The ongoing Hollywood strike is having a significant impact on businesses that rely on the movie industry for survival, even those located far from Los Angeles.
For the past week, the Screen Actors Guild-American Federation of Television and Radio Artists (SAG-AFTRA) has been on strike, demanding better pay and protections for actors. The Writers Guild of America has also been on strike since May, with the studios refusing to negotiate.
This movement has caused Billy Biggar’s family-owned prop house in Chamblee, Georgia to come to a halt. Normally bustling with activity, the prop house is now eerily quiet, with no items being dispatched and revenue streams coming to a halt.
“It’s hard to stay positive when your clients are shut down and you’re shut down,” Biggar expressed.
Biggar’s warehouse has seen a steep decline in demand for props due to the strike. He anticipates that things will get worse if the strike persists until December, causing financial difficulties for many individuals and businesses.
Georgia is a major hub for movie-making, with four out of Hollywood’s six highest domestic-grossing films being shot in the state. However, other states in the South, such as North Carolina, Texas, and Florida, are also feeling the impact. These movie businesses contribute over $3.5 billion in annual wages and provide more than 46,000 jobs.
On the other side of the dispute is the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers, representing companies like Paramount Studios. They claim to have offered historic pay and residual increases, along with additional protections. However, striking actors and writers argue that these proposals fail to address their concerns adequately.
Drama Inc, an acting school in Atlanta, is also affected by the strike. Working actors are grappling with the challenges it presents, relying on side-hustle gigs to sustain them between jobs.
It’s important to note that while some CBS News staff are SAG-AFTRA members, they operate under a different contract and are not impacted by the strike.
Overall, the Hollywood strike has far-reaching implications, not just for Los Angeles but for businesses and individuals across the country. The hope is that a resolution can be reached that satisfies the concerns of all parties involved.
Mark Strassmann, a CBS News correspondent based in the Atlanta bureau, contributed to this report.
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