UK film and TV crews grappling with mass unemployment due to the US strikes will mount a protest at the opening night gala of the BFI London Film Festival (LFF), at London’s Royal Festival Hall tonight, October 4.
Instagram account BritCrewStories posted a call to action for the UK film and TV workforce, in support of the US industrial action, and as a reminder to industry employers that UK film and TV crews are suffering.
BritCrewStories is platforming the event, which is a grassroots coming together of UK film and TV crew under the moniker Crew Call For Change.
A statement from Crew Call For Change highlighted that, according to Bectu figures: ”75% of our workforce are out of work. 80% directly impacted directly by the US industrial disputes. At least 35% are struggling financially, 15% have already taken out loans to survive. Nearly a quarter of the workforce have said they don’t see themselves in the industry in five years time due to current instability.
”This has been a dire period for so many.”
The event plans to take place in full view of the red carpet for the opening night film, Emerald Fennell’s Saltburn. However, BritCrewStories confirmed the protest is not intended as critcism of LFF. Crew Call For Change’s statement flagged: ”This is not a protest against the festival (we love the festival).”
A BFI spokesperson said: “We have anticipated that protests centred around the Writers’ Guild of America and Screen Actors’ Guild (SAG-AFTRA) strikes and related disputes are being planned and that these will take place during the BFI London Film Festival. The BFI respects the right to peaceful protest and in common with film festivals and major media event moments all over the world, it’s not unusual for protests to take place at or during the LFF. We are prepared for these situations with policies and procedures in place for managing our venues and events in all such situations. Our priority is to create a safe space for audiences, guests, staff and protestors at our events.”
The protesters want assurances of support during any future disputes; clarity on long term benefits for below-the-line UK workforce and to improve the fragility of dependence on employers.
The Crew Call For Change statement also said: ”Our union (Bectu) contract agreements with the UK producers group (Pact) aren’t yet up for review however many workers feel the union is not doing enough in the meantime to begin these conversations. Neither are the BFI, the British Film Commission, and Pact.
”Where is the pre-emptive campaign to protect the domestic industry? The workforce does not feel seen or heard. We demand an opening of discussions with those employers as to what this will mean for the UK below-the-line workforce. We’re here, we’re suffering and we demand to be seen and heard.”
The event organisers are encouraging those that live outside of London to stage peaceful protests at other venues.
Actors Denise Gough and Aisling Bea and writer Neil Gaiman have lent their voices to support Crew Call For Change’s cause.
”I am tired of seeing crews being treated like they are disposable,” said Gough. ”The times I’ve witnessed them actually being treated respectfully are unfortunately now few and far between. I stand in solidarity with them and will use whatever platform and power I have to affect change going forward.”
“We’re at a time of unprecedented change for the world of film-making,” added Gaiman. ”The writers and the actors struck in order to make sure that we have a future in this industry, but we must not forget the incredible hardship that crews all over the world have been going through because of these strikes. We are grateful for their support. And it will be vital for the writers and the artists to support those crews when they in turn demand to be treated better, paid better and respected.”
Bea noted: “The strikes have been necessary to protect the future of our industry, but have inevitably been particularly hard on the heart and soul of our business - the behind the scenes crew members. My hope is that post-strikes, that studios and streamers think about how our work is made and how we can use that creativity to dream up a better system. The money should not ”all end up on screen”, it should also be invested into the health and strength of the people who make what gets put on screen. That should be a long term holistic investment.”
While the Writers’ Guild of America strike has sended, the SAG-AFTRA strike has yet to be resolved, with talks ongoing. Major productions to shut down in the UK as a result including Wicked, How To Train Your Dragon, Deadpool 3 and The Sandman.
UK creative industries’ union Bectu has called for US studios and streamers to pay UK crew retainer fees while production is in shutdown, however Spencer MacDonald, Bectu’s national secretary of London production and regional production division, told Screen last month, “I’ve had replies [from studios/streamers], but nothing positive.”
Bectu has organised its own entirely separate demonstration in London’s Leicester Square on October 5.
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