Hollywood strike - Stunt people in Germany: Hardly any jobs due to strike
According to an association, stunt people in Germany have suffered greatly from the Hollywood strike, which has now ended. "We're taking the full brunt of the strike. Everything that is not being produced also means that we can't work on the productions. In other words, we have fewer jobs," Ronnie Paul, Deputy Chairman of the German Stunt Association, told dpa before the turn of the year. "Unfortunately, this has had such an impact on many stunt people in Germany this year that they hardly had any work."
In Germany, there were 90 percent fewer jobs for stunt people, Paul estimated. In Berlin alone, one or two, sometimes even more, major Hollywood productions are filmed every year. The stunt people are sometimes working on two sets at the same time. Due to the strike in the middle of the year, many of them hardly worked at all. "They may have had a TV job or another film, but a lot of stunt people, especially from Berlin, have worked very little this year," reported the stunt coordinator.
More productions again next year
He expects most productions to return in 2024. As a result, many employees will be needed on set - from stunts to lighting and cameras. "However, many of them will no longer be available, either because they have an oversupply or because they are simply no longer in their job," said Paul.
The German Stunt Association, based in Berlin, represents the interests of the stunt industry - including stuntmen, stuntwomen, stunt coordinators and stunt drivers. According to Paul, it is estimated that there are around 300 professional stunt people in Germany.
Around 160,000 actors and actresses in the USA went on strike for almost four months last year, and screenwriters also walked off the job for months. In particular, the unions demanded better pay when films or series are streamed on platforms such as Netflix, Apple and Amazon. Another key issue was the use of AI. The strike had paralyzed production throughout the industry for almost four months. In December, members of the US actors' union SAG-AFTRA ratified a new contract with the film production companies.
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- Despite the Hollywood strike ending, the impact on stunt people in Germany remains significant, with estimated 90% fewer jobs in the industry.
- Stunt people in Berlin, a city known for hosting several major Hollywood productions annually, were also affected, often finding themselves with little to no work during the strike.
- In an optimistic outlook, the stunt coordinator expects most productions to resume in 2024, possibly requiring the services of hundreds of stunt people in Germany.
- Despite having around 300 professional stunt people in Germany, many may no longer be available for work due to the industry's oversupply or personal changes, posing a challenge for the resurgence of productions after the strike.
Source: www.stern.de
