Wknd Digest: New Agency Cuts as Pain Sinks In
APA follows pay cuts with a 'small number' of assistant furloughs
Six weeks into the writers strike, the town is feeling the pain.
Just weeks after APA temporarily trimmed senior exec salaries by up to 20 percent, the agency has furloughed a “small number” of assistant positions — what I’m told is in the single-digit range — as the work stoppage squeezes revenue.
“We are among the companies that are making sensible short-term business decisions with the hope that the labor disruption will be resolved quickly and to everyone’s satisfaction,” an APA spokesperson told me. “In this case, by asking some junior agents primarily in the lit department to share assistants, [it] unfortunately affected a small number of positions.”
APA isn’t the only agency that has tightened its belt. As Deadline reported on May 21, majors CAA and WME and smaller agencies such as Paradigm and Gersh have all scaled back expenses in an effort to save cash during the strike, while writer-heavy Verve was the first to institute layoffs.
While solidarity remains strong across industry unions (see above: the Motion Picture Editors Guild painting cars to support the writers), the financial impact of the stoppage is starting to ripple through town in a big way.
Have you heard of more layoffs or furloughs across town? Talk to me: elaine@theankler.com.
More Strike News
Roughly 1,300 studio and “struck companies” staffers lost their access to The Black List, as the people behind the platform — in solidarity with the writers — decided to revoke their memberships for the time being. (Deadline)
Another industry affected by the strike: commercial real estate, as some developers wrapping up construction on new sound stages have had to delay beginning on new shows, and studios that signed decade-long leases at production facilities might shift to seasonal agreements. (Commercial Observer)
As the air quality in New York City has improved, picketing recommenced Friday to try and shut down production on Daredevil: Born Again. (Deadline)
With the uncertainty of the strike, the Television Critics Association has decided to cancel its summer 2023 press tour, but will still go through with the TCA Awards in early August. (Variety)
Outside the Starz series’ set, BMF producer Ian Woolf was accused yesterday of speeding towards a group of picketing writers, stopping just short of them twice, and then yelling “I was trying to scare you!” (The Hollywood Reporter)
Right when the strike began, repair work commenced just outside the NBCUniversal lot on the sidewalk where picketers had been marching. The company denies foul play, but many WGA members allege that it’s a tactic to infringe protest. (The Hollywood Reporter)
In the wake of the strike, IATSE has approved $2 million to be distributed amongst its members in need of financial assistance. (Deadline)
Between sports, unscripted, and other content, many advertisers don’t feel too concerned about the strike’s effect, with 17 out of 20 polled saying they were unlikely to hold back future spending on TV or streaming. (Morning Brew)
A group of current and former late night comedy writers have banded together to create the YouTube show Contract TK, in which they tell monologue jokes inspired by the strike. (Deadline)
Picket Sign of the Week
Everything’s coming up Milhouse. The Simpsons’ Matt Groening joined picketers on the lines at the Fox lot on Friday.
- additional reporting by Matthew Frank