Most of us working in Hollywood have been hit hard in the past couple of years. Production's been ridiculously slow and whenever that happens, the rumor mill starts buzzing.
When the WGA striked in 2007, not many people paid attention since it was during the winter months when it's usually pretty slow anyway. But when January came around and no one's phone was ringing, the rumor was that as soon as it was over, everyone would be back to work.
Two months later, the strike ended, but production barely got warmed up before it was halted again. Now the rumor was that SAG was about to strike, and thus, production slowed once again. Only, they never striked. Instead, the dispute dragged on... and on... and on...
At the end of 2008, the rumor now was that SAG was going to put it to a vote and come pass or fail, the result would push either side into some form of action, settling the dispute and getting everyone back to work by early next year.
Only due to some internal fighting and politics, the ballots weren't sent out until 2009. Below-The-Liners were getting antsy and insisted that both sides stop acting like spoiled children and agree on something. Once a contract's signed, productions will be spreading like wildfire, making up for lost time. Or rather, that was the rumor anyway.
In June of 2009, a new contract was signed. "Finally! Things can get back to normal!" But the rumor that our streets would be flooded with producers, banging on doors while looking for crew was false. "Give them time to get their ducks in a row. Pre-production takes a while. By the end of summer, everyone will be working," was the latest rumor.
Summer came and went, and my friends and I were still tapping our toes, waiting for that phone to ring. "Eh... The economy sucks right now. No one's investing in movies," was the new word on the street. Damn.
By that time, the holidays (aka: the dead months) were rolling around again, and the latest rumor was that things won't pick up until after the New Year.
So here it is folks, the New Year. Will we all finally get back to work? I guess only time will tell. But I hope that 2010 will be the lucky one for all of us who have been struggling these past few years. May this one be the rumor that's true.
Happy New Year...
3 comments :
I hear you. Here's to hoping there's a damn sight more work this year.
Amen. I'm looking forward to once again becoming a chooser rather than a beggar...
Peggy and Michael - Unfortunately, based on the number of "Hey, you got any work for me?" calls I've gotten in the past week, it doesn't sound like things are picking up yet. But hey, the year's still young...
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