For those of you who weren’t around during the last strike, this is going to be like an extended December. Everyone’s going to be holding their breath (and job offers) until they know production can pick up again. It’s looking like it’s gonna be a while.
Keep Working
Obviously, if you’re a WGA writer, pencils down. But if you’re not in the union and you have a job right now, don’t quit out of solidarity.
No one likes to state the obvious, but a union’s job is to take care of its members. If you’re not a member, despite all the propaganda you hear, they’re not looking out for you.{{1}} Sometimes your interests and theirs align, or might align at some indefinite point in the future, but none of that matters if you can’t eat today.
There’s nothing wrong with continuing your PA or assistant duties while the unions and AMPTP hash this out. Yes, you should be saving your money for those times you’re out of work, but don’t voluntarily put yourself out of work.
Now, if you’re put out of work because your boss is on strike, well, here’s a few other things you can do…
Get Creative
Now is a great time to get to work on your own personal projects, whether it’s a spec script, a short film, an album, or whatever. A lot of these are literally free, which is important when you’re not working.
We don’t know how long this strike will last. It could be over by the time I hit publish on this, or it might go on for months, like the last one. So use your time wisely. Finish those projects you started but gave up on half way. Get the gang together and jam. Whatever it is.
When you’re a PA, you don’t have a lot of free time. Now you do. Use it!
Studying Isn’t Just for School
On a more practical level, try to learn something new. Is there editing or effects software that you’ve been meaning to try? Now’s the time. Maybe you’ve always appreciated good cinematography, but never knew how to create it yourself. There are a million tutorials on YouTube to get you started.
The point is, you don’t want to be a PA or assistant forever. Normally, you have to climb the ladder slowly, but through study and practice, you can gain new, valuable skills which will allow you to skip a few rungs.
Relax
I don’t want to put too much pressure on you. This is going to be a stressful time. Catch up on your reading. Watch that old, classic movie you’ve heard about but never seen. Take a walk!
Do literally anything to not stress out about something entirely out of your control.
Help a Child in Need
[Ed. note: I obviously didn’t write this next part, but they didn’t pay for the placement or anything. I just think they’re a great organization, and if you can help you, you should!]
Big Brothers Big Sisters of Greater Los Angeles (BBBSLA) is a youth empowerment organization whose mission is to create and support one-to-one mentoring relationships that ignite the power and promise of youth. As a “Big,” you have the power to make a real impact for at-risk youth, a vast majority of whom are living below the poverty line. As a result of the one-to-one mentorship program, 94% of “Littles” say having a Big improved their level of self-confidence, while 92% of Littles are reported to have improved academic performance.
This is not even to consider that being a Big is an absolute blast. Littles and Bigs hang out twice per month, where they might go for a hike, play sports in the park, try a new restaurant, or see a movie. Of course, the quality time you spend with your Little is more important that the money you spend. Moreover, there are diverse, frequent group events, whether sports clinics, painting lessons, special preview movie screenings, arcade parties, and more! Bigs and Littles often have privileged access to tickets to Lakers and Dodgers games, theater productions, conventions, and more. Please visit https://bbbsla.org/volunteer/ to learn more, and consider becoming a mentor today!
[[1]]The same, of course, is true about the studios. At best, they’re protecting the shareholders, which means making you work as much as possible for as little money as possible. Just don’t buy into the “enemy of my enemy is my friend” shtick.[[1]]
