On this episode of the Media Clips Podcast, host and GHJ Profit Participation Services Practice Leader Ilan Haimoff is joined by Motion Picture and Television Fund (MPTF) President and CEO Bob Beitcher to discuss how the entertainment community is supporting each other through labor disputes.
The Writers Guild of America (WGA) and SAG-AFTRA are currently on strike, which has put a stop to many film and television productions.
MPTF is a nonprofit that has supported working and retired members of the entertainment community since 1921 with temporary financial assistance, case management and residential living. Going beyond financial assistance, MPTF meets with industry members in need, teaches them how to manage their finances and provides housing.
Four months into these labor disputes, many crew members are losing health coverage, facing food insecurity and struggling to pay their bills as a result of work stoppages. Since the beginning of the strikes in May, MPTF has issued nearly $2 million in grant funding to industry members in need in the form of $1,500 grants.
“The average rent in Los Angeles is $3,000 a month. If you think of a $1,500 grant, it is not going to solve a lot but it may keep people in their homes for a little while longer,” Beitcher explains on the podcast.
Ilan and Bob discuss the implications of the labor dispute, why these challenges will continue even after an agreement is reached and how the entertainment industry can come together to support those most affected.
Find the Media Clips Podcast on Apple Podcasts and Spotify to listen to past episodes and hear new episodes as soon as they become available.
