Assistant director discusses the stress of trying to make it in a changed industry

Topline:

Why it matters: Since the writers and actors strikes last summer, film and TV production have been in decline, with fewer projects being produced, particularly in California and the United States, and therefore there are fewer workers within the industry earning paychecks. That leaves a lot of people who had previously had consistent employment opportunities prior to the market’s downturn now in a state of economic flux as they try and get back to their jobs.

 
The details: This particular assistant director lives in New York and has been working in the industry for 14 years primarily on feature films. At 2019-21 levels, he was making $90,000 to $130,000 annually, but now that total has contracted significantly. With a child under 12 months, it’s helped that his wife has a good job, but the stresses have continued to amount.

What has resulted: As grocery bills, student loans and daycare costs have piled up, this person has had to get rid of his car ($300/month) and quit therapy. The story is emblematic of the larger human toll precipitated by the fiscal rollback that continues to ripple through the entertainment business.

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