As a UK-based supplier of temporary buildings for film sets, we have felt the blow from the recent Hollywood strikes in Huddersfield. Usually, our prefabricated buildings would be designed, manufactured and installed on a tight schedule to studios and film locations nationwide. Instead, they remain paused in dismantled pieces or storage.
However, we are not the only local business impacted by the unfortunate and adverse effects of the actors’ strike.
Why are the actors going on strike?
While we all enjoy streaming services, with services such as Netflix or Apple TV, this advancement in viewing technologies did not improve pay or regulations for actors and their unions. This, combined with concerns around A-I technology, led to strikes in Hollywood. These strikes reached across the pond, and we now see British actors and unions protesting too.
How do Hollywood strikes affect Yorkshire?
The effects on local theatres, film sets, film professionals and suppliers to the industry are massive and ongoing. Film delays, new series with no release dates, loss in earnings and some people and locations are having to look for alternative sources of revenue. Although we can not directly comment on other local businesses in our case, we have seen film venues in Yorkshire and London film production companies put their temporary buildings on hold. We have dedicated several days of design and manufacturing time to prefabricating buildings with no film location to go to. The prefab buildings instead remain profitless, taking up valuable storage space until the strikes are resolved.