The Writers Guild of America’s strike against the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers has led to a nationwide slowdown in film production.
Now that Re-Election, an indie comedy featuring Tony Danza, has wrapped, no other notable projects are filming in Baton Rouge, says Katie Pryor, who directs the Baton Rouge Film Commission.
However, producers still are showing interest in bringing projects to the region, she says, which suggests there could be a burst of activity once the strike ends, similar to the end of the COVID-19 shutdowns.
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“The fact that those conversations are still happening gives me hope that people are just gearing up and getting ready for when it’s time,” she says. “When those conversations stop, I will panic.”
The last strike in 2008 led to a big spike of “reality” TV, Pryor says, and most of the productions currently interested in Baton Rouge are unscripted.
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“Unfortunately, we’re just in a waiting game right now,” she says. “Hopefully things will resolve quickly.”
As with several other Hollywood strikes, the current dispute is driven largely by changing technology, primarily the rise of streaming and questions about the role of artificial intelligence in the creative process. The Screen Actors Guild-American Federation of Television and Radio Artists may strike over similar concerns. SAG-AFTRA’s current contract with the AMPTP was set to expire Friday but the sides agreed to extend the deal to July 12 as negotiations continue.
This story originally appeared in a July 5 issue of Daily Report. To keep up with Baton Rouge business and politics, subscribe to the free Daily Report e-newsletter here.