By Mitesh
Film crews became unintended victims of the Hollywood strikes, facing financial ruin and emotional distress. A Toronto production assistant, experiencing a devastating loss of income due to the strikes, found himself homeless, forced to live in his car. Similarly, a New York set dresser struggled with sobriety amid the mounting stress, while a New Mexico assistant director tragically succumbed to deep depression, taking his own life.
Amid the strikes called by actors and writers, lasting up to 10 months, the impact on hundreds of thousands of U.S. and Canadian film and television crew workers was profound. Evictions and family breakdowns became commonplace as crew members grappled with unemployment, loss of health insurance, and the depletion of retirement funds.
The toll extended beyond financial woes, as relationships crumbled, and individuals faced isolation and depression during months without pay, contrasting starkly with their usual intense work schedules on high-budget productions.
While actors and writers garnered significant attention during the strikes, the plight of the crews emerged as a hidden crisis. According to Lori Rubinstein, executive director of mental health charity Behind the Scenes, the crews became “collateral damage” of the strikes.
Union leaders, counselors, and numerous crew members interviewed by Reuters emphasized the dire consequences: broken health insurance, raided retirement funds, collapsed relationships, and a pervasive sense of isolation and depression. For a sector already grappling with substance abuse, workaholism, and bullying, the strikes exacerbated existing challenges.
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Recognizing the escalating mental health crisis, Rubinstein initiated mental health first aid training for approximately 1,000 industry members in the last 18 months, aiming to prevent suicides.
The human toll of the strikes became painfully evident in heartbreaking stories. Joe Bufalino, New Mexico’s youngest-ever first assistant director, known for his work on films like “Silk Road” and “Thai Cave Rescue,” took his life on August 17. His mother, Pam Rosen, revealed that he felt hopeless about the future at the time of his death.
The psychological distress was palpable across the industry. Jennifer Jorge, head of social services with the Motion Picture Television Fund (MPTF), and her team in California handled a surge of calls, including some from crew members contemplating suicide. MPTF alone provided around $3.75 million in assistance to workers.
Canada’s AFC charity faced a deluge of aid applications, prompting a suspension of new requests. The Entertainment Community Fund distributed over $11.2 million in grants, primarily benefiting workers in California, New York, and Atlanta.
The struggles were not limited to financial hardships. Crew members faced emotional turmoil, and relationships strained under the pressure of mounting bills, repossession of vehicles, and the specter of eviction.
In the Toronto area, a compassionate fellow crew member offered shelter to a production assistant living in his vehicle, highlighting the importance of solidarity within the industry.
New York set dresser Norvin Van Dunk, who had battled depression and anxiety, experienced a setback in his year-long sobriety during the strikes. Despite the support of his working wife and crew member friends, he resorted briefly to alcohol to cope with the stress. Fortunately, he has since regained sobriety through activities like going to the gym, playing music, and caring for his children.
Gwen Roach, a New York props master, and her husband depleted their life savings, relinquishing dreams of homeownership. Unemployment benefits ran out, prompting thoughts of welfare or food assistance, a situation she never imagined facing.
In Albuquerque, assistant director Anthony Pelot mourned the loss of his best friend, Joe Bufalino, asserting that the strikes played a pivotal role in his tragic death. The strikes, intended to address industry issues, inadvertently created a ripple effect, causing profound suffering among the often-overlooked film and television crews.
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