industry.
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