Film Jobs Fall to 4-Year Low in September

Employment in movie, television and video production in Los Angeles has fallen to a four-year low, as industry jitters following the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks have exacerbated an already strange economic year for Hollywood.

Cutbacks and delayed projects by the major film companies are now trickling down through the industry, leading to a spate of layoffs at small firms that provide myriad services and equipment.

“Everyone stepped back and reevaluated their projects,” said Gabe Videla, president of Special Effects Unlimited. “There are a lot of people out of jobs, a lot of people who are looking for work right now.”

Movie and television production slowed to a crawl last summer because studios and networks had stockpiled shows to ride out a threatened strike by actors and writers that never materialized.

“We were anticipating things would start back up again in September. There was a buzz in Hollywood. And then all of the sudden the World Trade Center happened, and we got hit below the knees,” said Videla, whose firm was scheduled to begin working on special-effects work for the movie “Terminator 3,” which has now been postponed to next year.

State employment statistics show that September was Hollywood’s slowest month since June 1997. The state figures show that 143,500 people were employed in the industry. That’s down from 158,300 in November 1998, the high mark of the last four years. These numbers do not include the thousands of independent contractors who work in the industry.

The Entertainment Industry Development Corp. found that one key barometer, location shooting for feature-length movies in Los Angeles, last month was half of its September 1999 level. Commercial shooting was down by nearly a third for September when compared with September 1999, the EID found. Commercial production has not rebounded since a six-month strike last year by the Screen Actors Guild, experts said.

Comparisons with 2000 are difficult because film production was abnormally high in anticipation of labor problems and commercial production stopped during the actors’ strike.

“Employment in the industry is at very, very low levels,” said Jack Kyser, chief economist for the Los Angeles County Economic Development Corp. “This is an industry made up of a lot of small firms, and a significant number of these companies don’t have the resources to get though a tough patch.”

Stephen Katz, an independent analyst who monitors employment in the industry, said, “This is a worse hit than anyone expected, and we really don’t know the full ramifications. There’s a trickle down effect, and what’s so concerning is that these companies are laying off their full-time workers.”

Evan Green, president of Paskal Lighting of Hollywood, which has supplied lighting and grips for films, commercials and music videos for more than 13 years, heads one such firm.

“Two weeks ago, we had our first layoffs ever,” said Green who was forced to shed seven of his nearly 50 workers. “We knew July was going to be awful, and it was. In September, feature films were starting to come back, permits got pulled and then, of course, Sept. 11 came and put everything in a tailspin.”

Movie studios and producers halted some projects to reevaluate the content. About 125 feature-length movies are shot worldwide in an average year, industry experts said. Not this year.

“This year, we’re definitely off by about 15 feature films,” said Phil Radin, head of marketing for Panavision of Woodland Hills, which leases its huge cameras.

The loss of 15 films might sound insignificant, but each picture employs hundreds of workers for several months.

Art Brewer, head of the International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees, Local 44, said 29% of the union’s nearly 6,500 member craftsmen are not working in the industry. Brewer said the number of unemployed workers shot up after the attacks. “Sept. 11 definitely had an impact,” Brewer said. “That, along with runaway production to Canada and other countries, has just been devastating to our members here in Los Angeles.”

Television production is hurting too. Sony Pictures Entertainment largely abandoned the television production business this month, saying it was unprofitable.

Wexler Video, which provides video systems and camera packages, has been working steadily on reality shows such as “Survivor” and “Big Brother.” But the appeal of those shows has diminished in the aftermath of the terrorist attacks. Wexler had to lay off several of its 80-some workers when reality show “Mole 2” was shelved.

“Some of our business just slipped away because of Sept. 11,” said Chris Thompson, president of Burbank-based Wexler. “We’re just kind of plodding along. We’ve had to tighten our belts; and some of what we had to do was proactive to keep the company as healthy as possible.”

Radin of Panavision and others were expecting film and video production to resume this fall.

“But now, we don’t think that’s going to happen until late winter or early spring, perhaps February, March or April of next year,” Radin said. “Prior to Sept. 11, the economic picture was already negative, and people were already talking about layoffs and belt-tightening. And post-Sept. 11, the situation hasn’t improved.”

For 16 years, Cynthia Huffman, president of American Casting Co., has steered hundreds of extras and one-line actors to producers of prime-time television programs and feature films. Her clients can be seen on network television programs in street scenes.

In an average month, Huffman books between 3,000 to 6,000 jobs. But recently, she has filled half that number.

“A lot of networks have told show producers that they have to cut back. When they do that, the small jobs get trimmed,” Huffman said. “This is like my worst year.”

Ed Clare, executive director of the Production Equipment Rental Assn., which covers 225 member companies that provide lighting and sound equipment, said, “Most of our companies will get through this. But the casualties will be the people who work for these businesses and the independent contractors. If there is no work for a gaffer, what are you going to do?”