Hollywood Assistants: The Forgotten Casualties of the Strikes

Article featured in Business Insider.

By: Natalie Lifson

Executive Assistant & Agent Trainee, Buchwald

Co-Editor-in-Chief, The Hollywood Assistant

On September 24th, the Writers Guild of America (WGA) and studios (AMPTP) reached a tentative agreement, signaling the end of the longest strike in Hollywood history. The writers stand victorious after the AMPTP made significant concessions regarding minimum compensation, streaming residuals, AI, writers room sizes, and more. Despite this historic win for writers everywhere, the Screen Actors Guild (SAG-AFTRA) continues to fight for their own fair contract, and the industry remains at a standstill.

Throughout the past five months, the entertainment industry as a whole—not just members of striking unions—has suffered. More than 17,000 jobs have been lost, money has been scarce, and fear has been at an all-time high. Hollywood assistants in particular have been considerably impacted but have largely been left out of the conversation.

To investigate the effects of the strike on our own community, The Hollywood Assistant conducted a survey (three weeks before the end of the WGA strike) of entertainment assistants, asking how the strikes have affected their lives and careers. 35 people responded including (at time of response or prior to layoffs) assistants at talent agencies, management companies, casting agencies, production companies, studios, and networks, as well as production assistants and freelancers, among other roles.  

Every single respondent described feeling hopeless and / or frightened for the future of the entertainment industry and their place in it. Most answered that they had been laid off, were worried about being laid off / had had their hours cut, or were unable to find work at all. Many cited depression, anxiety, and other mental health issues as a result of the state of the industry. In their own words:

• “It's hard to not be cynical. The executives whisper of layoff fears in between trips to Cabo and Greece. I wonder if I should really treat myself to that fancy coffee – if I lose my job next week, will I regret that five dollars? My therapist tells me I'm a good candidate for another job, but I know a lot of people that are good candidates for jobs. Many of them haven't worked in months; it's likely they won't work for many more.”
  

• “The ability to have any forward momentum seems to have completely stopped.”
  

• “I have no savings and about a month left of money to live in Los Angeles in my apartment.”
  

• “I'm on unemployment and struggling to find entry-level roles in entertainment.”
  

• “I truly have no sense of belonging in other industries and it is painful watching these studios shooting everyone in the foot for the sake of a quick buck.”
  

• “The industry is clearly at a headways but it has proven time and time again to be able to ride out similarly rough waters. In terms of my place in it, I feel like I’ve been thrown overboard into these waters and I am drowning.”
  

• “Everyone who joined the company with me was laid off. I am one of the few left and that's because of my comparatively low salary. Everyday I live and work with the fear that I might get fired tomorrow.”
  

Some specific words respondents used to describe their feelings about the state of the industry and their place in it include “defeated,” “depressed,” “disparaged,” “hopeless,” “nervous but hopeful,” “confused,” “frustrated,” “angry,” “lost,” “shaky and uncertain,” “unstable,” “scared,” and more. The most frequently occurring emotions? “Anxious” and “unsure.”

Most respondents were pro-union, but wished people would consider assistants and others in the industry whose livelihoods have been disrupted by the strikes.

• “I feel that the little people have been forgotten. (PA’s, secretaries, non-union workers on union jobs…)”
  

• “While I stand with the union, I can't help but think about all the crew members who work on a non-union basis. As non-union workers, we don't receive any types of benefits, and a lot of us don't even have health insurance to begin with. So, the strike has been hard to navigate, but I still stand in solidarity with the unions.”
  

• “I hope wealthy actors and wealthy executives understand that while they can ride this out, a majority of us can’t.”

• “This is exhausting, I am so angered for myself and my peers. WE ALL DESERVE TO BE COMPENSATED AND CARED FOR!”
  

In particular,assistantswho graduated duringthepandemic seem to have been hitthehardest. They struggled to find their footing in an industry that was still recovering from a pandemic, just forthestrikes to hit as soon as they finally settled into their first entry-level roles. 

• “I’ve felt my entire career thus far has been cataclysmic event after cataclysmic event.” 
  

• “I feel lost. They say part of the battle is breaking in. The thing is I broke in and the strike made it so that I was immediately spat back out.”
  

• “Was on the verge of finally breaking in. I had just done my first major movie as crew. Then the strikes happened and everything is on hold.” 
  

A number of respondents voiced bigger-picture issues—that the industry generally does not treat assistants fairly, and the strikes only exacerbated prevalent issues. 

• “I’m entry level and can barely survive given what assistants are paid. I’m one flat tire away from having to accept being in debt. As someone with no family in the industry, it doesn’t feel like I’m wanted here.”
  

• “I feel that there are significant changes that need to be made in the industry as a whole. We need more workshops and training programs. … At times, I question my place in this industry because things are so guarded.”
  

• “Headline after headline of assistant layoffs spells out how necessary we really are. I read articles about how AI is capable of scheduling meetings, travel and filling out expense reports and I think to myself: Goodness, that's exactly what I do, isn't it? I wouldn't be surprised if I open my inbox on a Monday morning and read that I've been replaced by a newer, trendier, cheaper machine.”
  

A handful of others have been forced out of the entertainment industry entirely. 

• “I’m leaving the industry. I’m done with it. All the hours I put in - for what?”
  

• “I feel like many people are pivoting due to financial strain as fall approaches. I've been working on low-budget projects and have started a side business.”
  

One thing is for certain,assistantshave not been usingthepast five months as “down time.” When asked“Is there anything you’re doing during these strikes that has been helpful to you in some way?,”most respondents shared that they have some sort of side hustle or non-industry job to sustain themselves financially. Most also stated they are taking this time to work on some sort of professional development to prepare for whentheSAG strike ends. This includes networking, taking classes, working on personal projects, readingthetrades, and more. Some are picketing withthewriters and actors, and others are taking this opportunity to consume content they didn’t have time for before. 

Further, a number of respondents stated they are using this time for self-care, focusing on mental health, self-reflection, and meditation during an especially stressful period in their lives. Many are finding comfort in their communities of young entertainment industry professionals by producing arts and culture events, participating in community-run arts organizations such as the NYC-based Aurelians Collective, and attending meetups, such as those organized by Young Entertainment Professionals in LA, NYC, and virtually. 

Despite all of these setbacks, hope is not lost. As one respondent put it, “I hope that when these strikes are over it has re-leveled the playing field in ways that we can hit the ground running. I believe if things are resolved well, it could be a good opportunity for young professionals to mold the future of the industry.”

The results of this survey should serve as a reminder to us all that we—young, entry-level entertainment professionals trying to break into a difficult industry at a difficult time—are not alone in these feelings of uncertainty and anxiety. We’re all in this together, and if we stick together and lean on one another, we’ll rise out of this together too.Thank you to everyone who lent their voices to this piece.