Hollywood is seeing a wave of staff reductions from the corporate suites to the theme park turnstiles as entertainment giants including the Walt Disney Co. and Endeavor implement layoffs and furloughs in response to the Chinese coronavirus pandemic.
Just how bad is the carnage? In Los Angeles County alone, 14,000 entertainment-related workers saw their jobs evaporate in less than two months, according to a new report from tech news outlet dot.LA. Meanwhile, Tinseltown could see even more bloodshed in the second quarter, according to The Hollywood Reporter.
Endeavor — the largest Hollywood talent agency, as well as a studio — recently said that it will lay off or furlough up to a third of its staff. Disney has furloughed more than 100,000 employees worldwide, mostly in the company’s parks division.
Hollywood has been hit on multiple fronts, including the closure of cinemas and the suspension of live sports, which is usually a cash cow for broadcasters. The L.A. office of Fox Sports Productions saw 3,595 people temporarily laid off at the end of April, according to dot.LA.
Democrat officials charged for allegedly scamming COVID relief funds
Trump scores federal court win against House progressive accused of assaulting ICE
Dem Candidate, Music Superstar With Sick Sexual History Defended Fellow Musician’s Video In Which He Gropes and Kills Woman
Breaking: ‘Rocky Horror Picture Show’ Star Tim Curry Dies at 80
Netanyahu claims his son was targeted for assassination by Iran
Felony charges against Golden Gate Bridge protesters dropped
How JD Vance worked a private channel with his fantasy football buddy to try to secure a Canada trade deal
Army vet lawmaker marks Abbey Gate anniversary with blistering message for Biden-Harris: ‘Abject failure’
SEE IT: LA Dem candidates torched by disgusted residents after ‘disgraceful’ debate: ‘Both bad’
Rutgers research dean accused of secretly recording ‘upskirt’ videos with cellphone, prosecutors say
Trump’s $100k Visa Application Fee Plan Is Back and This Time Dems Will Have a Harder Time Stopping It
Trump-Endorsed Mazzei Wins Tight GOP Gubernatorial Primary in Oklahoma
Montana man who killed 4 children, 4 other family members at Sunday dinner was asked to move out: relative
US kills 4 alleged drug smugglers on boat in Caribbean, bringing total to 227 in 68 strikes
California Dems trigger outrage after siding with convicted child sex offenders in shocking vote
Some of the biggest job losses have come from the production sector, which consists of below-the-line crew members who typically toil year round on crowded movie and TV sets. Hollywood’s trade unions have seen their members idle without work as soundstages around the country remain empty.
Breitbart News reported last week that Hollywood studios are currently working on ways to make sets safe when production ultimately resumes. While no major studio has yet to announce a timetable, one source told Breitbart that U.S. production may resume in June at the earliest.
But L.A. County’s decision to prolong its stay-at-home order for an additional three months is only creating more uncertainty.
Tyler Perry recently announced that his Atlanta studio will resume limited production in July. Countries including New Zealand, Poland, the Czech Republic have also announced that shooting can resume.
The Hollywood Reporter noted that individual studios are remaining vague about potential future layoffs. But some executives have spoken about coronavirus-related cost savings.
Democrat officials charged for allegedly scamming COVID relief funds
Trump scores federal court win against House progressive accused of assaulting ICE
Dem Candidate, Music Superstar With Sick Sexual History Defended Fellow Musician’s Video In Which He Gropes and Kills Woman
Breaking: ‘Rocky Horror Picture Show’ Star Tim Curry Dies at 80
Netanyahu claims his son was targeted for assassination by Iran
Felony charges against Golden Gate Bridge protesters dropped
How JD Vance worked a private channel with his fantasy football buddy to try to secure a Canada trade deal
Army vet lawmaker marks Abbey Gate anniversary with blistering message for Biden-Harris: ‘Abject failure’
SEE IT: LA Dem candidates torched by disgusted residents after ‘disgraceful’ debate: ‘Both bad’
Rutgers research dean accused of secretly recording ‘upskirt’ videos with cellphone, prosecutors say
Trump’s $100k Visa Application Fee Plan Is Back and This Time Dems Will Have a Harder Time Stopping It
Trump-Endorsed Mazzei Wins Tight GOP Gubernatorial Primary in Oklahoma
Montana man who killed 4 children, 4 other family members at Sunday dinner was asked to move out: relative
US kills 4 alleged drug smugglers on boat in Caribbean, bringing total to 227 in 68 strikes
California Dems trigger outrage after siding with convicted child sex offenders in shocking vote
ViacomCBS has indicated that it will take more cost-cutting steps in addition to the ones already realized from the re-merger of Viacom and CBS.
Chief financial officer Christina Spade said the company was “taking additional cost-cutting actions and implementing initiatives to reduce discretionary expenses” amid the pandemic. “We are learning from this crisis and finding ways that we can operate more efficiently,” she said during a recent earnings call.
Meanwhile, Disney has begun the gradual process of re-opening its theme parks and resorts. Disney Springs in Orlando is set to partially re-open on May 20, though the adjacent Walt Disney World remains closed. Shanghai Disney Resort recently opened again with visitors required to take special precautions, including social distancing and masks.
Story cited here.
